Painting The Feminine Student Show
Part One of Three
Welcome To The Painting The Feminine Student Show!
I absolutely love spending four weeks in a virtual circle of women as we paint, share and deep-dive into our intuitive narratives. It never fails; each Painting-the-Feminine session comes with its own special magic, based on the unique blend of amazing women who show up. But this past Spring was unlike any Painting The Feminine I've hosted in the last seven years. This Painting The Feminine coincided with the outbreak of COVID-19 and brought us closer together as a community of artists.
Because the body of work we create in Painting the Feminine is intimate, vulnerable and an extension of one's Soul, the Student Show is an invitation and never a requirement. The beautiful paintings and statements you see below, demonstrate each artist's personal experience, interpretation and definition of what Painting the Feminine means to them.
CLICK HERE to visit Part Two and CLICK HERE to visit Part Three of the Student Show.
Enjoy & Happy Painting!
Abigail Hain
I love connecting with others in community to make art. I’m a self-taught artist living in Canada. Painting the Feminine 2020 this spring was a source of hope and inspiration, and being with women from all over the world in this soulful way filled my heart and brought me joy.
Abigail Skye
Painting the Feminine is the doorway to my safe heART space, where all is sacred, all is held, all is permitted, all is OK. I have been privileged to take part in Painting The Feminine six times now. Each time has been a continuation on my ever-deepening journey of understanding the nuances which make up me—the mess, the shadow and the light; it’s all there. And as I paint the feminine, all of it comes gushing out onto the paper like the waters of birth. Each time, I am surrounded by the other women artists here—my “doulas.” We hold one other through these birthings in our safe circle, looked after by the beautiful Connie—our “midwife.” X
I am deeply grateful for yet another season to paint with Connie and this fantastic group of soulful and supportive PTF sisters from around the world. Love to all.
Adriana Veloza
It was a sign. In the days leading to quarantine, I saw several promotions for online classes to explore creativity, but only one class made me hit the “enroll” button. I felt it in my gut; I needed this connection, this space, this energy.
This is my first time taking Painting the Feminine, and I hope it will not be the last. I left this class with an opened heart and shifted mindset.
Over the past four weeks, I learned to let go of expectations and to shift the focus of my practice from product to process. I’ve heard of this shift before, but this time it truly sunk in for me.
Prior to Painting The Feminine, I considered my supplies, time and energy so precious, that I would often avoid making art because I feared I would make crap and everything would be wasted. I’ve learned that to truly honor my creative soul, I need to remain open, flexible, kind and curious. Hearing encouragement and feedback from fellow women artists and Femme Queen Connie was invaluable. I appreciated the honest and raw moments during video calls and in our posts. To my knowledge, that level of vulnerability is rarely experienced in other online courses. I am very thankful to have been part of this feminine collective.
While I’m still working on my identity as an “artist,” I am recognizing myself as a “creator;” something I believe is critical to Painting the Feminine.
Aline Amaya
Painting the Feminine has repeatedly helped me express my inner voice and acknowledge the beauty of my creativity. This time around, I've found a way to integrate Painting The Feminine into areas of my life beyond my creativity: We are agents of change manifesting our power of transformation by Feminine wisdom. I am honored to be part of this circle of amazing artists. Let's make the world a better place one painting at the time.
Andrea Maloney
This was my first time taking part in Painting the Feminine.
While this (spring 2020) was my first time experiencing the process of Painting the Feminine, I sense that whether it’s ones first time or it’s been experienced multiple times, it is always memorable.
I have been drawing and painting on and off throughout my life for as long as I can remember. Recently, I have been feeling stuck and I needed a push to help me listen to myself and trust in the process of making art again.
I am trained as an architectural draftsperson and am typically more comfortable with the organization of black and white and straight lines than I am with more intuitive processes. Painting The Feminine has helped give me the confidence to make a mess and see the beauty in not only in black-and-white organized lines but in the color of that mess! Thank you, Connie and everyone for awakening the Messy Colorful ME!
Andrea Small
This was my third time experiencing Painting the Feminine. Each time has been different; all have been deep and important experiences. In the carefully-held circle of creativity, these three pieces took me by surprise.
Anya Helgeson
This is my first time taking Painting the Feminine. Honestly, I was a bit nervous about taking a painting class. I didn’t consider myself to be a visual artist and hadn’t used paint since probably middle school. I am so grateful I was able to participate in this course and to delve into the painting-the-feminine process.
When I signed up, I was going through a difficult period of my life and didn’t really feel in touch with my feminine. Painting gave me grounding and a way to look at my inner-self in a new light. I look forward to continuing to create art on a more regular basis.
Barbara Polc
As an artist, I’ve always worked from a sacred space deep within, but it wasn’t always easy to “let go,” and just feel free, uninhibited and uncensored while creating. Since my experience with Painting the Feminine, I can honestly say I now wholeheartedly throw my entire self into each piece—from my bones to my toes, from my heart space to my hands—and I still leave a sacred space in each piece, where I live and breathe.
Painting The Feminine is a community—not just a course—it is a warm hug, unconditional support and an acceptance unlike anything I’ve felt before. Thank you, Connie, for your honesty and your soul bearing. Until we meet again, peace and light to all.
Becky Fowler
When I am painting the feminine, I am channeling my innate wisdom along with the expansive, collective feminine wisdom—available to all of us—through my paintbrush and onto the page. I enter a zone of present-moment connection and feel the rush of “next right action” flowing through me. I don't need to think; this is a no-thinking zone. I am a conduit. I am waiting to see what is revealed. I trust in the process and know that what needs to come will come.
Billie Miles
Through my experience in Painting the Feminine, I learned there is a room inside me that I want to explore. I don't have words or fully formed thoughts for what's in there—and I've only started to feel my way around it. It feels like I belong in this room; maybe I'm finally home?!
Camille Bohen
Painting the Feminine.
Joy. Sharing. Empowering. Love. Whaouuuu!
Thank you.
Cathy Murrant
This was my first time exploring Painting the Feminine with Connie, and it was a very powerful experience. What I discovered—and what will stay with me—is the deep connection between my emotions and what turns up on the page. It's not about making a pretty picture; it’s about allowing myself to trust my intuition and follow the nudges. When I review the body of work I created throughout the course, I am connected to each piece, not because of how it looks, but because of the journey each piece took me through. Thank you, Connie for being such a wonderful guide.
Cheryl Reynolds
Connie’s kind approach to helping me unfold and reveal my intuitive side is exactly what I needed. I am excited to paint and create much more often now because I’ve learned my inner critic can be helpful and resourceful.
One of the biggest aha! moments came after I completed the Genre, Style and Visual Language exercises: After boiling down each element, I could see my work in a different light and in a new way that made sense to me. It was a fascinating experience that led to a deeper understanding of myself.
I will keep the memory of this time close to my heart, and I am so grateful for this experience.
Thank you from the depths of it.
Colleen R. Russell
Painting the Feminine was my first class with Connie Solera. I enjoyed the process and felt like I walked away with perspectives on both my internal and external worlds that have shifted my paintings. My “so-called fans" have begun to notice the shifts as well.
I felt like I received value from every communication I received from Connie. I've been a mixed-media artist for about seven years and needed a boost to take my art to the next level.
What I resonated with most though, was Connie's commitment to encourage each person to express her own voice and to follow the path of the feminine. I think it takes a lot of courage to follow the voice of the soul; what I saw was that Connie follows it.
Cynthia Broschat
Thank you for this creative opportunity and for the incentive to keep exploring and excavating the visual language of my artist soul. Having "permission" to create—just for the sake of creating—set my juices flowing and helped me to continue to mature my relationship with my inner critic. Your class, Connie, was a huge gift to me, especially at this difficult time—the early days of the Covid-19 isolation. I so appreciate your enthusiasm, professionalism, authentic spirit, clarity and generous heart. Thank you, too, to all of the participants for your role as inspired examples. Hugs to all.
Cynthia Hanna
My journey through Painting the Feminine has helped me reawaken my creative spirit and look toward the light, allowing me to meet the wild-woman adventurer that lurks within me. I feel a deeper connection to my art and my soul.
Dawn Zichko
What I don't want to forget about Painting the Feminine is how the process nourishes and informs me. I don't want to forget to hone in on my divine curiosity and seeing where it will lead me.
Deborah J Milton, PhD
Ahhh . . . . Connie, what a splendid journey! Almost ten years ago, your tutelage broke me free from the constraints of my devotion to watercolor. After BIG & DEEP, I painted the feminine with you in your second season of this series. Though I stuck to the journal format that time around, this time I painted ONE image and I am SO happy I did.
This season of Painting the Feminine broke me out of my Painting-the-Many-Faces-of-Gaia box. I knew I was ready for that—having a while ago met my goal of painting 100 faces—but I had no idea what my next passionate painting purpose would be. Thank you, for offering guideposts and a path.
The very first audio catapulted me to a larger format, despite having prepared four small boards ahead of time—one for each week. Best-laid plans out the window! (Aren’t we women famous for changing our minds?)
Almost every audio inspired the next layer of imagery and sometimes I even was “ahead” of you. I had no idea what each day’s audio would bring, but at least twice there was great synchronicity with what was already showing up on the canvas: Breaking away from patriarchy/women’s anger and honoring the mother, in the greatest grandest sense of that word. I offer three stages of the painting: first day, last day of second week, today (May 4). The painting unfinished.
Gratitude for your empathy, energy, wisdom and ability to care for us all.
Denise Waldick
This was my first time experiencing Painting the Feminine. I have taken other classes where I've tried to learn how to paint from my heart—both online and in person—but this was the first time that I was actually able to get outside of my head ("the penthouse") and paint intuitively. It was an amazing experience for me, and especially during this time of self-isolation.
Painting in this way, helped me to relax, to get excited, to release heavy emotions, and to simply be myself. There were no worries about what others were thinking or about what others were producing. For this class, I was able to focus on myself and that felt great.
I'd like to thank Connie and the amazing women who participated in this session of Painting the Feminine. You all made it a safe, comfortable and encouraging place.
Diane Martin, PhD
Painting the Feminine has been fantastic and fun!
Painting The Feminine provided an opportunity and a welcoming space for me to let loose, painting into free and uninhibited expression. Most of my painting in this course was immediate, tactile and spontaneous. Downright fun! The openness, warmth and positive encouragement from Connie and this amazing group of insightful women, created a synergy of “go for it” in expressive painting by moving from the “thinking” (brain) mode to the “feeling” (heart) approach. This was refreshing and liberating.
Connie is a great teacher and guide for exploring the possibilities of expressive art!
Dru Nordmark
This was my third time participating in Painting the Feminine. I am so thankful and filled with gratitude for being involved with and embraced by this incredible community.
I can say with complete confidence I am in a much different place emotionally and artistically than I was the first time I dove into Painting The Feminine. Each time, though I’ve been drawn by the same undeniable cosmic force to jump in head-first!
If it wasn't for Painting The Feminine, I would have never attempted to use paints as freely as I do now—whether that be alone or with other mediums. My creative intention to having a daily practice of “arting” out my thoughts and emotions might have taken a great deal longer also had it not been for Painting the Feminine.
A big thanks to Connie for creating this safe, supportive community of inspiring women!
Flo Schell
When I first saw the name of this course, I thought it meant I would be painting the feminine form. However, the course was much richer in content than I could have imagined. Connie’s unique ability to speak her truth and to share it with us in the most personal way, set the tone. Her truly moving audios had me feeling deeply and moving to my canvas to express my own truth—directly from my heart space and with more freedom than I have felt in a long time. There was no pressure for my work to be beautiful; just freedom of expression. I poured a lot of feelings into these uncensored works and saw lots of insights emerge that spoke volumes to me.
I am truly grateful for Connie and the work she is doing to empower women everywhere. And I am really grateful that she guided me to paint boldly—and sometimes meekly—but always authentically.
Heather Freeman
In Painting the Feminine I fell in more deeply in love.
Hilda DiBiase
I'm so grateful for Connie's work, her generous guidance and for experiencing Painting the Feminine. This was my first season with Painting The Feminine, and it has been a deeply nourishing and beautiful respite from all the anxiety and fear in our strange new world. Painting The Feminine has been like retreating into a quiet cove if only for just a few moments and emerging refreshed again.
I was quiet throughout the course, but still felt accepted and surrounded by the soft feminine energy that reassured me I wasn't alone. I'm learning how resilience grows if I continue to show up with compassion and patience towards my creative practice and myself in general.
Also, I’ve learned the importance of taking a break to integrate what I’m experiencing. It's been liberating, allowing my intuition to lead the way through so many emotions both light and dark. This process has opened my eyes to so many forgotten places within me. Painting the Feminine has been, and continues to be, an illuminating journey of the soul-self in all its myriad forms.