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Painting has been instrumental in my healing journey, and i have seen it deeply impact and support others, too. Last time i wrote, i shared an intuitive painting how to video which shows the basic steps of the process i use and teach (find it on youtube.com/LarissaDavisArtist.) Today, i want to share a story of how painting heals.

i began the painting above as a demonstration piece at the Horse heART retreat in June. i was excited to continue painting it in the studio and painted a little each day. After several days i became aware of some discomfort in my body. i was not happy with the background, the sky, the grasses…and i made change after change trying to find what was causing my dis-ease.

In a final act of desperation i virtually eliminated everything i had done in the sky, covering over layers of details, hoping to find a feeling of ease and peace. But to no avail. The dis-ease remained. i was so frustrated that i was considering burning the painting. i have painted over paintings before…but never have i felt moved to set one ablaze!

But before getting the matches and kindling, i asked Jeff for his opinion…should i burn it?

Patiently and lovingly, with his keen artist’s eye, he gently pointed to an area i had not looked at. “What if you moved this line to here, and took this line to here?” He suggested.

So, before stoking the fire, i tried his ideas.

i stood back and looked at the result and…

i felt at ease.

What had jeff suggested?

That i look at the subject rather than everything around it. With a few minor shifts in the contour of the horse, a dramatic change happened and all that was out of balance was resolved. The “trouble” was never with the background at all.

This got me reflecting on life. How often do we focus our precious creative energy and attention on the outer conditions we want to change rather than looking at the center of it all, ourselves? We are the source of and key to it all. By looking outside, we are distracted from seeing what is at the core, and commit ourselves to a painstaking pattern of surface shifts absent deep healing and transformation.

Learn about the Transformational Retreats i offer combining full-body nature experiences and healing art.

The post Life Lessons from the Canvas appeared first on Larissa Davis.

On Sunday, we began our journey eastward back towards Maine. After long days navigating around closed roads and snow storms in Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, we now rest our road-weary bodies at the home of a friend in southwest Missouri. This is how nature greeted us upon our arrival.

This state has been calling me to return, specifically to Columbia, where i spent two pivotal years in my teens.

They were life or death years.

The break in my being, separation from source, was straining to the point of total annihilation. i found it difficult to swallow food, and most nights i lay awake for hours, unable to sleep.

So, what changed?

i found the Chatauqua Center where a college student, Chris, freely shared his trance channelling gifts on tuesday nights. the waiting list was long, and it was several weeks before my name was called. When my turn came, i was seated cross-legged on the floor of the small room. 

It was always dramatic when christ let go. His entire body appeared to deflate and then reanimate. His guide spoke with words that were sometimes hard to understand, as if from an age long ago. He directed me to do something but i was not clear what, exactly. Fortunately, a middle-aged women in the circle interpreted “they are asking you to touch one of chris’s appendages.” i scooted closer to chris and put my hand on his leg. i was immediately given energy which i felt move into my body. Most of the rest of the memory of that evening has faded, but for almost two days my entire being was at peace. i could eat with ease and slept through the night. Though my trials were not over, my time at the center along with the many books that came to me and friends that supported me, slowly reawakened hope and meaning, and, most critically, the desire to live.

This morning’s scribble was made while soaking up the sun on my friend’s deck, in the company of her patient loving canine. The birds are singing prolifically, more birds than i have seen or heard since last summer in Maine. A creek runs along side the house, a field stretches out behind, and the only indication that we are not in nature’s paradise is the hum of car tires on pavement miles away.

The focus of this scribble is clear vision both inner and outer. 

The image i saw brought to mind focus, strength, integrity, and perseverance… but also another message only i would know. During my first semester at Stephen’s College in Columbia, i created a series of figures with paint and transparencies. And the one i remember clearly was in a very similar posture to this one. Sychroniscity.

The return to Columbia which is happening a few days from now, promises a reunion between many aspects of my being. i welcome it in stillness, silence, and awe.

Until next time…so much love,

Larissa

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Much open road has passed beneath us since last i wrote.

We left Sarasota on February 3. 

That night the temperatures dropped. The next morning at Manatee Springs State Park, it was only 48°. We did not see any manatees but, with encouragement from a couple several years my seniors, i put on my suit and submerged my body in the 72° fresh spring waters. It was so pristine that i could see clear to the cavernous opening from where the waters emerged 20+ feet below. Immersing my body in these waters was one of the highlights of my life. i cannot explain it except to say it was deeply healing.

Our destination that day was ambitious… all the way to New Orleans. As we entered the French Quarter, the streets were growing dark and filling with people. i gawked through the car window, feeling self-conscious and drab when compared with the wild costumes and scanty attire of festivale-goers. 

After getting to our hotel and parking our car, we explored. Coming upon an alley of artists with their art, i felt like i was coming home. My eyes feasted upon images as bold, expressive, and colorful as my own art. Inside me, I felt the stir of the desire to create.

The next day we met more artists on the plaza, visited with the mules who pull the tour carriages, and gave money to a street musician’s dog trained to fetch bills from the audience. Napping back at the hotel that evening, the sounds of the parade vibrated into our room… rousing drums shook the tired from my bones and called us out to the street. i put on what was comfy and quick: some 70’s-design bell-bottomed leggings and a clashing, loud, flowery, oversized blouse. On the street, the bands passed one by one, their rhythms vibrating through me. i gyrated and hooted and hollered with wild abandon, feeling such freedom it brought tears to my eyes. It was then i received the gift New Orleans had for me: radical self-acceptance. These are the sounds of the parade. And it is Mardis Gras right now so you can watch a street livecam here.

After New Orleans, we continued west through Texas to Big Bend, then north into New Mexico, west to Sedona, Arizona, and then up through Utah into Idaho from where i write this message to you.

Being on the road without a plan is a new experience for me. Some days we just drive without a clear destination. Those seem to be the days that allow for some of the most amazing experiences… true “happenings” … where serendipity steps in and leads us to situations, people, and experiences where something intangible and profound takes place. These connections are unexpected, and simultaneously feel like exactly what was meant to happen… connections of the heart with other souls on this crazy journey of life. My heart opens and i feel the brilliance of a momentary crack in the matrix through which we escape to experience true, timeless connection. A special shout out to the kind, welcoming souls at Ingo’s Coffee in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico and Michael and the gang at Joe Coffee in Payson, Utah. 

There are so many stories to share, but i will simply leave you with some photos and videos of the vast beauty to which we have been witness.

Seagulls greet the sun over Galveston Bay… watch and hear them here.

On the road to Terlingua, Texas. See the vistas here.

Big Bend National Park, hike into Sainta Elaina Canyon, hear the subtle sounds of the canyon.

We stayed in a camper in Terlingua Ghost Town, Texas…see the sunriseand this panoramic view.

Speaking of happenings…

It occurs to me that the thing i love about the day-long and multi-day retreats i offer is the way they create intentional “happenings.” The retreat experiences are intentional sacred spaces where we circle together and open our hearts to one another. A group of strangers finding commonality, connection, and deep healing. 

With this in my heart, i am looking forward to offering several retreat opportunities this summer. Leah Wentworth and i will again be offering the Find Your Wings Transformational Retreat Day for women, and a follow up multi-day Wings Retreat is in the dreaming stages for the Fall. I am also solidifying dates with Sally Hildreth of Healing Hooves at Eagle Hill Farm for two Horse HeART Retreats, a day-long like we did last August, and a multi-day retreat to deepen into our connection with the horses and our creativity. Stay tuned for more to come on all of these “happenings.”

What about creativity?

Because of our accelerated pace of travel, spending no more than 2-3 nights any one place since we left Florida, my journal and pens are my best creative friends. i have continued using the soul scribble as a starting point for diving into that still place of creativity. This is the scribble from February 17th. The first image shows the scribble after i identified and outlined the elements. The second is the completed image.

i will be offering a select group of scribble drawings as Sovereigns. If they excite you, you can reserve a Sovereign Scribble on this page. Please include “Scribble” in the notes at check out. Sovereign Scribbles will begin shipping at the end of March.

Until next time…so much love,

Larissa

Unsubscribe | Update your profile | c/o 824 Roosevelt Trail #275, Windham, Maine 04061

The post Road Trip 2023: Sarasota to the Southwest appeared first on Larissa Davis.

“what if i just said yes?”

Order Prints

About the Sovereign Collection

“The inspiration for the Collection started with an exciting shift inside me that happened when I was looking through some bills. I suddenly realized that I had the power to create the means to pay these bills and I headed to the studio, telling my husband I was off to paint money! On a deep level, the Larissa Davis Sovereign Collection represents the value I place in myself, in what I create, and a shift in my idea of what “currency” is… and, in fact, that we can name and create our own currency. How much more precious and dear is the art I make, each piece created with a vibration supporting our collective awakening, than the greenback in my wallet?

“The Sovereign Collection is the container for my works for the next several years. Those who know me will not be surprised by the name of this collection as sovereignty is a fire inside me. But ironically, it took me some time to come up with the name. I wanted to marry the inspiration of “painting money” with a name that deeply represents the truth of me. Sovereign, once I caught the name, made perfect sense. A Larissa Davis Sovereign is the currency of me.

“The Hundred Horses were the premiere series of the Larissa Davis Sovereign Collection. Other Sovereign series include Sovereign Notes, From the Archives, and Wings.”

—Larissa Davis

More about Larissa Davis Sovereigns

View the entire Sovereign Collection here.

The post Sovereign 0243 appeared first on Larissa Davis.

Order Prints

About the Sovereign Collection

“The inspiration for the Collection started with an exciting shift inside me that happened when I was looking through some bills. I suddenly realized that I had the power to create the means to pay these bills and I headed to the studio, telling my husband I was off to paint money! On a deep level, the Larissa Davis Sovereign Collection represents the value I place in myself, in what I create, and a shift in my idea of what “currency” is… and, in fact, that we can name and create our own currency. How much more precious and dear is the art I make, each piece created with a vibration supporting our collective awakening, than the greenback in my wallet?

“The Sovereign Collection is the container for my works for the next several years. Those who know me will not be surprised by the name of this collection as sovereignty is a fire inside me. But ironically, it took me some time to come up with the name. I wanted to marry the inspiration of “painting money” with a name that deeply represents the truth of me. Sovereign, once I caught the name, made perfect sense. A Larissa Davis Sovereign is the currency of me.

“The Hundred Horses were the premiere series of the Larissa Davis Sovereign Collection. Other Sovereign series include Sovereign Notes, From the Archives, and Wings.”

—Larissa Davis

More about Larissa Davis Sovereigns

View the entire Sovereign Collection here.

The post Sovereign 0242 appeared first on Larissa Davis.

Order Prints

About the Sovereign Collection

“The inspiration for the Collection started with an exciting shift inside me that happened when I was looking through some bills. I suddenly realized that I had the power to create the means to pay these bills and I headed to the studio, telling my husband I was off to paint money! On a deep level, the Larissa Davis Sovereign Collection represents the value I place in myself, in what I create, and a shift in my idea of what “currency” is… and, in fact, that we can name and create our own currency. How much more precious and dear is the art I make, each piece created with a vibration supporting our collective awakening, than the greenback in my wallet?

“The Sovereign Collection is the container for my works for the next several years. Those who know me will not be surprised by the name of this collection as sovereignty is a fire inside me. But ironically, it took me some time to come up with the name. I wanted to marry the inspiration of “painting money” with a name that deeply represents the truth of me. Sovereign, once I caught the name, made perfect sense. A Larissa Davis Sovereign is the currency of me.

“The Hundred Horses were the premiere series of the Larissa Davis Sovereign Collection. Other Sovereign series include Sovereign Notes, From the Archives, and Wings.”

—Larissa Davis

More about Larissa Davis Sovereigns

View the entire Sovereign Collection here.

The post Sovereign 0241 appeared first on Larissa Davis.

Order Prints

About the Sovereign Collection

“The inspiration for the Collection started with an exciting shift inside me that happened when I was looking through some bills. I suddenly realized that I had the power to create the means to pay these bills and I headed to the studio, telling my husband I was off to paint money! On a deep level, the Larissa Davis Sovereign Collection represents the value I place in myself, in what I create, and a shift in my idea of what “currency” is… and, in fact, that we can name and create our own currency. How much more precious and dear is the art I make, each piece created with a vibration supporting our collective awakening, than the greenback in my wallet?

“The Sovereign Collection is the container for my works for the next several years. Those who know me will not be surprised by the name of this collection as sovereignty is a fire inside me. But ironically, it took me some time to come up with the name. I wanted to marry the inspiration of “painting money” with a name that deeply represents the truth of me. Sovereign, once I caught the name, made perfect sense. A Larissa Davis Sovereign is the currency of me.

“The Hundred Horses were the premiere series of the Larissa Davis Sovereign Collection. Other Sovereign series include Sovereign Notes, From the Archives, and Wings.”

—Larissa Davis

More about Larissa Davis Sovereigns

View the entire Sovereign Collection here.

The post Sovereign 0240 appeared first on Larissa Davis.

Order Prints

About the Sovereign Collection

“The inspiration for the Collection started with an exciting shift inside me that happened when I was looking through some bills. I suddenly realized that I had the power to create the means to pay these bills and I headed to the studio, telling my husband I was off to paint money! On a deep level, the Larissa Davis Sovereign Collection represents the value I place in myself, in what I create, and a shift in my idea of what “currency” is… and, in fact, that we can name and create our own currency. How much more precious and dear is the art I make, each piece created with a vibration supporting our collective awakening, than the greenback in my wallet?

“The Sovereign Collection is the container for my works for the next several years. Those who know me will not be surprised by the name of this collection as sovereignty is a fire inside me. But ironically, it took me some time to come up with the name. I wanted to marry the inspiration of “painting money” with a name that deeply represents the truth of me. Sovereign, once I caught the name, made perfect sense. A Larissa Davis Sovereign is the currency of me.

“The Hundred Horses were the premiere series of the Larissa Davis Sovereign Collection. Other Sovereign series include Sovereign Notes, From the Archives, and Wings.”

—Larissa Davis

More about Larissa Davis Sovereigns

View the entire Sovereign Collection here.

The post Sovereign 0239 appeared first on Larissa Davis.

Order Prints

About the Sovereign Collection

“The inspiration for the Collection started with an exciting shift inside me that happened when I was looking through some bills. I suddenly realized that I had the power to create the means to pay these bills and I headed to the studio, telling my husband I was off to paint money! On a deep level, the Larissa Davis Sovereign Collection represents the value I place in myself, in what I create, and a shift in my idea of what “currency” is… and, in fact, that we can name and create our own currency. How much more precious and dear is the art I make, each piece created with a vibration supporting our collective awakening, than the greenback in my wallet?

“The Sovereign Collection is the container for my works for the next several years. Those who know me will not be surprised by the name of this collection as sovereignty is a fire inside me. But ironically, it took me some time to come up with the name. I wanted to marry the inspiration of “painting money” with a name that deeply represents the truth of me. Sovereign, once I caught the name, made perfect sense. A Larissa Davis Sovereign is the currency of me.

“The Hundred Horses were the premiere series of the Larissa Davis Sovereign Collection. Other Sovereign series include Sovereign Notes, From the Archives, and Wings.”

—Larissa Davis

More about Larissa Davis Sovereigns

View the entire Sovereign Collection here.

The post Sovereign 0238 appeared first on Larissa Davis.