The Way of Alchemist
When I first started teaching workshops, my primary focus was on mixed media materials. Despite considering myself a painter first and foremost, I found that the use of handmade gesso, dry materials, collage, encaustic, and cold wax became a way to express what certain pieces might want to convey over time.
In 2000, I began offering workshops titled "The Alchemy of Mixed Media." Quickly, I noticed that alchemy was not just about materials; it’s also about staying true to our vision of what we want to express, beyond what the materials can provide.
What do I mean by the word ALCHEMY?
Alchemy, in its loose definition, denotes change or transformation. It is a form of speculative thought that, among other aims, tries to transform base metals such as lead or copper into silver or gold, discover a cure for disease, and find a way to extend life.
In our 3D reality, alchemy is a way of exploration and discovery into our connection to the cosmos. In an art practice, the combination of materials and how they interact with each other is an alchemical process. When we venture into trial and error, innovation, and originality alchemy becomes a deep internal process.
Guidelines serve as our foundation. For example, we discover that water does not mix with oil, or that it might be a good idea to not mix acrylic paints (which use water) with organic oil paints. The two would not bind well together. Yet, if acrylic is dry on your surface, oil paint can then be used. However, if acrylic paint is placed on top of a dry oil, the plastic acrylic will smother the slow curing of an oil painting and cause it to crack.
Sound confusing?
My experience tells me that I can tell you all these guidelines, but the best way to learn is to ruin some paintings! But who wants to do that? I venture to say the visionary who is willing to take some risks does.
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Creativity is born out of chaos, not an already existing tidy order of things.
So, what does alchemy have to do with the self or the soul? Human beings are complicated.
At our best, we often want life to be tidy and orderly, sometimes wanting authority outside of ourselves to even guide us. At our worst, we become rebellious with no regard for any order at all.
Sound chaotic?
When we start mucking around in our beingness in pursuit of becoming whole through healing practices such as connecting to our originality by embarking on untidy creative acts, we begin to learn of our real likes and dislikes and gravitate towards what has meaning for us.
When we let go enough and let the alchemical process work us, we begin to activate higher states of consciousness, leading us towards authenticity. In my teaching practice, I call this structure and release. Give some techniques to the process of art, and some guidelines to materials, then ask you to not hold too tightly to newfound knowledge and allow yourself to freeform into trial and error.
What I have witnessed taking place as I intuitively guide individuals into finding techniques and materials that assist individual expression is that symbols and their meanings often follow along. This is the grasping of the depth of alchemical knowledge and wisdom. Understanding the symbols and their meanings is crucial to grasping the depth of alchemical knowledge and wisdom.
In the end, I believe that to find our pearl of wisdom that desires outer expression, we have to give up knowledge. It is a delicate balancing act. For our creative acts to not feel forced, at some point, we have to jump off the cliff into the abyss.