Featured Arts and Healing Artist

Below is the article, and you can listen to my interview online here.

Art Break Day Co-Founder and Healing Artist: Lisa Rasmussen

May 2013 Lisa Rasmussen is a transformative artist, educator, curator and art advocate who truly believes and embodies the notion that art can change and heal the world. Lisa is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of Art is Moving and the 3rd Annual Art Break Day. Art Break Day is a communty art-reach event that offers thousands of people the means and space to connect with their community via the art-making process. She is also the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Art 4 All People and AY Atelier Art, an international sanctuary for arts and consciousness online and in Malibu, CA.   Additionally, Lisa pioneered an award-winning expressive arts program for emotionally traumatized and abused youth, and developed a professional art gallery for the residents of Lincoln Child Center, a mental health facility in Oakland, CA.  She is also a professional artist, and her paintings are her spiritual practice. To learn more about Lisa and her work, please visit www.artismovingnow.com,www.art4allpeople.com, and www.ayatelierart.com.

I won a Peace Prize for the Hands of Creation!

My work was chosen from 1000's of International Artist's, whose amazing ARTworks had  the breadth of vision and the empowerment of creativity and of PEACE!! for the  Peace Project Exhibition Fundraiser 2011. I  am very honored to be  chosen to be part  of such a new paradigm of creativity and peace. You can acquire a museum quality print of the "Hands of Creation" at The Peace Project and the proceeds will go towards  this amazing project. Funds from the sales of all the artworks will  give much needed support and aid  to the people of the Sierra Leone.



Your piece Hands of Creation won a peace award and was selected as part of the visions of Peace that will travel with The Peace Project Exhibit!   Know that your involvement with this art competition helped thousands of people RISE UP in Sierra Leone.

My Vision of Peace
The Hands of Creation series manifested from my teaching transformative art to vulnerable and emotionally troubled children at a mental health agency in the Bay Area. I was looking for a way to honor the creative powers of my amazing students. Because of privacy issues I was not allowed to photograph their faces. So I decided to take pictures of their creative tools —- their hands. Through the Hands of Creation project, I seek to honor that state of the soul where the artist/child experiences the ultimate liberation, which is the act of creation itself. It is my way of honoring the children’s essence and creativity, and counteracting apathy. My portraits are the revelation of the “other” to many viewers who know little about the struggles these children face. They bring to light the horrific plague of abuse that exists in our society. Through my practice and my teaching, I attempt to heal the wounded soul and to empower these magnificent and marginalized children~ lisa

Join me at one of the openings!

Exhibition Schedule:

Los Angeles

October 22nd
Gallery 9

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Long Beach
November 4th
EXPO Arts Center

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Bay Area
November 9th
Swarm Gallery
Oakland, CA
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New York

Exact date and venue TBA

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Orange County, CA

January 7th
Showcase Gallery
Santa Ana, CA

Image of the Day: It is time to let go...

Letting Go
Mixed Media
4"x 5"

Transformation: Alchemy Series
Pretty much all my Art is about transformation, but this is from a series that I did art around the science of Alchemy, and my own personal transformation. I was courageously confronting/addressing one of my personal demons through art. It was formalized in an amazing class taught by Mary Webster that I took at JFK in Arts and Consciousness during my M.F.A. program. I grew substantial in my own Art and within myself during that quarter. The art that I created is a marker of my experience.
The piece is a mixed media piece with acrylic paint, dead leaves, and the figure I got in Caba San Lucas Mexico,from a vendor on the street, who was selling the amazing and potent art of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). She did sadly say that this art form was dying, because of the youth were traveling to the cities and buying into American Culture. I combined each medium to create a composition that honored my internal demon and my ancestors. As I now know "it" has been passed unconsiously down from generation to generation.

For me during that powerful class I think I manifested my stuff that I wanted to heal via art, but I do not think I ever let go of my personal demon and today it is time to let go. After over four years of intensive Jungian Therapy.....

I am transforming my WV- I, you , me, and you again are so brave and courageous to be in this world. We all have brave hearts. Now it is time to take care of our Mama EARTH and THE amazing beings the exist with in. And so it is...

Here is good resource if you wish research and engage in Alchemy. Alchemy
& The Philosopher's Stone or take the class with Mary Webster at JFK in Berkeley it will change your life and you ART!!

Endings mean Beginnings Right?

Stream of Consciousness...
Today I awoke at 4:00 am. I have been feel down lately. I guess it all the stuff pending. My mind is kind of racing as I will be transitioning to the unknown in Los Angeles in mid October. Endings mean beginnings. Right?

In two weeks my work at LCC will end. I have been their over four years and I created an amazing transformative art program. Many kids were really healed from my combination of art therapy and cultural validation. Through the developement of safe container that I created in my art room and through the public exhibition of their(my kids) amazing art work.

Not sure if anyone will replace me as I gave the admin over two months to find someone. And I posted the job opening on AC chat and I know several people are really interested in taking this position. Time to let go.

Today as I was feeling low-one of the therapist Nancy said their will be a vast black hole in the milieu when you leave. She really complemented my WORK and all that I did for the kids. Need to embraces this. Stop the pity thang...

The image I call "Getting it Right". As I was taking this photo experimentally. Life does not have to be linear- A does not always have to proceed B. I love to break out of the box. That is what creativity is all about.

This might be my lesson. The next step for me is to break out of my self imposed box of limited beliefs and identity. I can become a supremely successful transformative artist and teacher. Better yet I am one!

Tony Robins would say Aay!

Words for the Amazing Artists I Teach!

Today we had are art reception for my ART students. Everyone was really shy about the recognition. Except a few! What does art mean to you? Jose the creator of Hope the picture above was eloquent about his vision of becoming a professional artist.

Congratulations!!

This is a happy art day.

I want you to realize how amazing this is….and how

PRICELESS THIS EXPERIENCE IS! We are acknowledging and recognizing you! your creativity and imagination!

“Imagination is more important than knowledge-“- Einstein

Meaning

· That your art is powerful and moving

· That your imagination and creativity is priceless

· ART IS A LIFE SKILL THAT YOU CAN TAKE WITH YOU WHERE EVER YOU GO

· Your personal story has been told through your art

Connection

· with countless amounts of people who saw your ART in public

· They were very moved by your individual work

· The people that collected/bought your work were so touched that they had brought it to be in their lives

Success

· There is over 75 million children in the USA and

there is no other school in the United States that has a program like this! Where they actually sell you work

· Very few talented artists in this world ever sell their work

· One of the most successful artists/famous Vangogh never sold a painting while he was alive. His latest work sold auction for 82 MILLION

· Your are all super successful

Congratulations!!! On your PRICELESS SUCCESS!!!

Through your ART!

‘Every child is an artist. The problem is to remain an artist once he grows up.’ Pablo Picasso.