Stewart Cubley is founder of The Institute for Art & Living, dba The Painting Experience. His work has carried him throughout the world to work with groups in a process of inner exploration using the tool of expressive painting to access the potential within the human heart and imagination. For more than three decades he has taught his unique approach to literally thousands of people at growth centers such as Esalen and Omega Institutes, multinational corporations, programs in prisons and countless other public forums. Stewart lives in Fairfax, CA. He is co-author of Life, Paint & Passion, Reclaiming the Magic of Spontaneous Expression, Tarcher/Putnam 1996.
Transcript of this interview
Interview recorded 11/16/2013
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction and Retreat in Alaska
00:03:58 - Early Spiritual Interests
00:08:07 - Obsessiveness and Yoga in Solitude
00:11:44 - The Compelling Force and Higher Purpose
00:15:33 - Recognizing the Potential in Approaching Painting
00:20:27 - In the Presence of Truth
00:23:56 - Exploring the Nature of Self and True Being through Painting
00:28:38 - Artistic Expression and Authority
00:32:14 - The Importance of Spontaneous Creation and Non-authority
00:36:25 - Creating Freedom in Art and Spirituality
00:41:25 - Embracing Confusion and Being Lost in the Creative Process
00:46:11 - Getting Out of Your Own Way
00:50:04 - Embracing Chaos in Art and Life
00:54:19 - The Authenticity of Being Yourself
00:59:42 - Attaining an Experience of the Self
01:04:41 - The Power of Community and Working with Difficulty
01:08:52 - The Space of Freedom
01:12:35 - Stabilizing in a More Expanded State
01:15:55 - The Evolution of Artistic Expression
01:20:39 - Wendell Berry and Deep Connectedness to the Earth
01:24:02 - The Development of Refinement
01:28:28 - Standing in Fear: Expressing and Overcoming Judgement
01:32:27 - The Importance of Emphasizing Authenticity
01:36:40 - Apprenticeship and the Power of Individual Expression
01:40:56 - Nurturing the Sadness Through Painting
01:44:46 - Dealing with Edgy Moments in Art Therapy
01:48:27 - The Influence of a Suffering Artist
01:52:22 - The Holiness of the Heart's Affections and the Truth of the Imagination
01:56:21 - Tapping into Imagination and Energy
02:00:32 - Perceiving through the Lens of Feeling
02:04:07 - Conclusion and Next Interview Announcement