mlindsey.art

art gym: conscious creative practices

• shifting consciousness: artmaking as kinesthetic meditation

• guided creative practices and personal inquiry through artmaking

What is Expressive Art? 

In short: deep inquiry through intentional art practice…

This type of artmaking process is a hands-on approach to direct sensing, internal observation, deep inquiry, and self-reflection.

It’s a non-linear, non-verbal process.

Participants create from the heart and body-mind, responding to guided meditations, prompts and questions. This process allows people to investigate what is within, rather than attempting to render what they see outside themselves visually, physically. It’s about giving form to what we know, rather than trying to duplicate how our mind thinks things are.

This type of artmaking is how I myself process, investigate, and work through the issues of my life. It is how I make meaning out of what is happening in my world, and the world around me. 

What can these conscious art practices offer? 

Change occurs, shift happens, and it’s fun… 

Shift happens when art is made this way. Change occurs, directly as a result of engaging in conscious creative practices.

In short, it works.

How can I explore Conscious Creative Practices with Margaret Lindsey?

Margaret offers Expressive Art Workshops, Conscious Creativity Events and meditations, Creativity Retreats, one-on-on creative mentoring, group in-services, and custom events and ceremonies.

read more about upcoming events with Margaret

Why do this?

Engaging authentically and consistently with conscious creative practice can illuminate or shift whatever is being creatively investigated or explored: 

• Current or past psychological states

• Patterns and sub-conscious stories sourced in family/culture of origin

• Healing or information about their body

• Insight into current relationships

• Information or shifts in past traumas

• Intuitive knowledge of the archetypal meaning of a symbol, often from another or unknown culture’s mythology

• a new personal relationship to artmaking or to specific media

• key insights into one’s own personality

• tracking a personality trait or series of experiences from childhood onward--connecting the dots. 

• build a newfound or deeper connection with the symbolic meaning within and behind all manifest life

• Insight into the spirit of another creature, place or thing

Through creative exploration of what needs to be seen in a person’s life, each person hones their own methods for accessing inner knowledge and information. Clues to what is contained within one’s individual psyche are also often revealed.

TEAM-BUILDING WITH PROCESS ART

expressive artmaking as a tool for connection and inquiry

group-centered activities usually involve a sequence of artmaking and guided activities, custom-designed to create a forum for playful interaction and inquiry within a group, community or company. The activities are designed to respond to the size, nature, and intentions of the group. Processes may include guided meditations, intention work (individual and group), pairs and group work, and large circle work. Groups could choose to walk a labyrinth as part of their process. Materials might include any of the following: acrylic paint, pastels, clay, markers, colored pencils.

No art experience necessary.
Appropriate for groups of 5-75. Suggested session is 3.5 hours, or 6 hours with a lunch break. Materials are included. Groups supply their own snacks and beverages.

art & symbolic Process

opening to the invisible

symbolic process opens doorways to the universe through symbols.

symbolic process connects us to the art, wisdom and knowledge of invisible worlds.

symbolic process engages the senses and innate knowing within each of us.

Symbolic Process is a potent doorway for practicing focused creative engagement with the archetypal and symbolic worlds, through personal creative practice.

This happens through intensive creative personal investigation with a single, personally selected symbol. Margaret guides Participants as they access deep levels of meaning and knowledge, far beyond the conscious understanding of their everyday minds. The symbol could be a power animal or spirit symbol, or simply an everyday object, creature or place that serves as a lens for creative inquiry.

Regardless of the symbol chosen, this process allows an expansion of consciousness, and ignites an awareness of the forces affecting one’s personal life and culture. The artwork that arises during this investigation is potent, powerful, and authentic. The symbol, and the art created with it, create a doorway for engaging the senses, and touching in with the innate knowing within ourselves.

The new zoom class is modeled on the well-honed, successful artmaking template taught by Margaret Lindsey for years in JFKU’s Art & Symbolic Process seminar.

“I knew there was something inside of me longing to be expressed but unsure what it was or where to start or how to start.  I felt totally hopeless and helpless.  With Margaret’s guidance I cried, I allowed the suffering I was feeling to come through me by ripping, cutting, poking, stamping, sewing, hammering.  She helped me realize it didn't need to be pretty it needed to be honest no matter what it looked like.”

--student artist, Joan Kirkaldie

for info about current art & symbolic process groups, click here

MANDALAS: JOURNEY TO CENTER

creative mandala explorations

conscious creative work with mandalas usually includes various unique experiential meditations with different world mandala traditions, followed by directed expressive art practices. The mandala (Sanskrit for sacred circle) is a prime universal symbol, appearing and in continuous use in virtually all cultures. Mandalas are used for offerings, as icons and yantras, as narratives, as healing tools, gateways and portals. They have been used for millennia as primal centering tools for organizing or re-patterning physical and mental structures, and as specific tools for healing. The mandala series is most potent when experienced as a group.

the next 6-session mandala class will be offered by Margaret Lindsey in fall 2021.

No art experience necessary. All materials included.

Facilitator: Margaret Lindsey, MFA

Read more about the workshop here

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CREATIVE INQUIRY: 1+1

individual one-on-one creativity mentoring

This is an active one-on-one process utilizing artmaking as a tool for inquiry and healing. Margaret guides the inquirer through a series of customized activities which support the investigation of a specific issue or a question. Activities may include guided meditation, painting, drawing, kinesthetic interaction with artpieces, and conversation. Sessions are usually approximately 1.5 hours, and may consist of a series of activities which unfold sequentially, going deeper and deeper. Various materials and processes are utilized and designed in response to the individual’s needs and quest.

No art experience necessary. currently available via zoom. one of the advantages of working via zoom is that you are able to meditate in your own home/studio space, with all of your favorite meditation and art supplies available to you.

Guide: Margaret Lindsey, MFA