by janet | May 29, 2016 | Blog
Rocks and stones have always intrigued me and studying earth honouring traditions has deepened my relationship with the stone people. Growing up in Sudbury in the 1960’s, we enjoyed lakes, rivers and rocky terrain. Rocks were a beautiful, sculptural part of the landscape and I had no idea the area was considered a barren moonscape. While we reveled in their beauty, there was no hesitation when it came to blasting huge rock faces to widen the connecting highways or make way for other structures. It’s unlikely anyone thought to commune with the rocks before tearing them up with explosives, let alone ask for permission. Sudbury was primarily a mining town although no one in my immediate family mined. Even those of us that loved the rocky terrain were largely ignorant of its life force and innate wisdom. Mother Earth was our play ground to shape and mold as we saw fit or so it seemed. Thankfully we’re becoming more aware of our role as caretakers of our earth mother who provides for all our needs. I was completely taken aback when I moved to Southern Ontario as a young adult. People kept referring to Sudbury as a barren moonscape that NASA used to practice moon landings. This didn’t make sense to me but to my surprise there was truth in their comments. Click here to see a short video clip Moon Landing Sudbury Ontario early 1970’s Part of what made Sudbury interesting to space study is that the Sudbury Basin is in fact one of the world’s largest meteorite impact craters. Visiting astronauts studied shatter cones (conical, striated rock chunks) and impact breccia (rock...
by janet | May 16, 2016 | Blog
We spent our summers at the lake with Mom as kids. That freezing cold plunge late May marked the beginning of the season filled with lazy days basking in the sun and playing in the sparkling clear waters of northern Ontario. Books, puzzles, hot dogs, popcorn and swim breaks – no rush, no fuss. As often as not, our water adventures left us covered in leeches and running for the salt shaker. Garter snakes, raccoons, frogs and other creatures wove their way in and out of our attention. On weekends when Dad joined us, seven kids and 2 adults crammed into a wide-bottomed but tippy, metal motor boat. Fishing gear, towels, snacks and the essential “fisherman’s brew” my father concocted with his own secret ingredients and the rumoured dollop of beer to add some spice, all fought for space between scabby knees and sunburnt bodies. It wasn’t really about fishing – it was about being together on the water. Life, like the boat, was full to the brim then and still is. Five years ago, I felt a strong urge to live near big water. I still dream about a home by the sea but for now, Lake Simcoe is our ocean. I had no idea I would fall so deeply in love with these waters. Sunrise walks have become a nourishing and inspiring way to start my day. Most of the time, I can’t wait to jump out of bed and race to the water with a greedy grin on my face. Everything else can wait – even brewing that first cup of coffee. That fiery ball...
by janet | May 9, 2016 | Blog
As the recent new moon energy fades, I’m thinking about the seeds I’ve planted. I’m in the middle of launching a new website and re-organizing my art and healing businesses under one roof. It’s engaging work and there are tons of details to attend to. I could feel overwhelmed and, in the past, I might have. Instead, I feel light-hearted and energized. Everything I need is more or less appearing at just the right moment.Bringing my worlds together is a creative process. As I thought about this, seven key ideas surfaced that feel important; Intention – Pulling together my businesses is about making a life that I love that will take us through the next few decades with ease and grace. I intend for this life to be a creative one of sharing and continuous expansion. This is my “flight plan” or guiding light – that big hairy audacious dream that is drawing in everything we need. Focus – As long as I stay focused, there seems to be enough space to get things done without crowding out relationships or losing my perspective. Focus fuels the journey set by my intention. My life has always been full – full to the brim which is beautiful, rich and fulfilling in so many ways. It can also be very distracting. Lots of shiny things to catch my attention so focus is a good thing. Surrender – My best work comes out of allowing for free fall creative brainstorming. I need to let ideas and insights come through unfiltered at first – a kind of letting it all hang out. This is...
by janet | May 2, 2016 | Blog
Following the energy of discovery, I’ve started making larger and more complex dream catchers. These days I’m calling them intentional Energy Weaves in recognition of their ability to hold and reflect the essence of what is emerging. This may sound a little “out there” but I have repeatedly experienced the power of art to show me the way forward. The process of making art and then living with the resulting creation over time has proven to be unexpectedly revealing. Catching glimpses from the safety my peripheral vision, I become aware of where I’m being called as well as where I’m now feeling confined. In bypassing my treasured, but sometimes overly ambitious, rational mind, I can sometimes leap over troublesome blind spots and end up somewhere brand new – at least new to me. Many people I encounter these days are in the midst of huge shifts in their personal growth. My colleagues, clients, friends and family all seem to be letting go of old paradigms and calling in brand new stories. This demands fresh thinking and often, an expanded world view. Intentional works of art can assist with this process. Stepping into new stories takes guts – it’s not for wimps and neither is making art or life for that matter. The creative process itself demands relentless surrender. I made the three foot diameter Energy Weave shown above for a gallery submission. After some experimenting, I decided to craft four 3’ plaster seed pods from a lone shell I had. I was taken with the sensuous curve of the bowl shape and the mystery around what was once sheltered. Now an empty vessel,...
by janet | Dec 1, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
These days I’m thinking a lot about bringing my worlds together. In the past I’ve kept my art world pretty separate from my energy medicine world and both of these detached from my corporate marketing background. I’m realizing that I may have “thrown the baby out with the bath water” as the saying goes so I’m stepping back with fresh eyes. It’s become clear to me that, aside from “me”, the common denominator in all my worlds is that they are heart-centered. Even in the heady and analytical world of corporate marketing, I tried to give my intuition and heart a leading role. When I walked away from the business world more than a little disenchanted, I thought I was leaving it behind for good. Now I find myself playing with the role of entrepreneur in a vibrant and growing market – the world of transformational healing arts. Although I currently think of this as Energy Medicine, I’m beginning to see it can be expanded to include visual art. The seeds of the intriguing idea of weaving my worlds together began when I started making personalized dream catchers for people I love. It accelerated when I followed the energy to attend Maclean Masterwork’s Success Attunement Event while visiting my sister in California this Fall. I took the opportunity to showcase my new dream catcher mobiles that reference the chakra system alongside offering mini chakra cleanses to attendees as a partner during breaks and meals. Strand by strand, my worlds have been weaving together. While I think of my dream catcher work as a form of “painting with beads”, I also create them in a sacred manner and infuse them with love and blessings...
