Pat B. Allen – författare

Art is a spiritual path—not a religion, but a practice that helps us knit together the ideals and convictions that guide our lives. Creating art can be prayer, ritual, and remembrance of the Divine. And the sharing of this creativity with others in small groups can serve as sanctuary, asylum, ashram, therapy group, think tank, and village square. Pat Allen has developed a reliable guide for walking the path of art through a series of simple practices that combine drawing, painting, and sculpture with journal writing. Designed for readers at any level of artistic experience, the book shows how to:   •  awaken the creative force and connect with the divine source of creativity   •  access inner wisdom and intuition about life issues, including both personal and community concerns   •  find a path to meaning that includes honoring, celebrating, and giving thanks   •  explore the images and symbols of traditions such as Catholicism, Judaism, shamanism, and Goddess worship   •  join in spiritual community with others who are following the path of art   •  discover that artmaking can help us live our ideals and be of service in the worldDetailed examples from the author''s own practice of art, plus the stories and images of several other people, are presented to illustrate how art becomes a spiritual path in action. At the author''s virtual studio, www.patballen.com, readers can post their images and writings, communicate with the author, and subscribe to an electronic newsletter. The site also contains an archive of the images in this book in full color.

Making art—giving form to the images that arise in our mind''s eye, our dreams, and our everyday lives—is a form of spiritual practice through which knowledge of ourselves can ripen into wisdom. This book offers encouragement for everyone to explore art making in this spirit of self-discovery—plus practical instructions on material, methods, and activities such as ways to:   •  Discover a personal myth or story   •  Recognize patterns and themes in one''s life   •  Identify and release painful memories   •  Combine journaling and image making   •  Practice the ancient skill of active imagination   •  Connect with others through sharing one''s art worksInterwoven with this guidance is the intimate story of the author''s own journey as a student, art therapist, teacher, wife, mother, and artist—and, most of all, as a woman who discovered a profound and healing connection with her soul through making art.