Tag Archives: Laura Hollick

Soul Art 2019

Soul Art 2019. 12 x 16, Acrylics on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
Soul Art 2019. 12 x 16, Acrylics on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.

Soul Art Day ( June 5th) with Laura Hollick is a day of creativity and connection. The insights from taking part in the process usually last long after the art has been created. This is from Laura:

Soul Art is a unique creative practice that uses art and creative expression to commune with spirit to awaken deep healing, soul-empowered insights, transformations, and high-vibe visions for your life and career. This is our annual event where thousands of people gather online from around the world to create art together for the day. as you’re journeying through your Soul Art process, know that you are held in the collective vortex of our Global Creative Soul Art Family. There is something deeply profound that happens when we collectively connect in this way. Even though we are each on our own journeys, our collective intention to create art on this day amplifies everyone’s creative power.

Creativity, Connection, Curiosity, Kindness, Respect, Joy.

Breathe in deeply to bring your mind home to your body.
– Thich Nhat Hanh

The day starts with a video from Laura. Guiding you through the Soul Art worksheets. This is your journey, where you find your intention and action. There are five steps in this process. Intention, Bodymapping, Creative Expression, Insight, and Spirit action.

To warm up, I made marks on a 4 x 6 piece of paper. I used new paint markers. I am not familiar with them, so it was one small step out of my comfort zone. I planned on doing more of these, but I quickly felt limited by the small size.

Warming up with paint markers.
Warming up with paint markers.

I mindlessly filled the paper with marks. When there was no more white to fill, I rotated the paper several times. Is it just me, or does that look like a fish?

Warm up, SMDelgado
Making marks.
Making marks.

A fish can symbolize fertility, feelings, creativity, rebirth, good luck, transformation, health, abundance, serenity, intelligence, happiness, strength, and endurance. Connecting us with the water element, it represents the deeper awareness of the unconsciousness or higher self. How serendipitous.

Angels are all around us, all the time, in the very air we breathe.
– Elias Freeman

I laid out my palette on a butcher tray. Along with what you see, I included white, two blues and green. But this turned into an analogous theme. For my first layer, I took a comb with paint and just made a mess on the clean white sheet. Gone with the “paper is precious”.

Body mapping is often done with the artist, laying down, and having a friend outline their body. For my map, I used a watercolor pencil. I drew my lungs, esophagus, and stomach. The parts that need healing. These layers are under what is seen.

Throughout the day, Laura and her guest artists broadcast their progress in the studio. Watching them work, and listening to the meditative music, lulled me into a relaxed state. Standing, I painted until the sheet was filled.

My only goal for the day was to participate. To put a brush in my hands. I didn’t really think about what I was going to paint. When we post our piece in the Soul Art Gallery, Laura asks us several questions. My reply regarding insight was this:

“It has happened before. I am not sure the insight has revealed itself to me just yet. I have the painting propped up in full view. I’ll see what it reveals. I feel more myself, more whole, having spent the day creating. This piece is about flow. Free flowing, exchange. Breath. Breathing. Taking nourishment in. Energetic movement (while painting). Release. Repair. Prayer. Connection. Healing. Freedom. Independence.”

Inhale the future, exhale the past.
– Author Unknown

Here’s a look at previous Soul Art pieces.

Soul Art SMDelgado

Awesome News!

My surgery is set for July 11th. 8 am. I have one more appointment with the surgeon and a class before then. This first surgery is to repair my esophagus. The procedure is basically the surgery that people have to lose weight. Bariatric. The class is on what to eat and what not to eat prior to surgery. I will have a second class after surgery as well.

I really like the surgeon. She explained everything very well. The image below shows a dilated and narrowing esophagus. In addition to that, my stomach stays open. The little flap doesn’t close normally. Because of this, I have GERD. And that is what has damaged my lungs. My surgery is more about removing the damaged part of the esophagus. The stomach will be brought up and reattached to it.

Damaged Esophagus

Next month is going to be a very good month indeed!

From Chaos

 

 

Soul Art 2017. 12 x 12 mixed media on paper. © 2017 Sheila Delgado

Soul Art 2017. 12 x 12 mixed media on paper. © 2017 Sheila Delgado

 

Hours filled with blessed creation. International Soul Art Day 2017 proved to be meaningful, mindful,  and mending. This was my fifth year participating. I always find it so hard to put into words.

I was in the moment. No plan. Feels like I have said that before about Laura Hollick’s Soul Art Day. Layer after layer, I continued to paint without a preconceived idea of where I wanted the work to go.

 

In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.
Deepak Chopra

 

Not sure why the word chaos came to me when thinking of a title for this post. The only chaos was the unrestrained creative activity. The free-flowing mark making.

 

We live in a rainbow of chaos.
Paul Cezanne

 

 

First layers.

First layers.

 

Watercolor dripping and staining the paper. Wine, yellow, orange, fuchsia, rust. Acrylic stamping with wood and rubber. Stenciling gone wrong, paint too wet. Do more “wrong” stenciling in different areas. Use a dropper to add more yellow acrylic. Mist water on top and watch the paint spread in jagged blooming fingers. More yellow marks with a twig.

 

It seems like the chaos of this world is accelerating,
but so is the beauty
in the consciousness of more and more people.
Anthony Kiedis

 

 

Detail 1.

Detail 1.

White acrylic scribbles and swirls. Some of the watercolor mixes in and softens the bright here and there. White repeating texture. Some strong, some fading. Some becomes soft yellow when paint accidentally mixes.

Wine dipped dry brush tapped on the paper. Marks become like feathers. Thinking flight. Freedom. Spirit.  Jagged marks with watercolor pencil. Swirling scribble line to cover the page.

 

 

Detail 2.

Detail 2.

Dark splatters in watercolor and acrylic. Cover almost all with watery white acrylic. Layering in patches. Use the same square brush that made the feather marks.

Outline Seussical shapes with black marker until it runs dry. Continue with thick wine watercolor. Cover black marker with the same. Soft diluted splatters finish it off like sprinkles on frosting.

 

Art is the triumph over chaos.
John Cheever

 

A few tools.

A few tools.

 

When we submit our work to the Soul Art Gallery, Laura asks about our process, what the day means to us, and what insight we gained from taking part. The insight was slow in coming. Maybe I just was not focused on that.

That inner nagging voice told me that this wasn’t about creating a pretty picture. Maybe I took a wrong turn and missed the path to enlightenment. Maybe I was stupid for worrying and being too serious.

Maybe it did not HAVE to be deep, to be meaningful.

It wasn’t until the last layer of whitewash that it came to me. A single, simple thought. I know. Not very original or deep. But a message just the same.

 

Bloom where you are planted. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soul Art Invitation

 

 

Mingus Friday May 5, 2017.

Mingus Friday May 5, 2017.

 

Soul Art 2016, watercolor, oil pastel on Yupo.

Soul Art 2016, watercolor, oil pastel on Yupo.

Laura Hollick’s International Soul Art Day takes place on May 25th. This will mark my fifth year participating. It is an all day virtual event. Laura guides you through a thought-provoking journey, to help you connect to spirit and insights.

Ready for a day of fun? Open to everyone, you can join in as your schedule allows. Choose a favorite medium, or try a new one. It is empowering to know that you are connected with so many kindred spirits. Thriving in the energy that is artistic expression.

A couple of days ago I decided to clean out my stored artworks. I am recycling what I can. Six boards of different sizes are gessoed and ready to go. Twenty 6 x 6 pieces of Yupo are washed and standing by.  I even “washed” pieces of Arches. I figure that I can gesso them as well. So I guess I am ready for Soul Art. Don’t you find it interesting that the thought came to me, just before the invitation did?

I hope you will consider taking part in this creative cluster. Visit the link above for a short video introduction. Click on the images for a look back at my Soul Art Experiences.

 

 

 

Soul Art 2015. 9 x 12 watercolor on paper. © Sheila Delgado 2015

Soul Art 2015. 9 x 12 watercolor on paper. © Sheila Delgado 2015

 

Soul Art 2013. Acrylic on paper. Sheila Delgado

Soul Art 2013. Acrylic on paper. Sheila Delgado

 

 

Splatter Stripe. Watercolor/digital surface design. © 2017 Sheila Delgado

Splatter Stripe. Watercolor/digital surface design. © 2017 Sheila Delgado

 

Splatter stripe has been “favorited” by many of the designers on Spoonflower. A few that I really admire as well. (Very cool!)  I am going to take that as a good sign. Fingers crossed!  Still a few more days to vote!

 

Happy weekend everyone!