by Debra Cortese | Oct 23, 2018 | nature's energy
The real background story is that it took me 10 years to rediscover these small blue paintings and to fully understand the power I received during the painting process and again as I was re-creating new, repurposed designs from these forgotten mini blue squares.I knew then that I needed to release the anxiety and weight of impending foreclosure. I knew that painting always allowed me to lighten up and play and focus on the colors or shapes and forget the woes and burdens of being a responsible adult – at least for the duration of the painting session.
I am now in a place where I can share this. Instead of hiding in shame over the experience of losing our home, I am finally able to process and understand what happened and how it helped my art and life move on to new stories.
I also learned how to appreciate the gifts in life challenges.
They are dramatic and powerful catalysts that can move us to create a new version of our own life story if we choose to let go and move toward what is wanted.
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In 2009 I received notice that our Miami home was no longer worth half of what it was mortgaged for and of course, I was still legally responsible for paying the full amount or foreclosure proceedings would be inevitable. As a self-employed artist/designer, my financial situation was often in flux and dependent upon the economy which was quickly spiraling into something I had never experienced before. All around me people were ‘losing’ their homes. I watched the neighbors across the street being physically evicted from their home with only a few belongings thrown out towards the street and then, they were literally locked out of their own home. This vision terrified me and I was determined that we would not experience the despair and humiliation of being thrown out of our own home.
T.R.A.N.S.I.T.I.O.N.S – r e p u r p o s e d –
The first (top) image shows the original small blue paintings that calmed my mind and helped me through the financial foreclosure crisis in 2009. You can see my post from 10 years ago HERE if you enjoy reading, or stay on this page for my repurposed art therapy 10 years later! Time does heal emotional and physical wounds, but having a creative outlet works miracles for me 😉 The images below were each created from sections of the original Transition paintings. The new pattern versions carry an energy that is full of joy and inspiration to continue on my path. My intention is for every product that features these designs will also share creative, successful, joyful energy waves with you. <>
by Percy Cat | Aug 27, 2009 | ART, art business, Art Licensing, paintings
I recently set a new routine for myself to create at least one painting a week. “Transitions” are my first paintings in what I plan to be an ongoing series. As soon as I cleared the table, got the paints, brushes and boards all set up, I felt my energy shift. I set up all four panels as one 10 inch x 10 inch canvas. As I painted the background in what I call ‘Archangel Michael blues’, I could feel the tensions starting to ease. I began in the upper left corner and painted what I’d later realize was my state of
“Teetering on the edge of anxiety”.
The second panel on the top right flowed in comfortable waves of my favorite nature colors of green and yellow. I had quickly moved into “Waves of temporary tranquility“.
Why don’t I do this every day?
I was totally enjoying myself and it certainly came through in “Playful passionate inspirations”, the third and bottom left panel. This was the most enjoyable, tactile experience I’ve had creating art in several months. By the time I finished painting the bottom right and last of the four panels, I had released massive amounts of stress and made it all the way to “Allowing and accepting joy”!
Unconscious Energy Shifts in Parallel Dimensions
While I was painting, I wasn’t thinking about what I was creating at all. I’d sketched a few doodles the night before and they were swirling around in my head so I just started to play with the feel of the brushes, the blending of colors. I was in the flow and these are the images that resulted. I also didn’t realize until 3 full days later that each image took me a step further in a process that I deeply needed to work through. I had, not very originally, titled these “Blue Squares No 1 – 4” and that just didn’t feel right, certainly not at all creative, so I bravely (if you have children, you understand this) asked my daughters for suggestions. Both told me that I needed to do this myself. Erin suggested I use an auto-association method, flipping through a book or magazine and noting random words or phrases.
How does this relate to string theory?
The day after I painted these, I happened to be intently reading about and watching Youtube videos on string theory with Brian Greene because Jenna, my youngest daughter, had uncharacteristically made a definite point of telling me about a paragraph in her physics book that correlates to the law of attraction teachings of Abraham. Now, I often listen to Abraham CDs while I’m working and, because of years of eye-rolling expressions, assumed she had tuned this out.
(Obviously she does pay attention and this makes me quite happy 🙂
Anyway, the random phrases exercise took more than a couple of hours because, of course, the words took on an energy of their own and once I related them to the paintings this illuminated the entire unconscious process I’d experienced.
While in the physical process of creating a painting, there is also an alternate or parallel dimension where the process of ‘playing’ and being in the flow of painting doubled as an organic form of art therapy. Because I spend way too much time in my head and working on computers, this is the most effective method for me to move through stress and to change my mental, physical and spiritual energies. (NOTE: I usually garden to release stress, but my capacity for tolerating Miami’s heat and humidity during the summer months outweighs the level of any possible de-stressing I could attain during creative dirt therapy.)
The energies of creating and viewing art
The ‘Transitions” artworks, as you first see them, are visually simple, abstract acrylic paintings on 5 inch squares of textured clayboard. They also share the multi-dimensional energies of the creative process: the states of being of the artist, the magnetic fields of energy that were emitted and absorbed during the painting process…and the relative energy of whatever ‘feeling’ you, as the viewer, are experiencing when you look at this art.
I hope you enjoy these freestyle expressions as much as I enjoyed creating them!
Visit my Transitions page for larger views and to purchase one, or maybe even all of these artworks. I’ve priced them at just 120.00 dollars each and this includes shipping within the US. If you’re interested in buying all 4 paintings, I’ll consider a discount. All you have to do is ask – my email is debra@debracortese.com
Links to books that are referenced in this article:
The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory
The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
The Vortex: Where the Law of Attraction Assembles All Cooperative Relationships (Teachings of Abraham)
The Astonishing Power of Emotions
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