Alison Lee Cousland

As far back as I can remember I have always wanted to have the personal freedom to explore and follow my own dreams and when it came time to choose a ‘life career’ the only people within my realm that seemed to be living life to the fullest were ‘The Artists.’

I graduated from Prahran CAE, Victoria, Australia with the Diploma of Art and Design: Majoring in painting but equally devoted to drawing, especially in very fine detail using color combined with black and white.

Becoming technical adept at silk painting and immersed in the reciprocal relationship between art and healing, I aimed to visually infuse the healing vibrations of our Australian indigenous bush plants/flowers into my paintings. At the same time I was also making my own flower essences from the indigenous plants surrounding Terrey Hills, on the rural outskirts of Sydney.

After working on silk for 12 years: I moved into mixed-media, photography, digital image-making and multi-media. Still interweaving art with natural healing: Instilling healing into art and creative energy into healing.

With my current project ~ I envisage 11:11 Environmental Sculptures ~ Installed on the key energy lines of the Australian coastline ~ One shoreline at a time. http://budurl.com/11environart11

For me health and healing is ALL encompassing and involves far more than the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe ~ Our total wellness is also dependent on our reactions and responses to people/animals/circumstances, the myriad of impressions we absorb and assimilate on a moment by moment basis and all the dynamics of our relationships with each other and all living creatures, including the earth herself.

Perhaps the biggest influence on my philosophy of art and then health and healing: can be paraphrased in this one sentence. ‘The greatest art is that of making a complete human being out of Oneself.’

And over the past few years the world of social media and blogging has played a significant role in deepening my ‘Self understanding’ which in turn is impacting everything I do ~ Especially in the areas of art and teaching.

For me color and beauty are to the spirit as water and food are to the body: My very well-being is nurtured and revitalized by breathing in my impressions of color and beauty, just as much as the air that I breathe, the water I drink and the food I eat.

I see that unless we are open and receptive within ourselves, we will miss seeing all the nuances of shades and tones of color and the subtlety of exquisite beauty that is all around us (even in the depth of darkness.)

And so my current aim is to hold ’Your Creative Muse’ workshops in unique locations all around Australia and Bali: Workshops designed to open the heart of participants to the magic of COLOR and the zenith of BEAUTY inherent in the natural environment. And by re-connecting to their own ‘Creative Muse’ participants will be able to express their authentic Self through their chosen creative modality.

As the ‘Creative Muse’ adjusts to coming into ‘His/Her Own’ participants in these workshops will naturally become far more sensitive to the regenerative forces of nature: And will come to understand more deeply the need to love and protect our unique planet, wherever they may be.

More about my journey into art can be seen at my blog Your Creative Muse: http://yourcreativemuse.com

Ally ~ Alison Lee Cousland