Its incredibly difficult for me to write about myself and go through the motions of the past, but I believe that, in order for people to be able to connect with someone, learn from them or purchase from them, they need to know a little bit about them. So here it goes:
The beginnings...
How and when did my creative journey start? Well, I believe we are all born with amazing creative gifts that we somehow “camouflage” with “more important things”, down the track of life. Creativity for some of us, like myself as a child at the time, is needed to keep sane, to subconsciously protect one’s mind from going nuts due to incredibly painful feelings of abandonment, loss and guilt,.. through creative expression. It’s nature’s way of healing by allowing one to release their emotions, express and visualise what they are feeling, rather than just going through the painful emotions…
Of course, I didn’t know any of this as a child, I just knew that my father died and the rest of my family was ripped away from me for years after my fathers passing. Although, I was looked after; all my physical needs were looked after, but no one ever looked into my emotional state. It was just how it was back then. Life goes on and you get over things! Hmm?
So, I turned to Mother Nature and this is where my creative healing started. As a young child I knew nothing about meditation, yet I would be, often found sitting still for hours just observing ants on the ground, watching bees work, or following a single butterfly throughout the field of flowers... And at night, before sleep, I would go back there in my mind and pretend to be a busy bee, a beautiful butterfly, a cheeky field mouse running through the grass, or a glorious Eagle flying high. Oh what fun I had!
What does this have to do with “ Creativity”?, you may ask. Everything! This was the foundation of the person I had become and who I am today.
I'm still very connected to nature and I love being outdoors, working in my vegie garden and humbly accepting all their beautiful fruits...or just sitting under a great big tree and soaking in the peaceful energy watching my little friends going about their life…
Turning Point
I have been painting since I was a teen and I started painting professionally in 2003 learning and advancing along the way as a self taught artist. I'd sold and donated close to 500 paintings worldwide, but it all came to a halt in 2006, when I was " struck" by an illness which no one could diagnose, physical symptoms which were too confusing and conflicting with the modern medicine at the time. My teenage children, and my family watched me helplessly for 2 years as I struggled daily to function in so many ways.
Art Therapy and Creative Expression
The reason why I am mentioning the above experience is to acknowledge the incredible power of Art and Creative Expression, as it helped me get some clarity, some insight, calm my racing thoughts and greatly assist with the healing process. Based on this experience I decided to study Transpersonal Art Therapy and help people find some clarity through their own creative expressions. The results are absolutely astonishing.
I love everything about "expression" and challenges that come with it. During the period of working in the aged care industry, I found that the biggest challenge for some people in the industry was communicating with speech or hearing impaired people when " blinking once for yes or twice for no", or nodding of the head…, doesn't explain how one feels. I had found a way to connect with them on another level through art and color, gestures, touch, vibration, sound, music, dance and movement... Just observing their reactions gave me a good indication of the feeling behind it. This is where Art Therapy becomes the Art Of Therapy and my experience with observing nature, insects and animals as a child has taught me to look beyond the “obvious” and shaped me into a deeply intuitive human being.
My Art
My painting style and technique is constantly changing based on my personal growth and development. For the past few years I have been incredibly drawn to the Concept of expressive art, as it’s the easiest way for me to translate my thoughts and feelings without having to “think” about what I am creating and just letting the energy flow out of me onto the substrate. It also helps me read and associate with it as a part of me at that particular time. And there's always a bit of a mystery for the viewer, wondering about what's behind the concept of the piece and I really enjoy hearing different perspectives and learning about the person through their comments.
When I am painting a Conceptual piece, I completely surrender to the unknown and let the frequency and the vibration of the music lead me. It's my mediation, my gift. I sing and dance while painting totally immersed in my creations, often loosing track of time…..
My latest obsession with Fluid Art, particularly Epoxy Resin has driven me to experiment day and night for months and learn about the nature and temperament of this medium. This was necessary in order to be able to use it for my style of art as apposed to just “ pouring “ and “ tilting” .
What inspires me
Family first. I adore every minute I get to spend time with my (now) busy adult kids. My little old dog Bibi, art, raw colors of nature, rough feeling of aged tree trunks under my fingertips, salty smell of the ocean air, fluffy white storm clouds dancing in the summer sky, laughter, deep belly laughter, big bear hugs, singing, dancing, humble people inspire me,.., seeing and helping people to do well, connecting with people and making them smile and laugh, my successes and my failures,….
As a professional I offer:
· Fluid Art private and group workshops for beginners and advanced
· Conceptual, Abstract and Intuitive Art Coaching and workshops (private and group)
· Art Therapy and Counselling sessions (all ages)
· Various styles of art for sale and commission
· Lectures and group sessions about Art Therapy, Leisure and Health activities and Cultural Diversity in aged care.
· (Member of the Australian Association of Holistic and Transpersonal Counselors) .
I am always available for a chat so feel free to contact me for advice on an art selection for your home/office, commissioned work for art to help raise the energy of your environment.
Warm Regards
Suzana Dancks