you can see all of my paintings at www.DominiqueHurley.com

Re-Connecting – A Big Art Project

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It’s coming together! You’ve witnessed its inception, but none of us knew the full scope of it. We still don’t. But it’s becoming clearer.

I wanted to share this with you as a window into my role as Artist/Creator (see previous post on roles). It’s a long read, but you’ll know if you’re meant to read it.

My 3 Kinds of Paintings

Different kinds of paintings are born in my studio:

  1. individual pieces  – see  my online shop.
  2. Soul Energy Portraits – an intensely beautiful soul-shifting process that includes 2 weeks or more of creative energetic connection. 2 of 3 spots open until the Fall  Learn more here.
  3. big projects, like my 2015 Enter the Mandala: 12 Universal Laws Collection. That series was channeled as a way for my Team of Divine Helpers to teach me the Laws for my own life and now form the basis of a touring & teaching collection that I trust will one day find a good home together.

Re-Connecting: the next big project

“Our Lady of Light”

Now, I’m in the flow of my next big project!

Re-Connecting” is a developing body of work answering an inner call to examine my spiritual roots from my early Catholic upbringing to a more universal spirituality.

Phase 1 consists of 11 church-window-inspired visionary paintings (24″ x 48″) framing my universal spiritual journey.

As usual, I have no idea what the paintings will portray until its revealed during the creative process, layer by layer, painting after painting.

I begin by working on the stained-glass-window-inspired frame and the rest reveals itself from there.

The bigger picture for the collection only became clearer in my mind when I had to get some details down for an arts grant submission to help finance my time and financial investment on the project.

I’m committed to finishing Phase 1 by the end of August. That’s why I only have 2 Soul Energy Portrait spots open until the Fall.

I’ve just finished #4 of 11:

  1. Every Dot A Prayer (Top Secret… to be revealed in the Spring as it was submitted to the provincial Arts & Letters Awards)
  2. Our Lady of Light
  3. With Arms Wide Open
  4. Supersoul (full blog post next week)

The individual originals are for sale. Their imagery will form the basis for some future publishing project that is as yet unclear.

Background & Inspiration

“With Arms Wide Open”

September 2018. The light streaming through the stained glass windows caught my attention as I sat with my father in Ottawa’s Notre Dame Basilica for the first time since my mother was moved into long-term care.

We used to attend evening mass when I visited from out-of-province. The change in time and family circumstances offered a new perspective on this familiar context.

As I contemplated the narrative, symbolism, and beauty of these stained glass windows, I received the inspiration for a new collection resembling their style incorporating my spiritual journey.

Back in Newfoundland & Labrador, I immersed myself in the creation of the first piece to meet the deadline for the provincial Arts & Letters Awards. 70 hours of focused meditative studio work resulted in the painting “Every Dot a Prayer”.

Building on what I learned at the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art in 2013/14 and my evolving full-time practice since, it pushed me to the edge of my artistic skills and brought me deeper into the energy healing work that is characteristic of my art.

One unexpected aspect of its creative process was communion with community. After sharing how I was praying & chanting while painting dots for family members and friends, prayer requests flooded in.

This intensity of time, energy, and communion fuelled the evolution of the imagery with every new layer of paint.

As with many of my intuitive paintings, I did not know what it would represent before I started. Visions received in meditation and inspiration from contemplating each new layer informed its content. My usual energy work through the art expanded hundredfold, enhancing the studio experience and final painting.

This reminded me of the value of uninterrupted focused time in the studio – a challenge with the need for income generation as a sole breadwinner and full-time artist.

Research

I was being called to go deeper.

The next 2 Mother Mary pieces in the collection were based on on-site grotto visits, ceremony,  channeling, and different kinds of community involvement.   (see previous blog post 1 & 2)

My process is evolving, becoming richer. The results show it. I feel this is my best work yet.

In Community in Carbonear

Another example of the research I’ll conduct is the scheduled 1-week mini-residency at Ocean View Gallery in Carbonear, NL.

Piece #7 on my evolving role within the context of community will be the focus of my one-week artist residency there.

Hosted by the gallery, I will move my studio practice to a public space. This art lab experiment will take place during my scheduled April exhibition (dates TBD) that includes some of the “Re-Connecting” pieces along with other paintings not exhibited in my previous exhibition there.

Called to Glastonbury

I also plan to attend the 22nd Goddess Conference with pre-conference pilgrimages and research at the Chalice Well Garden in Glastonbury UK from July 25-August 9th for the final piece of the series.

My Team of Divine Helpers are telling me that this will be a gateway for me. That’s all I know. Cryptic, but I’m used to that. It’s scary and exciting. That’s how I know I’ll be growing more into my Self.

It will be my first time there, but I have felt called to the site since 2008, seen it in visions, used its gifted holy waters in my art and often painted its iconic sacred geometry.

This project’s culmination piece will offer a new window into my spiritual journey ahead, exposing me to the work of other spiritual artists and journeyers and potentially opening doors for future exhibitions/ collaborations.

That’s also where Phase 2, if there is to be one, will be revealed.  Fun, eh?

Impact

“Supersoul” Full blog post next Tuesday!

My experiences in the creation of the first 4 pieces are evidence of this collection’s potential impact.

They have already resulted in the significant advancement of my artistic skills, aesthetic value of my work, and scope of the energy practices used during the visionary intuitive creative process.

“Every Dot a Prayer” opened me to the impact of communion with community on the quality of my artistic practice in the studio and resulting imagery that arose from it.

“Our Lady of Light”, “With Arms Wide Open” and “Supersoul” have reconnected me to my roots to honour parts of myself that had been ignored in my art.

I’m excited to explore where the 7 other pieces will take me.

An important aspect of the growing nature of this collection is its invitation to open my happy hermit studio zone to involve community in evolving ways (on-location visionary research, social media engagement, family inquiry, scope of energy work during the painting phase, and April residency).

I’m not a very social person. As the introvert child of Air Force parents, we moved frequently and lived far from extended family. I grew up in relative isolation, which had its advantages and disadvantages. The concept of community was foreign to me until my adult years.

Recently, I have explored how to expand my praxis outside of my comfort zone. Spending a week painting in the context of an art lab mini-residency during my exhibition is a personal stretch and artistic risk I’m ready for. The piece I’ll be working on will be be sourced in part from discussion and meditation on the topic of community. The scope of this art lab will be completely new to me.

Also, my art so far has largely been sourced from what I see with my eyes closed – the visions I receive in meditation or when I channel. They’re visual representations of my inner experiences.

Painting based on what I see with my eyes open at significant sites from my childhood or those that I’ve only seen in meditation or dreamtime (like in Glastonbury, UK) will be a whole new approach.

I look forward to visiting more sacred sites for the purpose of painting my experiences there (such as at the grottos or the Chalice Well Garden). I expect it to help me go deeper into both the personal and universal symbolic archetypes that have long been characteristic of my work.

An Exercise in Faith – Following my Path

“What would you do if money wasn’t an issue?” 

Well, I’m doing it.

Because of the timing of the grant deadlines/jurying periods, I won’t find out if I get the grant until July, at which time I’ll have already invested almost the entire amount.

It’s an interesting exercise in faith and abundance mentality.

I have to spend the money to get the grant. But I don’t know if I’ll be awarded the funds. The Canada Council for the Arts gets a lot of submissions!

I’m being asked once again to trust the Universe to provide and proceed without a doubt that either way, it’s all happening perfectly. I’ve been guided. I’ll follow that Guidance.

Fundraising

I’m off to a great start.

During my Christmas visit to Ottawa, it became time to buy a new Mac. My 8-year old one is giving out on me and a lot of my work is online.

So I put it out on FB and in my newsletter that I was fundraising for it. My initial poster sales + 1 Divine Storytelling Time intuitive reading + the payment for my February Soul Energy Portrait Experience on top of what was left in my operational account covers my unusually high January credit card bill. Yay!

I like to live within my means. I’ve designed a simple life that affords me the luxury to be a full-time artist after decades of pursuing that passion part-time.

I invest in my dreams, but usually not before I raise the funds.

Committing to the Re-Connecting project is motivating me to ask my fans to be channels for the abundance of the Universe.

If you’re moved to invest in my dreams and the inspiration that will come of it, I welcome it!

There are many ways to financially contribute:

  1. Donations via paypal or Canadian etransfers ([email protected])
  2. Buy  original paintings, canvas prints 
  3. Commission a Divine Storytelling Time intuitive Reading, or Soul Energy Portrait (March & June spots open)
  4. Hire me to lead a workshop, keynote, etc.
  5. Order greeting cards, mandala talisman pouches (only 2 in stock) and magnetic bookmarks
  6. Other creative ideas. Contact me to discuss.

THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF MY COMMUNITY! 

 

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With Arms Wide Open – Mary Christmas!

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Mary Christmas Dear One!

Nope, that’s not a spelling mistake. It’s an invitation to join me in yet another celebration of Mother Mary presented here in the painting “With Arms Wide Open”.

If you’re in need of a hug this Christmas, it’s coming right at you!

Enjoy the embrace!

Note: Keep scrolling past the poem to read about a second grotto visit, get a glimpse into the making of “With Arms Wide Open” and learn about some of its symbolism.

With Arms Wide Open

– A Collaborative Poem –

Thanks to all those who contributed name suggestions on Facebook! This is your poem as much as mine!

(The inner child speaks:)

“With Arms Wide Open” – Original (SOLD – 24″ x 48″) & prints available.

Holy Mary Grasped Anew,
Our Lady of Wisdom,
Guiding angel in the know,
Universal Protector,
Mary Magnificent,
Carry me within your
Open heart –
Oneness,
Assurance,
Wise love,
Mystery joined sacred,
Divine wisdom.
*

(Wisdom Mother answers:) 

Rise up Beloved!
I see you, divine creation
Welcoming the Universe
With open arms.
Fly with me in wisdom wholeness
In this holy shower of love.

Welcome home.
This is your Heaven on Earth
Elevated consciousness
Love & freedom!
Transcendence.

Much love & peace to you.
All is calm.
As above so below.
Ripples of consciousness flow from the divine
like waves of the eternal life-
Blessings on healing wings
Here to help you maneuver within
The realms of the unknown.

Open to the divine within.
Welcome home to yourself.
Arise!
Spread your Radiance
In the Light of Love.
Embrace the divine ascension
Embrace the wisdom of Spirit
For you are doubly blessed.

Glory in the highest.
Heaven lives above the mother
Guides in waiting,
Divine Helpers,
Radiant Clarity
Universal wisdom
Life Force is here within
The offer & acceptance…

The wisdom of love is
An amazing experience.
*
(The inner child replies:) 

Mary the Cosmic Matrix
Divine Lady of Radiant Wisdom and Protection
Owly Mary, mother of…
Revelation
Thank you

***

Lady of Lourdes Grotto in Flatrock, NL

A few weeks after our visit to the Renews Grotto  and the painting of “Our Lady of Light” , a small group of women made the 30-minute drive to Flatrock.

I’d parked there many times, but had been more interested in the beauty and energy of where the waterfall meets the ocean on the East Coast Trail. That’s the strongest land energy vortex I’ve felt in NL.

This time, we spent equal time at the shrine to Mary and the coast.

It was cold, snowy, and windy, so I didn’t record the meditation I channeled for the group.

That meditation was all about embracing the inner child, that divine child within every one of us.

A Bit of History

In 1954, the parish priest in Flatrock was one of millions of pilgrims to traveled to Lourdes in France. The pope of the time had declared 1954 the Marian year. Four years later, this shrine graced the community of Flatrock and has since received visitors from around the world.

Eight days before I heard him speak in Ottawa, Pope John Paul II had been on the island of Newfoundland to bless the fleet and pray at the Lady of Lourdes shrine in Flatrock.

The Making of “With Arms Wide Open”

When I returned home from our own mini pilgrimage, I continued working on the 2nd yellow background I’d started at the same time as “Our Lady of Light”.

This stained-glass-inspired frame was all about dots. Dots upon dots upon dots – like the layering of prayers.

I find dot-making so relaxing, so meditative, so blissful!

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Why the Owl?

I’d forgotten about the owl that had flown in an infinity sign in front of our car when we drove back from the Renews Grotto. It was a barn owl.

It had swooped down in front of the car, around a tree and back in front of the car – showing itself twice during our daylight drive.

A few minutes later, we stopped at a craft fair and owls were everywhere – carved owls, beaded owls, etc.

We knew it was a sign.

Owls are companions to seers & mystics – soul-spirit animals linked to spiritual persons through a special bond.

It seemed befitting to paint one with Mary.

They’re great guides in times of transitions, helping us to see clearly through the shadows and darkness.

They come from wholeness, pure energy – messengers of wisdom carried on wings of change.

As I was waiting to go to a Christmas concert after finishing the archway of this painting, I saw a vision of the owl coming through the portal over Mary’s head.

As I said, I’d forgotten about it. It was back!

It was both accompanying her and a part of Mary’s energy walking through the portal to offer us a hug.

Together they swept into our lives to lift us up and hold us in their embrace. Magical!

Can you feel it?

In my research, I learned about its special feathers: tiny comb-like serrated edges that allow the owl to fly silently through the night.

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace…

In this case – we are the infant being reborn into Christ Consciousness – a deep spiritual bliss and union with the Divine.

Why is Mary White with Blonde Hair?

Unlike in my previous painting, Mary in “With Arms Wide Open” is blonde.

I made this choice after my house-sister forwarded me a few  pages from the Book of Urantia that talked about Mary’s ancestry. I owned that huge tome twice in my life but have never read it. In it, it’s written that Mary was blonde with brown eyes.

Curious for more? Click here to access those pages on Mary, Joseph, and the birth of Jesus.

As for why she’s so white, it’s not to represent the caucasian race. I tend to paint many of my figures that way.

This colour that holds all colours (white light is composed of all colours of the spectrum) honours the Spirit-self, the Divine Light within all of us.

“With Arms Wide Open”
24″ x 48″
Acrylics on gallery-wrapped canvas.
SOLD

Prints of your desired size on paper, canvas, wood, acrylic and metal are available by clicking here.

Mary Christmas Hugs & Thanks for Hugging Back!

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Our Lady of Light – painting & prayer

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What a creative process in communion with community & Mother Mary! Here’s the painting that was inspired by my first visit and channeled meditation at the Grotto de Lourdes in Renews, Newfoundland & Labrador (see previous post). The name “Our Lady of Light”  and this collaborative prayer/poem are thanks to the contributions of 51 of my Facebook and Instagram friends & fans.  Enjoy the read all the way down to the final video.

OUR LADY OF LIGHT

“Our Lady of Light” – Original (24″ x 48″-SOLD) – prints available.

Hail Mary –
Divine Lady of Light & Love,
Mother’s Grace,
Gentle Woman,
Madona du Mondo,
Reine des bois,
Sacred Devi,
Angelica,
Lady of the Portal,
Mother of Light,
Devine Grace,
She who goes by ten thousand names –
Blessed are you
For you hold the Light of the world
In your hands.

Blessed Saphira,
Light of Grace,
Magnetic blue jewel,
Exquisite radiance,
Inspirational Lady of Light & Peace,
Mother of Renewing Life,
You are the vessel,
The Light Bearer,
Virtue embodied,
Radiant all embracing loving Light.

Oh Serene Mother
Light of Life
Connecting with Pure Essence
You have birthed
Divine Vibrations of Radiance
The Essence of Light
The Christ Light
Brought forth from your very being.
Continue to light the way
to Sacred Stillness

I bow to you Radiant Mother,
Luminator,
Wayshower,
Seed Planter of Light,
Mother Goddess.
Glory be thy names.
May you shine your Immaculate Light
That I may see my own divinity
For I too am one
With Mary’s Light
A Particle riding the blue wave
To enlightenment.

I am Light.

So be it. So I let it be. Amen.

The Creation of “Our Lady of Light

Layer by layer this painting evolved over the period of a very focused week. What bliss. I was far from alone in the studio. Not only was my team of Divine Helpers there with me, so were those on social media fascinated by the process.

If my sharing can inspire something good in someone, then I’m thrilled!

Getting Started

After smudging myself, my space and the canvas with sacred Palo Santo smoke, I infused the canvas with a blend of sacred waters from the Chalice well in Glastonbury and the Lourdes Grotto in Renews.

The night before, I’d put my rose quartz crystal in this blend of holy waters on the windowsill to infuse it with an extra dose of  love & compassion energies.

The initial layer was a wash of yellows, oranges, and golds.

Then came layers and layers of letting go, surrendering the concerns of daily life, the chaos, the details.

Getting lost in mark-making is more about finding myself, my alignment, my centre through non-attachment & play.  Very cathartic!

Risk-taking is easy in intuitive painting.

You know that it’s going to keep on changing with every layer. You don’t know where it’s going, but that’s the beauty of it. You don’t need to know. You can simply embrace the mystery and enjoy the journey, not just the destination.

It was such fun that I decided to work on the backgrounds for 2 canvases at the same time. They separated ways after I harmonized the mark-making through more layers of transparent glazing.

The metallic bright gold paint I used for this one contains mica dust, infusing it with even more  love & compassion supporting energy.

Inspired by Stained Glass Windows

The light streaming through the stained glass windows caught my attention as I sat with my father in Ottawa’s Notre Dame Basilica for the first time since my mother was moved into long-term care. We used to attend evening mass when I visited from out-of-province. The change in time and family circumstances offered a new perspective on this familiar context.

As I contemplated the narrative, symbolism, and beauty of these stained glass windows, I received the inspiration for a new collection resembling their style incorporating my spiritual journey.

Back in Newfoundland & Labrador, I immersed myself in the creation of the first piece in this style to meet the deadline for the provincial Arts & Letters Awards.  That one’s top secret until the spring. “Our Lady of Light” is the 2nd in what I’m now calling my “Re-Connecting Collection”.

Our Lady of Light

I designed Mother Mary on paper first. I made a design in my typical bubble style that represents the mix of physical and spiritual energy of which all is made.

The flowing veils were definitely inspired by Newfoundland weather. But you’ll notice that the flame is unwavering. At one point, I so loved the white that I was nervous about changing it to my envisioned blue. I’m glad I did though… And my heart rejoiced when someone pointed out that they were like waves – adding the element of water into the imagery.

The candle:

If you listened to the Mother Mary meditation I channeled at the grotto, there were 3 candles standing in a triple spiral at our feet.

We had brought one of those candles for Mary. One was either for or from a 3rd presence (different depending on your meditative experience).

The last candle was the one Mary brought to honour us, to help us see our love, beauty, light and value. This is the one I painted.

See how brightly it shines? She wanted her love for us to be an example of how to love ourselves. It felt amazing while channeling it and listening to it after.

The dress:

I had such fun scribbling spirals in the still-wet transparent zinc white paint of her dress. I’ve been scribbling spirals for as long as I can remember – the inward and outward movement of natural evolution.

From early on, I could see/sense a whole circle of people on her sleeve – as if she were carrying with her and reaching out to all those who celebrated her, prayed to her, felt with her.

I’ll admit that the very simplified version of my vision came into being because I simply couldn’t paint what I saw. The idea is there though – that she is of us and for us and we of and for her – part of the same big family.

The third eye:

I added a flower at Mary’s third eye. It’s not a Hindu bindi, although it has a similar meaning. The light shining forth from it is her intuition in action – her connection to the Divine.

The Triskele

The triple spiral in which the candles stood in my vision is called a triskele, or triskelion.

This is an ancient cross-cultural symbol of forward movement, representing 3 bent human legs.

It also represents the sacred trilogy. In some cultures, that’s the Father, Son & Holy Ghost. In others, it’s the mother, maiden & crone. It has also represented life-death-rebirth, spirit-mind-body, mother-father-child, past-present-future, power-intellect-love and creation-preservation-destruction. 

In a transmission meditation I was doing for the 7 days of this painting, that trilogy was the Divine Masculine, Divine Feminine & Divine Inner Child. When I teach about intuition, I talk a lot about the divine masculine & feminine, but I’ve never included the divine inner child. I can see it now though – perfect!

This part of the painting changed many times in the process. It eventually included an orb around the diamond – it could be the moon, a crystal ball, or other. I leave that to you – didn’t get a strong message for that one.

Its outside ring is in the same cobalt blue as Mary’s veil to tie those two together. Can you see the pearl mica on top. In the semi darkness, all you’ll see is the sparkle of the 3 mica rings: around the candle, Mary’s outer halo and the glow around the orb.

The Deer

The sacred trilogy is also represented in this painting through Mary, the stag in the background and the fawn in the foreground.

Did you know a newborn fawn is the size of a large house cat and the weight of a human baby? I had to look that up to scale this blessed creature at the feet of Mary.

It came from a vision and immediately resonated. When I first moved to Saskatchewan, a woman who saw people as their animal energies told me I was a deer. She’d never seen one before. That stuck with me. I think this is the first deer I ever paint.

Here’s some of the deer symbolism I found on the Faena.com website and elsewhere after I received the intuitive message to include them in my painting.

“The stag is the king of the forest, the protector of all other creatures. For the native tribes of North America, the deer was a messenger, an animal of power, and a totem representing sensitivity, intuition and gentleness.

It’s the personification of virtues.

In Buddhism, the deer symbolizes harmony, happiness, peace and longevity….deers are by nature timid and serene animals and their presence in a place represents the purity of a kingdom bereft of fear.

The deer, which is related in many traditions with kindness, softness and gentleness, is, in one way or another, an animal that is connected to the gods and the sacred. One of the reasons for this could be its physical characteristics – its stare, its agility, its speed and its antlers— which inspire those values and symbols in the imagination of humans and in its metaphorical nature.

In many cultures, the deer is a symbol of spiritual authority. During a deer’s life the antlers fall off and grow again and the animal is also a symbol of regeneration. In the Christian imagination, the deer is a symbol of piety, devotion and of God taking care of his children: men.

A sacred animal with the spirit of gentleness and softness, a messenger, a shaman; maize and femininity personified.”

The Ivy

A memorable part of the grotto in Renews is that it’s covered in ivy. Gorgeous!  So I used this plant to tie the imagery together. It’s a symbol of eternity, fidelity, and strong affectionate attachment – immortality.

On the Thrive on News Spiritual Magazine, it says:

“The spiralling nature of the way Ivy grows is symbolic of the spiral of the self. Spiralling inward and outward, seeking enlightenment and companionship. Its characteristics include binding, restricting, attachment, freedom, uniting and linking with others. It is also associated with fertility because of its rapid growth.

Ivy lore is associated with the Goddess of rebirth. It is seen as a plant of the Otherworlds and communicating with them. It is also associated with the Greek God of wine and fertility Dionysus, often seen covered in ivy and grape vines.

If a girl carries Ivy in her pocket she will soon meet her future husband. It can be used to banish the negative things from your life, and eliminate toxic relationships. Look inward to find self-growth, but turn outward to find spiritual companionship with like-minded people. If Ivy appears in your life think about joining a spiritualgroup. ”

Prints Available

The original 24″ x 48″ is SOLD.
Acrylics & mica on gallery-wrapped canvas.

Prints of your desired size are available on paper, canvas, metal, wood, and acrylic by clicking here.

The Making of “Our Lady of Light” Video

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Peace Garden II -the painting

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Traditional gardeners are creative nurturing people with a mix of vision, knowledge, and passion for the outdoors. They ground themselves in the earth and connect to Nature as they plan, observe, listen, weed, allow and cherish the results of their co-creative efforts.

Creating your inner peace garden is much the same. The tools, layout, colours, and textures will be as unique as you are, but the results identical – peace. It all starts with intention and a passion for your inner world.

What do you need to create your own Peace Garden?

What nurtures your soul? What grounds & connects you? What do you thrive in watching grow? What needs to be weeded out to allow for healthier expression of who you really are?

“Peace Garden II” (24″ x 24″)  –– Buy here.

Painting the Path to My Peace Garden

I smile when people say “You’re so patient!”. They can’t imagine the time and concentration it takes for the amount of detail in some of my pieces.

I can’t imagine my life without it. There’s a reason I call part of my process dot-therapy.

There’s nothing quite like being in the zone for 12-16 hours nurturing my soul in the co-creation of a painting.

Layer by layer it evolves at the same time as I do – with whatever cathartic process, energy work, exploratory play, or meditative technique inspires me in the moment.

Intuitive painting might not be your thing. It’s not for everyone.

The trick is finding what helps you grow your inner peace – on your own or with others.

The seeds of peace have always been present at your core. It’s that Divine Essence at the heart of you. 

May the labyrinth of your life bring you back to your core to re-discover your birthright. 

Peace Garden II

Painting is my sanctuary and the themes of many of my paintings reflect that. This one is no different.

Folks often ask how long it takes to create my paintings.

This one took 30 hours + a lifetime of practice, training & living.

Enjoy all the details – like the chakra-coloured dots around each glass-bead covered triskele fountain.

The triskele is an ancient symbol of earth-sea-sky, body-mind-spirit, of the holy trilogy. It’s about motion, momentum, action.

Notice the perfection of their imperfection – how some of the triskele symbols are off-centre – reminding us to accept our “flaws” and ever-changing process as we align with peace.

I knew I had to lengthen the passage to the labyrinth at the heart of this mandala. It’s an invitation for you to accompany me on the journey – that sacred discovery journey that brings you to your centre so you can come back out again with greater peace.

Does it speak to you?

Title: Peace Garden II
Year: © 2018
Size:  24“ x 24 “ (61 cm x 61 cm)
Artist: Dominique Hurley
Materials: Professional acrylics, glass beads & mica (love & compassion) & channeled energy work on gallery-wrapped canvas with painted edges. No framing required. 
Genre: intuitive painting, visionary art, energism art, spiritual art, inspirational art
Price: $1,727 CAD – Buy here.

Note: “Peace Garden II”  comes with a soft paintbrush that can be used to gently navigate your way through the labyrinth – on the wall or on a table.

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2 New Trees in my Forest Family

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Thank God for trees! Don’t you just love them? Grounding through their roots and connecting through their branches, they’re constantly growing into the light.

They may have to twist in the wind, lose a few limbs, morph with the rhythms of the seasons and aim for the light in unusual angles. But they keep on growing, accepting, adapting, and giving in so many ways. 

All the while, they give of themselves to help us breathe. They nourish us in body, mind, and spirit. And they provide shelter for so many blessed creatures.

They have so much to teach us about being.

I can’t imagine a pine enviously comparing itself to a maple or a weeping willow feeling superior to a bamboo.

Each tree just is – being what it is in all its stages.The blueprint for its full potential was there when it was still a seed or an acorn. Every day it just grows into more of itself – naturally and in divine timing.

Is it any wonder I can’t stop painting them?

Here are 2 more in my growing Forest Family. Let me know if you’d like to adopt one of them for yours.

1) Rooted in Community

(9″ x 12) – SOLD

Like the fruit to the bud to the leaves to the branches to the trunk to the roots …. we can’t do it on our own. We need each other.
We need community, no matter how introvert we may be.
Finding your tribe is key to feeling at home, rooted in community.
Who is that tribe? Those who see, accept, and love you for exactly who you are. Those who don’t want to change you but celebrate the radiance you add to the world.
May you find your tribe so that you too may be nourished from your roots to grow rich fruit.
“Rooted to Community” (9″ x 12″) – Sold
Acrylics on gallery-wrapped canvas .

2) Vitality

(9″ x 12) – SOLD

“Vitality” is about the daily recovery of our zest for life through challenges and experience.

Our true beauty isn’t diminished by the wrinkles and cracks. Our colours are simply more seasoned – layering the everlasting wonder and curiosity at our core with an evolving multi-dimensional character and wisdom.  We shine with the accents of love & compassion.

This painting honours the Life Force flowing through the rivulets of our very being.

Vitality (9” x 12”) – SOLD
Acrylics, mica (love & compassion) & red aventurine (re-vitalizing through action, increase flow of Life Force) on canvas. No framing required

Which speaks to you more? Why? Comment below.

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Peace Evolution

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The best thing we can do in any situation is find our peace. From that peace is born unconditional love, inspired action, connection, and so much more.

The painting “Peace Evolution” was born from pours of iridescent colours that are sometimes only visible from some angles. Its shine and play on colours makes it a hard one to photograph – take a look at the photos below to see what I mean.

The creative process for this piece called for me to embrace the mystery as patience and time revealed its subtle beauty, inspiring whatever came next.

Two nautilus shells, almost transparent white from some angles and iridescent violet & blue from others, spiral in different directions. These symbolize the evolution of peace from turning inward and then back outwards into the world.

The triskele (triple spiral) is an ancient symbol of the triple goddess, Saint Brigid, earth-sea-sky, the holy trilogy, and body-mind-spirit. It’s all about movement and action. Peace is a verb as well as a state of being.

As for the peace dove, it just felt right during this pre-Christmas season.

All we do for own our peace eventually shines in the world.

Peace be with you! Peace be with us all.

Title: Peace Evolution
Year: © 2018
Size:  10“ x  10“ (25.4 cm x 25.4 cm)
Artist: Dominique Hurley
Materials: Professional acrylics & channeled energy work on cradle-board with painted edges. No framing required. 
Genre: intuitive painting, visionary art, energism art, spiritual art, inspirational art
SOLD

See all my original paintings for sale by clicking here.

 

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“Wisdom of the Matriarch” – the painting

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There’s a new relationship in my life. It’s with a whole species of trees – the weeping willow.

My new painting, “Wisdom of the Matriarch” is both a tribute to my communion with these magnificent beings and to my mother.

The Weeping Willow Connection

It all started during my September visit to Ottawa, when I visited my mother in long-term care for the first time.

This willow tree stopped me in my tracks as I was walking from the bus stop to her nursing home. I was in awe. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen one.  They’re definitely not common on the rocky island of Newfoundland,  where I live.

I’ve always loved trees. I’ve hugged them, photographed them, painted them – even had an exhibition called Treedom to honour them.

But I’ve never felt as strong a connection, a communication, an attraction to a species as I did to weeping willows during my 2 weeks in Ontario.

You see, it wasn’t only this willow that held me in its dancing breath every time I went to visit my mother. It was every single weeping willow during my road trip to southern Ontario with my father to visit the land of his ancestors.

We passed millions of trees driving. No matter if it was close to the road or off in some field, every weeping willow turned my head and joined me in spirit to my mother.

I was even called to deviate from my father’s bucket list by going for a short walk at the deserted Guelph Lake Conservation Area. It turns out its weeping willow trees have been a draw for years. No coincidence, I’m sure.

There’s more to it, but I’m still discovering the layers of our connection.

One link became clear as I shared all this on Facebook. One of my friends reminded me that willow branches are used to make dreamcatchers.

I was still in the process of writing the Dreamcatcher Prayer to go with the painting I’d finished right before my trip – see previous blog post.

So I knew this was an evolving relationship – a connection with one of our planet’s sacred Treedom communities.

The Creation of Wisdom of the Matriarch

When I returned to St. John’s, I knew I was meant to explore this relationship further through an energy-painting featuring a weeping willow.

It was an intuitive process. I painted the background not knowing what would come next.

It evolved layer by layer from the intricate structure of the trunk to the many depths and shades of leaves.

As I kept painting, I knew I was covering up its iridescent frame, but every layer called for another. And I listened. It was a deeply meditative process – much slower than shown in the video above.

It wasn’t about the look. That was getting so methodical and busy. Still, I kept layering weeping branches, eventually adding 3-D leaves.

After all that intricate work, I came into the studio one morning inspired to cover the whole structure with 3 colours of opaque and transparent pours.

I wish I’d taken a video of that freeing, liberating stage. It didn’t even occur to me in the burst of creative energy and satisfying release.

Ahhhhhh……

So much paint went into this piece, like with many of my pieces. Layers were lost but are still energetically present. It was as much about the co-creative process with Spirit as it was about the final look.

Naming of Wisdom of the Matriarch & Its New Home

Once it was done, I received an intuitive message not to price it as I do other 24″ x 36″ paintings. I was told I’d receive an offer for it and to accept it. I was also told not to name the painting – to let the customer do so.

Part of me was hesitant as this was a tribute to my mother and I wanted the name to reflect that. It couldn’t have turned out better.

The day I posted the photo of the final painting, one of my clients sent me a Facebook message saying how she cried looking at it. It reminded her of her friend who had just passed.

She came to see it and later made me an offer to be paid over the span of a year. I gladly accepted.

On her way home, she received its name. “Wisdom of the Matriarch”. It’s no coincidence that the name also honours my mother and our connection through weeping willows. It’s part of the divine plan.

Weeping Willow Symbolism

The weeping willow – Salix babylonica – is from the watery realm of emotion and intuition. It’s also a symbol of creativity, patience, and adjusting to the seasons of life.

According to Avia from my favourite symbolism website :

“The Celtic meaning of willow has a long history of symbolism associated with metaphysical and ritual practices.

Specifically, the willow wood has been (and still is) used in ceremonies intended for enhancement of psychic abilities,honoring the moon as well as increase the essence of love in our lives.”

It also encourages flexibility – to adjust with life rather than fight it.

I got to witness this on the afternoon that the tornado hit Ottawa. As I left my mother’s residence, the winds had picked up dramatically. The willow was dancing wildly as I watched it shake off a few branches that someone was harvesting. But its core was strong, bending and swaying – alive with resilient energy!

I can see how all this relates to my mother – her strength over the years, flexibility, intuition, and acceptance of the rhythms of life.

I love you Maman! I feel you Maman!

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The Dreamcatcher Painting & Prayer

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Dreamcatcher intuitive painting

“Dreamcatcher” (24″ x 24″) $1,727 CAD – buy original here.

My painting “Dreamcatcher” was born from a request to paint live during the Artfusion Festival in Mount Pearl.

The vision for it evolved as I painted the background layers in my studio ahead of time. As layer after layer came into being, so did the vision of a celestial dreamcatcher.

I’ve loved dreamcatchers since the early 90s when I was taught to make one from an Algonquin woman in Ontario. I’ve had that one in my room ever since. This First Nations tradition has since gained popularity in many communities, helping people sleep better.

The community spirit and lively performances of the festival fed that vision and sustained the meditative creative flow in the studio for days afterwards.

I completed “Dreamcatcher” right before my flight to Ottawa to be with family. The prayer inspired by its energy and symbolism was drafted high above the planet during my flight.

I love watching the Earth’s tapestry and layers of clouds from above. It’s like being taken out of the details of daily life to be closer to the Heavens.

May this painting & prayer nourish your transformational journey!

The Dreamcatcher Prayer

Oh Dreamcatcher
Trap within your holy weave
Our collective nightmare
That the illusion may dissipate
To reveal anew Reality.
May only goodwill funnel through your portal
As we re-member who we truly are.
Thank you for facilitating humanity’s awakening
And the ascension of the planet.
*
Oh web of Life
Encircled by soul families
And Divine Helpers united
Weave thy filaments of Love
To filter all manifestations of fear
That our hearts may blossom
At the dawn of this new day
To truly come to life
Through purpose, passion, and peace.
*
Oh sacred hoop
Symbol of hope & healing
Poised in the breath of the Great Creator
Illuminate the night sky
With your web of Light.
Allow hallowed blessings
To descend into the collective consciousness
To restore eternal life
For the children of the Universe.
*
May celestial dreams
Envelop this blue-green pearl
So that our eyes open
To explore and express
Harmony within diversity
Recognizing that we are
All individualized expressions
of the Divine Oneness.
*
May there be unity amongst all beings
As we celebrate
Our interconnectedness,
Points of light
Continuing our journey
By way of your sacred threads.
*
May our souls’ original visions
Pass through your gateway
Sliding down your feathers
To float unto Mother Earth’s lap
Where slumbering children await
To Awaken to the Truth
And see before them
The fields of limitless possibilities.
*
Aho. Amen. So Be it.
***

Dreamcatcher Details

Take a closer look at the painting to see how every family is different – from mixed races to same sex couple, from singles, to single parents and twins. My intention was to represent the unity within diversity, even though not everyone is visually represented – the lack of wheelchairs and pets, for example. But the essence is there.

The feathers were tricky to photograph because of my use of a special kind of professional acrylic paint that looks white from one angle and shines in iridescent colours from another. As so many people tell me, the photos are good but there’s nothing like being face to face or heart to heart with the energy of my paintings.

Title: Dreamcatcher
Year: © 2018
Size:  24“ x 24 “ (61 cm x 61 cm)
Artist: Dominique Hurley
Materials: Professional acrylics & channeled energy work on gallery-wrapped canvas with painted edges. No framing required. 
Genre: intuitive painting, visionary art, energism art, spiritual art, inspirational art
SOLD
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Birds of a Feather – the painting

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“Birds of a Feather” – Original (24″ x 48″) and prints available.

You’ve heard the expression “Birds of a feather flock together”? Well, I truly believe that our winged friends of the earthly and celestial kinds hang out together.

The way I see it, birds will often come into our lives as a way for the angels and Source to communicate to us. 

How many times has a feather floated into your awareness as a sign of hope, comfort, confirmation, travel, a visitation from a dearly departed, or acknowledgment that was perfect for the time?… even if you were indoors!

How many times has a bird appeared to lift your spirit or convey some other symbolic message of freedom, inspiration, or higher knowledge?

Just like the angels, birds are messengers from God (or whatever term resonates with you).

Google is really helpful for finding out the universal symbolism of various breeds, but it’s also important to tune into your own personal and intuitive meaning-making skills.

From the yellow finches reminding me to play to the ravens call for transformation; from the blue jay’s reminder to be resourceful & determined to the eagle’s call for vision & focus – they are such blessings in my life.

Dedicated to my housemate Orinda

Just as I was writing this, I heard my housemate squeal with joy, calling me out of my room to see the 2 northern flickers and blue jay on our patio railing.  Their timely appearance held different messages for both of us.

According to one site, they “symbolize growth or advancement.  Believers of flicker totem are gifted with intuition, ability for deepened understanding of being and seen in unconventional careers. Their changing perception and unconventional ways of life brings them to success”. Perfect!

When I was studying visionary art in Vienna in 2014, I sent out an email to all my friends with the list of everything I was hoping to manifest in a place to live upon my return to St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador. They sent it to their friends, and it eventually landed in Orinda’s email inbox. After a few messages back and forth, I communicated a message the birds had given me and she was thrilled to report she’d shared with friends what the birds were telling her about sharing the house. We too seem to be birds of a feather!

We’re blessed by many daily visits from our fine feathered friends at Orinda’s bird-feeder. Her relationship with them as a form of communication with the Divine Oneness reminds me of my own.

That’s why I dedicate the creation of this piece to her in thanks for the support I feel in this little nature sanctuary of a home to be who I truly am and do what I feel called to do.

Birds of a Feather – the painting

After painting the first few layers of the background, I received a knowing that this painting would include an angel and a bird in a tribute to both kinds of feathered friends, our winged messengers.

I could sense (it wasn’t a vision this time) an angel holding a bird in its feathered embrace.  I knew it would be a big bird because of the kinetic feeling I was getting. So my first thought was a swan, having recently painted “A Call to Swana Grace“.

But then I received a vision of what I first thought was a snow egret – a bird I fell in love with during a California photography trip years ago. But it was bigger. That’s when I knew it was a crane.

I became very aware of cranes while living in South Korea for 3 years. Their meaning stayed with me and fit perfectly with the essence of this work in progress.

The crane symbolizes spirit-centered creativity, happiness, balance, emotion, grace, connection to the Divine, prosperity, and longevity. They offer an invitation to let go of what no longer serves you.

I chose to paint a whooping crane, an endangered species which breeds in Canada and migrates to the States during our harsh winters.

Is it calling to you?
Purchase the original.
Order prints.

Title: Birds of a Feather
Year: © 2018
Size: 48″ x 24″ (122 cm x 61 cm)
Artist: Dominique Hurley
Materials: Professional acrylics, mica & channeled energy work on gallery-wrapped canvas with painted edges. No framing required. 
Genre: intuitive painting, visionary art, energism art, spiritual art, inspirational art
Price: $ 3,700 CAD

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Kinship with our Winged Messengers

Do you have a feather or bird story to share? Let’s celebrate in the comments how our winged friends communicate to us.

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Guy’s Soul Energy Portrait & Prayer

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Guy Mommaerts has been a godsend in my life since 2011, when he started his journey as a Dominique Hurley art collector.

I’m so grateful for all the art patrons that have made it possible for me to follow my Divine Path – and Guy is right up there!

We met in 2011, after he and his wife joined a Sacred Earth shaman workshop in Gros Morne National Park.

It was my first year living on the island of Newfoundland and my enthusiasm for the love & beauty present during this retreat translated itself through my camera – as did his.

Guy bought his first painting that year, a few more since then, including the first Soul Energy Portrait commission I ever channeled as part of my crowdfunding campaign to study at the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art in 2013.

That first foray into channeled energy portraits was a simplified version of the package I offer today – just the painting and a few notes about working with his Team of Divine Helpers during the span of a weekend.

With the years, I’ve been guided to offer a much deeper experience that Guy was ready to invest in for himself this July.

My Soul Energy Portrait Experiences now start with a channeled guided meditation recording that we both listen to during the weeks that the painting evolves. Layer by layer, and with every message from his angels & guides, the painting and Guy emerged more fully into what they were meant to be.

It’s an intensive process that also involves daily Love Notes, pictures, energy work, quantum prayer, and the design of an accompanying book that summarizes each step of the journey.

Guy is happy for me to share with you what he wrote to me a couple of weeks after living with his painting. The prayer I composed for him follows, along with a slideshow of his evolving painting.

May something here inspire you.

What Guy Has to Say:

“This portrait of my Soul has been an incredible experience! And…it’s not over yet.

 I found it very interesting to follow the progression of this art work (it is art for sure!) but I did not expect that the real KABOOM! would come the day I opened the mailing crate and was faced with the real thing!!!

I could not believe the energy that hit me right in the forehead (3rd eye?) Not only that, ever since, this happens every time I look at it! This is SO powerful and so UNIQUE!  I do not understand much of what is going on with this (I am not a Light-worker – as such!), but I feel so good every time I look at it!.
 
It’s probably the best money I ever spent in my life after the engagement ring for my wife Chiyo (now for 45 years!).

I don’t know if you’re aware of the depth and impact of your work. But that’s not important! The results are way beyond my expectations!

I liked you when we first met in NL on our shaman retreat.  At that time, we were both in love with our NIKON cameras. It is fascinating how life evolves and even though we have not met since, I now can truly tell you: I LOVE YOU!

I have to stop here! It will save me crying – of Joy that is!”

~ Guy Joseph Mommaerts – Ontario

An Elemental Prayer

I wrote this prayer to amplify the energy & messages received during Guy’s Soul Energy Portrait Experience. May it serve you too.

 

Dear God & Guiding Spirits of the Highest Vibration,

Angels of Light & Love,
Guide me on my Path to my Highest Good.

As I stand at the door of this new day,
I welcome the beckoning calls of my heart & soul.
I’m ready. I can. I am!

May I reconnect to my Self & All that Is
In the re-membering that I’m a Drop of Divine Essence,
Manifested as an individualized expression of Source.

May I lighten up with sparkling laughter & loving smiles
As I recall that I’m a spiritual Being
Having a human experience for the fun of it.
May I be kind and gentle with myself and others
As I embrace the gifts of my lessons & challenges.

May I breathe deeply of the pulsating Light within & all around me.
Welcoming the Life Force that opens my intuitive channels
to discover the Guidance always available to me.

May every step in Nature be an invitation, an opening,
A communication with a Greater Truth
Helping me let go of the illusion I tend to lose myself in.

Thank you Earth, Air, Fire & Water
For infusing my intellect and grounding me in my blessed squareness
Thank you Ether for being my Lightline to Spirit.
You nourish my transformational journey.

May the spokes of guiding light
That join me to my Team of Divine Helpers
Give this wheel of Life greater momentum
As I evolve with ease & grace more fully into my Self.

May my previous and future incarnations impart their wisdom unto me
That I may live more in alignment with my True Self here and now.

And as I consciously bless my existence through Gratitude & Self-Love,
May I open myself to holy relationships
Help me know the Truth that makes me Free.
Help me see myself and others through the eyes of my soul.
Help me recognize that the Divine within me is the source of unconditional love
and that those around me are mirrors, reflections, other drops of Light from Divine Oneness.

I am love. I am loved. I am loving, and I love it.

So be it. So I let it be. Aho. Amen.

 

The Layers of Creation

A Soul Energy Portrait Experience is far more than just the creation of a painting in your essence. Each layer is filled with meaning, messages, energy work, and symbolism that is communicated to you daily.

If you commission one for yourself (or a loved one), it’s sure to be a transformational experience.

I only work with one client per month and it takes 2-4 weeks, depending on the chosen size of canvas.  To learn more, go to my Soul Energy Portrait information page here.

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