Art as a way of listening

Sometimes I use art to express myself, especially when I have a clear idea or feeling that I want to move through me. But other times I use art as a way to encounter or see the feelings in the first place. This kind of art is responsive and observant. It is more of a type of listening than speaking.

This kind of art is most valuable to me as a way of being with my self, of healing, of slowing down to the pace of mark making. But it also is a way of planting seeds in my inspiration ecosystem. I can surprise myself when I am creating in an unguarded way.

For example, I noticed this week in looking back at my Note to Self Zine, which is a listening exercise, that two of the phrases I wrote there on the spot have stuck with me and have been making their way into more developed art. For example, the title of this painting, "Exhale: there is more air" is a version of something I wrote off the cuff in one of the zines.

Earlier this month I hosted an open live class for anyone who wanted to do some listening art following the US election. I want to offer the process I led us through here as a practice that might support your creative life too.

If you'd like to do it as we go, you'll need a piece of paper, a pen (ideally something waterproof, like a sharpie) and some colors to make marks with.

To begin, you may need wiggle a little bit, let out a big breath, open and close your hands, open and close your eyes. Say hello to your body. Say hello to right now.

I then like to start by swatching colors, maybe 5 or 15 or 30. I am slow and mindless with this, sometimes cleaning my brush, sometimes letting it make surprising mixes or variations of mud. Then, as a first practice of listening, look back over the marks and notice any quiet inner sense of "yes" or "no." Which ones are you drawn to? Which ones push you away? Take note of that.

Then, draw three large shapes on your paper, leaving plenty of room below (or beside the shapes somewhere). Here's how I set mine up: