What’s with this shift?

For those of you who follow me, I know that you have noticed a bit (OK – a HUGE) of a shift.  I’ve really never been one to follow the crowd, and it certainly is playing out in my art.  Right now, I am not concerned with selling art…because, quite honestly, I am so in love with the process of creating, letting go of control and following my guidance, that if I sell something, it’s kinda like the cherry on top.

I started painting very traditionally….in oil, and very recognizable subject matter.  I believe that I did it this way so that I could learn the rules, so that I could break them.  About five years in, I kept getting the urge to paint visions…It was scary as heck for me at the time, because I am a self-supporting artist, and my traditional paintings were selling very well.  It was at this point in time that I received invaluable advice from a very famous painter….”Don’t let your collectors, or galleries pigeon-hole you….it will kill your creative spirit.  If I had it to do all over again, I would NOT paint the way others think I should paint, instead, I would paint exactly what I wanted!”  Obviously, that piece of advice stuck with me.

My life has taken many twists and turns – I’ve gone from being in a 25 year marriage and doing what I was “supposed” to do, (according to what “they” said), to dating a shaman, and fully embracing what I believe my spiritual path is begging me to do.   I’ve done a lot of ceremony (Native American Church, Ayahausca, Sundance, Sweat lodges, etc., etc), and the one consistent message that I receive is that I am to follow my intuition.  

I received a comment from someone on one of my latest paintings that it really didn’t trip her trigger, and actually was disturbing to her.  BOOM!!!!  YES!!!!   It was some of the greatest confirmation that I could have received.  In the past, I would have been insecure, and stopped painting what I am being guided to paint, AND I would have deleted her comment so that no one else would read it.  Not now.  Now, I am choosing to fly my “WTF is she doing” flag with pride.  I know that my current series is not for everyone.   I know that some of the things that I paint are disturbing.  I know that some think I have gone off the deep end.  AND, I DON’T CARE.

For me, it’s all about following my guidance.  Listening to the whispers.  (Or to the 2×4’s that GUS frequently yields!)  Painting what is begging to come through me.

I may not be one of the “popular in crowd”, but some of us are not meant to blend in….instead, some of us are meant to stand out.

I’m slowly (because tech is not my thing) getting new paintings for sale listed on my website.

Blessings to all of you, and May We Walk Together as One.

Warmly,

Paula