Intuitive Painting and Collaboration

Hi everybody,

Today I would like to share a project with you that is close to my heart. It is a collaboration project in intuitive painting with my sweet mama from whom I inherited my artistic talents and who always supported my artistic endeavours.

My Mama and Me and Chami and Lupa at the North Sea in Belgium in 2013

Intuitive Art and Creating Fairies and Mermaids with Clay

Hi everybody,

This time I would like to tell you something about my more unusual work. As you probably know, intuitive art can be practiced in any medium. About ten years ago I had a period in which I have created a lot with clay. Gosh, time flies. I made little figures of fairies and mermaids and a whole enchanted landscape for them to reside in. Soon my focus switched back to intuitive painting, drawing and mixed media. I created some clay beads for making jewelry later on but after that I completely lost touch with crafting with clay. Sometimes I feel drawn back to it but my frequent moving the last few years hasn't allowed me to assemble my materials back together and set up a space for working with this particular medium. I hope to find the opportunity to get back into it some day. Until then, I thought I would share my creations from the fairy realm. Everything emerged from the same intuitive process as my drawings and paintings.

Fairy Realm, Clay, Wood, Wire, Styrofoam and Embellishments, 54cmx81cmx41cm, Intuitive Art 

Why Not Using Mystical Black in Intuitive Painting?

Hi everybody,

In this blog post I would like to share how my attitude towards the color black, technically a neutral or a non-color, changed throughout my life. Consequently this evolution influenced the use of black in my intuitive and spiritual painting and in my artwork in general. I have studied the question over the years and I concluded that the use of black in art is a rather controversial topic, especially in watercolor painting. Some think that black straight out of the tube or pan does not belong in a watercolor painting at all. Others plead for mixing lively blacks and again some people swear by the use of pure lamp black or payne's grey. Although not as often, the question gets also debated in acrylic and oil painting. 

Cosmic Dream, Acrylic and Ink on Cradled Birchwood, 20cmx20,5cmx2,5cm, Intuitive Painting (solid black)

Intuitive Art Diaries 9: A Semi-Abstract Intuitive Painting

Hi everybody,

In this episode of the series, I would like to let you take a look behind the scenes of the creation of the intuitive painting below.

"Cosmic", Acrylics, Inks, Paint Pens and Gel Pens on Paper, 18cmx34cm, Intuitive Painting

Intuitive Art Diaries: One Artwork at a Time

Hi everybody,

In the series Intuitive Art Diaries I would like to take you behind the scenes of my work, one piece at a time. That could be a drawing, a painting, a mixed media work, a sculpture, an art journal page, a collage, a piece of jewelry or a craft project. I aim to share more about my process, the materials and the colors I chose and my thoughts from start to finish. The idea is to give you a sneak peak behind the scenes of the creative process. I hope to inspire you and, if nothing else, bring you some joy.

"Phoenix Witch", Pencil on Paper Digitally Manipulated for the Purple Color, 20cmx15cm, Intuitive Drawing

Chatting Intuitive Painting with Rika Dehombreux, Artist

Dear Readers,

You probably have heard about my project to connect with fellow artists and share views about intuition in art. If you are interested you can find out more about it by clicking the page Getting Featured. Fellow artist Jacqueline Wild was the first to introduce herself and tell us about intuition in art. You can check it out at Chatting about Intuitive Art with Jacqueline Wild, Artist. 

She responded by interviewing me about my intuitive painting on her blog. I really enjoyed answering her questions which inspired me to dive deeper into what I am all about. I invite you to read Interview with Rika Dehombreux. Thank you so much Jacqueline!

"The Fairy and the Little Dragon", Watercolors on Paper, Intuitive Painting

Intuitive Painting and Collage in Mixed Media Art

Hi everybody,

Have you ever wondered about your relationship with mixed media art? Mine is rather complex and goes a long way back. I have always been intrigued by the combination of different media and the rendering of texture but I had to overcome a few creative blocks before I could freely start exploring this type of art making. I made a mini series of small works (24 cm x 17 cm) combining intuitive painting and collage. Let's dive into the world of mixed media art and let me share a little of my journey with you.

"Dream", Mixed Media on Paper, Intuitive Painting and Collage

Fluorescence and Patterned Paper in Intuitive Art

Hi everybody,

Did you ever wonder if you could get away with using fluorescent paints and handmade patterned papers in your intuitive painting and collage? You suspect these materials are not lightfast but still you cannot resist the luscious colors and pretty prints. I have been struggling with this for a very long time and now I finally feel comfortable using them in my professional artwork. Let me tell you what I figured out.

"Magic" (detail), Mixed Media on Paper, Intuitive Painting and Collage

Sylphs as Light-Beings in Intuitive Art

Hi everybody,

Have you ever heard about sylphs? I did some research on the matter and I found out that they could be considered a particular type of fairy. Their element is air and their being is therefore usually ethereal in appearance. The sylphs I created are light-beings and are like the reflections of the rainbow. They are enlightened, clairvoyant and have insight in the workings of the universe. The rays on their forehead represent a fully developed third eye. I believe sylphs are messengers of love, hope and peace. 

"Sylph of Love", Colored Pencils on Paper, Intuitive Drawing

Intuitive Art Diaries 4: How to Relieve Creative Block

Hi everybody,

It occurs now and again that I feel overwhelmed with the good thing, so much that I get creatively blocked. Then, I even find myself unable to make intuitive art. Last spring for example caused everything to bloom and the light to change. The imagery was absolutely inspiring. I could see potential in the smallest bud and the widest landscape. As always I was also working on an art course because I find it important to keep challenging myself. In the same respect I like to look up other artists whom I admire in order to analyze what they do and how they create. I am also continuously educating myself in creative entrepreneurship. It happened that all of this input inspired me so much that I felt pulled in a billion directions. There were all these techniques that I wanted to try out, all the subject matter that I wanted to explore, all the color combinations that fascinated me, all the surface treatment that looked intriguing, ... all these possibilities. Then it dawned on me: "Is a lifetime long enough to get it all done and if it is, where to start?". Before I knew it I was swimming in ideas, wonderful imagery and unable to create plus feeling rushed. Then I thought about the saying "One cannot have too much of the good thing" and that made perfect sense to me.

"Portal, Be Authentic, Be Free", Watercolors on Paper, Intuitive Painting

Intuitive Mixed Media and Collage Art

Hi everybody,

To me intuitive mixed media or collage art is a great way to explore new materials and techniques. Like usual, I approach a new piece intuitively after taking a moment to clear my mind. Also here I feel that my work is guided by a cosmic source, but in this case the emphasis is much more on the choice and manipulation of the materials than on the drawing or painting of shapes and elements. In a way mixed media and collage feel much more tactile and physically involved than drawing or painting. I love mixed media art and I enjoy creating it.

"Dream, Transformation, Manifestation", Mixed Media on Paper, Intuitive Collage

When Mermaids Appear in Intuitive Drawing and Painting

Hi everybody,

Little Mermaid and Sunny Day is the first intuitive painting I completed at the beginning of 2015. She is reminding us of summer and beautiful weather. I painted her with watercolors on 300g/m2 watercolor paper.

"Little Mermaid and Sunny Day", Watercolors on Paper, Intuitive Painting

Mermaids have always spoken to my imagination. Occasionally they come and visit me in my work. Here they always stand for love, compassion, hope and mysticism. When considering the idea that what appears in my intuitive art is guided by a cosmic source, it is reasonable to assume that they are light-beings.

The Romance of Ruins in Intuitive Painting

Hi everybody,

In the future I would like to share more about my studies and experimental work. At the end of last year I finished up a watercolor course with the London Art College. I have loved it. While working through the assignments I had the chance to explore the medium in new ways and apply it to my intuitive painting.

"Seascape Ruin", Watercolors on Paper, Intuitive Painting

Christmas in Intuitive Art

Hello everybody,

To me Christmas is a magical time full of storytelling and fairy tales. I love the idea of celebrating the return of the light and vowing to participate in spreading peace, joy and compassion.

As you know I am an intuitive artist. This means that in order to create holiday imagery I need to emerge myself in the mood of the season. Consequently I always present work in the holidays from precedent years.

I would like to show you the Christmas imagery I have created so far.

"Christmas Angel", Colored Pencil on Paper, Intuitive Drawing

Intuitive Art and Planning along the Way

Hi everybody,

This time I would like to tell you something more about the creative process I used for the intuitive painting Fairy of Winter.

Perfectionism

In the winter of 2013-2014 we were still living in Germany. In the previous years the cold season had brought us quite some snow, but at that particular moment it stayed away. This gave me an idea for a painting. I would paint a winter fairy bringing snow. Although I had been creating intuitive art for quite some time, I felt the pressure of perfectionism. This is a limiting emotion, especially with intuitive art that encourages you to create freely and take distance from consciously thinking about the rules and how things should be done. Intuitive art is about diving in the intuitive and subconscious realms and let them surprise you with the unexpected. That day I felt confused and not quite in touch with my creative source. I wanted to plan the result carefully and be in control. I doubted my creative process and I was feeling insecure.

"Fairy of Winter", Watercolors on Paper, Intuitive Painting