Painting from the Source

February 21st, 2016

There is an approach to painting which, in my opinion, represents the very core of art therapy, it's called Painting from the Source. There is a book about this relationship to art with that exact title. The author's name is Aviva Gold and she facilitates Painting from the Source workshops. I know so many women who envy people who are creative. They wish they could draw or paint. Artists are mysterious to them and lucky.

Painting from the Source means you recognize your connection to wisdom and you enter into a dialogue with art materials to create openly, spontaneously. You prepare the environment, you show up and you trust in the process. The goal of the art in this approach, as in art therapy, is to create something, not for others, to show off, sell or display but because it feels good, it helps you connect to your wisdom and it provides insight.

When you approach art in this way, not planning, just allowing, your creation presents images to you. You play around with colours and textures and notice what emerges. Often, as an image takes shape in your doodle or paint, you have an emotional connection to it, a recognition of the message it brings. As you paint, you become acquainted with, and welcome, this form of communication. You need to pick a time when you are free to create without interruptions and commit to it. It helps to set up a private space so you can create freely without the fear that someone will see your work before you are ready to share it.

If you have a hard time getting started, paint the anxiety you feel about doing this. Choose your favourite colour and paint a geometric shape on the paper with that colour. Start by doodling or graffiti. Blindfold yourself or imagine that you are someone or something else (e.g. an animal). The author suggests: "paint faster and pretend you're going to burn the painting anyway". For clients who are afraid of making a mess, I suggest they make the biggest, ugliest mess they can imagine. This generally results in a wide grin on their face and some vivid, colourful work. If your mind kicks in and starts criticizing your efforts, focus on the pleasant sensations of the experience. "Pretend you're four years old again...that you've never seen paint or brushes before.."

When you paint in this way, you relinquish control. You become your wisdom's tool to bring about colour and images to the blank paper. You are at the service of your art. You must go with your gut when you are selecting a paint brush, choosing a paint colour, deciding which parts of the painting to paint over, which images to develop and which areas of your paper you should explore. Once you have a painting, you can go deeper by asking yourself what the people in your painting would say if they had a voice or even ask your painting what it wants and doing the first thing that comes to your mind. You can "scan for images that may be hidden in abstract shapes" or "look for a space where you sense something is hidden that wants to emerge".

Aviva recommends these strategies if you feel stuck:

Paint yourself stuck in the birth canal
Silence your critic by painting whatever he or she would hate the most
Paint your pain
Paint your emotions
Paint feces, genitals or vomit

I can attest to the beauty of this experience and encourage all of you to try it.

Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org