Indigene Art Forms » Arches paper

Creative Flow – Clean & Dust

Indigene — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 03:51:00 +0000

While doing some cleaning and dusting, I came across a bag of pretty autumn leaves. I love the colors of autumn. I remember taking these leaves from a beautiful tree. So of course I stopped cleaning and looked for the photos of the tree it came from.

I’m one of those people that look at trees and always see people or some sort of magical creature, so I usually stop and snap a photo, since it’s usually on the road and I don’t get a chance to sketch and explore it until I get home. I find trees fascinating. Here’s a reference photo:

Well, to make a long story short, I never finished the dusting (the cleaning is ongoing)! My creative flow took over and I spent the next few days working on this image. Here she is, a dryad, a tree spirit, I’ve named her “Autumn Leaves”. Autumn is a part of the “Goddess Series”.

January is an ideal month for getting your office together, since it is after the holidays and everyone seems to be in recovery mode. It also helps that it is (7) seven degrees Fahrenheit outdoors! My creative flow is up 1000%.

Perfect hot chocolate weather, that’s where I am, indoors, warm, snugly, creating and happy!

Define your happiness today. Always in peace.

WIP – Completion…set adrift again…

Indigene — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:59:02 +0000

It is done! What began as night pacing (see my December 6, 2009 blog post); has culminated into the finale.

I am now in that stage where the crescendo has ended. I have the feeling of not being anchored; I am adrift, until I delve into the next project. Of course, I’ll sketch and create, but it is a different energy than being possessed by a painting screaming to get out!

Sometimes the best way to describe the creative zone, would be mania, crescendo, then an anti-climatic feeling sets in, finally a sadness that it’s over; and then peace,

but…then it starts all over again.

Remember to nurture your body, mind and spirit and being adrift may mean letting go of control.

I want to thank you all who continue to support me, I feel loved. Peace to everyone.

Next Stage (WIP) – Obsession

Indigene — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 02:56:22 +0000

I was in the “zone”, (which is the preoccupation of obsessively creating an image), becoming so strong in my mind’s eye, that I am only freed from the zone by completing the actual work. I worked days, excessively on this image.

I know that I feel exposed when I show any part of the process to anyone outside the zone of my head. I am aware that I am exposed.

I took breaks, but it is the night of another day of obsessing over every little piece of it, adding, subtracting, pacing around the work, only stopping to take nature’s breaks, which can be a nuisance when in the creative zone.

It is only when the image is getting near the final stages that I feel I have revealed my subject or an aspect of them in an honest approach.

Work-In-Progress – A Detail

Indigene — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:13:50 +0000

Some of the details of my Work-In-Progress contain various symbols and snakes are one of them.

Some cultures hold snakes in high esteem while other cultures despised them. There are cultures that associated snakes with medicinal powers or rebirth, such as the modern medical symbol of two snakes wrapped around a staff.

The Judeo-Christian culture does not hold snakes or serpent in a kind light. The biblical tales of the Garden of Eden and the serpent’s role in “tempting woman to trick man into the fall from God’s grace” have contributed to the negative images of snakes in western culture. This deep rooted cultural biases accounts in part for the widespread of fear and disdain of snakes. Myths, legends, and folk tales contribute to the misinformation and add to the snake’s negative imagery.

Cultures are as valid as the people who come from them and as with all living entities, there are positive and negative aspects, snakes are no different.

The imagery of the snakes in the details of this portrait embrace the concept of healer, rebirth and revitalization.

I’m sure that this spiritual portrait will be serve as a conversation piece, dependent upon the view or viewers!

Work In Progress – The Beginning

Indigene — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:04:20 +0000

Usually, I do not show my work in progress, (it is often a muddy or murky process);

But, since I do photograph the progress for my own records, I’m merging my inner work with my outer practice more in 2010. So in trusting my own process, I believe it has to be a sharing process, albeit a scary one!

Currently, I’m working on a portrait of someone, who is so full of love and compassion, “to be of service to others,” her own words, is her soul’s ministry. I’m doing this portrait based on poetry of hers, dreams and symbols that correlates with this individual. I want this portrait to be an expression of her inner self, a snapshot of her inner world and indicator of her spirit. I’ve combined her offerings of self with my vision, feelings and personal expression to create an overall sense of this person.

Whether it is a portrait or not, it is always a process of self discovery. I’ll be doing this over several posts…