Painting With Fire...Creative Alchemy at Ghost Ranch

A week ago I returned from teaching my workshop, The Inspired Landscape to nineteen women who attended the Painting with Fire workshop at Ghost Ranch. The workshop was also shared with Lora Murphy who taught portraiture along side me.  

I often ask myself if teaching is the direction I "should" be going in. Am I really suited to lead people in workshops? Am I walking the path I was intended to walk? In other words, am I walking my talk? 

If some how the rug gets pulled from under your feet and you have to pick up the pieces, isn't it time to really make sure that you only pick up the pieces that feel right??? Even if the rug didn't get pulled, doesn't it feel right to ask yourself (over and over again) is this right? does this nourish me? am I aligned with this direction I am heading? 

As I said to the group at Ghost Ranch, I faced a lot of vulnerable feelings. I felt being open and transparent would be honored in their presence. Somewhere within me, there is a voice that keeps pushing and prodding me to step forward, share what I know, and trust that it will be beneficial to another person's growth. Courage is my world for 2018 and it seems to be serving me well. During the workshop, I tuned into myself many times, asking all the questions again. I can tell you, that I felt true joy being in the midst of these women. I felt deeply connected to myself and to them and their process. Sharing what I know seems effortless. Being in the midst of creativity feels amazing. 

I know I will continue to asks these questions of myself, have self doubt, wonder if this is the right path, but I also know that I have the courage to find out and course correct if need be. 

To all the wonderful women who were on this trip with me, my eternal thanks for being such an open, creative, and supportive group of tremendously talented and gifted people. You are a gift in my life. Your ability to create wonderful art in the midst of the unfamiliar, the pioneering spirits that came forth within each of you, the sharing of community, bonding at lightening speed with new friends and deepening relations was profound.  I thank you for your courage. 

Please enjoy examples of art that was created in The Inspired Landscape portion of Painting with Fire at the amazing Ghost Ranch. The instruction was to let the surroundings find itself in their unique vision. This could be interpreted as an outer landscape as well as an internal landscape.