The Self Discovery Wisdom School

An exciting new adventure in professional growth has arrived for me, Kerry Lee. So many of my friends and family stay in touch with life updates here on FB and today I'd like to share.

So many of my peers are retiring and I feel like I am really getting "legs" with my journey in entrepreneurship and self-employment. And I am grateful to be a silver-haired late bloomer as I was able to rediscover the passions I had as a child and figure out how to make my way in the world through that.

After what I considered a 35 year case of "creative constipation" I can hardly believe it will be ten years in January that I have focused on expanding my own creativity along with everyone I work with. It's been a very unusual career path. I am an artist who does my best make a difference in the world through creativity. This has taken me so many places in world - corporate team building where introspection creates innovation, coaching for my The Self Discovery Wisdom School program, business mentoring, interactive community building murals in California and New Zealand, professional development for school teachers and administrators, a producing artist with a brick and mortar art gallery The Little Art Shop and an online gallery and gift shop (link in the comments), and in the beginning a few years of paint & sip events with my own Intentional Creativity twist and a couple of part-time jobs to help me along the way. I am so grateful to each and every person who helped me along the way, it has truly taken a village to launch this artist healer.

In February I gained a well known new client, Stanford Health Care, the teaching hospital for Stanford University. I was hired as a bedside art facilitator with the newly re-branded Creative Arts & Healing department. It is the most amazing work. I go on rounds and get to sit next to patients from all walks of life, from the unhoused to lawyers, professors and doctors. When it comes to health and being in a hospital gown in a hospital bed and needing healing, all humans are equal. I love this about this work. I never know who I will get to meet and what their story is, if they want to share. Through guided visualizations and very approachable art projects I help take the patients and sometimes their family and visitors from anxiety to calm, from pain to relief, from bored to inspired and from lonely to feeling connected. It is the most beautiful work I have ever done. I am collecting incredible experiences and stories and hope to share them one day, when I can figure out how not to violate HIPAA laws with my sharing.

I recently created a stress relieving, self-directed team building creative experience for the 200 staff members of their call center. The parameters were tight, 15 minutes to explain it and open up creativity so each staff members can enjoy creating with purpose on breaks between calls. However after ten years of creating soooo many kinds of offerings in my portfolio I had this one in my back pocket and only had to make a few adjustments to have it fit the staff and the situation. So fun!

This past spring I created a pilot program for the patients. A collaborative artwork, a hanging paper quilt of sorts that was created from their beds, even though the patients never met. The theme was Compassion in Bloom and it was a part of the industry's patient experience week.

In January 2015 I had my first ever solo art show (give me a shout out if you were there!), The Many Muses of Kerry Lee. It was about my own healing journey from creative constipation and big loss, a coming out party claiming my artist self. And it was surprising well received. In what I now know is my sweet spot, it also had an interactive, experiential and collaborative component. After the show I had a dream of creating a creative, interactive and experiential healing space in a hospital. And by what feels like magic, without prompting, I was asked to do that as part of what we hope will be an annual mindfulness and creativity week! This one is temporary, the week before Thanksgiving and primarily for the staff, however if you want to come let me know and I will give details!

And my news, after a chance encounter and conversation, I was invited by the hospital's Director of Professional Development to participate in their four month Caritas Humanistic Care certificate program. "Through an intentional caring teaching-learning environment, the Caritas Humanistic Care Certificate Program celebrates the diverse lived experiences of participants as they interact with colleagues, patients, families, and communities. Empowering YOU to transform practice and life with deeper meaning, purpose, dignity, and wholeness through the lenses of caring consciousness and ways of knowing-being-doing-becoming."

I don't really have a goal on why I am going to devote the next four months to this program, except that it brings me deeper in to my purpose.

Bottom line, I want to encourage you, yes you, no matter how old or young you are, if you have been holding back on a dream that is deep inside you, please don't hold back, one consistent baby step at a time and that magic carpet will unroll. Time will pass anyhow, so why not be on your own dream come true ride, right?

Oh, and if you want to be on my very occasional email newsletter list, I will put a link to sign up in the comments too. Now please go forth, live your life and make a beautiful imprint on the world around you.

Want to come to my free online session to discover your three guiding words for 2024 based on your current values and desires? Great for decision making. Details and link in comments.

A little thing. A big thing. No judgment on your thing that you are proud of. However I would love to know!

My calendars are here! Choice of a wall calendar ($18) or a desk version ($15).

And you can still order in time for Christmas giving (by Dec. 19). However best to order asap to ensure plenty of shipping time.

This calendar is an eclectic inspired collection of abstracts, whimsical imagery, doodles and a community collaboration, all created with meaning and intention.

Soon you will find the stories about these artworks on originals and prints on canvas products in this shop. And each month's artwork will have special featured products - send me your requests! What would you like to see these images printed on?

Search for additional products with your favorite artworks by using the artwork title.

Link for more photos and details in the comments.

I (Kerry Lee) have a creative way to connect and honor your loved one while transforming grief in to love - and art.

We work together as you share stories of your loved one. Those words and your handwriting become the foundation of a painting make just for you, and help you move grief.

I then add symbolic images and marks based on your stories and create a colorful, meaningful, abstract painting. A one-of-a-kind visual tribute to allow you to connect to the essence of your loved one.

Sound interesting? Let's chat for a few minutes about the options and possibilities. No charge for the first consultation using the Checkin link. https://checkin.coach/kerry-lee

Every single woman has a badassery story, whether born female or who identifies as woman. A time she had to stretch past the comfort zone, be resilient, get past a difficult moment or phase, was braver or bolder than she knew she could be. And the definition of badassery is completely individual, just like all of us, our stretch zones are different. Today on International Women’s Day I want to acknowledge this built-in trait no matter what size, shape or form it come in.

I recently was given an assignment to write down ten badassery moments or traits in my life. I’ve come to realize that one of them, a trait that I can easily share with others is that I am a Creative Catalyst in Community. I loved the moment this title was bestowed on me. And I love living up to the title.

Every week I host an online open studio creativity session. It’s for those who are ready to take their creative projects to the next level or break through a current block. This can look like whatever it looks like for each participant. As a Creative Catalyst in Community I have the natural born ability to create the container, to hold the space, to facilitate and to ask the introspective questions to fuel inspiration and creativity each week. And we have fun. And often live music.

Open studio sessions are a gift to the members of my Patreon community. Patreon powers a membership business for creators as a way to maintain creative freedom while also creating a salary and offering rewards to their members. Each person in my community is invited bring their own creative endeavor to work on in community. The definition of creativity is vast and has included practicing a musical instrument, creating visual artworks, writing poetry, experimenting, doing research and simply being in the moment and seeing what comes up. Membership starts at $4 per month – to support my creative work in the world and for access to weekly two hour sessions and likely your own badassery.

I’d love to know your version of badassery, one of your badass traits or moments…please share.

More information at https://linktr.ee/thealchemicalartist

"I'M NOT CREATIVE"... ... I hear this so often when talking with people I am "an artist who makes a difference". And I want to call bulls**t on that. Every single of one of us IS creative. The question is what flavor is your creativity?

One of my favorite definitions comes from the Encyclopedia Britannica: “the ability to make or otherwise bring into existence something new, whether a new solution to a problem, a new method or device, or a new artistic object or form.”

The question really is are you willing to let yourself be creative? To be vulnerable in exploration, to make "mistakes" (which so often can be innovation), to risk with a lower case r and to give it a try?

Creative living's first step is courage along the path of the brave. It's a journey where the battle is with insecurities and phobias. And they are bound to come our way for each of us. While the right fear can keep us alive, the wrong kinds of fear disables our creativity.

I have found myself in this fear often. Often enough I found a name for it that everyone seems to understand - "Creative Constipation". I let so many other things rise to the top of the do list and get in the way of giving myself creative time to step on this path.

So in May of 2021 I decided to start an online open studios, where anyone can come and work on whatever their version of a creative project they want to work on. The thing that might feel a little intimating, unknown and yet wants exploration, and play. I figured if I had to show up for others I would show up for myself. And it has worked. Scheduled time to allow myself to be creative, in whatever the version is for that day. And bonus, we have wonderful themed conversation, time to focus, even live music and FUN!

Seems that this weekly ongoing open studios time is the perfect antidote for creative constipation. Good medicine always!

I painted this mermaid after a beautiful, peaceful long holiday in New Zealand. I had won a "President's Club" trip as a top producer in a job and an industry that didn't fit my strengths and talents and was very draining. My time in New Zealand had been nourishing for my heart, my soul, my creative spirit, my sense of adventure, my relationships and endless curiosity about the world around me.

As I was headed home to California I felt the contrast of the feeling of freedom and the success of leading healing Intentional Creativity workshops while there. I was doing what I was born to do - art that makes a difference. Both to create art and to guides others, who often believe they can't, to create their own meaningful artworks.

I knew it was time for me to say no to what no longer nourished me, and to say yes to what does, specifically in my career and the gifts I have to share with the world. Currently it's helping the bereaved honor a loved one while processing grief, thought creativity.

This painting is called Mermaid Muse Fiery Moon Water. She represents the learnings about myself that I discovered while in New Zealand and what felt like traveling back into the flames of what no longer did.

* What do you need to say no to right now?
* What do you want to say yes to?

And how do you find your way to what and who you want to devote yourself to?
How can you sustain that devotion?

Permission Granted. To say yes to you.

Permission Granted. To contemplate, discover your truth.

My favorite ways of allowing myself to get in to this deep place of contemplation are painting, drawing and swimming as I am half mermaid - ha! Journaling, walking, meditation and being in nature work for many.

I'd love to hear your thoughts

Kerry Lee, the founder of The Self Discovery Wisdom School now has her intention visioning fine art prints for sale!

Each painting begins with a specific intention for herself or others. The energy of the intention is infused into the painting process with written intentions on the canvas and layers of paint to release the intention to the universe. She paints intuitively until an image begins to appear. Added symbolism, meaningful marks and words complete the paintings.

She has found that after completing a painting, the intention appears in her life in some way. The energy of the painting remains in the prints.

To learn the story of Love in the Golden Light, see the YouTube link More painting stories coming soon! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0uljOZBk2s&t=4s

Kerry Lee has a limited number of fine art prints on paper, wood block, metal and gallery wrapped canvas ready to ship, starting at $25 plus tax and shipping. She is also taking orders for the next printing, happening soon.

For details please email [email protected] and on the subject line write Fine Art Prints and the name of the painting you are interested in.

We're two weeks into the new year. A good time for reflection on your environment, home, work or other place where you spend lots of time.

What is in alignment with your values and what you care about? What needs to be adjusted? Maybe even let go of?

You are invited to join Kerry Lee's weekly online open studio sessions to work on your creative project and be in conversation around a bit of self discovery.
KerryLeeArt.com/Create