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Art

Meet the New Me

July 1, 2013 by linda

Thank you again for your questions and comments. Let’s keep them going. Please CLICK HERE to ask your question or comment on anything you’d care to mention.

This Week’s Question:
I really enjoyed watching your creative process unfold. Are you still painting and where does that fit in with what you are doing now?

Answer:
Thanks so much for asking. The creative process is an integral part of my life and rather than just applying it through paint, I’m exploring my desire to experience my life as one continuously creative act. We are always creating our lives through action and reaction. My purpose is to become more conscious of what it is I’m creating in my life and to help others do the same.

Switched On ~ 8” x 8” Oil on Panel ~ ©Linda Hough
[$200]

What I recently realized was that I was using the process of painting as a path to healing some very deep wounds. My long journey was a step-by-step process that I was unconsciously following to regain confidence in my creative expression. And through that, acceptance of who I really am.

Through painting, I developed the ability to lose myself in the creative flow that happens when you are present only to what you are doing, dance with the divine creative energies and represent my ideas on canvas.

Now, I am doing the same with words. I am deeply interested in all the ways we hold ourselves back from attaining our desires and goals, our intentions and dreams. I am interested in the constant battle between what we really want and what we actually do.

Eternal Mother ~ 8” x 8” Collage on Board ~ ©Linda Hough

Exploring this inner terrain has fascinated me since I was in high school. We are seeing so many breakthroughs with regards to how our minds work, the energies of universal laws and stepping up to new levels of awareness that I can’t help but be excited about the possibilities.

However, at the same time, so much is breaking down. Often, it is difficult to determine what exactly IS going on and how to find our true home in this crazy world. My intention with this new work is to provide some information that helps make sense of not only our lives today but also the big picture as a whole.

Within us, there are many energetic patterns that determine how we experience our lives. Some of these patterns are old habits we are holding on to. The experience of pain or suffering is a good indication that you have energetic patterns that need to be released. When you are able to do so, your life will take on an entirely different quality. Of this, you can be sure.

Passion Alive ~ 8” x 10” Collage on Panel ~ ©Linda Hough

Ultimately, my intention is to combine my all loves into one big, beautiful extravaganza of love and color and vibrant expression that is my life. In the weeks to come, you’ll see these changes reflected visually in this newsletter and maybe even a new website.

I hope that you continue to join me on this journey and perhaps even begin yourself to more consciously experience your very own creative project called life.

Filed Under: Art, Process

Authentically Dancing with Joy

February 7, 2013 by linda

One Night ~ 18″ x 24″ ~ Mixed Media on Paper

When you last heard from me, I was in the process of revitalizing my artistic career. Although my mind was very intent on getting my work out into the world, I was beginning to suspect that my heart had other ideas. And then my friend died.

If you’ve ever had anyone close to you pass away, after the shock wears off and the grief subsides, you may have found yourself doing an involuntary reassessment of your own life. Especially if the person was taken quickly. As I wrote at the time, I imagined she woke up just like every other morning and did what she always did. Then suddenly she was gone.

That sort of suddenness really hit me hard. I began letting the thoughts that were just below the surface rise to the top. I had been struggling way too much in my painting. I was not happy. You may have been able to tell in my writing. Maybe you could feel some of the pain lying underneath it all.

So I stopped painting for a while. I stopped trying to force something that didn’t want to happen.

But what I didn’t stop doing was immersing myself in personal growth reading and spiritual teachings. Nothing makes my heart soar faster than turning the pages of a really wise book and savoring the ideas as they transform, or not, my current thinking. This was a clue.

Most of you are reading this newsletter as a result of my Shine Your Light Tele-Summit. I thought back to that time and what I wanted to accomplish. So many of us carry this deep, inner pain lying just under the surface of our lives. We ask ourselves questions that we cannot answer. And we KNOW there has to be more than what we are experiencing.

What do you do when your light is all stuck inside with no obvious way out? What if it isn’t quite willing to be expressed? Too fearful or shy?

Eventually you begin to hurt. The pain begins to take its toll. First in little ways, a lack of confidence, a slip of self-esteem. You may not even notice it at first but with time, the pain grows and makes itself known in continually larger ways. I know because that was my life.

Passion Flow ~ 18” x 24” ~ Acrylic on Paper

In search of relief, I took a leap of faith and traveled to Boston to a workshop called Authentic Voice. There, among other things, I learned about intuitive writing and intuitive painting. I got in touch with what authentic voice means and my own latent potential. Most of all, I got in touch with the deepest part of myself, the part who wants to express, who wants to paint and dance with joy.

When I got home, out came the paintbrushes. One Night (top) and Passion Flow (above) are two in a series of intuitive paintings where I finally cut loose and let myself just express. The self-critic was gone and in its place were trust, allowing and joy.

Was I happy or what? I knew that I had been missing something. The passion had not been there. The desire all locked away. But now, the pain that I had been feeling receded. This is what I had wanted to do all along, to just let go and connect with the part of myself that knows what to do.

Totem 63” x 72” Oil on Canvas

I even got to that big, giant canvas I had stapled to the wall. (above) But most of all, I understood that my passion lies somewhere between painting and helping others experience their authentic voices so that they too can express their true selves, shine their light and dance with joy.

Filed Under: Art, Process

Full Disclosure

August 22, 2012 by linda

The Decision (detail) ~ Oil on Canvas ~ ©Linda Hough 2002

OMG, what was I thinking??

My 10 in 10 challenge was a complete F-Bomb.

F as in Failure.

My brilliant, though ill-conceived, idea was that by giving myself the challenge to do the 10 paintings in 10 days, I’d breakthrough some invisible barrier, establish a rhythm and find my theme.

Yikes! This is a perfect example of the theory that setting goals does NOT work for everyone. It is also a perfect example of not asking the right question.

The inspiration for this challenge came about because I wanted to try something different, something I thought would shake me out of my rut.

I remember reading that Georgia O’Keefe reached an impasse early on in her painting. One day, she looked at each painting in her studio and readily identified which teacher had influenced each painting.

She wanted a style all her own, her unique voice on canvas. So she created her own challenge: to strip away all that she knew about art and begin again at the beginning.

Abstraction ~ Charcoal on Paper ~ Georgia O’Keefe 1915

She used only charcoal and paper and began to express what was deep inside. Out of these explorations came some of the first abstract works ever done in this country.

When Alfred Stiglitz, renowned gallery owner and her future husband, saw these works for the first time, he exclaimed: finally, a woman on paper.

This idea of exploration was what I had in mind when I set myself the challenge. But you can see how very different the process was. Rather than allowing the natural unfolding of something new and authentic, I somehow posed a challenge that I was unconsciously hoping would rip my insides out. Clearly a more violent and unnatural approach, one that goes completely against my very nature.

So rather than experiencing my intended outcome, I retreated even further away from the direction I want to go. I stopped painting altogether. And then went on vacation.

But in true coaching fashion, rather than looking at this experiment as a failure, I am taking a look at what I learned about myself and my process.

• The very first thing is that forcing myself to paint is NOT the answer.

• Try as I might, I am not a fast painter, nor a direct painter.

• I prefer to draw or rough in the composition before starting to paint rather than using the paint to compose.

• Glazing is still my favorite way to paint. It gives me no end of joy to watch each layer influence the one below, creating glowing light and color.

• I prefer working on more precise, realistic images with a bit of mystery or fuzziness to them.

• I work best when I have several paintings going at once, not one at a time.

• I also took a look at all the self-talk I had about quitting and failure and more about expectations. Was it a failure to stop something that clearly was not working just for the sake of completing the goal? I think not.


Georgia O’Keefe at Ghost Ranch ~ Gelatin silver print ~ Todd Webb 1905

So, in true Georgia fashion, and in a way that is much more natural and authentic to my own nature, I am now officially letting go of all but one expectation: I’m going to show up and paint. That’s it. No expectation of perfection. No time constraints. In fact, no constraints at all.

I will carry on with my 10 panels but this time with a conscious awareness of exploration, emphasis on being present, and a desire to create something beautiful, something from my heart, something I’ll be more than willing to show others. 🙂

Filed Under: Art, Beauty, Process

When Expectations Go Awry

August 8, 2012 by linda

Lights On ~ 8” x 8” Painting in Progress ©Linda Hough 2012

When was the last time something went as you expected? This seems to be the theme in my life right now. Not only in the 10 in 10 Painting Challenge I set for myself last week but in general.

Long ago, I got the idea that expectations were a set-up for disappointment. That not letting go of expectations when faced with a different reality was surely a recipe for unhappiness. My question though has always been this: when expectations are not met, do you change reality to meet the expectations or do you accept what is? It’s situational, I’m sure.

This week, I gave myself a framework in which to complete ten paintings but I also attempted to let go of all expectations. My focus was on experimentation while being mindful of paint application, watching my thoughts and generally being present to the process.

The painting above was the first image that showed up. It is based on an audio series I’d been listening to about being in the light. Much like when I was a child, this image just popped into my mind. I had all sorts of other ideas about my ten panels but this is what showed up. So I painted it.

It’s not finished. There are layers of glazing to apply. So the first expectation I had to throw out was the one about doing a painting a day. I’ve never painted that way but thought I’d give it a go. Nope. Glazing can’t be done in a day.

The next expectation was that I’d paint all ten panels as a series. But after a lovely sunset, I was inspired to do four panels based on the colors and forms I saw in the sky. More abstract, not necessarily sunsets. Not at all like the above painting in style, color or feeling. Another expectation out the door.

These four panels are looser, freer and I noticed a LOT of opinions and judgments bantering about in my mind while working on them. None of them positive. I couldn’t even get myself to show them here as one of the colors currently looks like Pepto Bismol.

However, I reminded myself to just let go and see what happens. When glazing, you want the first layers to be lighter and brighter so you can go darker with each successive layer. This part is the experimentation bit…no expectations.

I did two panels with trees. And three more sit empty, waiting for inspiration.

On the tenth day of the challenge, I will have worked on ten paintings. Because of the glazing, I already know they won’t be finished. But I will have gotten that much farther down the road to finding my theme and my direction. And learned a whole lot more about being present to what is to boot.

Filed Under: Art, Process

The 10 in 10 Challenge

August 1, 2012 by linda

Above you see 10 8” x 8” blank panels prepared for painting.

These last couple of weeks, I’ve been researching and reading about various art movements, techniques and styles. I’ve been filling myself up with inspiration and ideas for where I want to go from here.

The oil painting technique I’ve been using dates back to 14th century early Netherland painters such as Van Eck and Vermeer, then on to Rembrandt and his crew. It is a very effective way to get glowing light and beautiful surfaces. So far, it remains the way I love to paint.

However, I’m opening myself up to experimentation, looking for revelation. I’ve been reading about art as beauty (product), art as expression (process), and art as meditation (practice). What is my intention for my work?

Today, I’m giving myself the challenge to paint the above 10 panels in 10 days. Starting tomorrow.

What I need for this is
1) uninterrupted time
2) a work space
3) an openness to experiment, to let whatever wants to come through do so

All of this I have for the next 10 days though I’ll have to be vigilant about my time. I’m literally craving time alone with my work. After filling myself up, the desire to empty it all out.

My practice will be
1) being present to what I want to express
2) being mindful of each moment, listening for what wants to be expressed
3) trusting myself
4) honoring it all without judgment

This is a pretty big challenge for me. I much prefer to know where I’m going before I begin. Plus, that’s a lot of painting in 10 days.

But I feel up for it and actually excited about it.

Filed Under: Art, Beauty, Process

What Are The Images Around You Saying?

July 25, 2012 by linda


Angel ~ Abbott Handerson Thayer

The power of images has always intrigued me. I remember being in my studio in Laguna Beach one day. I was idly looking around at the images I had put up on my walls or propped up on my desk while my mind was occupied with something entirely different.

One of my secret fascinations is taking a peek into an artist’s working environment at all the wonderful materials, references and inspiration they have gathered together.

On this particular day, I saw something I’d not seen before. As beautiful as they all were, EVERY single image around me depicted dejection, deflation, or someone worn out or defeated. The beautiful angel above was just one of many in this theme.

Unable to admit the truth to myself, I realized I had unconsciously selected these images as projections for how I was feeling. Shocked and amazed pretty much described my reaction to this insight. How could I have not noticed this before now?

I had collected these images unconsciously. But once I became aware, I could do something about my state-of-being.

From that point on, I went about more consciously choosing the images I surround myself with. And not only for my walls.

I began to keep a visual journal where I continue to add images that inspire me and collage together different aspects of who I want to be when I grow up.

The photo above is me at about 5 years old intently focusing on the task at hand – cutting out paper dolls.

I put this photo collage into my journal several years ago to remind me that a) I’ve always been oriented towards using my hands and creating things, b) that I was once able to fully concentrate on one thing at a time and c) I am a divine being, a part of the mystical, magical universe.

All these things are important to me now as I move towards actualizing the potential that was all folded up inside of me then.

Wise Woman Watching ~ 12” x 18” ~ Oil on Canvas* ©Linda Hough
Price Available Upon Request

What do I have on my walls now? No image can really compete with the grand, real-life view of the majestic mountains I have outside my windows. And I’ve grown accustomed to the simple, clean look of no images.

But I do have one single painting up, one that I did several years ago. Any time I begin to feel that defeated, deflated, worn out and tired feeling, I look into the eyes of Wise Woman Watching.

From her, I am reminded that part of me that is wise and knows what to do. I feel her nurturing, tender support. I remember to be kind to myself. And I gather the strength to carry on.

The power of images is all around you, affecting you whether you are aware of them or not. Do the images you’ve chosen for your environment inspire and lift you up? Were they chosen with care?

Next time you walk into a room, stop and ask yourself, why this image? What is it saying to you? Would another image more accurately reflect who you are or who you want to be? If the answer is YES, go about finding it. Surround yourself with the power of your personal images. It’ll do you a world of good.

*Wise Woman Watching was painted from a photograph of Doris Leader Charge as Pretty Shield in the movie Dances With Wolves. She was the Lakota Sioux dialogue instructor.

Filed Under: Art, Beauty

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