Posts Tagged ‘visionary’

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This Summer, I began a new feature on the Bohemian Blog, dedicated to Inner Beauty and Fashion. It was originally meant to be a summer time feature, a brief respite and break from our busy lives and a moment to relax and reflect on the beauty in our world, both natural and man made. These articles have proved to be so popular though, that I’ve decided to continue them year round as I meet more beautiful and talented artisans who bring such natural wonders to our world. We continue here with this next article, as we move quickly into the fall season. On this path, I encountered Melissa Harris, the founder of Creatrix. Her work speaks to the Inner Goddess in every woman. Join us here as we enter into a sacred space and discussion. Enjoy… *~Kala~*

Kala: Hi Melissa, Thanks for joining us here on Kala’s Bohemian Blog. We’re featuring a special section on the Bohemian Blog entitled Inner Beauty and Fashion for the Body, Mind and Spirit. Your company, Creatrix features art on Women and Magic, Women and Nature, Women and Dreams, Women and Love, Women and Meditation, Women and Cats and Cycles of the Moon. What was your inspiration to create this metaphysical line of art centered on women?

Melissa: I’ve always been interested in women’s empowerment.  If you looked at my astrological chart, you’d see that I am all about that, and, in fact, women’s issues in general.  I love examining how women are so connected to the earth and how that connection manifests, including how we are so aligned with the cycles of the moon.  At the risk of sounding as if I am anti-men, I believe that in recent times women really are the care-takers of the planet and are helping to bring things back to a balance whereby we all, as a people are more connected to and have a greater respect for this beautiful planet we live on.

Kala: I’ve enjoyed your work for years, purchasing your Creatrix line of products in various stores on notecards and prints. Recently I discovered that you offer Spirit Essence Portraits. Tell us about these portraits….

Melissa: Thanks Kala. I have been psychic all my life and worked as a professional psychic reader in the 80′s until I felt like I was missing my painting too much and didn’t have time for it all.  I put that aside for later and about 4 years ago was missing doing that work.   I wanted to find a way to combine that with my artistic talents and voila- the Spirit Essence Portraits were born. These sessions are an opportunity to receive the gifts of my intuitive abilities as well as owning an original Melissa Harris watercolor painting.

Kala: I recently commissioned a Spirit Essence Portrait from you, as seen here. Describe what is being portrayed in the portrait here and how the process unfolds for you. Do you work with spirit guides, are you being guided as you paint? Does the reading come first and then the artwork or do they flow out at the same time?

Melissa: The sessions work like this: I light a candle, say a prayer and call in my spirit guides as well as the spirit guides around the other person as well as any other friends in Spirit that may want to join us. If the person is present we hold hands (since I work also through touch), do a general attunement and see what unfolds and if we need more info we go in deeper to that particular area. When that part of the session feels complete I put on some music that feels appropriate for that particular person and issues that the are working with and create the painting as they sit right there.

If I am doing a remote portrait I have the person send me a good close up photo along with a list of a few questions that they may want guidance on. I perform the same ritual of lighting a candle and calling in the Guides and then take detailed notes on my answers, which I later record and send the recording along with the painting.

Kala: How important is it do you think to connect Body Mind and Spirit in all activities? Were you always connected with Spirit from childhood or was that something that occurred later in life for you?

Melissa: To answer your first question: I have this conversation often with my life partner. We both feel strongly that it is important to keep all 3 healthy because we experience such quick manifestations of our thoughts coming into reality on the physical plane. It’s really always been that way with me.  I have to be very careful to keep my physical body in good shape because I have manifested some health issues that I have dealt with but that were so obviously a direct consequence of some of my beliefs.  I could go on and on about this subject but to sum it up, YES I feel it is my responsibility to stay connected to where I am emotionally so that I am operating at optimal levels at all times.  I have a lot to do in this lifetime and a passion for doing it.

I have always felt connected to Spirit though when I was a child I experienced that feeling mainly through Nature. I also remember looking into a mirror and realizing that I was a soul separate from that person and that experience always amazed me.  When I was in my late twenties I experienced my channel opening in a profound way and it was right after that that I began offering my insights to others. There is a long version of this story on my website in the bio section if others are interested in learning more.

Kala: Your education and background includes being a Fulbright Scholar who studied in Paris for 2 years on a grant for painting. You have a BFA in painting from Syracuse University in NY, and a MFA in painting from Queens College, in Flushing, NY. You also studied at the University of Virginia, the Brooklyn Museum Art School, and The New York Studio School. You teach private classes combining drawing, painting, and meditation, and have held workshops at the Omega Institute, The New York Open Center, and other centers throughout the US.  In  addition, you’ve shown at nearly two dozen solo exhibitions, and many dozen more group exhibitions, in both the US and France.  How has your time spent in Paris inspired you and what you create as an artist?  Do you find travel and life experience to be the best tools an artist can access or is formal education in art more important?

Melissa: Paris – wow, it was a long time ago but I can go back there mentally in a heartbeat,  it was so intense  Actually, in reality it was not one of the easier periods for me in my life in an emotional sense.  Paris was the longest period of time in my adult life that I had the luxury to focus solely on my artwork and not consider my livelihood or anything else for that matter.  I spent a huge amount of time alone meditating and going to yoga classes taught in French.  It was a time of much inner exploration.  Since I lived in sort of a dorm like situation in a building that was for US students studying in France, I was among the oldest there and didn’t have much in common with the others living there.  It forced me to become comfortable with a solitary lifestyle in a way that I had not experienced before.  Sometimes I found myself depressed due to lack of socialization that fulfilled me.  But it was also very rich in that I was learning how to channel and becoming very attuned to my guides and own inner voice.

For me and many artists that I know travel is very important because most creative people need outside stimulation for their expression.  I definitely am inspired by changing my environs frequently, since a good part of my recent body of work consists of landscapes. This was not always the case since in my early artistic career all of my work was inspired by people around me. Now it’s a combination of nature, relationships and Spirituality in it’s many forms.  So I do need to move around a lot to continue to discover all the beauty to be found in Nature.

Other artists may work abstractly or with portraits or still life and may not need as much change or stimulation. I need a good amount of both. I don’t think that there is a formula for what an artist needs. Only that person knows what they need for inspiration.  Many people come to my classes that are blocked and we work on discovering what might serve as catalysts to get them excited about expressing. I love helping folks make those discoveries.

Kala: As an powerful entrepreneur, you’ve found an outlet to share your talents with the world. How does what you do for a living also express who you are as a person?

Melissa: Good question! What I do for a living really IS who I am as a person on many levels and I am so fortunate to be able to say that.. So much of who I am consists of being both intuitive and creative. If I were working in a different sort of environment these components of myself would not be best utilized, although I am always “tuned in”. When I am not painting, however, I actually get very grouchy- (just ask my partner or my friends). So it is not in my best interests NOT to be working creatively daily.  I worked for many years waitressing, so that I could work at night to make money and use my days for painting. I was annoyed all night long that I had stopped where I was at with my painting that day and ended up manifesting some back problems as a result of both the lifting on the job – but also from the anger I held in my body from having to stop painting and “go to work”.

Kala: The colors and images in your work are both inspiring and empowering and it’s beautiful to see how you connect with the Divine Feminine energy.  How would you describe your personal spiritual path? Do you feel that you are continuing the work as described in the past as of the Goddess or walking a similar path?

Melissa: Incarnating in this lifetime as a woman has been very important for me. I feel that it has been part of my path of service to do as much as I can to empower women and contribute to the awakening and strengthening of the Sacred Feminine. I used to consider myself quite masculine since I can be aggressive about voicing my opinions and getting my work done but a therapist once pointed out to me that I am actually very, very feminine in that I am SO RECEPTIVE, which is really the embodiment of the feminine principle.

Kala: Do you accept custom orders for art beyond the Spirit Essence Portraits? What has been your favorite product or artwork that you have designed thus far?

Melissa: Yes, I accept custom orders for any type of artwork, whether it be a traditional portrait, a pet portrait, a painting of one’s home, etc as long as I have time to fit it into my schedule.  I also accept commissions for book and CD covers.

I have several favorite images and they change as I continue to add to my huge collection of images. My favorite product is my CREATRIX “Anything is Possible” activation card deck since it was a lifelong dream to create a divination card deck.

Kala: You mention your affirmation deck called Anything is Possible. Tell us about your affirmation decks.

Melissa: I have 2 decks out- The Goddess on the Go affirmation card deck and the deck mentioned above.  The Goddess on the Go deck was created by Amy Sophia Marashinsky, who contacted me to do the artwork.  It’s a a small deck of 33 uplifting and stunning paintings of women on the go combined with a heart-centered nourishing phrase. Designed especially for the fast paced life style of today’s women/Goddesses, it is small enough to fit anywhere and light enough to be carried around everywhere. Goddess On the Go is accessible, positive and upbeat, your own private support group that can cheer you through difficult situations, soothe your raw edges and help you back on track when you feel overwhelmed.

The CREATRIX Anything is Possible activation card deck showcases the universal stories of women I have gathered and archived in the thought-provoking art in this deck. These activation cards serve as a guide through 33 universal challenges women experience. Women can turn to this accessible tool for inspiration, contemplation, comfort, direction, exploration, or daily as a reminder that anything is possible. The cards are organized into four suits including invocation, grace, keys and initiation. The accompanying 48-page booklet includes definitions of each card written I wrote with inventive ideas for divination and guidance spreads.

Kala: Who is Melissa Harris? If your friends and family were to describe you in five sentences, what would they say?

Melissa: When I asked my last partner if they had to use one word to describe me what it would be he said “intense”. I recently asked my current partner and he said “perfect”. I like both of these descriptions!  Depending on which women friends you asked they might say “silly, passionate, driven, creative”.  My father often describes me as “sweet” and also “spacey.”  My siblings would comment- “emotional,”  moody, supportive and possibly “controlling” .

Kala: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to connect more with their entrepreneurial side and start their own business?

Melissa: I would advise them to be very honest with themselves in asking if they have what it takes to self motivate each day instead of getting up and going where you have to be at an appointed time. I am very driven and don’t have any problems getting myself into my office or studio daily and going to work with an enthusiastic attitude even if all is not going smoothly.  THIS DOES NOT WORK FOR EVERYONE. Some people get discouraged easily. If you are not a “type A” personality I would advise you trying to get others to publish your work and stick to a more traditional job. Having one’s own business is not for everyone.  It’s a never ending job and some folks (including myself) don’t always know when to call it a day and take a rest.

Kala: Beyond your work here Melissa, what inspires you? How do you Explore Your Spirit?

Melissa: I guess I would say that I am always connecting to my inner self and asking what I need to stretch and grow.  That often comes through things I have always mentioned, people and travel. I had a spiritual awakening early on and did all sorts of reading and studying on many subjects, anything I could get my hands on, and in those days there were no such things as New Age Books or bookstores. I studied astrology, Native American traditions, theosophy, and Pathwork (more on that on my website.) These days I often accompany my partner to Spiritualist Church services and sound healing sessions with a local sound healer that I love.. But always, it is by being surrounded by nature (especially water), as well as those I love, and continuing to paint that makes my spirit sing.

Kala: It was a pleasure speaking with you Melissa. Looking forward to experiencing more of your divinely inspired artwork and best wishes for your continued success.

Melissa: Thanks Kala and all the best to you as well.

Melissa Harris was a former guest on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. Listen to her interview in the archives here: http://www.exploreyourspirit.com/Media/shows3.shtml#CREATIX

More about Melissa Harris…

Melissa Harris holds an MFA and BFA in Painting and was awarded a Fulbright grant to study painting in Paris. CREATRIX is her company featuring her artwork and messages on notecards, prints, and other gift items. Her work can also be found on book, magazine and CD covers as well as calendars. She teaches art-making workshops at spiritual centers throughout the US and at her home studio. Melissa finds her inspiration in nature, travel, personal relationships, and dreams. Series include butterflies, women and magic, women and nature, women and dreams, cycles of the moon, intimacy, and more. Melissa states, “Whatever my subject matter is, I like it to have a certain edge whether compositional or emotional. I like to think that a key word for my work could be “depth”, depth of space and depth of emotion”.  More information at: http://www.melissaharris.com/

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