Sacred process of titling my art

“Falling in love with what is waiting to be written”

The process of choosing a title for each of my collage paintings is as sacred as creating the artwork itself.

The process starts with collecting potential titles EVERYWHERE I go.

Sometimes I scribble down a few words from an inspiring Instagram post. Other times I am touched by a title from another artist. Most often a title magically pops into my head as I’m meditating or doing something mindless like brushing my teeth.

But that is just the beginning of the process.

Here is how it usually proceeds from there…

Step 1 – Before I start choosing a title for each artwork, I calm my mind and ask the Universe for guidance in choosing the titles that will best reflect what the art is meant to teach me, as well as those that it will eventually touch.

Step 2 – Then I pull out my “artwork titles” files, both in hard copy and on my iPhone notes, and read with intention each of the 100’s of titles listed, watching for when it feels like my heart skips a beat or a warm tingling comes into my body when I read it.

Step 3 – The titles that make the initial cut are written on post-it notes.  Then I hold each potential title next to each new artwork, and again look for a body reaction when the two are placed next to each together. Each collage painting will usually have anywhere from 2 to 7 potential titles by the time this process is complete.

Step 4 –   The final step is to hold each artwork in my hands and ask for guidance as to the highest good title for each from my short list of title finalists.

From beginning to end, it took me 3 hours to choose titles for 8 collage paintings yesterday, and I enjoyed EVERY minute of the process, almost as much as creating the artwork in the first place. 

This sacred process feels like I am connecting with the divinity of the art, allowing each to show me the reason it came into existence, both for me and for those that will eventually resonate with the work.

The collage paintings in this post are part of my new “Fly higher” collection, 22 artworks that will be released on May 1, 2019 to find new homes.  If you are on my newsletter list (you can subscribe HERE), you will get 24-hour first dibs before they are offered to my Instagram community.

So how do you go about naming your art?

Please share your process to inspire us all to find new ways to find meaning in the art we create and/or choose to bring into our lives.