Painting The Feminine Student Show
Part Two of Three
Welcome Back To The Painting The Feminine Student Show!
Thank you to everyone that joined us HERE for the first part of the Painting The Feminine Student Show. I am so thrilled you are here. Welcome back!
For the last seven years I have been hosting Painting The Feminine every Spring and Fall. Each session I'm always moved by the soulful, talented women that come to join me and I personally leave the experience a better artist myself for the time we spend painting together.
This past Spring I don't know what I would have done with out my painters by my side. Together we navigated the beginning days of COVID-19 with grace, courage, and most of all creativity. That is why it is a great honor for me to showcase the work of my Painting The Feminine Students. These women are brave.
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.
Please CLICK HERE to for part one and CLICK HERE for part three of the Painting The Feminine Student Show.
Enjoy & Be Inspired!
Jac Puntoriero
Painting the Feminine is a little bit of magic in this world; a new pathway of exploring and developing a practice with connection to the heartspace. It is a nourishing creative practice that encourages trusting intuition.
Jacqueline Hunks
Painting the Feminine gave me gas. (I’m approaching 60, what can I say?!)
In all seriousness, this course gave me the fuel I needed to kickstart a more consistent and connected-to-my-heart creative practice. I learned that I could let go of perfectionism, results-oriented programming and self-judgment. Connie gently—and with such care and positivity—instilled in me a child-like wonder and in-the-moment mindset, giving me something I won’t be giving back: me.
Since I was five, I’ve known I am an artist and a maker. My life’s path, however, never embraced this and I prioritized all else, squeezing art in when I could. Through Painting The Feminine, I see I can be free to make different choices, in different ways, and I am doing just that.
Even though I actually began painting a week late in the course, and sometimes didn’t even use the prompts (I did view/attend/listen to everything however), I remained encouraged and was greedily filling my cup. The results show. Am I a better technical painter? Heck, no. Am I less fear-based and negative? Heck, yes! I’m singing from my soul that this was exactly the course, teacher and community that I needed to adjust my lifelong vision of who and what I am.
Thank you, Connie; you truly are a gift to the wandering artists of this time. And a thank-you to all the members, whose voices and energies cheered each of us on, including me, JAC.
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.
Jamie Lepore Wright
Through this was my first time with Painting the Feminine, I learned quickly to get out of my own way and trust the process. I unearthed generations of strength in my lineage, and found clarity and purpose there. I began to (re)discover and refine the grammar which my Artist uses to communicate. I created works of beauty and power. I began to explore what a nourishing and sustainable creative practice looks like for me; its rhythms and modes and the ways I can weave both into my life. I found much-needed solace and healing, and fostered connection with myself and others—courageous women artists across the globe—during a surreal and unsettling time. I found a mentor and guiding light in Connie Solera. Thank you all for everything. This is just the beginning . . . .
Jan Mancey
Painting the Feminine means digging deep and honoring my Artist Soul—my heart space.
Jane Bowman
What surprised me most about my experience in Painting the Feminine, was receiving permission to paint from my heart; to let go of pressure and expectations; to let my Artist Soul come out and onto the paper. That part of the process made me feel free and joyful. Painting the Feminine freed me to run wild. Freedom, I thought; that sounds like my Artist’s dream.
Through the process, I was surprised to see how I have a pattern in my work: layers and circles. I loved how Connie made the process as important as the finished piece I was creating. That felt like a new concept to me and one which I took and ran with. I enjoyed seeing how the process and art came together. Part of Connie’s feedback was that my written process was like poetry. That made me smile inside, as I started writing poetry a few years ago, and to combine my love of art and poetry, brings me so much joy and excitement.
I am grateful I signed up to take Painting the Feminine, as it took me out of my comfort zone. I was thankful to receive feedback on my art process and I definitely felt a freedom through the entire workshop, that spoke to my soul and gave my artist inside permission to just be me.
Jane Horner
About three years ago, I discovered Connie Solera and took part in my first Painting the Feminine course. It opened the door to a wonderful community of passionate, creative women. But more importantly, it opened my heart to the creative process. I had always been able to "paint a pretty picture,” but I never felt deeply connected to the work. I admired artists whose work had depth and meaning, but I didn't know how to get there. Through this unique course and supportive circle of fellow artists, I have finally found a way to express my spirit and emotions through my work. It's not always pretty—in fact sometimes it's a little ugly and raw—but now it truly comes from my heart.
Jenny Loughmiller
This is my second time taking Painting the Feminine from Connie. This time around, I felt like I was able to descend a bit deeper into what the feminine means to me. Right now, it means trusting my intuition—not only when I'm painting but when I'm living my life outside of the studio.
Since the completion of the course, I've made some big, bold decisions that don't make logical sense but feel so clearly, perfectly right that I feel a sense of peace that has been elusive for quite some time. I am grateful for these last four weeks and the time I've had to listen, ponder, feel and act. The Feminine is my birthright, Painting the Feminine is my insight.
Jo Anne Parker
My heart will be forever grateful to Connie and Painting the Feminine . This opportunity has opened my heart to possibilities and experiences that not that long ago I would never dreamed . The class lit a flame in me that I had been waiting for and the timing was extraordinarily magical . I have created much satisfaction in my life with the deep connection to me through the the map gifted to me from Painting the Divine Feminine.
Joan Harris
Participating in Connie Solera’s course, Painting the Feminine, has allowed me to explore my artistic voice in a safe venue, and she has taught me to listen to my artistic intuition.
Joanne Barwise
The process in Painting the Feminine caused me to go deep. Memories of my mother came up when we talked about the feminine. They say that a girl learns to be a woman from her father. I don't agree with that. With three girls in my family, all we saw was misogyny. My mother was our champion. She was my mentor and I learned to be a woman from her. She was a warrior; fierce yet still my soft place to fall and grow. My mother modeled the feminine. My tears are warm with happiness when I think of Mom. When I weep for her, I weep for me.
Julia Bertelsen
Why did it take Painting the Feminine for me to claim time for myself in this busy household?
Somehow the fact that I paid for a course and needed to block off time each night to create and not be disturbed was respected by the whole family (husband and children). I shut the door, put on the headphones and nobody bothered me; that was AMAZING!
I need to remember how important this daily practice is to my wellbeing, personal development and feelings of self-worth.
Thank you Connie, for creating this course, inspiring us and bringing together like-minded individuals to support each other in our work. The fact that a seed/egg shape shows up continually in my work only proves to me that the seed has been planted and needs to be tended. Good luck to all of you in your own personal journeys.
Julie M Lubbers
Painting The Feminine is all about strengthening and developing greater trust in my own inner knowing, and letting that knowing flow from my heart onto the paper. I learned that my intuition, like a muscle, can be strengthened by using it. Painting the Feminine is a beautiful and safe space to practice hearing this inner wisdom and acting on it.
Karen D Dunn
I have lived art all my life and painted most of it, too.
Recently, I had taken time away to hone my other loves, Yoga and teaching others about Yoga. Painting the Feminine helped me open up to my feminine self. I was never great at capturing face emotions until now.
I am so happy I took this course.
Karen Luzny
Having the opportunity to be part of Painting the Feminine was very special, and as we said our goodbyes during our last video conference I found myself welling up. Why? Well, it was wonderful to be part of a community that was supportive, inspiring and freeing.
As Connie would say, “You’re an art school survivor!” And I truly am. It was during the session that Connie shared her journals that I received my big aha! moment. It was liberating to see how Connie designated her journals and after that session, I just let go. I learned to trust my innate artistic meanderings and I’m excited about what I created.
It was through Painting The Feminine that I gained purpose during my Covid-isolation days. Although the course is complete, I will be fierce, continue to create daily and when doing so, I will hear Connie whispering to me to let go and just create what exists within you.
Katherine Kinsley-Momberger
The opportunity to study with Connie and the other artists of Painting the Feminine was an incredible experience—especially during the challenges of the pandemic. This was my first online studio course and I found the structure and the interaction with the other artists very inspiring.
Painting The Feminine stirred a part of my creative practice that I had lost sight of. It enabled me to sort through the inner critics and expectations that cloud my vision while leading me to the intuitive wisdom that resides within me—that resides within each of us. I found myself rediscovering the whimsy and fantastical elements of my visual language. I have a new-found confidence and respect for my work and for my practice as a whole, and for this I am grateful.
Kelly Jean Hollen
Painting the Feminine was such a profound experience for me. It was filled to the brim with emotion and transformation. Learning to connect and create so intimately with feminine energy is like taking a deep dive into the inner depths of your heart. I could not have imagined a more precious gift and honor than to be guided through this journey by Connie’s beautiful spirit, and to be able to connect with others from all around the world while we painted with our hearts and souls in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.
Sharing this time when so much grief, fear and isolation surrounded all of us, was a potent experience that I will never, ever forget. I have grown, deepened, found strength, meaning and connection. I will continue to trust and surrender to this process always, not just in my artwork but also in life. So much gratitude for Connie and her loving guidance through this transformative journey.
Leslie Typrin
Painting the Feminine brought something new out in me. Something from the depths of who I am. When I began my journey I was feeling scared to be visible for who I truly am and when it ended I was feeling so much bigger than I have ever felt. I am allowing myself to create and express with all of my intensity and depth.
Liliana Nieto
I have to thank Painting the Feminine for providing a new meaning of painting to me. The four-week process helped me reconnect with my inner voice. I wasn’t painting before because I wasn’t comfortable with the anguish of choosing a theme, deciding at the start what the result should look like, and so on. Now, I have this space where I can experiment and feel free, because I was provided with an opportunity to explore my inner self through the mantra “If this feels OK, then it is OK.” I now can hear my inner critic and put it to rest, while I enjoy the perfection of the spontaneous, yet wise, voice of my intuition. Thank you, Connie for a well-structured path to gain focus on the pleasure of self-connection in art.
Linda Faber
Any intensive time spent near the heart, mind and guiding hand of Connie Solera leaves you more confident, encouraged and skilled than you were before. Although I've taken several classes with Connie—including a fabulous breakthrough week in Oaxaca—in Painting the Feminine, Connie's teaching helped me peel away the layers of doubt and hesitation that cause me to stumble on this artistic path. Through connections online with other artists, live sessions, study of our intentions on paper and in discussion, I came away with renewed motivation, insight and, yes, a body of work I feel good about! Thank you, Connie for sharing your gifts with us!
Linda Rounds-Nichols
I love art. I love looking at it, surrounding myself with it; I love playing with it and enjoying the process. BUT. But, my elementary school art teacher always said, "No!" Art making had to follow the rules. Art had to be just-so. It had to be a certain way, and mine was never okay.
Painting the Feminine has given me permission! I can play! I don't have to hide! The result of the playing is just that—the result. It doesn't have to follow rules or be just-so. The result of my art making is about me and I can play with other artists who have different styles and training and experience, and who also make art about themselves. It's all okay!
Lisa Lennox
Painting the Feminine was a mystical adventure of the best kind. Connie's content and guidance was deep, inspirational, challenging and supportive. I really didn't have any idea what I was signing up for, and I am thrilled that I did! With this circle of amazing women, I cultivated new freedom and playfulness with my practice, experimented with new materials, went on a personal deep dive, and grew light years in my understanding of my visual language. I look forward to doing Painting The Feminine again!
Lola Clark
Painting the Feminine and Connie’s teachings have opened me up to a greater ability to enjoy the process of painting. Her suggestions for starting a piece and flowing with the tools we have at hand are paramount. Painting The Feminine is an experience that allows for letting go and diving deep into unknown realms of expression. Surely these lessons will forever be infused into my process and serve as metaphor for life as well as growing as an artist.
Louisa Turner
Painting the Feminine gave me a rich opportunity to dive deeply inside and give expression to a long-overdue voice. I loved the guidance, affirmation and encouragement Connie gives so naturally in her way of teaching and bringing women together. I reconnected with a playfulness and freedom in moving paint around with my fingers, creating shapes and blending colors in what felt like gifting myself with time each day to go inward and explore. It felt deeply honoring to do this for myself, to be witnessed in this and to share this experience with so many other amazing women. I feel like a new life tool has been given to me. Thank you, Connie.