On that date I started a painting, that contains exactly that. Intentions for the life I want. It is entitled Joyful World, Happy Girl and it is one whopper of a powerhouse Energy Painting! Watch as the layers build below, this painting contains everything AND the kitchen sink when it comes to energy, intention and symbols!

The original painting is not currently for sale. I’m allowing it to hold the space for me and my intentions. However, if you are interested in purchasing a print of this painting, click here. You’ll also be able to see some more detailed images of final piece.

The title of this painting comes from an Amy Steinberg song called, Yes.

The post Everything… AND the Kitchen Sink appeared first on Energy Painter.

Yesterday, I spoke to my business coach, Erika Lyremark. She helped me to direct my perspective and focus and make sure my mindset was pointed in the right direction, so as to avoid further incapacitation.

However it didn’t sit well. I had hit overwhelm because of the amount of stuff I’m wrapped up in. I’m attending, teaching or participating in five different classes. I’m working to build Energy Painter. I relaunched my healing practice. I want to build my Energy Painting course. The kids’ Destination Imagination team I’m coaching has a tournament in five weeks, and we are not remotely prepared. My kids have activities every night of the week. There is work work work to do on so many levels.

I was fighting for my overwhelm! I told her if I were to follow her advice, I’d might look on the surface like the calm duck, however below the surface I would be paddling madly to get shit done. So she wisely gave me me permission to take the day off. Holy crap! I live for permission! What a blessing!

Today, I was on the group call and when it was my turn to speak, the first thing Erika asked me was “How is your duck today?”

My reply? Copacetic. Today my duck was copacetic.

Naturally I had to paint it. My newest superhero, Copacetic Duck. (You’ll notice, as the duck is of the species Rubberisimo Duckimus, therefore it has no legs and thus no ability to frantically paddle under the water. He is the embodiment of chill.)

Just to make sure, I googled the definition of copacetic. It means “in perfect order.” Heh… indeed.

I admit, this is perhaps not my best work, but since it covered up the “Cock-a-doodle Who Rooster Owl” painting (seen at the end of this video), I think it is definitely an improvement! And I’m cool with that. All is copacetic.

The post How’s Your Duck Today? appeared first on Energy Painter.

I think it has to do with the lore surrounding certain birds, and how much symbolic meaning they possess. Owls, for one, carry a tremendous amount of power and meaning. They represent illuminating the shadow, wisdom, mystery, keeper of sacred knowledge, etc. I adore painting owls… don’t think I’ll be done with it any time soon!

This little fellow, aptly called Quirky Owl was created during one of the four 24-Hour Jams I completed last year. You can see me describe it towards the end of this video. He has already found a home, and the buyer staked her claim before the painting was even finished! (Like my Facebook page and you can see the work as it unfolds during my next 24-Hour Jam on January 19, 2013.)

No Fear of the Dark was birthed during a different 24-Hour Jam. (Not sure which one. After completing four in 2012, they are all kind of a blur at this point!) This owl started with the triple Goddess symbol, and then the fierce owl moved in. You can read about the energy embedded in this painting, as well as see more images (including an animation of the painting’s layers) here.

Lastly, I completed my dreaded Rooster painting. Why dreaded? Well, mostly it is an old story I would tell about how I was never going to paint what I called “Barnyard Art.” No offense to anyone who does, I was just being stubborn. But then a Rooster came through on one of my owls (same video as above) and… well… I knew I needed to get through that blockage. So, Feeling Cocky was born. Energy and detail images here.

I’ve no doubt I’ll be painting even more birds in 2013… I sense the Peacock will be making an appearance. Stay tuned… bok bok bok!!

The post Bird-Brained appeared first on Energy Painter.

• The Painting the Goddess Within course is now underway. It launched on 12/21/12 and the insights are flowing in! Even though it has launched, you can still get in on the fun. (The first lesson is provided by yours truly and it is all about Energy Painting!)
• The second Journey retreat is now in the books. Journey II Consciousness took place over 12-21-12 out in Joshua Tree, CA. There I taught Painting Your Personal Altar with Whitney Ferré and Nancy Smeltzer. I also partnered with Karen Rudolph facilitating a powerful board game experience. (I know, the terms ‘powerful’ and ‘board game’ do not often go together, yet this one was profound!). I was honored to reconnect with amazing souls who inspired me beyond belief. Next retreat won’t be until 2014, but you know I’ll be there when it happens… You should be too!
• I have two completed bird paintings to post. Not sure why I was so bird-focused in 2012… regardless, Feelin’ Cocky and No Fear of the Dark will be making their website debut shortly.
• The Purpose Project 2013 is a kicking off soon. It is kind of like The Spirit Project 2012 (which was a huge success), only bigger and better. Spearheaded by Whitney Ferré, this is a year-long commitment to living your life intentionally and using creative and spiritual tools to do so.
• The 5th Official 24-Hour Creativity Jam will take place on Saturday, January 19. Follow along the progress of all the creatives participating on Twitter, or Facebook. Follow my progress on the Energy Painter Facebook page. Or, even better, why not join in?!? Whether it is for 3, 8, or 12 hours… whatever you can do to get out of YOUR creative comfort zone you should DO IT!

In addition to these already-underway projects, allow me to throw out there that I’ve got even more ideas brewing including:

• The Energy Painting manual. There have been rumblings in the past, and it is going to happen!
• Whitney and I are starting talks to take our painting workshops on the road and Chicago, we are looking at you!!
• Website upgrades-these are perpetually on the list!
• I’ve had the seed for a BOOK idea planted in my brain. And it germinated – Yikes!
• And of course, a lot more Energy Paintings… tons.

So yeah… lots simmering in the crockpot of my mind. Thanks for joining me on this energetic journey! Stay tuned for a fantabulous 2013!

The post To 2013… and Beyond! appeared first on Energy Painter.

This would be a challenge for me, but I was ready. I jumped in and completed my both my first ever Goddess painting, and my first ever video course. My lesson is a how to create an Energy Painting that carries the frequency of the Goddess, in this case, The Venus of Willendorf. Here is the painting I completed:

Not only do you get to explore the energy of the Goddess Willendorf, but you’ll also learn how to build that energy into your painting. I walk you step by step through my process. However, Energy Painting is not the only thing you get in Painting the Goddess Within! Your video art lessons include:

• A 13-step program for Color of Woman Painting Method, taught by Havi Mandell
• Creating mixed-media Goddess Soul Cards (create your own oracle deck!) taught by Claudia Olivos
• Heal your relationship to your body and learn how to paint the nude female, taught by Cheryl Irwin

But wait there’s more! You also get:

• Goddess guided meditations and journal prompts from Sheri Ann Ponzi
• Attunements from spiritual healer Michael Golzmane to help you receive Goddess energies more deeply
• Qi Gong (ancient moving meditations) exercises to assist you in fully embodying The Goddess Energies
• Connection to an amazing community of fellow seekers who will support you on your personal journey

Painting the Goddess Within is one powerful course (and affordable!). It officially launches on December 21, 2012, but you can access it now and get started on your first lesson (Energy Painting!!).

You can read more detailed information (including seeing some introductory videos), see testimonials from Sheri’s other courses and register all at the Painting the Goddess Within page. There is so much value in this course!

But wait… there’s even MORE! Haha

I have one free membership to give away to this powerful course! Please reply in the comments below to enter to win complimentary admission into the course, and let me know why you wish to connect with The Goddess. I’ll post the winner in the first week of December.

Good luck, and Goddess bless!

UPDATE: I was thrilled with all the genuine interest in the course. Unfortunately, I only have one free membership to give away. So I did a random drawing, and Stephanie Ladley is the winner! Congrats Stephanie! I’ll be in touch!

Everyone else, I encourage you to move forward with the Goddess painting journey. There is already some good buzz generated by this course, and some fun energy unfolding on the Facebook group.

The post Time to Connect with Your Inner Goddess! appeared first on Energy Painter.

Here is a before image of my studio looking so fresh and so clean:

And here is a video update from the halfway point:

This is my studio after the 24 hours were up, looking well worn:

And my video recap of the entire 24 hours. And yes, I was punchy, and this totally worth watching to the end!

Wheeee! Next one is scheduled for Saturday, November 3, 2012. You know you want to Jam with us!

The post Third Time is a Charm! appeared first on Energy Painter.

So, I took advantage of the energy of the last New Moon to do just that. I released the energy of the Wisdom & Knowledge painting that I had worked for six months on, stalled out, forced, and finally given up on.

I released it in grand cathartic fashion… en fuego.

I did manage to salvage a few corners of the scorched canvas. I will adhere them to my next iteration of the Wisdom & Knowledge painting. Because moving forward while including the awareness gained from the lessons learned would be very wise indeed.

The post Bonfire of the Humanities appeared first on Energy Painter.

Recently I did a reading and the card I pulled was Ahau, (pictured above, pronounced a-how). I loved the message it embodied. In a nutshell, Ahau represents union, wholeness, unconditional love, Cosmic Consciousness, crown chakra, fire, etc. The book provides pages of meaning of each card, and there is quite a lot of depth there. Hmmm, It also speaks of oneness, divine light and unconditional love. Let’s see, here’s a good tidbit:

Love all of creation. Join the dance of light, the fundamental constant of nature, and shine forth the clarity of your true essence. There is great power in simply identifying with the light: “As above, so below.” You are in the Divine, and the Divine is in you.

OK, that statement merely scratches the surface of the meaning behind this card. In reading the pages I felt a deep connection to the message, in both the meaning and shadow wisdom that was provided. Plus, this card has shown up for me on multiple occasions.

Naturally I wanted to capture the energy of Ahau on canvas. I had already started a vortex-like painting, so during the last 24-Hour Creativity marathon I set about getting Ahau on canvas. Here’s the vortextual beginnings of my Ahau painting:

Next up was to infuse the canvas with the energy of Ahau, so I copied some of the words from the book onto the canvas with a paint pen.

I then duplicated the image on the Ahau card with venetian plaster and gold paint. I’ll admit, I was a wee bit nervous at this stage because I couldn’t shake the idea that this painting was looking like “Cosmic Mr. Bill.” Either that or a big shiny monkey.

The next logical step was to start building layers… and hope for the best!

I continued pushing on, and at this stage I admit my goal was to try and hide the monkey face staring out of this painting. Upon completion of the 24-Hour Jam, my Cosmic Mr. Bill painting looked like this:

Now, if you’ve read up on my big lesson learned from my 24-Hour Jam, you know that I was trashing paintings left and right. And I was also frustrated with my productivity. (Ultimately a blessing when the wisdom sunk in, but frustrating in the meantime!) Anyway, I had concern that my Ahau painting would suffer a similar fate. I mean, I could not look at it without seeing that monkey face, and it was just a circle… I was not feeling the profound meaning of the words in the image I had created.

Thankfully, I did not give up hope. I just revisited the oracle cards! Actually, I was not seeking the next step in the painting, I was simply looking for guidance from the deck on my daily affairs. But the message that showed up is what allowed me to move forward with the painting. I pulled Seven – Mystical Power which carries the energy of mystical alignment and self-acceptance while being a technician of the sacred and having a direct connection with the Source. The write-up spoke of aligning with the power of the number seven to open up to one’s full power. But it was the following line that struck me:

You wear the seven-pointed star, symbol of the master artisan. Combine your feelings and intellect to transmute matter into mystical consciousness.

Shazam. That line really speaks to my work as The Energy Painter. That is what I do!!

Those words provided the motivation. I dove back into my Cosmic Mr. Bill painting. I had no reservations, no concerns, no frustrations. The paint flowed and I was in the groove! I actually forgot to take further pictures. There were no more steps… just completion of the energy. So here is my painting, born from Mayan wisdom:

Seeing the texture that created the “monkey face” no longer bothers me. Using gobs of gold paint when I’m not really a gold-paint-kind-of-person didn’t phase me. The energy in this painting is transformational… and I can feel it! Can you?

Detail photos and a title, coming soon.

The post Ahau You Doin’? appeared first on Energy Painter.

Ripe with symbolism, this lotus carries the energy of purity of heart, spiritual pursuits, enlightenment and beauty being born from the mud! Given the two paintings that were scrapped so that this one could thrive, I’d say feels about right.

Everlasting Lotus
12″ x 12″
Acrylic on Canvas
Click here to see the Everlasting Lotus in the gallery with detail photographs.

Next up, the whimsical piranha that emerged during the final hours of the 24 hour paint marathon. It’s a good thing this is a fun painting, because piranha medicine teaches caution because the path could be full of danger when you don’t pay attention to where you are going. Piranha is not so gentle. Her bite is merciless and uncompromising. This painting carries the energy of “pay attention to the clues before it is too late.”

Wanna Piranha?
24″ x 18″
Acrylic on Canvas
Click here to see the Wanna Piranha? in the gallery with detail photographs.

The post Fun with Fish and Flowers appeared first on Energy Painter.

If you recall, I was most pleased with the results of my initial 24-hour jam, because I completed 13 paintings including my Yin-Yang owls. I had a punch list and I clicked through it quite efficiently. Clearly I was hoping for similar results with my second 24-hour endeavor, although this time I opted to be more “in the flow” and I did not have the strict to-do list. At one point it seemed I was on track for similar results as I had nine canvases underway.

What I didn’t know was that lessons were unfolding for me. They were hard fought, and didn’t come clear until I completed my 24 hours and found myself scratching my head wondering how I ended up with only three completed paintings. Yes… three.

Staying awake and energized was the easy part. Fighting demons, that was the struggle.

You see, I had been working on one of my Feng Shui Energy Paintings, Wisdom & Knowledge. It has been in the category of “underway” since I started it in January. Truth be told, the painting progress had completely stalled and I was hopelessly stuck. So I decided that no matter what, this one was moving forward. I forced the issue. I plunked down a layer that I liked although I wasn’t entirely certain how it would work. Since that was familiar territory for me, I remained optimistic.

As the hours ticked by, I’d revisit the painting. A lot. I pushed and pushed. Then it finally dawned on me. It was time to scrap it. Entirely. It was NOT working, and my forcing it was just that. Forcing. Not exactly a desirable energy to inject into a painting.

Funny how my Wisdom & Knowledge painting provided just that! The lesson was that sometimes it truly IS easier to just walk away. Although a bitter pill to swallow, ultimately, it felt rather liberating. Now, I’m stoked to start that one over!

But scrapping just one painting? Is that enough for me to get the point? Apparently not.

I had also worked on a triptych where I had prepped the canvases with some amazing texture. I roughed out a frog and lotus blossom in a pool of lily pads, and set out making it a reality. I spent HOURS working on these three canvases. And the lotus emerged, and I was smitten. I worked to bring the frog up to balance it. I fought with the frog a LOT. To make a long story short, I ended up scrapping not only the frog, but the center canvas as well. I’m thrilled with the final lotus painting (will post it later).

If you happened to follow my 24-hour journey on Facebook or Twitter, you now know the nitty-gritty motivation behind the following four posts:

And there you have it. Wisdom gained, as well as a painting or two. Wheeeee!

Stay tuned for my Piranha painting, which I’ll put in another post along with the final Lotus. Also I can’t wait to reveal my “Cosmic Mr. Bill” painting! That one was started during the 24 Hour Jam, and I’ve since completed it. I love it, and it is deserving of it’s own post.

The post Art is a Battlefield appeared first on Energy Painter.