January 2020

Resting with, trusting in, and guided by the Universe.

December 8th 2019

One of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Led a painting workshop for a self-love camp for women & integrated my identities as a counseling psych student and visual artist. Focusing on the parallels between the psyche and the natural world, we started with a meditation on archetypes of the forests, stars, and mountains and then created acrylic manifestations of our visions of healing. This experience illuminated one of the many reasons why I am on earth. Thank you, Universe, and thank you Tamara for inviting me to lead this workshop #integration

December 2019.

"Head up" acrylic & sharpie on canvas.

Driving and listening to Tupac's "keep ya head up" one day, and an image of a blue-tinted Black woman looking up at the sun came. Sun represents God/hope

One of my favorite pieces in my Sacred Playground art collection.

December 2019

O'Shea and his baby girl, India, in a piece titled, "A Father's Universe."

August 2021.

i go to the woods when the rest of the world feels heavy

i return to the canvas when the woods remind me

to keep seeking

to bow

to let go

I figured some of you may be curious about the sacred geometry -

I blended an icosahedron with the merkaba. The icosahedron represents flow, movement, and trust in the universe. It's connected to the water element and the sacral chakra, and ya know I love me some sacral chakra work. The Merkaba - Mer=light, Ka=spirit and Ba=Body --> union of spirit with the body, surrounded by light. Also represents a divine vehicle/chariot that allows for interdimensional journeying

December 2019.

16x20. Acrylic on canvas.

Love this piece because of the self-compassion that arises when I look at each half on its own and the piece as a whole. Peace from Buddha, fire from Mara. I hope that those who take the piece in can hold space for both the Mara and Buddha in themselves.

As the story goes...

Buddha sat under a Bodhi tree on the night he reached final enlightenment. Mara, demonic king and god of shadow in Buddhism, attempted to distract Buddha from his spiritual quest. Mara wanted Buddha to become a business man, politician, king, or wealthy with money and women. Knowing this night may be the night the Buddha became Buddha, Mara shot arrows of anger, jealousy, greed, self-doubt, and lust at Buddha. As the arrows flew, Buddha adorned each arrow with compassion and kind attention. As each arrow was met with this compassion, the arrows turned into flowers. By the morning, Buddha was surrounded with an ocean of flowers. Mara had failed.

Every now and then, Mara would come to the Bodhi tree and listen to Buddha's teachings. When Buddha saw Mara, instead of fighting Mara, Buddha would say, "I see you, Mara" and invited Mara to have tea.

How do we approach our demons? With resistance, curiosity, kindness?

"Mara is not very pleasant, but if you know how to help Mara, to transform Mara, Mara will become Buddha. If you don’t know how to take care of the Buddha, Buddha will become Mara. Buddha and Mara are also organic, and they need each other. It is thanks to the difficulties, thanks to the temptations, that the Buddha has overcome his suffering and his ignorance and become a fully enlightened being.