So much gratitude for this perfect day, Saturday, November 5th, 2016 in my little art studio in Ukiah. It was an intimate group with a unique vibe which allowed for some truly potent and powerful unfolding. I witnessed so much authenticity and love drip through the paint and glue…it was truly an honor to hold space for this and allow my personal creative space to be filled with the collective magic.

I began my inquiry that day into a symbol of mountain lion that has been stalking me of late. She is potent and nocturnal, only seen when she chooses to be seen…they are often called “ghost cats”. This piece is called “Sensation” and it is indicative of my movement toward loving my own embodiment in a new and inclusive way. It is one more step in my individuation journey and the healing of the feminine – which in my thinking must come from each of us diving into our own exiled feminine and seeking healing. I feel the Earth urgently needs us to reconnect to the feminine in ourselves. Thus reconnected, we can heal that which has been broken by a culture which devalues the feminine to the extreme of violence.

This month, I have also finished my third and hopefully final draft of my thesis article exploring the role of the contemporary artist in modern times. It is an autoethnography that follows my story of individuation of the past couple of years, culminating with the grief around the loss of my friend in a violent act of rape. It explores how this experience has opened me to the desperate need for artists to take up the role of being the mouthpiece of our times, or as Martin Shaw says, the mediators between the seen and unseen worlds. For those of you who do not know, I have been painting portraits of women who have been murdered in acts of domestic or sexual violence. It is my aim to give them their beauty back…so that they can been seen fully in their exquisite uniqueness as opposed to just another victim. I will be bringing this project more public in the coming months while seeking to expand its message of love, healing and hope.

It feels imperative that we do not stay silent in these turbulent times.

In response to the election I also created another collage in an attempt to process my deeply visceral anger and feelings of betrayal. It was just completed yesterday and I am so grateful for this practice. It has helped me become more grounded and purposeful…in it I have found some beacons of light and continue to be drawn toward them. My fear and grief for my husbands family in Latvia and my ancestral connection to Ireland are here. Otherworld beings are seeping through the cracks and Hawk, who has forever been a guide to my power has taken center stage. There is much still being revealed here and it has not named itself…often that comes with time.

For me, these pieces often reveal themselves over time, and mean something unique to each person who engages with them. If you feel drawn to exploring your own creativity in this way please consider marking your calendar for another liminal collage workshop on Saturday, January 7th, 2017 in Ukiah. We will be exploring what is UP for us in the new year…I hope to bring in some new awareness and grounding so that we can step out into the world in fresh and powerful ways. As always, feel free to pass it along and let me know if you have any questions.

Create. Peace. Love.

Dena