This is one of my small canvases I started playing with when I was frozen with fear in my Flora Bowley class. I started the same way by spreading paint all over the canvas, scratching into it, dripping, playing and having fun. The very last thing I did was scratch the word home into a bit of paint.

When I came back to it days later I saw the word and knew I had to make a house. I started sketching it out and added a fun little tree. It reminds me of my childhood drawings. I have absolutely no idea where this is headed but I am having fun with it.

It's so funny to me how many different styles have been emerging from this class. I am all over the place. I have struggled with the fact that I am all over the place with my art but I guess I'm just going with the flow and just letting whatever wants to come out emerge. I'm not fighting it!

Update From the Studio

I've been spending a lot of time in the studio painting away. I am enjoying Flora Bowley's class. I have to admit, it can be scary to paint like this. I know it sounds ridiculous but I completely shut down for about a week and couldn't muster up the courage to continue. I mean, if you look at the painting above you might be able to understand...what a mess! It makes me cringe just looking at it.

There is something about this process that makes my head swim. It is so chaotic and can be hard for my brain to handle. In my mind I know that every painting I've ever done has gone through an ugly stage but there is something about the chaotic nature of this style that throws me for a loop.

After  week of avoiding them like the plague I decided to suck it up and just get in there and do something. The good thing is they couldn't get any worse! :o)

This is how the painting has evolved. There was actually a step in between here where I just decided to pick my favorite color and splash it all over the canvas. I ended up with a beautiful wash of luscious reds. I felt so much better.

Then I went in and started adding some greens and yellows. While its not quite there yet, It makes me happy to look at it instead of crazy.

Here is a close up of one of my favorite little spots in the upper left hand corner.

My second painting is a little farther along. I liked the colors and the circles. It feels good. You might notice in the upper middle there are some words sprawled across the canvas. The day I splashed red all over the first canvas I decided to write myself some encouraging words and I just did it...all over the canvas. There was a moment when I thought, "Oh crap, what the hell am I doing? I'm going to ruin this!" Ha ha, I laughed. That's impossible and I let it go and kept writing.

It got me started and got me starting to flow. I had to do something to move on and it worked perfectly.

When I stepped back I saw a bird. My conscious mind thought, "Oh no, it's right in the middle of the canvas. That's not good composition." "Um, shut up and do it!" I said back to myself. And I did.

So that is where I am right now. There is still a lot of work to do but I'm happy.

In the week I was shut down with fear I decided to start a few other smaller canvases that I had lying around. This one started by simply dripping paint down the canvas. After it dried I was going to add some more to it and I put it up on the wall and knew there was a face there so I started painting it.

As I was fleshing it out I had this feeling of strength from her so I added it to the bottom of the canvas. I kept looking at her, talking to her, asking her what kind of hair she wants. Nothing was coming.

She finally told me she wants a big flower in her hair which I find interesting. That represents a softness and female energy that balances the hard strength I've been feeling from her. Of course I am going to give her a flower.

I have no idea how this is going to progress but I'm excited to watch it emerge.

Brave Intuitive You

I am currently taking Flora Bowley's online class called Brave Intuitive You. I got it as a Christmas gift from my family. I guess it's their way of keeping me from galloping around the country taking classes ;o)

Step one of painting one

I find it so interesting how similar her techniques are to Jesse Reno (if you want to read about my workshop with him last year you can check it out here). I've heard people say that she is a female version of Jesse. I'm not sure I would word it just like that but I think there is something to be said for the comparison.

Step two of painting one

I can tell that Flora has given a lot of thought and detail to the process of teaching so that she is able to guide us in a process that can be hard to articulate.

 

Step three of painting one

There are also some interesting interviews that help us get to know her better and to get a little more in depth.





Step two of painting two



Of course we are in the very beginning stages of the process so there is a lot of trust involved and letting go of expectations.



Step 3 of painting 3

I am having the most fun playing on the canvas and just moving the paint around. I'm dancing up a storm and dancing on my canvas. Typically I step back and let out a gasp at the chaos I am creating and then I let it go and go back to trusting and playing.

I really love the bits and pieces of the overall canvas that make me say ooooh and aaaahhh.

 

It's really all just an experiment. Experimenting with the paint, the tools and experimenting with letting go.

Because these paintings are experiments I've decided that I'm not going to worry about how they turn out. I'm not expecting a masterpiece but I'm also not expecting a train wreck either.

I just think that when I let go of the pressure of "creating art" it is easier to get into that flow.

Of course when I can get into that flow, things emerge and the process is that much easier and successful.

There are times when I notice my negative voices pop up and I tell them  "Shut up and sit down! I'm busy painting right now."

There are plenty more steps to go and I can't even imagine how these are going to turn out which I think is totally cool!