TUESDAYS
5pm Pacific/ 7 pm Central/ 8pm Eastern
February 4 - March 25, 2025
8 weeks
$425
“Does not all inspiration come from the multitudinous abyss?” - Ithell Colquhoun
How are magic and mysticism connected to creativity?
How do spiritual ideas and energies inspire artists and creative people?
How have artist-mystics functioned in society through the ages and today?
How is art animated by magic and magical forces?
Is there magic in all art?
Join me for my new course, which draws on my decades of interest in and independent research about magic, mysticism, spirits and the unexplained.
We’re going to head into some juicy topics in this course and learn about many facets of art and magic, and some amazing artists who have been inspired by, touched by and, in some cases, formed by mystical forces.
As mystical ideas and artists who are inspired by them are getting more exposure, more creative people are “coming out” of the mystical closet and showing their best magic through their work. Other artists are using magical symbols, colors, signs, geometry and unexplained forces to create their work. Where does this impulse come from? What forms can this take? What are we connecting into when we sense magic in and around out creative work?
Let’s explore!
The superconscious mind has been considered like an antenna connecting us to the realms of genius, the unexplained, psychic phenomena and unseen energies.
I have long been interested in magic and mysticism…and this comes through in my art very strongly through autonomism, symbolism and unexplained energies that inspire my drawings and connect my work and creative experiences in unexplainable ways. For those who also work in this manner, does this make us mystics? Artist-alchemists? Conjurors? How does an interest in mysticism and magic affect our creative work?
“Art is magic at the moment of creation.” - Robert Shehu-Ansell
How do creative people use magical processes in their artwork, or to create their artwork?
Is it art or is it magic? Or both?
Created objects have been used in magic, ritual and ceremony across cultures and timespans. How do these function? How is magic imbued in objects and how do created objects communicate or emanate magic?
Let’s Discuss…There is so much here.
Art may emerge in a conceptual way, or through and from unknown realms. We may become channels or mediums for spiritual forces and create from this space or use this energy for inspiration. The unknown can be infinitely inspiring. How can we harness the magic of art and the art of magic in our creative practice? How do other creative explorers do this?
We’re going to cover a lot of territory in this 8-week course. Sessions will be recorded so you can watch later. Some of the themes we will cover include: The superconscious, spiritualism, myth, Theosophy, thought forms, divination, mediumship and magical writing, alchemy, occultism, magical objects, symbols and more.
We’ll be exploring the work of artists who have created their art through the lens of mysticism and magic and/ or have identified as spiritualists, mediums, including Hilma Af Klint, Bette Saar, Emma Kunz, Leonora Carrington, Portia Zvavahera, Ithell Colquhoun, Saya Woolfalk and many more.
The course structure will follow previous Conscious Creativity Series courses, in that sessions will include:
Alternate week presentations focused on one or more subjects, including examples of artwork and artists whose work connects to specific themes
A prompt for a creative exploration exercise that course participants will explore on their own during the week. (We call these Creative Practice Exercises (CPE), which are meant to be experimental and process-driven.)
Topic-specific discussions
Alternate week share sessions during which participants can optionally share their creative practice exercises and explorations
Deep dive resource sheets to accompany each presentation
“The real world and the dream world are the same.” - Remedios Varo
To register: Send me an email and I’ll get you payment instructions!
If you would like a payment plan I'm happy to work that out with you. If you are experiencing financial barriers and cannot to afford this course but want to take it, talk to me!
Header image: top from left: Hilma af Klint, Emma Kunz, Remedios Varo; middle from left: Leonora Carrington, Hilma, Zenia Ostojik, Hilma; bottom from left: Georgina Houghton, Lady Frieda Harris, Beyte Saar, Jean Baudoin, Ithell Colquhoun