How to create your own
Art Heaven

Art heaven is an inspiring way to access and expand the creative energy that is our birthright.

The important elements of an Art Heaven are basic and don’t have to involve a huge outlay of cash:

  • 1) A committed core group who need to make art for their own simple personal joy
  • 2) A stable work space where members can work and store a box of materials

The first Art Heaven began in Sebastopol California in 2001 as a response to 9-11.  There was angst and depression and I felt an urgent need to create a “Gate of Solace” for creative healing to occur.

An Art heaven can take any form and be anywhere.  The most important part is that 2 or more people join regularly to expand the creative juice for themselves and our world.

Artists need encouragement and an inspiring place to rejuvenate their creative spirits.  When you make art, you need friends who you can honestly open up with.  People who notice and comment when you’ve taken a risk or made a break-through.

The basic elements beyond camaraderie and commitment are:

* A meeting place with good light – garage with skylights & portable floods, a spare room, a rented warehouse space or buy an old house.

* Work tables and easels for painting

* No-fuss surfaces that can be splattered and dripped on (think Jackson Pollack floors and walls)

* A minimal kitchen for heating the soup and storing the basics for group lunches

* Still-life paraphernalia

* One dedicated person who creates the vision and puts it out there (flyers, emails, an ad in the paper, whatever it takes to gather the group)

* A simple reliable schedule

* A monthly membership fee to cover expenses

The "Original" Art Heaven in Sebastopol

At first you’ll need the person who says, “I’m going to make an Art Heaven for my own enjoyment and growth.”  You’ll need to divide the expenses for space rental, equipment etc. among the group and charge a monthly fee for membership.  Ideally the access to Art Heaven should be 7 days a week with 1 or 2 chosen days for the committed-together time.  On these 2 days the schedule could look like this: Leader arrives and sets up a still-life or puts out inspiring photos to work from etc.  Members arrive, if possible at an agreed on time.  The day begins with a circle where we check in with each other – just a word of intention or a group stretch or a lighting of candles on an art altar.

Art is a holistic sacred practice for me.  It will all vary according to your needs and the preferences of your group.

Everyone gets their materials and begins making art – following their own inspirations.  We listen to calming inspirational music, taking time out every hour or so to walk about and notice each others work.  Sometimes we invite a guest teacher, but we mainly count on each other for help.  If anyone needs help at any moment, they can simply say, “I need some feedback”, and the group responds.

Around noon the soup-maker puts it on to warm and others bring whatever else they want to the table and we all share a meal together.  We have a wall where we hang our days work and give it some serious viewing time during lunch.  Before returning to our easels, we talk about whatever positive ideas or directions we have for each painter’s work.  Sometimes we paint collaboratively – meaning 5 hands all touching the same canvas – it’s a great way to loosen up and learn from each other.

We have shows together and encourage aliveness on all fronts, enjoying the process and finding the necessary support needed to persist.

 
   
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