FEATURED ARTIST: Gaia Orion
Gaia Orion is a visionary artist who has gained international recognition by participating in many worldwide projects that are working toward constructive world change. She has exhibited in Paris, Moscow, New York, San Francisco and Toronto as well as in Mexico, Spain, Germany, Hungary and Bali.
If you want to learn about different cultures, what comes into mind is art. What was painted on the ceramics? What was drawn in the sand and on the rocks? Artists were actually the soul of each generation and group of people. Once I made that connection to the whole story of humanity, it really changed the way I view myself as an artist. I realize the artists today are telling the story of our changing times.
I see how the images I create of my own story actually become a greater story - become your story and another person's story, and onward with different reflections. Suddenly my art expands in meaning. I also notice the transformation when people view the art or bring the art into their life.
I am just one person transforming myself but the paintings I’ll be creating will touch many people. The art is transmitting something and through it we see the movement of humanity, of humanity evolving. It's like my meditation teacher who said, 40 years ago, he was just meditating in the forest and thought this is going to be the extent of what I'm doing in life. All these years later he is a pretty famous meditation teacher in California who has affected thousands of people.
My art is way ahead of me. I think something totally unconscious arises and then it teaches me for years - it has so many lessons in it. But what happens when that goes out to the world? I feel like the paintings are ahead of all of us. I'm not talking about just my art but my artist family you're gathering on your platform (tellyourstory.com). I'm really excited to meet them and get to know more of those artists.
Still, I had to grow into my power. I was raised as the good, conservative, Catholic little girl. Even though there are a lot of good things in my upbringing, I also received a lot of subconscious ideas that women - we're not good enough; women - we're less than males. I had to rewrite the story of what it is to be a woman in this world – and make peace with my personal power.
I can remember sitting on the couch one day a long time ago, with my husband. I was actually preparing a speech. He made a good suggestion. I said, “Oh, you could say that because you're super intelligent, I just could not say that.” He caught me and said, “Are you kidding? Do you hear what you just said? Like you're not intelligent!”
I couldn’t believe what I just said. My paintings are full of: Women power! Yay Women! Go Women! you can do it! Then out of somewhere I am putting myself down.
Catching ourselves, creating self-limitations, I think that's where the most difficult work is.
Art is awesome because you're doing it by yourself in your studio and all along you're learning about yourself. Then, when you show your art and interact with people out in the world you get a reflection that tests that self-awareness. For instance, I feel the progress when I can accept a compliment gracefully and not point out my flaws out of insecurity or low self-esteem. Noticing those moments is an opportunity to grow. Now when I ask someone what they think of the art and they start opening up to me, the connection happens. Actually, that is the most beautiful aspect of my career: the deep connection when I open up and the viewer does as well. That's the biggest gift of being an artist. This is my spiritual journey. This is my spiritual path. This is my biggest teacher.
I'm part of the movement of “visionary art” which often is associated with altered states of consciousness achieved via LSD, mushrooms, Ayahuasca. A lot of people see my art and assume I'm taking these things but I don't at all. I'm not an advocate for it. I think there are more durable, sustainable ways to access those states, and to also make them more stable, like in a daily meditation practice without depending on a substance to get there. So for me, I relate my art as visionary more in the spirit of the I Have a Dream speech of Martin Luther Jr. My vision is for a society that will embrace all cultures, races, religions, supporting each and all to flourish.
Also, in my heart, there is a really, really strong relationship with nature. I live in the forest! I moved 23 years ago, from being a busy student in Paris to living in the middle of nowhere in Canada and it was a really big shift and almost like a rebirthing. I never imagined that I'd be this happy and content among trees, living like a hermit, being an artist. But this is a life I have now, so I think Mother Nature is really supportive of my unfolding.
And I am always conscious of the relationship between connecting with nature and reconnecting with my own true nature. If you go with a Buddhist teaching, they talk of enlightenment. There is nowhere to go – it’s simply the realization in the end YOU are right here. All you have to do is SEE that all life is so beautiful. We are all connected!
Gaia Orion is an artist, a creativity coach and a business coach. She is a mentor for anyone willing to ignite their creativity or their art career With GO Creative! Corporate Coaching she brings art-based learning to organizations to grow, flourish and excel. As an advocate for personal and societal change she is also a motivational speaker inspiring others to live a fulfilling, healthy life where their own unique talents can flourish.
