Tag Archive for: live painting

“Pétales Musicales” Painting from the NL Folk Festival

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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.

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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!

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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!

“Pétales Musicales” (48″ x 48″)

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

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"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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