the transformative power of shamanic art

Reprinted from AY Atelier Art: Transformative Gallery Online, and again featured on artist Lauren Raine's blog, Threads of the Spider Woman, this article defines who is a shamanic artist. Also addressed are the social, psychological, physiological, and spiritual benefits of experiencing art, as the creating artist, as a member of the art audience, or as an art collector. Finally, Dr. Benyshek shares a few sources of inspiration.

Ceylan Hulya M.A. and Lisa Rasmussen M.F.A, directors of AY Atelier Art  and Art 4 All People were delighted and intrigued  to interview the artist/psychologist/researcher Dr. Benyshek, about shamanistic art and process. We thank Denita for her amazing art, wisdom, and insights. All of us at AY Atelier are excited to release Denita’s portfolio, as an example of transformative art.

We inquired:

• As an artist, what is the significance of doing transformative art at this time, during this century?
• What inspires your own art?
• What does art mean to you?
• If the artist can be a shaman, what is the collector or viewer?

Dr. Benyshek provided an integrated and inspired response to our questions. As her answers grew and developed, she created the following article (addressing who is a shamanic artist, the benefits of experiencing art as the creating artist, as a member of the art audience, or as an art  collector .

Sounds like the Muse was at work! Enjoy the interview and article. As always we encourage you to add to the conversation, please make comments below.

                                            The Transformative Power of Shamanic Art

                                                           © 2013, Denita Benyshek

Several years ago, I participated in a shamanic drum ceremony given by the anthropologist, Dr. Ruth-Inge Heinze. Her powerful, sustained drumming gave me a vivid, astounding, and meaningful series of visions. The progression of the visions and the symbolic content of the visions were similar to what I experienced during artistic creativity. As I learned more about the calling, training, initiation, and practices of shamans, I recognized more and more similarities to my own artistic way of being. In shamanism, I found a model of how and why I make art.

Although I am formally trained as an artist (with both a BFA and an MFA in painting), I was so fascinated by the multiple relationships between artists and shamans, including the intent to heal, that I pursued a graduate certificate in the psychology of creativity, a masters degree in marriage and family therapy, and then a doctoral degree in humanistic and transpersonal psychology.

What is a Shamanic Artist?

My research (Benyshek, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c, 2013d) demonstrated how contemporary artists serve as shamans. Shamanic artists are socially designated spiritual practitioners who voluntarily regulate their attention for the purpose of obtaining information generally unavailable to their community, which is used for the benefit of communities and individual members of those communities.  All of these properties must be fulfilled for an artist to fully qualify as a shaman.

Continue reading the article at AY Atelier Art: Transformative Gallery Online or Threads of the Spider Woman.