10 Year Anniversary: The Painting Diary 23 of 30

Painting Diary 23 of 30: Propagation, 2017

So far in this painting journal I’ve only mentioned my work with plant medicines in passing but they deserve a little more attention since they have been such a big part of my journey since 2013. The responsible and focused use of ayahuasca and other plant medicines has influenced my art for sure, but not because I’m painting psychedelic visions but rather because my art is a direct expression of my spirit and my spirit has undergone some deep healing as a result of my use of these plants. I’m operating from a truer place, a lighter place. I have a degree of confidence now that was unimaginable to me before. 

It’s mostly in indirect ways that these plant teachers have helped me. The big lessons have come out in the world, through direct experience and hard work more than from my experiences in the ceremony space. However, I do think directly experiencing the kind of magic that one does with psychedelics can remind you of the magic and complexity and fragility and beauty of everyday life. They can remind you of  your part in this big-ass crazy-screwed-up world. I can’t change the world, not with the best painting I could ever manage to create, but I can inspire one person to go home and start painting. I know from personal experience that tapping into your creative center and learning to have faith in your process is probably the best healing that you have access to. 

I’ve learned much from going deep into my own creative process and have grown tremendously from honoring my process, and trusting in it. While psychedelics are not directly responsible for this, they have certainly helped me better understand the full magnitude of what it means to be alive. As an artist the challenge of translating that kind of inspiration into art is tremendously challenging and exciting and sometimes feels impossible, but what I know is that trying is enough. In trying is the growth and thus the reward. It’s the best we can do. 

This painting came to me while I was in Peru in the first part of 2017. One of the plants I was working with while I was there was Pinon Blanco. Each day I would drink a shot of this green plant, similar to a shot of wheatgrass but better tasting. The plant is said to bring light into the heart. Working with a plant in this way requires the assistance of the shaman who will sing a special blessing song at the beginning and end of the week that you are ingesting the plant. I only had a week with this plant but often people go many months learning from a plant in this way. Anyway, as the Shaman was singing the closing song at the end of my last night, this image came to me. It shows the piñon blanco plant growing around me and penetrating my body, interacting with my main energetic channel up my spine, through my heart and lungs and out my mind. 

The plants are formed from the magic of the earth and their influence passes through me and out my mind and from the inspiration of nature I create whole new worlds, planets are born. I’m an antenna for creative energy and thus creation. The piece is called Propagation. I left Peru with this only in my head and didn’t get a chance to paint it until many months later. 

This painting came to me while I was in Peru in the first part of 2017. One of the plants I was working with while I was there was Pinon Blanco, a plant that is said to bring light into the heart. It's growing around me and penetrating my body, interacting with my main energetic channel up my spine, through my heart and lungs and out my mind. From the inspiration of nature I create whole new worlds, planets are born… I’m an antenna for creative energy and thus creation. The piece is called Propagation. I left Peru with this only in my head and didn’t get a chance to paint it until many months later.

Propagation, Oil on board, 2017