The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands. ~ Leonardo da Vinci
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Best to begin on paper as you will find that you have less attachment to the final product and you can add pages if you feel the call to take up space! I use 200-300 GSM A1 acid-free drawing paper because it takes a fair amount of water without buckling but truly, you can use what ever is available to you. Canson is a good quality brand.
If you are feeling brave, canvases need to be primed and can be any size you choose. You can purchase pre-primed, pre-stretched canvas at art supply shops.
These are only limited by your imagination! Of course an array of different sized paintbrushes, rollers and scrapers are great fundamentals. I also encourage you to explore sponges, spray bottles, knitting needles, recycled materials and even vegetables!
You can use your imagination when it comes to your palette. This one is inexpensive and can be purchased at any art supply shop along with a variety of sizes and shapes. Choose which one suits you. A piece of glass on the table or an old household tray or plate will work as well.
What would painting be with out a glorious smorgasbord of colour? I use these small painting jars for ease of transport. No need to do this at home. In intuitive painting we use middle of the road quality paints so we can feel the abundance of colour without being concerned about how much we are using. Chromacryl and Jo Sonja are brands I use. Choose your colours intuitively or for practicality buy yourself the three primary colours red, yellow and blue along with black and white.
For those of you looking for a higher quality paint, I use Golden Paints which are simply delicious. A little more expensive though.
With intention, intuitive painting can be a sacred practice, opening us up to something beyond the known self. In honour of this creative wisdom, I always light a candle before I paint.
For me, journalling is in integral part of the intuitive painting process. It opens me up to greater insight. It provides a verbal expression of the non-verbal. It grounds this powerful experience.
Smudging is a sacred way to purify your space before painting. Here I have included an article on best practices.
http://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/ancient-art-smudging
“Tea ... is a religion of the art of life.” Okakura Kakuzo, The Book of Tea
“Who would then deny that when I am sipping tea in my tearoom I am swallowing the whole universe with it and that this very moment of my lifting the bowl to my lips is eternity itself transcending time and space?” D.T. Suzuki, Zen and Japanese Culture
Need I say more?
'Your facilitation is unpretentious. The space you hold is gentle, kind and loving. You are a natural intuitive. Sitting in the circle watching you inspires me. What a joy to witness someone truly living their life from their heart. Joy is all around you, your inner fire lights the way for others. Your eyes are full of excitement. When you smile I see you standing in the middle of your studio, open arms, open heart. Ready to share your wisdom and guide others on their journey. It brings me to tears even now. I think it’s the empowerment of living one's life purpose. I see many lives along your journey that will be touched by you. Thank you for touching mine.' Sara, Austin, TX, USA
‘Before doing Bec's Intuitive Painting Classes, I always thought that I was painting intuitively anyway. However, with Bec's guidance and support I was able to use my painting as a safe place to really process some of life's ugly stuff and to practice mindfulness. I have since been able to use these skills on a day to day basis as well with or without a brush and have added Bec's classes to my list of life changers.’ Juanita, Footscray
“The painting process exposes these little nuggets of…well, old stuff, worries, confusions, fears – all of our soft and hard spots. Quite by surprise they seem to emerge quite quickly – as if they’ve been just waiting, lurking, eager to be set free, faced, acknowledged. Who knows how long these things lie waiting – years & years & years. But here, now, Bec provides a kind, safe space to see the monsters (& angels) & to go towards accepting them & in doing so accept ourselves & be set free…” Jeanette, Preston
“Participating in my first Intuitive Painting workshop with Bec has been a wonderful experience for me. It has started my creative flow again and let my inner child play. Thank you so much.” Kimberley, Yarraville
“Thank you Bec, I felt totally safe and supported. You are able to create such a great space & enabled me the time to really express onto paper without judgment. I leave today with peace & clarity.” Chris, Kingsville
“There is an aliveness in doing this work – the meditation, the movement, the painting. Like a kid in a candy store! There is a soulful healing that goes on sharing this experience with the group. Something about ‘relational creativity’ and its power.” Rae, Collingwood
"Aghhh.... I have been using it constantly.... rest in the pelvis.... follow the heart.... Aghhhh" Alex, West Footscray
Bec creates a really safe, judgment-free space where painting becomes listening, discovering, exploring, playing, feeling, expressing, learning, reflecting. A great way to practice self-care in a supportive environment, with lots of acceptance and encouragement. I am so glad I did this for myself!” Carrie, Canada
I had a good feeling with the colours, but I didn’t want to take any dark colours and got stuck. Then I went outside and tried to paint a tree and got stuck again. After that, I started with playful painting and could feel my whole energy. For me it was a very intensive and healing process and I would love to do it more often.” Amara, Germany
The ‘Your Creative Space’ workshop was a powerful healing experience for me. Body, voice, mind, heart, spirit are gently engaged before painting. Regular check-ins brought my painting journey to a place I’m glad to have reached.” Gisela, Preston
WholeheART acknowledges the traditional custodians and caretakers of the land on which it operates, the Wurundjeri, the Dja Dja Wurrung (Jarra) and the Watha Wurrung people, and pays respect to the elders both past and present for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture and the hopes of Aboriginal Australia.
WholeheART is committed to providing a safe, inclusive creative space for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, ability, sexuality, or gender identity.
Trust in your intuitive voice enough to surrender to it's call and act upon it. Remember, it is just paint on paper. This is a practice and the painting studio is a safe sanctuary in which you have the opportunity to witness what happens when you release control, listen within and act. Eventually, we may find the courage to take this practice out into the world. This is when the magic happens.