First Friday Santa Cruz

Artists

Artists

Michelle Brightstar

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Mixed Media

Why I must paint...

Walking up to a blank canvas with an empty mind and an open heart has become a powerful, often revelatory, way for me to express my feelings, heal and transform heartache, help alleviate physical pain, and joyously celebrate the beauty and wonderment of life. When I dive into my Intuitive Painting Process, images, figures, symbols, and aspects of my psyche make their way into my art. When I am in my studio my mind is quiet, I'm out of the thinker and into deep listening from within. I go there to replenish, rejuvenate and restore my sense of Self, and to get reconnected with the core of my intuition. By getting still and being quiet, I can invite myself into the creative process by asking such questions as, what color do I want to explore, what shapes have been floating in my consciousness I'd like to play with, how much body movement can I get involved in the process. Of all my mindfulness practices learned over the years, painting in this way is where I do my most profound emotional turnarounds.

Having a keen sense of spatial awareness, I can feel when a room or a composition creates a sense of calm in my body. I let this felt sense be my guide as I make decisions along the way during my creative exploration of each piece. I have always been passionate about the colors and textures found in the natural world around me; those observations heavily influence and inform my mark-making and color explorations. I am filled with a heartfelt sense of contentment when a piece comes to completion. My creative process is my North Star.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my work and learn about my process. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. To see newly published work and blog posts be sure to visit my website https://www.michellebrightstar.com/ and sign up for my newsletter. Namaste'.

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