Art Astrology workshop II

I have just finished the experimental astrology-and-art workshop in my studio, together with astrologer Jeannie Hermina.  We had eight adventurous participants who came from all over the country. (The country isn't that big).

We started with having tea, and an introduction by Jeannie about the planet constellation about in the coming year.

Then everybody got a new name for the evening as a new identity to create from. A name for the creative force, for the muse, the inner genius. The name might stick, or evolve into something else, or evaporate altogether.

I became “the window”, which first I didn’t like, but then I got the idea that a window is a connection between two worlds, and that I was opening up this evening to my inner world and artistic practice. In the course of the evening I got to like the idea more and more – I wonder if windows will show up in my paintings!

Others names were Stone which  turned into an nearly forgotten stone called Albert. One got Energy, but that turned into Stream. As a happy coincidence a stream of black ink poured itself on her painting in a wonderful contrast to the golden traces in the background. Other names that were pulled from the bowl were  Source, Sky, Circle...

Then Jeannie did a guided meditation with us where we collected images that we want to take with us into the new years, and we took notes.

Then we started playing with paint and collage, we drew with goose feathers and wax crayons and let us guide by our newly named inner genius. We worked intensely, sometimes it was almost silent. And then again there was lively talk. It is very energizing and inspiring to paint and draw together.



Here are the paintings by Stream, Circle, Source, Sky and Journey. Funny how everybody got familiar with their new name and it seemed to feel quite natural to create from this new space. I am surely going to explore this "name-trick" more. It is inspired by my stay at Sisters' academy boarding school where we should find new names, and I found it hugely inspiring when the name "The Wave" came to me. Complete with the subtitle "I carry and I am being carried". I figured that it would be more apt for an evening event if I offered some pre-made names. It seemed to work well.

This is surely not the last event of this kind. I already envision 4 workshops next year "creating with the planets in every season".

Thank you Jeannie for bringing the stars into my studio, and big thanks to the wonderful participants for shining.