Laura Hollick - Soul Art Studio

I believe our spiritual purpose on earth is to create ourselves as the full embodied expression of our spirit. Those who do this with totality radiate with a magnetic presence, it is undeniable.

Everyone has a unique inner spirit essence. When you express your unique inner spirit essence you activate your Iconic Trait and put your true path in motion.

When you travel down deep into your spirit, you’ll find that one of the deepest desires is to BE your Iconic Trait.
In fact you are designed to be it, but it does require a bit of physical, spiritual and creative work (or I like to think of it as play!).

This is the journey of creating yourself as your Iconic Trait.
The beginning of this journey starts with knowing what your Iconic Trait is!
If you want to discover yours, you can listen to this FREE audio called ‘Discover Your Iconic Trait’

Once you know and understand your unique Iconic Trait, then you are ready to consciously take the journey to ‘Create Yourself’.

To stir up the energy of few creative sports joined me to re-create one of Jackson Pollock’s Iconic Masterpieces. Hope this inspires you to explore your own Iconic Trait and begin the journey to ‘Create Yourself’.

Are you ready to start your ‘Create Yourself’ Soul Art journey today and step into your Iconic Trait?

Get all the details about ‘Create Yourself’ here

Included in this video (in order of appearance): me, Grace Kaya, Mark Wedderburn, Matteo Ciavarella, Sue Upton, Alison Braithwaite, Shara Ross. Photography and editing by Kevin Thom. White body painting on Laura Hollick, Sue Upton. Music ‘Under the Kadam Tree’ from stockmusic.com

In the art world masterpieces are the pieces that clearly express the iconic expression of the artist.  They capture a quality that we can spot  instantly as if it were a letter in the alphabet of our collective unconscious. Can you guess the artists that created these?

To understand and explore iconic traits Kevin Thom and I decided to re-create old masterpieces from art history with a Soul Art flair.  We wanted to explore their iconic traits and come up with new creative ways to capture it.

As a research project we have been digging into what makes something iconic and how can we spot it, capture it and express it.  Can you guess what artists are being expressed here…

Somewhere in the deep crevices of our being we all want to be iconic, because we know that we have something so unique and so brilliant to offer the world and we want to find our way of expressing it so everyone else can experience it.

This is part of our spiritual journey~ we are here to connect with and understand our own unique essence and express it in the world.  When we connect with our own unique essence we tap into our own iconic trait.

The act of expressing your iconic trait instantly transforms your life into a work of art.

Are you ready to discover your iconic trait?

*Be sure to sign up for my free teleclass called ‘Discover Your Iconic Trait and transform your life & business into a work of art’.

The above masterpieces: Lichtenstein’s comic style art; ‘Mona Lisa’ Leonardo da Vinci; ‘Birth of Venus’ Botticelli; ‘Les Demoiselles D’Avignon’ Picasso.

Re-created masterpieces by Laura Hollick and Kevin Thom: ‘Les Demoiselles D’Avignon’ Picasso; Lichtenstein’s comic style art; ‘Birth of Venus’ Botticelli; ‘Mona Lisa’ Leonardo da Vinci.

Connecting with your spirit is one of the most powerful things you can experience.
When you are connected with your spirit your purpose becomes clear and your life transforms into a work of art.

Your spirit is communicating with you all the time, the trick is knowing how to listen and decode the messages it is sending.
Check out this mini-video where I talk about spirit connection and invite you to experience a complimentary 15 minute ‘Spirit Connection’ call with me!

To set up a complimentary 15 minute ‘Spirit Connection’ call with me, send me an email with ‘Spirit Connection’ in the headline.
Email me at laura@laurahollick.com

I was just watching the Olympics and noticed how every pro athlete had a coach who was invested and committed to them which enabled them to reach peak levels. All of us need a coach if we want to reach the full potential of our creative spiritual expression. I would love to be that coach for you and guide you to transform your life into the full expression of your spirit on earth.

Take advantage of my complimentary 15 minute ‘Spirit Connection’ call and discover your next soul power step.
Set it up today, contact me at laura@laurahollick.com

One of the places I go for ‘Spirit Connection’ is the forest! Here I am connecting with my spirit as I transform into the ‘Red Tree’.

'Red Tree' Laura Hollick as red tree. Photo by Kevin Thom

This beautiful image is a collaboration with photographer Kevin Thom.

All of my art and ideas come from the same place.  They come from channeling spirit.

When I’m in nature I often get visions and flashes of ideas that put me in direct communication with spirit. To honour these experiences I do what I can to make the visions a reality.

I had a vision of merging my body with a bird body, which is the basis of the ‘Red Bird Body Painting’ piece.  I approached body painter and makeup artist Sue Upton to see if she would collaborate with me on this project. She is a powerful creative force, so I knew that we could come up with a way to make this happen.

Here are some of the preliminary sketches as we try to figure out how this idea is going to become a reality…

Once we figured out a pose and a composition for the piece, we had to figure out what the bird would look like. Here are some of the sketches showing the various birds that were considered before finally deciding on the final one.

Here is the final bird painting…

This is a life size canvas bird painting, which serves as the backdrop for the body painting.

Although I am a painter myself, I felt it was important for Sue Upton to paint the bird so that it would match her body painting style.  She did an excellent job.

Creating this piece was a two day job.

There was a lot of preliminary work involved in figuring out the details for this piece.  The actual photoshoot was quick considering all the prep. time.  The final image was photographed by Kevin Thom.

Here I am as the Red Bird….

‘Laura Hollick as Red Bird’. Photographed by Kevin Thom. Painting& body painting by Sue Upton.

Body Painting is a unique creative process where the body becomes the canvas and the ground for an idea to take shape.  There is a quote by Henry Miller, that I’ve really taken literally:

“Whoever uses the spirit that is in them creatively is an artist. To make living itself the art, that is the goal.”

To me, this means that the true art is to become a living breathing expression of your spirit.  Body painting is one of the ways that allows me to become the art.

Do you want to see more body painting pieces I’ve been part of?

Check out when I was transformed into a tree with birds CLICK HERE

See how I was transformed into a blue forest CLICK HERE

Flipping through magazines is a choreographed passion of mine.  I quickly fan through seeking something that will  ignite my next creative idea.

When I saw these images of girls dancing, I cut out their bodies and filled them with ink lines and drawings because I was inspired to capture the energy of the movement.

These magazine cut outs became preliminary sketches for a photoshoot I wanted to do. Originally I wanted to do a dance sequence of myself and then cut out my own body and sketch shapes and patterns to express the energy of the movement.

So I went ahead and planned a shoot with photographer Kevin Thom.  I liked the images we created so much I’ve left them as they are for now. Who knows maybe I will still cut out the body shapes and sketch something in, in the meantime I’m enjoying the energy of the sequence.

Laura Hollick dancing. Photo by Kevin Thom. Hair/makeup Sue Upton

Can you feel the energy in this dance sequence? Do you think adding the sketches in the body shape would add another dimension to the images?
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Creativity is becoming a much more collaborative experience these days

As 2009 comes to an end I find myself doing my usual reflecting on the year, taking stock of what worked and what didn’t work, what was life changing and what challenges were faced and embraced.

Some of my own personal highlights were the ‘Birth Your Dreams’ exhibition and deepening my own commitment to my purpose.  My purpose is to grow spirit on earth. I do this by creating my own artistic visions and guiding others to create their lives as an expression of their spirit.

Laura Hollick with her 'Pink Dragon'. Photo by Brent Perniac

I started thinking of the people who  touched, moved and inspired me the most this year. People who are creating and living their lives as an expression of their spirit.

I decided to create my own personal Top 10 List for the most Inspirational People of 2009.

Laura Hollick’s Top 10 Inspirational People of 2009 (in alphabetical order)

1. Ali Brown My personal mentor. Ali is a self made multi-millionaire teaching women entrepreneurs how to thrive in business by creating a lifestyle that matches their values. www.alibrown.com

2. Brent Perniac Celebrity Photographer. Having known Brent for a number of years, I witnessed him take  huge steps towards his dream this year. He opened his own studio and was published in People, Us, and many other leading magazines. www.brentperniac.com

3. David Neagle Spiritual Business Coach. David continues to surprise me with his insights and wisdom.  Every time I listen to him I feel my energy go up a notch. www.davidneagle.com

4. Guy Laliberte Creator of Cirque du Soleil, Creative Entrepreneur. Here is a guy who makes dreams REAL. His creativity and business savvy have inspired millions of people around the world. This year Guy travelled to space to further demonstrate that anything is possible with imagination. www.cirquedusoleil.com

5. Joe Hollick (Yes this is my Dad) He relentlessly brainstormed ways to make Hamilton known as the ‘City of Waterfalls’. He is transforming the image of Hamilton from the Steel City to the most beautiful city in the world. See article about Joe

6. John Galliano Fashion Designer and Creative Visionary for Dior. Galliano provides such a joyful creative vision for fashion while fusing cultural elements in new innovative ways. www.johngalliano.com

7. Kevin Thom Photographer. Kevin has the most precise eye, every image he creates is absolutely flawless.  Kevin has been instrumental in the evolution of my business and my ability to take an idea and make it real. He is the most generous, caring person I know . www.kevinthom.com

8. Lissa Hill Designer. Having worked with Lissa personally over this year I witnessed first hand how much passion is contained within this one person. She consistently stretches herself into new territories in order to make her dreams a reality. www.lissahill.com

9. Melanie Gillis Photographer specializing in erotica photography. This year I watched Melanie step into her power as a woman and claim her niche in erotica photography, she will be launching a new erotica website this year. www.melaniegillis.com

10. Peter Ormond Green Party Candidate. Peter leads by example. He is consistently rethinking his lifestyle and the lifestyle of Canadians to match the most earth friendly expression possible. www.eco5.ca

Thank you for your inspiration!

Laura Hollick is transformed by body painter Cherie Pia Grassa to become one with the Blue Forest.

I had no idea being blue would be so much fun!

In the forest with body painter Cherie Pia Grassa and hairstylist Mario Grassa. Photo by Kevin Thom

To see the final image of the Blue Forest CLICK HERE

'Grow Spirit on Earth' Laura Hollick in the Blue Forest. Sculptures, costume, concept Laura Hollick. Hair&Makeup Mario & Cherie Pia Grassa. Photo by Kevin Thom.

1. Connect with your spirit

The foundation of living your dreams and growing spirit on earth is your relationship with your spirit. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to get a sense of how connected you are to your spirit….

Do you know what brings you joy?

Do you know what makes your heart sing?

Are you able to hear and sense your inner voice?

2. Make your spirit your leader

When you know your spirit and you have a healthy relationship with your spirit, the next step is making your spirit your leader. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to get a sense of your spirit leadership….

Do you listen to your inner voice?

When making decisions, do you let your true feelings have the final say?

Do you shape your life around what is in alignment with you and your true nature?

3. Spirit in Action

When you have a healthy connection with your spirit, and you are able to hear your inner voice then the next step is making a habit of taking action on your spirit leadership. This step will birth dreams into reality. But, if you take this step without strengthening the first two, your efforts will feel forced.  It is important to begin from the foundation of your spirit connection.  Here are some questions you can ask yourself to put your spirit in action….

What is your spirit asking you to do now?

What would you have to transform within yourself in order to take the action your spirit is asking for?

What is a plan of action you can commit to now?

*hint hint… The action your spirit wants you to take is often something that will cause you to expand and transform. In order to put your spirit in action you will most likely be asked to transform some aspect of your life and expand into a grander version of yourself.  This is the fun part!!

Do you want to see how the Blue Forest ‘Grow Spirit on Earth’ was created? CLICK HERE

If I was to tally up all the wild ideas that flow through me on a daily basis, it would probably be in the 1,000′s!

Of course I can’t birth every single idea, but I can select the ones that juice me up the most and make them a priority.

This is my daily practice, I go through all the ideas I have and I decide which ones will make it to full realization. Once I’ve decided I put things in motion for it to happen.

One of the themes I explore frequently is my relationship with birds and trees. Do you remember when I turned into a tree last year….

'Winter Tree' Laura Hollick as tree, costume and concept by Laura. Makeup by Rachel Duff. Photo by Kevin Thom.

This year I wanted to try another way to become a tree with birds.

I wondered if I could be painted as a tree?

I approached body painter and makeup artist Sue Upton and asked if she could body paint a tree and bird on and around me, and she enthusiastically said “Yes!”

Then I talked over the idea with my favourite collaborator photographer Kevin Thom and the idea appealed to him too.

So, with all the team players in place, we were ready to make it happen.

Here is a shot of the process of being body painted.

Laura Hollick being body painted by Sue Upton. Photo by Kevin Thom

Being half naked in the middle of November in Canada for hours isn’t exactly the most comfortable experience, but that is what it took to realize the vision.

Something I’ve learned from all the different creative projects I’ve been part of, birthing a dream isn’t always comfortable, in fact it can sometimes be out right uncomfortable. But when the vision is clear it is all worth it.

Here is the final image from this creative adventure…..

Laura Hollick as tree with bird. Body painting, hair, makeup by Sue Upton. Photo by Kevin Thom

Being an artist is all about dreaming it and doing it!

I’d love to hear what you think about this piece….

To feel balanced and whole I exercise my dark side. I know this is unconventional, but I think it is healthy to let your darkness vent.

3 things I like to do to keep myself balanced

1.  Complain

2. Notice what I don’t like

3. Make an ugly face in the mirror

The value I experience from this…

1.Clear’s the system

2.Highlights the true desire

3. Opens space for humour

Laura Hollick's dark side. Photo by Kevin Thom. Hair, makeup, body paint by Sue Upton