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It's the New Moon in Capricorn and time for us all to find the yin/yang balance within. So for me, as an artist this means balancing my businesshead with my artheart and PAINTING!
Painting Notes:
Balancing art/life/biz
Picking up that brush and making that first stroke is EVERYTHING and NOTHING; bliss AND terror; both essential to reassure myself that I am indeed ALIVE.
One has to care deeply to paint from the soul.
It's the one year anniversary of my Process Painting experiment - yahoooo! One year ago today I began a series of paintings to save my life...no joke! Getting started, I literally ran full tilt in search of painting supplies so that I could begin that instant. I HAD TO PAINT. There was no choice. It was either paint or explode and so I chose to express my inner passions through the medium of acrylic painting. This time I wasn't painting small, but instead put my whole body into lifting, painting, making marks and covering paper, then silk, and then masonite sheets that were 4 foot by 4 foot (48" x 48") .
I obviously had a lot to say but words just weren't cutting it. As an artist I had to get it all out there through color and movement expressed in big, broad, splashy, sensual strokes, gouges and scratches painted to loud music: Celtic, Industrial, Acoustic, African, French...a mix, depending on my mood.
As the months went by I continued to paint, explore and express my feelings through art and writing that accompanied the paintings. That combination was new for me; one fed off the other. I combined the two in part because I wanted my blog readers to see what I was going through as I painted.
My friend Ian asked me if these paintings came from a metaphysical, meditative place within my soul and I had to answer 'no,
this series is pure emotion.
For those of you wondering what in the heck Process Painting is, I'll explain. Process Painting is painting without concern for anything but the process itself. This allows one to really focus on being present and in the moment without concern for where the painting will go afterward or if it will ever be sold. It's not easy for many of us to let go of control over outcome, so it felt risky and strange at first, but I grew to love it and crave it as time went on.
What I learned
By experimenting with Process Painting I gave myself permission to express my emotions out loud and in paint and how to be fully present.
I granted myself time, space and freedom for emotional outbursts and for believing in myself. I spent time just being and I spent time writing, painting, pondering, dancing and absorbing music. I could feel myself coming alive in every pore and I expressed that being-ness, that alive-ness through my creations; my paintings, my photographs of the paintings and my writing that accompanied each painting and finally through my blog posts which brought it all together.
Process Painting has put me back in touch with my emotions; joy and faith and strength and yes, pain.
I painted as if nothing else mattered but this being-ness, this process of painting. It was a reminder of what's really important for my spirit and my soul.
Painting abstractly encouraged me to translate my feelings very directly onto the canvas without worrying about depicting anything recognizable.
As for the future, I'm going to continue what I started one year ago today because frankly,
I am in love with process painting.
I created two slides shows (see below) documenting all the paintings I created between October 30th, 2009 and October 30th, 2010. You can check out the accompanying blog posts at Creative Soul Blog or read my original Art Mystic blog that was eventually abandoned half way through the year so that I could focus on my Creative Soul Blog instead (all posts are now on my Creative Soul Blog).
Let's not forget that this is also a 1 year BLOG PARTY so I encourage you to leave your comments below expressing how this post has inspired your creative soul. I plan to pick one lucky winner at the upcoming Full Moon in Taurus on Nov. 15th, 2010 and gift them with a card or two from this collection.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathycrabbe/sets/72157625176624687/show/
Kathy Crabbe: Guiding Your Creative Soul
Kathy Crabbe is an artist, writer and Creative Soul Guide who has devoted her life to exploring spirituality and creativity with passion and integrity. Her art and writing have been published and shown throughout the world at museum shows, galleries, magazines and books. Through online resources Kathy is able to help women express their unique gifts and talents in empowering ways. She maintains a blog and website sharing her experiences with both the psychic, intuitive realms and the world of art making.
Poetic, artistic explorations juice me up and make my heart sing. Join with me on an odyssey into soul shaking passion sometimes literal, often fantastic as I document my newest series of paintings on my blog.
Sometimes the only way to save my sanity is through painting because only the painting matters ~ all my doubts and fears and worries and stress and anger and resentment and hate and sadness and pain are released when I paint and yes, love too and passion and joy and wonder and hope. It all goes into the painting where it can safely reside rather than tear me apart inside.
I come from a long line of artists. Generations ago my ancestors were blacksmiths and book binders (and beer brewers) in the UK. After moving to Canada, my paternal grandfather, James Simpkins (creator 0f Canada's most memorable cartoon character of the twentieth century, Jasper the Bear) and his two brothers (Henry and Tom) also became well known artists along with Tom's son, Ron Simpkins.
For up-to-date exhibition info please click here.
2013 Small But Mighty Print Exhibition, Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, California
2012 Members’ Exhibition, Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, California Journey into Intimacy Solo Exhibition, Sun City Library, Sun City, California Journey into Intimacy Solo Exhibition, San Marcos Library, San Marcos, California Art and Earth: My Art, My World, Murrieta Public Library, Murrieta, California The Art of the Avocado, Brandon Gallery, Fallbrook, California Verse to Image, Riverside Community Arts Association Gallery, Riverside, California Your Face Here: The Modern Self Portrait, San Jacinto College Art Gallery, San Jacinto, California Local Author Exhibit, San Diego Public Library, San Diego, California Riverside Arts Council Exhibit, Riverside, California PNET Members’ Print II Show, Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, California
2011 “Off The Wall”, Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, California “PNET Members’ Print Show”, Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, California “Artscape,” Riverside County Administrative Center, Riverside, California
2006 “Making Zines=Making Herstory”, Women’s History Museum and Educational Center, San Diego, California
2005 San Clemente Public Library, San Clemente, California
2004 Musician’s Workshop, Temecula, California “Art of Zines”, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, California “Dark Matter”, Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, Maryland
2003 “Zine Scene”, Orange County Museum of Art Satellite, Costa Mesa, California Borders Books, Chino, California Jojo Pinkie Gallery, Costa Mesa, California
Baltimore Museum of Art Archives, Baltimore, Maryland Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Che Café Collective Zine Library, La Jolla, California Columbia Teacher’s College Zine Library, New York, New York Olymbia Zine Library, Olympia, Washington Pacific Northwest College of Art Library, Portland, Oregon San Diego Public Library, Collections, San Diego, California San Diego State University Special Collections Library, San Diego, California San Jose Museum of Art, Anno Domini Art of Zines Library, San Jose, California Sheridan Zine Library, Welland, Ontario Solidarity! Revolutionary Center and Radical Library, Lawrence, Kansas UCLA Arts Library, Los Angeles, California 100 Sided Die Library, Montreal’s Mile End, Montréal, Québec
San Diego Poetry Annual, published by William Harry Harding, 2007, 2008. We’Moon Journal and Datebook, published by Mother Tongue Ink, 1993, 1995, 2005, 2008. (reproductions) Dawn, Orange County Arts, Cultures, and Innovations, published by The Dawn Foundation, Spring 2006. (reproduction) Lighthouse Wire Magazine, published by Queen’s University (Kingston, Canada), 2006. (reproduction) Altar Magazine, published independently, (Brooklyn, New York), Spring 2005, Issue 5, Winter 2006, Issue 6. (reproduction) Broken Pencil Magazine, published independently, (Toronto, Canada), 2006, Issue 32. (reproduction) Neighbors Newspaper, published independently, (Temecula, California), September 2006. (reproduction) The Spoon Magazine, published by University of Windsor, (Windsor, Canada), August 2006. (reproduction) Kiss Machine, published by Emily Pohl-Weary, (Toronto, Canada), Fall/Winter 2005, Issue 10, Fall/Winter 2005, Issue 11, Spring/Summer 2006, Issue 12, Spring/Summer 2007, Issue 13, Fall/Winter 2006, Issue 14, Fall/Winter 2007, Issue 15. (reproductions) Art Business News, published by Avanstar Communications, February 2003.
Voyageur Magazine, published by St. Lawrence College, (Kingston, Canada), Spring 2009. The Valley News, (Temecula, California), February 23, 2007, Issue 8, Vol. 11. Broken Pencil Magazine, “Excerpts”, published independently, (Toronto, Canada), 2006, Issue 32. (reproduction) Zine World, “Zine Reviews”, published independently, (Murfreesboro, Tennessee), July 2006, Issue 23. The Press-Enterprise, “Local, Townspeople: Over java, Temecula’s literati meet for inspiration”, published by Enterprise Media, (Temecula, California), April 18, 2006. Los Angeles Times Calendar, “Pop Music Review”, published by Los Angeles Times, March 13, 2003. Art Venues Magazine, “In the Spotlight,” (Capistrano Beach, California), 1997. (reproductions)
2010 Feminine Mojo Radio Interview Wise Woman University Interview (live recording)
2007 Speaker, San Diego Poetry Publication Party, San Diego, California
2006 Speaker, North County Author’s and Poets Book Fair, Escondido, California
2003 Artist Speaker, Michelle Shocked, Campfire Series, International Women’s Day Show, “Civil Liberties Are Like Marshmallows” in collaboration with the International A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, Los Angeles, California
2010-present Awaken Your Divine Feminine Soul eClass
2010 Wise Woman University Mentor, Awaken Your Divine Feminine Soul eClass
2001 HGTV, Your New House, silk painting demo
1995-2001 Artist Educator, Sawdust Art Festival, Laguna Beach, California
1990′s Assistant Instructor, Laguna Outreach Community Artists, Laguna Beach, California Private silk painting instruction, Laguna Beach, California
American Visions Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri Artscape, Long Beach, California Art for the Soul, Balboa Island, California Black Cat Gallery, San Juan Capistrano, California Hanging Tree Gallery, Rolling Hills Estates, California How Original Gallery, Laguna Beach, California Laguna Beach Art Museum Store, Laguna Beach, California Mingei International Folk Museum Store, San Diego, California
1994-present Abbott Kinney Art Festival, Venice Beach, California Art from the Heart, Solana Beach, California Artistic License, Costa Mesa, California Borrego Springs Circle of Art, California Bowers Art Museum Show, Santa Ana, California Carmel Valley Artists, San Diego, California Fullerton Art Museum Show, California Gogh Van Orange, Orange, California Hillcrest Festival of Fine Arts, San Diego, California Idyllwild Jazz in the Pines, Idyllwild, California Irvine Studio Arts Festival, California La Quinta Art Under the Umbrellas, California New York Stationary Show, New York Oceanside Days of Art, California San Clemente Art Festival, California Santa Monica Contemporary Crafts Market, California Sawdust Art Festival (1995-2001), Laguna Beach, California Sierra Madre Art Festival, Sierra Madre, California Sierra Madre Creative Arts Group, California Winter Sawdust Art Festival, Laguna Beach, California
Creative Image Licensing Designer Fabric Handbags Enchanted Tattoos Fantasy Tea Shop Fantasy Fabric Block Recycled Paper Greetings The Fairy Society
Awaken Your Divine Feminine Soul eClass Barely A Taste Chapbook by Tangerine Bolen, Ground Creative Soul Cards aka Lefty Cards Moon Musings Volume 1 Zines & Chapbooks: Mugwort, Gadfly, Ground, Songs of the Lefties Zodiac Goddess Playbook
2011-2012, 2008 Founding Member, Social Media Communications, Riverside Art Museum Printmakers Network, Riverside, California Volunteer, Dorland Mountain Arts Colony, Temecula, California
2010 Founder Facilitator, Creative Soul Circle, social site
2007 Founder Facilitator, Temecula Artist’s Salon, Temecula, California
2006 Founder Facilitator, Temecula Writer’s Café, Temecula, California
Dorland Mountain Arts Colony, Temecula, California The Haggus Society, Los Angeles, California Plein Air Artists of Riverside (PAAR), Riverside Art Museum Printmakers Network (PNET), Riverside Art Museum Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, California Women’s Caucus for Art, United States
- Bachelor of Arts, Art History - Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, 1988
- Diploma, Graphic Design (3 year program) - St. Lawrence College, Kingston, Ontario, 1992
- Life Drawing - San Jacinto College, Menifee, California, 2003-4
- Reduction woodblock printmaking and etching with Dixon Fish & Igor Koutsenko - Fallbrook Art Studio, California, 2005-2006
- Private study (abstract painting and non toxic printmaking) with Leslie Brown, artist, teacher & director of Riverside City College Quad Gallery, Riverside, California, 2007
- Printmaking with Christina Li - Palomar College, San Marcos, California, 2007-2008
- Book arts with Helen Shafer Garcia - Oceanside Museum School, California, 2007
- Book arts with Victoria Rabinowe - San Diego Book Arts Society, California, 2008
- Letterpress printing with Sybil Rubottom - Bay Park Press, San Diego, California, 2008
Carborundum collagraph and monotype printmaking with Amber George - Fallbrook School of the Arts, Fallbrook, California, 2011
Sharri Forrester Baldy - artist and founder of The Fairy Society.
Karen Bagnard - Greeting card artist.
Jennifer DeTracey - Marketing strategist.
Vivienne Flesher - Illustrator.
Bob Friedman - Marketing consultant and founder of New Moon Visions.
Jennifer Lee - Artizen Coaching.
Ginger McCleskey - Greeting card rep (Swirly Girl), consultant and owner of Queen of Hearts Cards.
Susan Mrosek - Author and greeting card artist - Pondering Pool.
Marty Noble - Greeting card artist.
Murray Raphael - Author, columnist for Art Business News, marketing expert.
Ed Roach - Marketing and branding consultant.
I am a creative soul guide. Through one-on-one creative soul readings, classes and online resources, I help women uncover their gifts and talents in connection with their spirit guides, ancestors, and the planetary cycles. My background in the arts infuses my readings and encourages my clients to live the life of their dreams.
Me, Michelle Shocked & Ginny (a Lefty) at The Campfire Show
International Women's Day, Hollywood, 2003.
In 2001 I began drawing exclusively with my non dominant left hand. I called these drawings 'talking heads' because they all had funny little names and no necks. Five years later I had enough Lefty drawings to inhabit a whole world and I had completely lost track of which hand I was using when I picked up a brush or pen. I like to tell people that I began the Lefty Series because my overly dominant right hand lost it's sense of humour, but really I just needed to shake things up a bit.
Left handed people are disproportionately represented in the creative professions - Turning on the right brain is a skill and one that grows stronger the more you work at it ~ Martha Beck, Oprah Magazine.
A Lefty drawing & a Polaroid of Donna posing as a Lefty.- Guided by a dream I turned my Lefty drawings into an oracle card deck for giving online psychic readings.
Over a five year period of painting more than 500 Lefties I discovered that my psychic abilities were increasing to the point where I just HAD to share these gifts by giving Creative Soul Readings.
- Participated in a six month long psychic-mediumship circle or English Traditional Healing Circle to hone and develop my intuitive skills PLUS overcame a lifelong fear of merging onto freeways (at age 42!).
- Started writing poetry again. I created projects such as Gadfly, a series of Lefty Chapbooks that morphed into Songs of the Lefties, a Postcard Zine (sixteen issues in all with monthly subscribers) and a book titled Odds & Ends - A Collection of Friends - Recipes, Rhymes & Incantations.
- Started a Writer's Group to meet writers and showcase the Lefties. The group became quite popular and was featured in the local newspaper.
Action words for right brain thinking: compassion, an open heart and a willingness to be supportive, joyful and at one with the universe.
- Started signing my art as Kathy Crab rather than Crabbe and introduced myself as 'Kitty' at various writing events - it just fit in a Lefty kinda way.
- Invited by Los Angeles musician and activist, Michelle Shocked along with Martha of The Muffins, an NPR (National Public Radio) talk show host, and the Radical Teen Cheerleaders to speak out about our art processes at Michelle's 2006 Campfire Series in Hollywood, California in celebration of International Women’s Day. I was absolutely terrified when Michelle first suggested I speak to a large group, but then she introduced me with her song, 'When I grow up I want to be an old woman' and I was just fine.
- Began a performance art project during which I snapped Polaroids of local people posing as Lefties (see Donna in the photo above) and had them sign their Polaroids with a funny nickname while using their non dominant hand.
- The Lefties offer guidance to students of my Divine Feminine eClass being offered at the Wise Woman University online and in person in lots of other places where they are known as Moon Muses. They are intuitive guides and question askers that offer insight and wisdom along with exercises to heal and inspire.
Moon Glory. Watercolor on paper, 8 x 10 inches. © 2005 by Kathy Crabbe
I will always call the Lefties best friends. They continue to inspire, amuse and guide us all. I feel that many spiritual practices and people are lacking in humor. Many of us long for laughter and lightness to express our inner joy and playfulness so that's what myself and the Lefties are here to do.
"You must travel to some secret place when you create them" ~ Jennice Hyden, Acupuncturist
"Zen-like" ~ Mary Fleener, Cartoonist.
"The world needs more of your kind of clever silliness" ~ Linda Brunker, Sculptor
"Self esteem boosting" ~ Los Angeles Times, Calendar Section
"I've never seen anything like it...I laughed out loud" - Michael Pontacolini, Spoon Magazine
"Beauty, colorful, pretty, delicate, Murano glass come to life almost too beautiful to touch...I fall in love with the Klimt-inspired drawing...I am charmed. An aging art snob with a guerilla aesthetic. I flip through card after card and start scheming ways to steal K. Crab's work. Beg her to keep drawing!" Andree LaChapelle, Broken Pencil Magazine
"They're so delicate, succinct, playful, refreshing" ~ Susan Mrosek, Artist/Author
The Creative Soul Guides gently and intuitively encourage us to face our fears and experience creative breakthroughs.
You can check out loads more Lefties on Flickr, order a Creative Soul Reading here or purchase your favorite Lefty originals and prints here.
I recently attended the Irvine Holiday Faire with my LuLu art and had a fabulous time connecting with some new and old artist friends.
Me & Stephen Woodruff, glass artist - Long Beach, CA.
Me & Cynthia Green, jeweler - Irvine, CA.
Me & Meredith Laskow, jeweler & Etsy friend - Placentia, CA.
Email : kathy@kathycrabbe.com
© 2024 Kathy Crabbe