Thursday, March 8, 2012

7 Chakras

Something interesting has happened with the Treescape series I started last week, I have made sense out of it (don't you love when that happens!) by using the Chakra system as a guide. I am not too informed when it comes to meditation, holistic healing, or yoga, and I have been using the internet to learn more. The colors associated with the energy force in each body region have inspired me and I am going to incorporate the violet and orange treescapes from last week with the five remaining chakra colors to create a series of seven paintings. The end result will be "1000 Trees", each painting will be an extension of the next. The Crown Chakra also known as Sahasrara, is usually represented with 1000 petalled lotus; it is the state of mind equivalent to pure consciousness.

7 Chakras, a study



In my sketch above, you can see how I painted a model with notes so that I would remember which colors were associated with specific body regions. Rather than using circular energy forms to represent the chakras, I am painting trees. Lots and lots of trees. I will have time to work on more treescapes this weekend and now that I know what direction I am moving toward, it feels good. Once all seven paintings are hanging side by side, viewing them will feel like a journey.

On a separate note, has anyone else noticed the new format for blogspot? It took me a while to figure out what was going on, and I had to download picasa in order to manage photo storage space. There are also new features I will have to learn, don't you just love technology and it's never ending "improvements"?!


12 comments:

  1. That's very intriguing! I'd love to know more about the chakra and how the colors play into creating emotions in your artwork. Give me a link!

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  2. Hi Katherine, a simplified definition can be found on the Wikipedia link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakra
    You can enter "chakra" on your web browser and find unlimited references!

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  3. Look at that gorgeous header up there! And I do so love trees so you could have painted them forever and I'd be happy. I think the little Chakra drawing is superb and might even look superb framed and centered amongst the trees!

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  4. It was challenging, figuring out how to upload a new header, Sherry. I had used up all my photo space on blogger (don't know how) but was able to clear out old files once I figured out where they were! I am going to try sketching in between large painting projects and who knows, maybe these sketches will be something included when it's time to share the series.

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  5. Robin you continue to expand your landscapes in new directions and I think your Chakra idea is wonderful! Your trees remind me small tree painting I did years ago. I never tried to sell it because I liked it so much.

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  6. Hopefully I can stick to my plan, Eva. I have had several distractions lately and patience is not my best quality.

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  7. It is a great idea to work around the colors of the chakras Robin.. I am a reiki master and I feel that art can actually heal. So you are going to add value to this series from that angle as well.

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  8. Thank you, padmaja. Reiki along with principles of the chakras makes for a better understanding of life. I continue to learn and I also believe art heals. That's a big part of what inspires me to paint.

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  9. I am so glad I came across your blog, Robin. Your work has a very spiritual quality that I find very appealing.

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  10. Hi Claire, glad you found a connection toward what I do. I also visited your blog and website, your landscape paintings are beautiful.

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  11. Hi Robin. I think I've been wandering in a dense forest lately--nothing beautiful to show for it though. I love the way your work evolves with just an occasional stop for direction.

    Chakras. I had mine aligned once in Santa Fe. I will check out Wikipedia.

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  12. I have not been able to paint since last week, hallie, lots going on and it's clouding up my creativity too (plus my older daughter is home on spring break). What I need to do is think about the Chakras and focus on pure consciousness, just trying to make sense out of all I recently read and learned.

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