Promise
Copyright Janet Hovde 2013
Art is play for me—play with images, textures, colors, energy, healing, and intuition. It is hard for me to speak separately about my art process and my work as a healer because they are inseparable to me. This year I celebrate 15 years in my intuitive energy healing practice. My intention is that my art work is healing for viewers. I picture that my fabric, threads, paper and paints are infused with healing energy. I am also intrigued by the parallels between creating beauty in the studio and creating beauty in life.
I sew and paint in a bedroom-converted-studio, which also serves as an office for my husband and a homework center for my daughter. I use a Brother sewing machine refurbished by the Bobbin Doctor. The machine was “born” the same year as me. Some of my favorite textile art processes are designing and free-motion quilting. One of the best ways for me to finish an art piece is to start a new project, interspersing the finishing tasks with more exciting start-up tasks. My cutting table, near a sunny window, doubles as a gouache painting surface.
In my art-quilt-intuition-healing practice, one of my current clients is a woman with a terminal cancer diagnosis. She starts out on my healing table to receive light hands-on energy balancing. Then we go up to the studio where she learns and applies art quilting techniques. She is energized by this art-making process, and is applying her learning to make items for her children.
For me, my art is deep, holy work . . . and should not be taken too seriously!
Where do you create? Any special tools that feel like your friends?
I love hearing about what art means to you and how it looks when you engage in it. My sewing machine is an ebay special…got a great deal on it and it works wonderfully! I just started sewing again after many years of not touching it. Not sure why. Right now I like to take classes or go to sewing bashes so I can get out of the house, not have a mess and connect with others. Otherwise, my dining room table is my sewing/craft area and it’s easy for this to take it over 🙂 Good thing I live alone!
Michele, My dining room was my studio for a good long time, also. I’m happy my family was not attached to a clear-off table for elaborate sit-down meals. . . . Yes, what is it about the appeal of a sewing machine? One of the things I like about it is the sensation of driving fast . . . breaking the speed limit . . . not getting caught. 🙂
What you do sounds wonderful! My writing and all my creative endeavors are certainly healing to me but I hope bring love, light and healing to many others as well. I do believe my writing and my messages that come from Spirit are infused with healing. Sewing is not something I have did much of, but I do collect quilts. I can see how a quilt would be healing and bring much comfort and love.
Belinda Rose, There are so many ways to create and to bring in light and healing, don’t you think? Thank you for stopping by.
I love that you share your space with others. Currently I have my own space but is shared with the stuff of others. I like the idea of inserting healing into objects. The memories she makes will comfort and warm her family. I love to sew but currently am in a stage of buying material and patterns with plans for the future. Thank you for your share today.
Sheila, Your comment about you love that I share my space with others is intereting to me. At first, I thought I would get to have this beautiful space just for my studio, and I was disappointed that it was not so. But I really do like having family members in there when I am working. I also have a little dog basket in the corner where I hide treats under the toys. Our little dog races me up the stairs to get into the studio as fast as possible.
Janet,
Your words of healing through art ring so true with me. I love how you say don’t take it too seriously. Amazing work you are doing lovely lady.
~kathy
Kathy Anne, It’s a pretty cool life I get to live. You get it. Love what you are doing with your art journal series!
Where I create depends on what I’m doing! I work at the dining room table, in the guest room, or out in the studio at various times. I have three sewing machines! As much as I love the new-fangled Brother that I have, my favorite is a Necchi from the late 60s or early 70s. It’s a real workhouse!
I was touched by your mention of the woman with the terminal cancer diagnosis that you work with. What a blessing it must be for her to experience both of your treatment modalities. And her children will treasure the gifts you are helping her create.
I am a personal development coach; I am hoping to do some meaningful work with the terminally ill someday. You’ve re-inspired me!
Cindy, The multiple layers of work I do with the client I mentioned are so satisfying to me! Healing work and giving time to art are 2 things not always understood by others–to have the full range of my gifts understood and wanted is a real blessing.
What a lovely post Janet. I love your process of working on a new project as you are wrapping up an older one. A great reminder of flow, and that’s so clearly what energy healing is all about, no? And you reflect that flow so beautifully as you work both as an artist and healer.
I have tiny studio in the enclosed back porch of my house that I use for my art. I love that space as it’s filled with treasures and bright sparkly things. And I believe that surroundings that nurture and inspire make just make creating much more joyful.
Deborah, Thank you for pointing out the FLOW in my art process. I didn’t recognize that myself, and it is something I want to allow to spread into other areas of my life. Your tiny studio sounds enticing, just ready to support you in your creative process.
I love that you combine your hands on healing work with hands on art. Creating, getting out of yourself while the muse works her magic, is definitely a healing experience.
I work in a studio separate from the house. I need the freedom to make a mess and not worry about floors and furniture when I paint. And because painting for me is such an intuitive thing I need to be alone when I do it. I may be rocking out to loud music or listening to an inspirational speaker but I’m not actively engaged in conversation.
What a lovely practice you have. Art to me is play, a place to express, unwind, explore, and connect with myself. I create all over the house. There is a place on each floor with a corner or more set up to create in. I often end up in my kitchen though during the winter months since the natural light is so gorgeous.
I love your sweet style. I have just gotten back into sewing recently too. My mood for doing it comes and goes, but I really love creating quilted things with my machine. Another thing that I have gotten into recently is knitting. I am so addicted to knitting! There is something about creating these special things that is so nice. Creating something that someone can wear and think of me and know that I love them.
I can definitely see the healing potential in both creating art and in giving it to the people that I love.
Bless you ro the work that you do.
Janet, you are offering such an incredibly healing gift to your client not only with energy healing but also in your studio creating with her. Bless you both. xo
I love your inspiring post and all that you do with your work to bring healing to our world and your life. You have a beautiful spirit.
I spend more time on the main floor of our home even though my creative room is in the basement. I find it too damp and cool down there for my liking unless it’s summertime and extremely hot in the house. I dream of having a studio maybe one day on our property and a separate building for my husband so he can have a wood shop and maybe even a healing space for him or even for both of us.