Commune With Community in Carbonear

Are you an introvert or extrovert?

Have your early experiences nurtured a sense of community in you or turned you away from it?

Have you found your tribe, or are you still wondering if yours even exists?

What does community mean to you?

This is what I’ll be exploring during my time as Artist in Residence at Ocean View Gallery in Carbonear from April 14-20.

As soon as I received intuitive guidance that painting # 7 of 11 in my Re-Connecting Collection would be on the theme of community, I asked Tammy Wrice-Paetkau if I could spend a week of my “Communion Exhibition” at her gallery to explore the theme and create this painting on location.

She welcomed the idea, offering to host me in her home and opening her gallery to its first Artist in Residence experience.

Come join us for a week of offerings in Carbonear as we explore the meaning & feeling of community together:

  • Tune In Morning Meditations & Community Walks
  • Artist In Residence – Live Painting
  • Intuitive Painting Workshop
  • “Communion” Exhibition – April 1-20

A Welcome Stretch of My Comfort Zones

Exploring community in community seems a lot more fruitful than doing it alone in my studio.

I’ve been spending a lot of time on my own lately, so I gladly accepted the inner call.

It’ll be a stretch of my comfort zones, but I’m open to the growth that comes from answering such intuitive calls.

Most of my work – the painting and intuitive services for clients – is done alone in my studio.

I do my yoga & dancing first thing in the morning alone at home and enjoy my solo nature walks, swims, skates, etc.

I also cherish my time with my few close friends, am glad I have a house sister, and am grateful I pushed myself to join a weekly French comedy improv league and kirtan chanting group.

If I didn’t make the effort, however, I could go for very long periods of time on my own …. although I’m never really alone.

I find connecting on a vertical plane with my Team of Divine Helpers a lot simpler at times than connecting on a horizontal plane with people.

I love my alone time and flexible schedule. So I’m both scared and excited at letting these go for an intensive week of scheduled time in public.

Luckily, I’m also aware of how much I love to channel, teach, lead, and connect heart to heart. So I welcome this change of scene and routine.

Yes, I’m looking forward to all the opportunities to give and receive, listen and share, create and be. I know I’ll be learning as much about myself as I will about those who choose to come spend time with me during my week in full community immersion.

As I said, it’s a welcome stretch that I know Spirit has helped me line up in order to emerge more fully into my True Self to better serve and be with others.

A Brief Look Back

As a hypersensitive introverted child, I learned to prefer my alone time, especially in nature. I shied away from the conditional dramas of human relationships.

As I moved around 3 continents and 5 provinces, I got to be a part of (and sometimes apart from) many communities.

As I traveled, my preference was always to make 1-2 close friends, including my ex-husband who traveled with me for 10 years.

In the Czech Republic at 26, I discovered a social side to me I didn’t know existed. Welcomed in the village of Adamov for a month before moving to the city to teach, I got to witness and be a part of a rich community life. It was amazing!

It wasn’t until I moved to Saskatoon at the age of 40, however, that I really got to settle into the experience of belonging to a community. I’d never met so many soul family members in one location before. I’d found my tribe. It opened my eyes and my heart, helping me grow even more into my True Self.

My whole life has been an exploration and expression of my love of beauty and the beauty of love. It’s an evolving journey of understanding and nurturing unconditional love in myself and for others.

It’s been a conscious journey. In my 50s, I’m still exploring what community means to me. In Carbonear, I’ll also be exploring what it means to others.

Why Carbonear?

I’d so enjoyed my weekend in Carbonear during the opening of my 2017 exhibition at Ocean View Gallery. I’d experienced how genuinely loving and supportive Tammy is.

She’s an extraordinary woman and a great role model!

Her enthusiastic “Yes, let’s do it!” following my request earlier this year didn’t surprise me.

This will be the first time the gallery hosts an artist in residence.

Tammy will be putting me up in her home, feeding me, lending me her truck to get to the gallery for early morning meditation, and doing all she can for this to be a mutually beneficial experience for me, her community, visitors from out of town, and I trust for herself too.

The energy is building!

If you’re in Newfoundland, I hope you’ll make the trip to Carbonear. Come experience and share what community means to you!

The exhibition is on from April 1-20, and I’ll be there in person April 14-20th.  Join me!

No matter where you are, feel free to comment below about your most cherished aspect of community.

 

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Sacred Earth Ceremony

Blessed be all those who nurture Mother Earth and our sacred relationship with nature.

The photos in this post are from one of many Sacred Earth Community Blessings my friend Alison Normore, founder of the Institute of Ancestral Wisdom, recently conducted  on the east coast of Newfoundland.

What you’re seeing is the creation and offering of a despatcho – a prayer bundle or offering. These are like mandalas as they hold symbolic elements and prayer. They raise the vibration of both the participants and space in which they are created / released. Filled with biodegradable ingredients, they are infused with Life Force, intention, and energy-shifting prayers.

Alison’s annual tours take her across the island, wherever she’s invited.

I met Alison when she brought Peruvian shamans up to Canada for a training in 2011, my first year in Newfoundland & Labrador. Since then, we’ve facilitated at some of the same events and supported each others’ sacred work.

Alison’s mission is to share

“the ancient healing knowledge of our ancestors… (to) inspire and empower healers and visionaries to lead their communities to dream a new Earth into being, one of beauty, balance and harmony with all Life.”

I’ve facilitated workshops with Alison before and no doubt will again. If you’re interested in working with her in Gros Morne National Park, she’s got an Awaken the Dreamer Training (June 15-21) – “an experiential deep dive into the ancient ways of knowing and navigating the spiritual realms.”

 

Whatever your plans are this summer, I invite you to pause and give thanks for this Sacred Earth, our birthplace and our home. May Mother Earth and your own soul delight in sacred play & ceremony.

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Use it or lose it. A quick intuitive exercise.

trinityCan you believe it? I almost lost my mother tongue. Even though I studied in French all the way through my first university degree, I almost lost it in the 25 years of teaching English across the world after that.  If you don’t use it, you lose it.

It’s the same with intuition! You’re born with it. But you’ve got to use it or lose it.

Intuition is your communication line between your heart and right feminine creative brain. Losing it means losing access to your essence, your inner GPS, your source of Guidance.

Don’t worry though. Like with any muscle, the more you exercise it, the stronger it’ll get. Soon, you’ll be fluent again in the language of your Higher Self and Divine Helpers.

Play the video below to try a quick exercise you can use any time you have a yes / no decision to make or a choice between options.

From baby steps to leaps of faith, this exercise will help you tune into what’s appropriate for you in every moment.

Remember, the more you exercise your intuitive muscles, the stronger they’ll get.

Is it time to reclaim your intuition – the language of your soul and an innate ability that needs regular practice?

You’ve got to use it or lose it.

You can always access my free online Intuition into Action tutorial by clicking here.

 

 

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A Sure Sign Society is Shifting

When I got the call from the head of the Health Network for the provincial francophone federation (FFTNL) to teach intuition across the province, I was thrilled … a little surprised, and thrilled!

This was proof! For a government sponsored program to hire me to help people reconnect to their inner wisdom and Guidance is a sure sign that society is shifting.

butterfly photo

Intuition is an Invitation to Grow

I’ll admit, I had to face my own fears when my soul asked me to come out of the visionary closet a few years back.

Sure, I’d written about living intuitively and talked about intuitive painting for years.

But I shook for 3 days when I received Guidance to start publicly talking about my visions and to use these to help people.

All sorts of fears came up to the surface – from this lifetime and, from my belief system, past ones too. I didn’t want to get burned at the stake again …

Plus, I’d learned to shut up about such things at a young age in this lifetime.

I may have nurtured that side of me when I was alone, but I learned to wear masks in public. We all do.

So few of us are fully and unconditionally accepted for who we are when we’re young. Plus our educational system, as it is now, isn’t designed to foster imagination, inspiration, and intuition.

It’s time to reclaim your gifts, whatever those are, because the cost of keeping them repressed is too high. Not living in alignment with your heart & soul causes dis-ease in body, mind, and spirit. You deserve better!

So my job is to encourage folks to get back into alignment one inspired step at a time through my 5 Steps to Activate Your Intuition to Get Your Life Back On Track.

This isn’t some scary woo-woo stuff. It’s natural. You were born with it. It’s simply a muscle that needs exercise.

Let the Pieces Fall Into Place

69-dominique-hurley-transformation-bFor me, the last few years of teaching people how to access their intuition and supporting them with my intuitive hearing aids have been so fulfilling.

I’m still not sure where it’s all leading, but I’m loving how it’s evolving.

Intuition also asks you to embrace the mystery.

My backgrounds in recreation, teaching, art, spirituality are all coming together like the pieces of a puzzle.  Fun! And more are being added.

Just a few months ago, I became a certified naturopath after 1000 hours of my energy-work, visionary art, and other healing training was recognized by the Academy of Naturopaths and Naturotherapists of Canada (ANN).

And now public organizations are hiring me to provide my services to their communities. Amazing!

The world is definitely opening up to different ways of being and doing. Yay!

Reap the Rewards: Learn to Activate Your Intuition

You too can learn the 5 Steps to Activate Your Intuition:

  • FREE 75-minute tutorial online in English (Click Here)

Share the Proof that Society is Shifting

It’s easy to focus on the negative in the world – just turn on the news.

I’d rather focus on the positive. Where attention goes, energy flows.

What signs are you seeing that society is shifting in a good way? Please fill the comments below with uplifting news!

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“Pétales Musicales” Painting from the NL Folk Festival

Petales-Musicales-Dominique-Hurley

“Pétales Musicales” – 4′ x 4′ – created live at the NL Folk Festival.

Remember when I wrote that live painting was a stretch of my comfort zones?

Well, I had a great time painting in the Espace Franco at the NL Folk Festival last weekend.  Thanks again to the Réseau Culturel Francophone TNL for the invite!

No regrets! That’s usually what happens when I feel the fear and do it anyway. Sure I was nervous, but excited too. I’m so glad I listened to a higher calling.

In this post, you’ll see the layers and read some stories about the creative process behind “Pétales Musicales”.  For purchasing details, click here.

Symbolism

“Pétales Musicales” (Musical Petals) is as much about listening to the song of your soul as it is about becoming a part of the music around you.

If you honour your unique voice first, you’ll rock this world …. (I couldn’t say folk it… just didn’t sound right).

Live Painting at the NL Folk Festival

My mission was to get the festival’s energy down on canvas.

If music, summer, fun, variety, and community are what you get from this painting, then I did my job!

My “research” started Friday night, sitting on the lawn of Bannerman Park with hundreds of other folks, filling my soul with the music of Emma Peckford, Allan Ricketts, Katie Baggs, Sean Panting, Kat McLevey, Andrew Laite & Josh Sandu (Rube & Rake) and Steve Maloney.

I could hear Jim Payne and Fergus O’Byrne from the bus stop, but I missed Hey Rosetta. They started at 10:30 and I knew I’d be a wreck the next day if I stayed.

In bed by 10pm, I was all set to go early on Saturday morning for set-up!

The weather was cold (9°C at times) and damp, but it didn’t rain (amazing since the forecast called for 20mm on Sunday).

The music, the crowd, my lunchtime fish tacos, and all those who stopped to chat inspired this painting. It came to life layer by layer.

I never knew what the next layer would bring. That’s the beauty of intuitive painting! 

Would you like to try intuitive painting? Get my free step-by-step guide with lots of photos.

Click me

During the Fred Penner concert, I walked around tracing hands of children in the crowd. Thanks to Catie and Freddie of St. John’s, Sam and Anna of Hollyrood, and Ava of Nova Scotia!  You’re at the heart of this festive flower!

On Sunday morning, I woke up raring to go. I started an hour before the festival opened.

I was glad I had my alpaca wool socks, layers of thrift shop fleece (great for paint stains), and my groovy hat!  I love NL weather as long as I’m dressed for it!

09-Leslie-Quennehen_FFTNL-Dominique-Hurley-Folk-Fest-_0471

I couldn’t believe it! The thick strokes I used for the petals on Saturday weren’t dry by the time we left on Sunday! We’re talking acrylic paint that normally dries in a few hours…

If you see a few bugs when you look real close, that’s why!… all part of festival and floral life!  Part of me feels bad, but our local black flies have taken a few chunks out of me this week, leaving smears of bright red blood on my face and neck, so part of me doesn’t mind …

The Finishing Touches At Home

Yay for de-humidifiers! The petals dried at home overnight.

I worked on the painting for another 15 hours.  

You can’t see all the tangle pattern details in the hands and shading from far, but when you get up close, there’s a whole other world to explore. Click on the photos below to see them larger.

Then there’s the iridescent 3-D paint. Fun! Fun! Fun! Did I say I love my job!

I spray varnished it yesterday, covered from head to toe in protective gear.  Then I headed to Beachy Cove beach with friends to chill out. Actually, it was sunny and warm. What a contrast!

“Pétales Musicales” is SOLD.

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Stretching and Embracing at the NL Folk Festival

"Imagination" from the Transformation Collection

“Imagination” from the Transformation Collection

You know that feeling when a great opportunity knocks but your inner voices says “No! You can’t do that!  It’s too scary! That’s too big of a stretch!”?

Well that happened to me last week.

The fear only lasted a few seconds, but it was a great reminder that comfort zones don’t always stay stretched.  They contract too!

I’m so glad I was aware enough to shush those inner voices.

I don’t want to stay small! So I’m jumping for the chance to stretch those comfort zones all over again!

Here’s what happened.

I got an email from cultural coordinator of our provincial francophone federation. In his usual mysterious way, he only wrote “Call me. I have an idea”.

The last time he did that, I ended up traveling across the island of Newfoundland and into Labrador teaching intuitive painting workshops. Fantastic!

This time, he asked if I would do 2 days of live painting in the Espace Franco (French tent) at the NL Folk Festival.

Yikes! Crowds!

Sure, I used to organize city-wide festivals when I was still in my teens.  My first university training was in recreation and tourism.

I’ve also been a teacher and public speaker for decades …

But the first voice I heard in my head was still “Yikes! That’s too big for me.”  

Believe it or not, that’s often the first voice I hear.  You wouldn’t guess it looking at my resume, but I’m not a naturally go-with-the-flow kind of gal.

It’s all about feeling the fear and doing it anyway.

Then I remembered…. I’ve done this before.  Back in 1990, I did a day of live painting at the Canadian Museum of History.

So this isn’t new. 

At what was then the Canadian Museum of Civilization (1990)

At what was then the Canadian Museum of Civilization (1990)

Contracting and Expanding

I’m a highly sensitive person. Some would call me an empath.

I tend to avoid crowds.  I pick up so much from everyone around – energy, feelings, thoughts …. all sorts of vibes.

When I can’t avoid crowds, I usually contract my aura to protect myself. I bring my energy field so close, just to feel safer.

But wait! Come to think of it, that’s the opposite of what I do when I’m teaching.

In class, I expand my aura as wide as the space to create a safe, loving, light-filled experience for my students.  I become one with the environment.

And what about what I’m learning from my Enter the Mandala Project?

We’re all part of the same divine consciousness. We’re interconnected! Sure, we’re vibrating at different frequencies, but we’re all made of pure energy.

So why fear it?

My inner voices are saying something different now.

“Embrace the energy Dominique!  Expand your aura and love the crowd! Feel it and be one with it!”

Now doesn’t that sound better?

Yay! Live Painting!

By the end of that phone call, I was on board.

Now, I’m really excited about it!

My job?  To wander the festival to gather energetic impressions and inspiration and to come back and paint it (yes, he knew how to speak my language!).

What comfort zones are you stretching this summer?

I’d love to hear. Comment below.

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Adding Love, Light and Colour to Local Nursing Home

Shine-On-Dominique-Hurley
As an artist, I receive several requests to donate work to charity auctions and events every year. It simply wouldn’t be feasible for me to say yes to all of them. So, like with many things, I go with my gut feeling and assess whether the project is aligned with my own mission.

When I heard about the Masonic Park Art Project back in February, I lit up. What a great idea! This project vibrated with the love of beauty and the beauty of love.

Lorna Yard, the organizer, put out a call for 40 artists to help bring joy and colour to the rooms of residents at the Masonic Park Nursing Home. Her own father, Cyril, is a resident at the nursing home. When he moved in, Lorna lovingly decorated his room, but many of the other residents didn’t have anyone to do the same for them.

In her words:

“These are the people who built a world for us, who raised our parents, who tended our communities, and who we owe everything to. I felt they deserve something beautiful to remind them of how beautiful they are.”

She had no trouble signing up 40 crafts people, painters, photographers, etc.

A couple of weeks ago, we each received a short biography of the resident we were paired with.

This was mine:

Female in her 90s. She is originally from Pound Cove. She was a home maker and a volunteer in her church for 40 years. Her faith and spirituality have always been extremely important to her and has remained so. Her favourite hymn is ‘The Old Rugged Cross’.

I really enjoyed creating this piece especially for her. It was made with many layers of acrylic paints, love, and prayers. 

The painting was inspired by the idea of a stained glass window and the radiant love of God / The Universe that shines on all of us. That’s why I named it “Shine On” (9″ x 12″).

I’m really looking forward to our June 13th mini-exhibition of the artwork and kitchen party at the nursing home. That’s when I’ll get to meet my recipient and the other participants in this heart-warming project.

What a beautiful way to create connection in the community and transform a space. I’m honoured to be a part of this effort to add love, light and colour to this nursing home. Thanks Lorna! May your initiative inspire many others.

There are so many ways to be of service by matching our love and passions with the needs of the community. How do your favourite businesses give back? Are you involved in a volunteer project that warms your heart? Please share in the discussion below, knowing our stories will inspire others.

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Intuitive Sparks: AANL Painting Workshop

AANL-Dominique Hurley-DLH_1612What a great Sunday! Twelve women from the Art Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (AANL) came together to embrace the mystery of intuitive painting.   This was part of the free workshop series they offer to their members.

Layer after layer, their worlds evolved.  From playful mark-making to harmonizing, these explorers tapped into their creative source to expand their inner and outer worlds.

As you can see, everyone took their creations in very different directions. It was such a blessing to watch how people learned the principles of a painting approach and interpreted it with their own creative voice. That is such an important part of the learning process – it’s not about copying my style, but adding to their own repertoire of skills.  As you can tell, they all listened to what their canvases or inner guidance asked and let the creative sparks fly.  Note: some of these are still works in progress.

If you’d like to try this out by yourself, I’ve explained the whole process with lots of photos in my free Guide to Intuitive Painting.

Thanks ladies for a fabulous day of intuitive and creative play!

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Now on Display at Goodvibe Tattoo Company

Dominique Hurley Art & Inspiration Quote SeriesI love a good paradigm shift.  In fact, I’m always grateful when the Universe provides me with the opportunity to see my own fear-based judgments and even more so when it then provides me with a follow-up opportunity to replace them with a much more accepting and loving perception of life and the living. Do you know what I mean?  I’m sure you do – there’s a reason this image is the most viewed/liked in my Inspirational Quotes for the Creative Soul project.

Tattoos: The Old Perspective

I grew up thinking that tattoos were plain ugly – and scary.  The word itself conjured up memories of elderly overweight men with stretched tattoos of naked women on their arms or bellies, partially concealed in thick body hair.  Or what about those dangerous Hells Angels bikers and sloppy ink jobs done behind prison walls? Hollywood probably had an influence there…

I’m ashamed to say that I used every ounce of persuasion I had to convince my ex not to get a tattoo in the late 90s.  When I think back, I see how silly, controlling, and unloving that was.  I was basically afraid of all that I believed tattoos represented.  I’m glad to report I’ve come a long way since then on my mission to explore and express my love of beauty and the beauty of love.

Tattoos – The New Perspective:

Although I don’t imagine ever getting a tattoo myself (if only because I’m averse to pain), my opinion about them has changed quite a bit.  Over the past decade, I’ve seen some really nice ones on all sorts of folks that certainly didn’t fit the murderer profile 🙂 . In fact, I’ve had the opportunity to witness the empowering effects of meaningful sayings and images on their wearers. I’ve also heard moving stories by survivors or those who wore mementos of loved ones on their skin. I probably wouldn’t have connected with these people on the same level if I hadn’t asked about their tattoos. They provided an opening for some truly inspirational conversations.  That’s a good thing since I’m really not into small talk.

Truth be told, I’ve also been stunned at the beauty that some tattoo artists have been able to create on their living canvases.  For example, I really like the tribal, Celtic, and watercolour styles.

So when I hear the word “tattoo” today, it no longer conjures up thoughts of botched up black & blue scrawls.  Instead, I see art, skill, and courage combined to create breathtaking visions of love and beauty that people choose to carry with them every day of their lives.  How’s that for a paradigm shift?

Now I’m not saying I like all the tattoos out there. Far from it.  For instance, I’ve never been attracted to skulls, monsters, and nightmarish imagery – no matter the art form. I do, however,  have a much deeper appreciation of the artistic mastery needed for anyone to draw what appeals to them- after all, that’s what I went to Vienna to work on. I am also saying that I have a much deeper respect for how people choose to express themselves.  After all, that’s all part of unconditional love.

Now Showing at Goodvibe Tattoo Company:

Did you get through that long introduction to today’s news?  I’m not known for brief posts…

Well, one or two days after I mentally sent out the message into the Universe that I was ready to find other spaces to display my paintings in St. John’s, my hairdresser Tara told me that a new tattoo studio was looking for local artists to display on their walls.  After I recognized that my initial hesitation was due to remnants of my old perspective, I decided to look into it.  I’m so glad I did.

Goodvibe Tatoo CompanyThat’s when I found out that this brand new tattoo studio / gallery at 199 New Gower St. (kiddy corner to the Delta Hotel and next to the new Fortis building in downtown St. John’s) was called Goodvibe Tattoo Company. That in itself was appealing.  And seconds after entering on Friday morning to meet with Charisse and Matt, I knew I would enjoy displaying my art there.

IMG_8647Charisse and Matt opened Goodvibe Tattoo Company as a free way to express their particular styles of tattoo art and fill a niche through a more artistic neo traditional style.  They offer an inviting atmosphere and promise complete custom designs and a professional environment.  From our chat, I learned that they also have philanthropic projects up their sleeves (ha ha… I confess to accidental cleverness on that choice of expression).

Here’s what they say:

As a shop, we essentially hope to build a clientèle of people who are like-minded.  We hope to change people’s perceptions of this industry through charitable donations and spreading kindness along the way. As we grow, we trust that we’ll also find other ways to contribute to the art community in our city.

Well, they already have – through opening their space for local artists to display without taking a commission on sales.  Thanks Goodvibe Tattoo Company!

Note: Goodvibe has expanded and the gallery space no longer exists.

 

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Last But Not Least – Les Mains dans l’art Saint Jean

20141014Affiche_Travail_4_copieIt was a full house yesterday at the last of my cross-province “Les Mains dans l’art” intuitive painting workshops.  This one was part of the Festival du Vent, St. John’s annual Francophone festival.  It was great: another 3 hours of colours, textures, exploration, and fun as 15 participants created truly unique masterpieces.

The whole process is described in my bilingual Guide to Intuitive Painting if you’d like to give it a try. I’m sure I’ll also be offering more workshops in the future – both in French and English. Interested?

Anyhow, I’ll let these photos do the talking – they say so much!

Thanks to the Réseau Culturel de la Fédération francophone de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador for hiring me, to Heritage Canada for sponsoring them, and to all the participants in both Newfoundland and Labrador for all the great memories.

 

 

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