As you may have heard, I have started teaching Acrylic Expression classes at Willow’s in Eureka. This is an all age class where we talk about our shadows and it’s relationship to art. Our shadow is the part of us that we deny attention, rather we be ashamed, or not ready to face that the ego isn’t always as perfect as it makes it’s self out to be. Many times the community asks me, where do you get inspiration for your art? And my answer is through meditation. When I sit in meditation I am able to conceptualize things clearly and then I take those ideas and I use them in my artwork. In this class we begin introductions with a tarot reading. Everyone chooses a card and relates that card to their lives, without knowing anything about tarot. You may be surprised how much the imagery makes strong suggestions to what the tarot card means, but almost always the newcomer is able to relate the card to it’s intended meaning.
Next we sit (or lay) in a 30min-1hour meditation. During this meditation I guide my participants to the otherworld, but first we thank our directions and ourselves for showing up. When were in the other world I create a safe space that is different for each participant. Once that safe space is created we face our shadow selves, this can be negative traits of ours, problems we may be facing day to day, or with other people. We confront this shadow, talk with it, accept it and then let it pass. Then we return to the safe place and take note of all the details within it. Throughout this experience we draw inspiration to paint in our art session. When the participants wake up from the session we go into an art lesson. The themes are posted on the flier. Our first theme was Light and Shadow. I am going to post the lesson plans on here so you can do this guided lesson at home. Feel free to leave me a tip through the link to my etsy store. If you prefer a video I have also linked a video to my youtube channel so you can participate in the guided meditation at home.
Why do I put these lessons up for free? The class may never come up again in the same manner. These classes are experiences that are unique each and every session. I can’t promise that one session will be just like the other. To get the full experience it is highly recommended that you come to class in person. The classes structure will change after the series is done, next I would like to do a class targeted to pregnant moms, and new moms so they can explore their unconscious reactions to motherhood and paint it on canvas.
For this class we offer high quality, golden paints, a small canvas, a journal that you can take notes on, sketch paper and drawing tools, as well as cookies, and beverages.
This class takes place every other week. Below is the flier. Thank you for reading and I hope to see you in class.
Light and Shadow
6:15pm Introduction
Introduce class, who I am, the shadow and light physically and metaphysically and its relationship to self.
Introductions, Names, what brings you to art class today, What inspires you? What are you working on?
Talk about safe space, letting people speak, and not sharing other people’s stories outside of class.
6:30pm Lesson
Ask we progress through this lesson sketching is encouraged.
There is no light without shadow and no psychic wholeness without imperfection. -Carl Jung
The shadow is everything which one has no wish to be. -After Skool
Persona, social mask. Taboo to talk about our hardships and failures. hiding behind the persona.
The shadow is limitations, biases, fears, traumas, oppressed fears, and untapped potential.
The shadow is often seen in dreams. When the shadow is confronted, we can understand our potential and ideal self.
Similar to the Ying and Yang, we need both the light and the shadow to make a whole.
The shadow is seen as the enemy when really it is knowing what bad one is capable of. The shadow only gets hostile when it is ignored or misunderstood.
If working with a partner, set your intention on your relationship with that person; if you are on your own, focus that energy on your own lights and shadows.
Go over Light and Shadow and what that means to you. The shadow self. How our art doesn’t always come out the way we expect it.
Meditation: 7:00 pm
Deep Breathing Meditation
Something that brings us light.
Something that takes us into the shadow.
Imagine the color of light brought to you.
Imagine the shadow color you hide in the box.
Behind every negative action is a positive intent.
Look for the positive intent and reframe it to yourself as an adult. Heal it and acknowledge it so you can move forward.
The inner child but not limited to, lacks needs and has scars. Or at any point in life, these traumas could have occurred.
Rewrite your perception, I have become successful because of these traumas.
Drawn to the light what color do you see? What is the light? What do you see?
Now hidden in a chest is another color is illuminating from inside. When you open it what do you see?
Now, these two images draw them together in the shape of a Yin and yang.
Talk about what the colors are and the things and what this may represent to you.
How can I redirect the darkness to support the light?
Confront your dark side.
Light From Above
Average Light
Half Tone Light
Average Shadow
Cast shadows- an object casts a shadow: will shadow adjust to object form shades.
Form Shadows- When planes turn away from the light. The shape is determined by the curve of the shape.
Halftone- Inbetween light and shadow. Control the halftone by choosing colors closer to the average light.
Pick two colors on your palette paper. Blend the colors slowly into one another. Also, make a line to depicting colors from white to dark. See how they correspond on the color wheel. Use only these two colors for your painting.
7:30pm Start Painting
Shadows are darker or lighter than light? Darker obviously
So remember shadows are darker than lights…
Talk about your painting.
8:20 Accept and Redirect
You can’t be in acceptance and resistance at the same time. Truly accept your circumstances in the now. This can pertain to the painting, and this can pertain to real life. Your worst nightmare can no longer be your worst nightmare if you accept it. By accepting this fault you are no longer feeding into resistance.
Perceive how the mishap is a blessing in disguise. We write the narrative of the mishap to paint a brighter future that makes you unique because of your experiences.
Narrow down how to make your future goal meet your needs and discard the situations that no longer serve you.
8:30 Share your work.
8:45 Ending ceremony. 5 min
Little Lost Forest 