Laura Hollick - Soul Art Studio

Soul Art is about creating your whole life as an expression of your spirit. This is a holistic art form, where everything becomes part of your soul’s expression.
On a recent trip to the grocery store I share two characteristics for how you can live your spirit.

You’ll be surprised where inspiration can come from when you are living your spirit.

The art of living your spirit is a lifestyle where the expression of your spirit is your art. I call this Soul Art.

I stumbled upon the Tribal Manifesting Tricks while dancing around my studio one day.  As I danced, I felt my body asking “What is the most powerful next step I can take in my life?”

Then almost magically I had a clear insight pop into my head and I stopped my dance and I ran to find my sketchbook so I could write it down.

When I finished recording the guidance I wondered how I manifested such a speedy and clear response to my request?

Then I remembered all the research I had done on Tribal Art.

Did you know that in ancient tribal cultures their version of art is actually their offerings to spirit. For example, when they wanted rain they would create a mask and a dance that would stir up the energy of rain.  When they wanted healing they would create something as an offering to spirit for their healing. Their art was their way to communicate with spirit.

From a modern perspective you could say they created art in order to have a relationship with spirit so they could manifest the results they wanted.

This is actually the premise of Soul Art. It is the process of creating art as a tool to connect and communicate with spirit in order to live the life you want.

So why not put these Tribal Manifesting Tricks to work for you right now!

Here are the clear steps….

1. Be clear about what you want. If you are going to ask for something you need to know clearly what that is. For example, when they were creating the rain dance, they knew they wanted rain.

2. Do something creative. Once you’ve clarified what you want, stir your energy up by doing something creative. Make something that expresses what you want, dance with the energy of what you want.

3. Be open to receive guidance from spirit.

Enjoy!

There is something so intoxicating about being in connection with the Divine.  When it happens it can feel like a passionate Love Affair that washes over you like a storm, or it can feel like a Mystical Union that puts everything into perspective with a deep sense of peace.

Whatever it is, I shape my life around these moments and exercise my spiritual awareness so that I can deepen the potential for these experiences.

Being a Soul Artist is the practice of connecting with the Divine through art and creative expression.

During this past week I coloured a bunch of Mandala’s while meditating on my spirit.

While I was choosing the colours and selecting the arrangements I felt like I was romancing my spirit. With every motion I was inviting my spirit to speak with me and dazzle me with insights and guidance for my life.

I did receive a harvest of insights from this creative process. One of them was a list of 21 ways that you can romance your spirit to speak with you.

21 Ways to Romance Your Spirit

1. Set the intention to connect with your spirit

2. Bring closure to an old relationship

3. Organize your finances

4. Take a long luxurious bath

5. Go shopping just to try on beautiful outfits

6. Create a mandala

7. Call a friend

8. Watch children play

9. Laugh at funny memories

10. Go for a drive and sing to the music on the radio

11. Prepare a nourishing meal and enjoy eating it

12. Have a conversation with someone who thinks differently than you

13. Reveal the truth of how you feel in your journal

14. Fantasize the most amazing love affair

15. Just start running!

16. Send flowers to someone anonymously

17. Rearrange the furniture in your home

18. Think about all the things you love about your family of origin

19. Cuddle with a pet

20. Do something risky~ like telling someone the truth

21. Create  Soul Art!

Leave a comment and tell me some ways you romance your spirit….

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….

Creating costumes and masks offers the profound opportunity to explore the inner yearnings of spirit. These costumes and masks are examples of my spirit expression, which I refer to as characters from the Mythology of the Inner World.

Laura Hollick's inner being Soul Art costume sketch

'Native Princess' costume by Laura Hollick. Model Maeghen Gibson. Photo by Melanie Gillis

Laura Hollick in her feather skirt. Photo by Melanie Gillis

'Tribal Walker' Soul Art costume by Laura Hollick. Photo by Johan Wigt

Tribal mask collage by Laura Hollick

'Silly Girl' Soul art costume by Laura Hollick. Photo by Paul Potter

'Blood Currency' Soul Art costume by Laura Hollick. Photo by Paul Potter

Would you like to create your own Soul Art costume and mask?
Contact Laura Hollick for details on Soul Art sessions

Being a creative thinker I understand things visually, symbolically and metaphorically.  When I want to understand something, I will create a visual sketch of it and somehow magically it makes sense.

I wanted to share this sketch from my sketchbook with you, because I feel it illustrates perfectly how I feel about using the computer to connect my creative expression with you.

Sketchbook art by Laura Hollick

View Magazine is featuring an article on the ‘Birth Your Dreams’ exhibition and made it a Cover feature.  We created a mini-video to show you what really goes on behind the scenes of making a Cover image.  In this video you’ll see Laura working with photographer Kevin Thom and hair and makeup artist Sue Upton to create a slightly ‘risky’ image.

The 10 Life Lessons taught by the Baby Dragon:

1. Everything is in a constant state of change and evolution, there is no fixed point there is only the state of being and becoming.

2. We have to let go of outcome in order to allow the true vision to take shape.

3. Life is full of challenges, but these are not meant to be stumbling blocks they are meant to strengthen and stretch us into grander versions of ourselves. The more you can embrace your challenges the more you will feel you are living a purposeful life.

4. Things go wrong and things go right, but when you see things from a higher perspective you will see it is all perfect for exactly what it needs to be.

5. We really are very deeply powerful. The proof is when you see the perfection and everything lines up and you think to yourself.. “I couldn’t have contrived this any better!”

6. When you perceive yourself as small it is only from the perspective of comparison, because if you compare you are also larger to something else. Instead of viewing life in terms of comparison, think about it in terms of this question: HOW AUTHENTIC ARE YOU?

7. You are beautiful when you are authentic. This type of beauty is the new beauty and will soon be gracing the covers of magazines because deep down we are so hungry for real beauty, it is truly what feeds our soul.

8. If you want to be beautiful practice being authentic and the glow will begin to exude from your every pore.

9. Love is the guiding force for a meaningful and purposeful life.

10. You are a powerful beautiful dragon when you lead your life with love and move forward with the momentum of authentic power.

These are the 10 Life Lessons from the Baby Dragon.

What exactly is the S-Spot and what does it have to do with SOUL ART?

You know you’ve hit the S-Spot when you feel the rush of creative energy flowing through your being and everything lines up in a spontaneous and perfect way.

The S-Spot is your Soul, the sweet spot within yourself that is connected to your unlimited potential. Your Soul holds the seed of your purpose and the map for realizing that purpose.

When you tap into your Soul, you tap into your creative potential and your ability to be and become the fullest version of yourself.

Finding your S-Spot can sometimes feel like a courting match, where you are wooing yourself. You can move in and out of being connected with your Soul, and that is why I like to call it the Divine Love Affair.

Once you make your Soul a priority in your life, you begin a life long relationship with yourself. It is a relationship that shapes every aspect of your life, from how you perceive the world around you, to how you experience other people, your career, money, food, the way you spend your time, the types of thoughts you hold, etc..

If you want to open the floodgates of unlimited creative potential and really step into the life of your dreams you need to tap into your S-Spot.

I’ve created a simple exercise you can try right now to flirt with yourself and massage your S-Spot. If you decide to try this exercise, give yourself the time and space to really savour and enjoy this, you’ll feel the benefits!

Massaging your S-Spot:

~Start with unwinding, list the last three thoughts you had. (For example: I just thought about a phone conversation I had; what I’ll be working on in my studio later today; and what I’m preparing for dinner)

~Notice where your thoughts reside. (For example: my thoughts were in the past and the future)

~Now, take a deep breath and bring yourself to the present moment. You can bring yourself to the present moment by feeling and noticing what is happening right now within your body.

~Notice how you feel in your body NOW

~Ask your body “What do you feel right now?”

~Listen

~Listen deeply

~Listen with the greatest curiosity

~Listen with complete attention

~Listen

This sounds very very simple, but if you are able to listen to how you feel you begin deepening your relationship with yourself and you build the trust for your Soul to speak with you.

Massaging your S-Spot is about building the trust with yourself, so your Soul feels safe to communicate with you.

Listen deeply to yourself, you will hear some phenomenal things!

Imagine if your life on earth was a work of art created by your soul…

Where everything you experienced was another brushstroke creating your masterpiece.

Where every thought and emotion was a colour expressing your soul’s rainbow of beauty.

When you allow your life to be a reflection and an expression of your soul your life becomes a work of art.

Living as a work of art is about listening deep within yourself and hearing the voice of your true leader. It is about growing to match the ever evolving desires that flow from your soul’s master plan.

Your soul’s masterplan is the flowering of yourself, where you become the full expression of your soul here on earth.

This happens when you listen to yourself. Sometimes it can seem so simple, that we overlook the profound depth of these words.

Listen deep within yourself and see the full spectrum of beauty that colours your life.

Are you listening to yourself?

Your life is your soul’s art create your masterpiece!