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