collage – Heart Beat of the Soul

The Process is the Purpose

Many things happen in the brain when we actively engage in creative processes. People who are highly creative have unique neuron connectivity that causes them to be able to think outside the box. On the other hand, people who tend to not think creatively have more repetitive thought patterns. Their neurons tend to connect in similar ways most of the time. High creativity is associated with a wider variety of random connectivity throughout the brain.

This means that being creative can engage your whole brain, and that’s why doing creative activities reduces stress. But don’t worry if you get stuck in thought loops and habitual ways of being; we all do. Fortunately, due to brain plasticity we can learn to be more creative.

Art Practices Can Activate the Whole Brain

Making art activates a variety of neural networks, including a relaxed reflective state, focused attention, and pleasure. It can help you be more present, and it can allow you to enter “the Zone”. This is a “flow state,” where you lose your sense of self and time.

This is especially true the more spontanious and open your creative process is. The more you use your intuition, imagination, allow possibilities, and disengage from expectations about the outcome, the more you will be activating your whole brain. A creative process that utilizes your whole body and a variety of media is even better for engaging the whole brain.

When the whole brain is activated we enhance our ability to learn, become receptive to new inspiration, and are better able to solve problems. This type of art making process activates the reward center, and that’s why it makes us feel good. If you over-think the process and get discouraged it means your left-brain has taken over. It’s best to engage in the art process like a child who’s just playing around with the materials and having fun!

Discovery, joy, and happiness is key

This is your only guideline for knowing when your art process is activating your whole brain and helping you evolve. The process should be enjoyable even if the final artwork is not! No one creates a masterpiece in one go. It doesn’t matter if you never create a masterpiece or sell a piece of art. The purpose of making art for self development is to unlock your subconscious mind so you can learn and grow mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Creative expression is about personal evolution. When you love the process, you will eventually develop art you love and others will be drawn to it as well.

Links to whole brain art exercises:

Intuitive Collage
Intuitive Painting
Scribble & Doodle Play
Meditative Nature Drawing
Gelli Printing

Expressive Art Group Practice

Although we are all born with creative ability, practice is required to develop it. This is where most people get discouraged and fail to fulfill their creative desires and potential. We think it should be easy or automatic. We imagine that the talented people have genes that let them whip out masterpieces as soon as they get an inspiration.

Enjoying the Process is the Key

All those myths about inspiration, the creative muse, and talent are just excuses people tell themselves because they’re not enjoying the process. We feel frustrated when our artwork doesn’t meet our expectations. We tend to tell ourselves that there’s something wrong with us when we start to struggle. When we’re alone, struggle can be disempowering.

But, there’s nothing wrong with you! Getting frustrated, feeling blocked, and making a mess are a natural part of growing and learning. Struggle is purposeful because it can lead to great insights. It can actually be your friend and mentor if you let it.

A creative practice is a journey better walked together

The solution to struggle is to get new input, see from a different perspective. We can do this by practicing together with others! Struggle is overcome very quickly when you’re surrounded by the encouragement and stimulating ideas of others. Creativity multiplies exponentially when it bounces between people, and it’s a lot more fun!

Developing your creativity is the journey of becoming the co-creator of your life. Only you can figure out who you are and what you want your life (or art) to be, but we learn and benefit from each other.

New Expressive Art Group Practice

In this group we will explore how art-making can help us express our hidden potential and open doorways to fulfilling our life goals. Various media, tools and methods will be used and new skills introduced. Most supplies provided but you can bring your own if you wish.

Many creative arts are practiced as a group such as: theatre, film, dance, music, even writing. It’s mostly visual arts, like drawing and painting, that we think of as a solo endeavour. In this group we will each create our own work though responding to the same prompts. We will share our insights, inspiration and methods with each other. Doing creative activities together is more fun and adds to what we get out of it.

This group will run one day per week for six weeks, then two weeks off. New sign ups are open every six weeks, and discounts for returning group members. Each 6 week session will be different. The group will be structured with specific projects to inspire your creative journey. $140 for the 6 week session. All materials supplied but you can bring your own if you wish. Concession available.

Singn up or inquire:

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Mixed Media Collage

Mixed media is exactly what it sounds like: using more than one type of media to creat a piece of art. So, you might be doing a painting in acrylic and decide to add some line work with oil pastels or ink. Or maybe you have some tissue paper painted with black and white shapes and you decide those will add contrast in your design. There are a lot of possibilities with mixed media.

Collage has many possibilities too but it’s not always mixed media. You can create a collage just with photos, or just with paper, or you can use a variety of art media, textiles, or found objects. Now we’re talking endless possibilities.

Limits Can Be Helpful

When I create I like to give myself a few limits because it allows intuitive flow by reducing decision making. So when creating this mixed media collage I started with a simple line drawing. Then I cut up Gelli prints that I had previously made into the shapes of the leaves (or half the leaf) of this plant.

At a certian point I decided not to use Gelli prints for the whole image, but to paint the other half of the leaves with acrylic paint. When the collage of the plant was done I realized it needed a background other than white paper, so I cut it out from the white paper. I created a soft wispy watercolor background and after it dried I glued the collaged plant onto it.

Creative pace and processing

None of these decisions were planned out ahead of time because I believe that reponding to each stage of the work is the best way to let the creative juices flow.

I responded to the line drawing with Gelli prints.
I responded to the Gelli prints with acrylic paint.
I responded to the finished plant image with a watercolor background and finishing touches.

Although it sounds quite simple, and it is… I didn’t do it all in one session. I do things a little at a time over a period of days, sometimes weeks, giving myself time between each session to observe, feel, and process what I’m creating. I let it talk to me so I can respond.

Some people may process faster and do things quickly and that’s fine. Everyone’s different and I allow myself to go at my own pace because that’s what works for me.

Some things to consider:

Are you a slow or fast processor?
Do you prefer to plan things out or work spontaniously?
Do you start with a fixed idea or are you open to possibilities?
Can you be flexible with expectations and outcomes?
Will you allow yourself time to enjoy the process?