creative Therapy

Catalyst One Hundred and Thirty-Four

 

As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.

 

Ok! Here’s catalyst number one hundred and thirty-four:

 

What’s a cause you believe in (or a charity you support)? Why?

 

We’re thrilled to have Pixie Campbell as this week’s Guest Artist.

 

Here’s a quickie self-bio for Pixie:

 

My purpose as an artist is to unlearn everything I think I know about art and life, in order to experience it in a raw, truthful way. Armed with a strong drive to explore beyond all of of my safe limits and stories, I enjoy pushing my edge, while improving my practice of self-care. I create to open my heart, heal, stretch, grow, goldmine for insights, share, and connect. I create to model a safe way of expressing that which there are no words for to my young cubs.

 

Pixie teaches an online e-course which just started for the summer but there’s a fall session coming up in a few months. She also has an etsy shop and make sure to check out Pixie’s blog.

 

 

 

Here is Pixie’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and a lot more detail.

 

 

 

Pixie Says:

 

I have a strong belief that if we protect the most wild of creatures, we will honor the original Wild in ourselves. I’ve spent most of my creative days finding ways to get in touch with the wildest aspects of myself. I have ten years of experience in Native American shamanism, and being native, I’ve come to accept that being at one with nature brings me closer to my authentic expressions. What inevitably comes out when I paint or craft are messages from the animals, from my deep, intuitive Self. The animals that come forward have otherworldly insights which allow me to heal parts of myself and, with hope, speak to the viewer in a similar manner. In this process, by allowing myself to leave my left brain behind, or what appears as a cityscape in much of my work, I can honor and appreciate my messy imperfections, but with trust that I will find my way, as the wild ones do. I often donate proceeds of my work to Defenders of Wildlife or other causes that protect native species such as wolves, grizzly bears and bobcats because urbanization pushes them to be misunderstood and eventually exterminated. The animals have much to teach us just by showing us how they do life without the clutter of modern-day obstacle thinking.

 

Title of piece: Faith, 2011. I used watercolors, masking tape and a book page from Call of the Wild, on maple board to create this piece and tried to allow the work to flow out without a plan, without judgment. I resisted critiquing it or comparing it to my other work.

 

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Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.

 

Amy:

 

Amy Says:

There are many causes I support and in which I believe — heavy ones, big ones, philosophical ones, political ones, medical ones. But for this catalyst, I decided to focus on bird awareness, conservation, and preservation. On a large-scale level, supporting an organization like the National Audubon Society helps raise awareness and protect at-risk birds and wildlife. On a personal level, taking time to notice and really “see” the birds and wildlife around us has the power to transform us on the inside. Go on… stop for five minutes today and see what birds you might discover! The birds in this drawing are puffins… an amazing example of the diversity, beauty, and art in different species.

 

 

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Fran:

 

Fran Says:

One of the causes I believe in is that basic health care is a right. Everyone should have access to basic preventative and acute health care services. It’s just the right thing to do.

 

 

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Julie:

 

Julie Says:

I am on a personal mission to pay it forward and spread the mantra of kindness around the world. It’s so easy to let yourself become annoyed or even enraged by those around you — strangers, acquaintances, or those closest to you. I say, be kind and generous because you never know what someone else is going through. Whether it’s something big like a recent death in the family, or something small like their boss yelled at them, what does it hurt to give them the benefit of the doubt and meet a scowl with a smile? You never know, you might change their day!

 

 

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Karen:

 

Karen Says:

There are many causes I feel passionate about but at the very top of the list is education. I believe a high quality education can make all the difference in a person’s life. I think that all kids should have access to and deserve a good education. With that, one can achieve a lot in life and go farther than many others. There is a gap and we need to fix it.

 

 

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Opal:

 

Opal Says:

I support the effort to eat fresh, local, organic, and seasonal foods. I believe by doing this, I am supporting the local farmers in the Skagit Valley.

 

In the fall, there is an event called Farm to Fork. It’s intent is to bring awareness to the goodness of locally produced foods. It is that concept that inspired my piece. I wanted the suggestion of a typical local fruit stand with the screaming colors and voice of beautiful fresh produce and local products.

 

Pieced and raw edged collage, machine and hand quilted, with a few tiny beaded embellishments.

 

 

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Shelley:

 

Shelley Says:

I am a big supporter of several groups: Special Olympics, Best Buddies, and most recently Spread the word to end the word. This is a group dedicated to ending the insensitive use of the “R” word as they put it. That word being retard. I have a son who has been diagnosed with mental retardation and Autism. I am his greatest advocate and these groups allow me to interact with others facing similar diagnoses and celebrate our special kids. The word used in my wall hanging are those used in Spread the Word campaign. Special Olympics has allowed my very athletic son to participate and excel in areas he might not otherwise have had a chance. Best Buddies is an organization through his school that paired him with a “buddy” and gave him access to hanging out with others his age and attending fun school events that he might not otherwise have experienced. I am so grateful to these organizations for helping us parents and special needs individuals be the best they can be and to experience life like everyone else!

 

 

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Wendela:

 

Wendela Says:

This time I made a card, a card for a new born baby boy. It makes me thinking about a Dutch agency for Christian counseling unexpected pregnancies. They believe in the sanctity of life and they believe that life begins at conception. They can listen to the needs of mostly young single women facing an unexpected pregnancy and provide answers to many of the questions they have about adoption, abortion or parenting a child often a little or no costs. It’s for me a good charity to support!

 

 

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Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “What’s a cause you believe in (or a charity you support)? Why?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.

 

Leave us comments with your work so we can share in your creative therapy, too. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.

 

 

Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.

 

Until next month, enjoy each and every moment.