What Is Intentional Creativity?

You may be saying to yourself, “What is this woo woo stuff?  Sounds pretty new agey to me!” Or perhaps you are questioningly muttering, “Mmmmhmm…”

Well, the truth is … Intentional Creativity™ is an experiential process so it is a wee bit hard to put into words.   However, since you are reading right now and, thus, words are necessary to explain what I’m talking about, well, here are a few words…

In a nutshell, Intentional Creativity is a process that combines creative expression with mindfulness to support growth & healing.

You literally create around your intention. Making art in this way is not about being talented, gifted or artistic.  It’s not predicated on identifying as an artist or even feeling creative.  It is about getting to your soul essence through creativity, which is innate in all of us.   With this method you create a quiet stillness to hear inner messages and give them form—in words and paint—in a relaxed and nurturing environment.   You then have the opportunity to apply the insights and inner wisdom to your life and live in a way that is, in a word, more “you”.

During the process, you begin with an inquiry that creates an awareness of what your wise inner voice–or intuition—wants to express.  You tune in to your subconscious through both sides of the brain and heart and, by moving memory and story through your hands and into image, transformation happens.   You don’t have to consciously think and work so hard, either.  Transformation is possible because all of the elements work together to create shifts.  And the transformation can manifest in many different forms —such as a release, a healing of a painful memory, or a vision for the future providing clarification and inspiration.

The lineage of Intentional Creativity began with artist Lenore Thomas Straus, who brought images of healing and the feminine to the New Deal art with the Roosevelt administration. Straus mentored Sue Hoya Sellars, an extraordinary artist and teacher, who co-founded Intentional Creativity with her protegé, visionary artist Shiloh Sophia. Their legacy supports us to ask the questions Straus posed about how art shapes us from the inside and we, in turn, shape the art: “[A]gain and again the hands are formed that carve a stone.” 

Join me on the Wonder Blog where we’ll talk about Intentional Creativity and  more…

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