Color of Woman: Global Intentional Creativity Teacher Training

At Musea we are passionate about women in the arts having their stories and art shared. Many hands, many lands, many voices. We believe that women's voices and images are what is needed to create equality and justice in the systems for humanity. In all areas of Civil Rights, the least represented voice at the table are those of women and people of color. Those who do speak up often do so at their own expense, finding themselves threatened, denounced, and often at the impact of violence.

While no one can guarantee a truly safe space, at Musea we hope to be a space of invitation for a diversity of women's voices, including the BIWOC (Black, Indigenous, Women Of Color) community. Some of the ways this is accomplished is by having women of color team members supporting our Musea Courses and leading zoom circles for culturally specific groups.

Color of Woman is a Call for Celebrated Diversity, which leads the way to EQUITY and COLLABORATION.

We hold an ideal, based on experience, that access to self-expression, education, and a supportive community empowers the possibility of becoming conscious and coherent. Conscious beings, by and large, naturally desire equity and inclusion on all levels. Moving beyond belief and bias and into the framework of human rights, civil rights, and the right to be self-expressed.

We believe, and indeed have experienced, that when someone becomes more conscious, they begin to care about themselves in such a way that caring for others is integral to their own well-being. They see the world with new eyes and new conscious awareness of what is within them. From this place, interconnection and collaboration with one another across a spectrum of experience and difference becomes possible and integral to our lives.

We understand that there are systems in place which distort our relationship with ourselves, one another, and the earth. These systems can keep us from seeing who we are, seeing who other people are, and how change is possible in our world. We also understand that change can be attained through creative exploration of unconscious bias and seek to provide a space where open and honest discussion can be had.

Color of Woman provides a supportive pathway for deeper access to consciousness. This catalyzes individuals to identify how these systems of oppression impact us both internally and externally and how we may be complicit with them. From this place, we are more able to step into anti-oppression work and integrate it into our lives and communities.

When women become conscious, they naturally desire to include, care, and practice compassion. While there is always work to do, the first level of waking up is accessible through intentional self-expression, mapping, and consciously curating our own experience.

"This painting is my prayer for humanity. Created as a call to action for Equality and Justice ignited by the murder of Mr. George Floyd by police. As I witnessed my heart sank with a feeling I had never felt before! It took a few moments to realize that I was not breathing. I ran to the spare room that I call my studio and pulled out a large sheet of watercolor paper, my paints, and created an altar to honor Mr. Floyd and my blackness. Here I commit my prayers, fears, and supplications for this madness and the pain I was feeling to stop. On this altar, created with paint, tears, and prayers for comprehension and breath, I committed the names of my sisters and brothers who also lost their lives because of the color of their skin. There, beyond the veil, I see her through my own tears...."their blood is our blood" she says to me with her blood-streaked face. She is adorned with symbols of peace, equality, justice, and the red thread of connection. She stands before me surrounded and supported by our ancestors....holding and witnessing me as I awaken to my blackness as a Latina woman of color. She whispers, "Re-Member who lives here...then they will never be forgotten"."

By: Milagros Suriano-Rivera

Painting: She Who Cries for Equality and Justice

"Legend… WoW!!! Two words: Life-Changing! Legend empowered me to see my potential. To see who I really am if I lived a fully authentic life. If I lived my Legendary Life… It taught me to embrace myself, fully, deeply, wholly. Legend helped me to re-connect with the innermost depths of my soul while also strengthening the connection to my Ancestors, as it is the Ancestors who surround and guide me on this life’s journey. There are no words to describe the power in this medicine painting journey. All I can say is – take the class! You will not be sorry, and it may even change your life. It certainly did change mine."

By: Sumaiyah Yates

Painting: The Flower Bearer: She Who Bears the Sweet Nectar of My Soul

This painting was created from a class taught by Shiloh Sophia & Amy Ahlers, called Awakened Woman

"This woman symbolizes my need to change because the world is drastically changing. The Adinkra symbol on her neck represents the ability to withstand hardship and adjust to changing life situations. I’m taking the bold step to take the Color of Woman course to be the initiator of change in my life. I desire to learn how to paint and teach others in a new way, with intention."

By: Yvonne Evans

Painting: Change

Inclusivity

Our work through Intentional Creativity® aims to support our community in navigating our world with resilience, compassion, and awareness.

Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color Leadership