IN THE CLOUDS

john ryan, boyne art studio
Breezy

THE INSPIRATION FOR THE CREATION COLLECTION

Having spent two weeks in Kill Rialaig on a residency I am in a state of total relaxation, calm and passive, fully open and receptive. It’s almost day-break. Driving on the narrow road through Conor Pass high up in the Kerry Mountains 1,500 feet above sea level, I feel a strong urge to pull over and stop. A dew has formed on the grassy verge and when I step out of my car there’s a bit of a chill in the air. To see this mountain from the distance on a clear day it looks like an inverted cone. But now the top half is invisible, cut off by a dense covering. I take in the happening.

I’m surrounded in clouds as they whip past me and through my legs. The valley below is filled with motion. I feel as though I’m standing on a cloud beside the Almighty watching creation on earth unfold. I’m in awe, gaping at the spectacle. It’s magical. I’ve never seen anything like it before and yet it seems very natural. There are hundreds of different shapes. It looks like a stampede of wild beasts.

Each individual cloud has a recognizable animal form. One is a flying ostrich, another a galloping horse. A baby in its mother’s arms flits through a spotted, screaming hyena. A milkman’s cart rattles past pulled along by two giraffes. The elements are transforming continuously as they interact with one another. At the same time, it’s spontaneous and all very easy. In the chaotic tango, the fast-moving oscillation of order and unity is a continuous cohesion. Here is equal exchange, a coherent and consistent integration of ever evolving original forms and formats.

A jumping antelope changes into a whale sprouting. Then the whale transforms into a racing woman losing her shoes and the spray becomes a flying octopus with twelve sprawling tentacles. The octopus tumbles over and switches into a carousel of cartoon horses. No sooner are the images recognized but they disappear re-emerging in different forms. They carry on in mocking playfulness as they speed along. There is no time, no cause and effect. It’s a subatomic world of pure potential where nothing is predictable.

Multitudes of clouds are continuously unfolding and re-shaping effortlessly. They’re flying through a portal and now I realize there is no breeze and yet the clouds are moving fast. There are no sounds. Even the open mouthed, snarling lion and the screeching baboon are mute. The cucumber sausages frying on a sizzling pan have no smell. The kangaroos in a snowy blizzard are somehow not cold. Innumerable images constantly configurate and reform in a spectacular roller-coaster of uninhibited play. They are like drunken sailors returning after a raucous night out falling over one another and just like Charley Chaplin always finding their feet as they race home before daybreak. I feel as though I’ve just stepped into a magic zone.

All this is only for my eyes. I’m wondering would these happenings occur if I were not here to witness them? Suddenly, a thin needle of light shoots up from the horizon then another and more. A whole fusillade of lasers lance the clouds creating a huge hole in the billows. As the final wisps of white give way to the fanning rays, the Cinderella clouds are replaced by an ultramarine dome. Like a shimmering mirage, the top of a bright orange ball inches it’s way up over the horizon.

It’s daytime and I feel like I’ve just woken from a splendid dream. The crowds have flown to the other side of the world to continue their life in darkness. I caught the tail end of a story before the beginning of yet another. All this occurrs in less than a minute. At the same time the feeling is everlasting.

I wonder at the magnificence of what just happened and questions come up. Is it in my observing that brings things into being? Does my intention affect events past, present or future that become reality? I glimpse at the magic of Creation and my whole perception of life changes in that moment.  It’s a profound shift. Wow, the solid world around me is no longer real. It’s only a small part of the story.  The Invisible Space Between Objects is the reality. I realize, original Creation comes from that which we cannot see, smell, touch, taste or hear. All that is and all that is not are one. ‘That which matters doesn’t matter, that which doesn’t does’. 

My life is changed and with it the way I paint. Now I’m totally free, very much aware of the Space that connects all events. I can explore the endless possibilities of re-creating in every second but can I influence by will alone? In one sense, I’m running with the clouds. I’m inspired by the magic of The Space Between. I’m excited by the ingenious wisdom of the Universal Energy Field.

As I paint, I am filled with an immediacy, a great love of life. I see extravagant beauty in abundance. There’s a continuous flow of inventive energy working in many forms. My thoughts and feelings are somehow transmitted in all other living things. An intuitive knowing of self, a sense of belonging, of Oneness are all parts of who I now am. This in turn transfers to my artworks. I value the freedom I have, to play my part in Creation. I feel joyful, improvising in timeless space.

The Realization of THE UNIVERSAL ENERGY FIELD

I took a break from painting to write two books, ‘The Wisdom of Oracles’ and ‘Trick’r Truth’. A channeling over a period of forty days led to the writing. It was the first time anything like this happened to me. So, I really didn’t know what to think. I was surprised to say the least. After all, when I was in school, I had no aptitude for writing, so why would I be chosen for this task? It took me a long time to put the books together because I had to learn everything from scratch.

I didn’t see the connection between the paintings in the Creation Collection and writing the books until I’d finished all three. Each is a separate element in the one Creation process.

Years before I witnessed the clouds at Conor Pass and the memory stayed with me. I wanted to explore The Space Between Objects. I made many experiments struggling to depict what I saw but with no success. It wasn’t until I observed my partner Kinga’s first attempts at painting that it all came together. Her unique and individual technique proved to be the missing link in a long list of disappointing starts. Even still it took several months of experimenting and exploring for me to broaden and fully utilize the process. Finally, after more than twenty years I was able to realize my dream.

The books and paintings go hand in hand and are interactive although they can be considered separately.  They are like triplets, similar but each with a separate personality. Also, it’s possible to view each painting individually. While the images demonstrate how intention works with the Field, the writings explore our values, behaviors and attitudes in relation to innate Creation. They show how to stay connected to the inner self and by contrast the rules we apply in our everyday lives that keep us from discovering our true identity.

The purpose of life is to create. Each space in time is an opportunity to invent a new life. How and what we produce is by choice. For instance, when I decided to become an artist I created a new life by working for myself and living in a church.

The Creation Exhibition shows how the innate interacts with the physical world and the collective intelligence of the Field. How we choose to connect with the overlapping and interrelation of the elements is the subject matter. The state of all possibilities exists in The Universal Energy Field where observation and intention create our reality.

There is no isolation in the Field. Everything moves together, a constant chaotic tango relationship with random movements in a fast-moving order and unity. Life forms from other dimensions cross over and through this solid world. There is a coherent and constant integration of evolving original forms and formats.

At the same time each element is a part of the whole overall linked multi-dimensional pattern. This is what I witnessed in the clouds at Conor Pass. I saw animal shapes defuse and effortlessly realigning like magic before disappearing through a portal. The united purposefulness was astonishing. It was as though they were demonstrating just how things are done, how life is in reality.  

Transience and fleetness are evident in all the paintings. Manifestations of the physical world are more prominent in the first few paintings. Gradually, they become less noticeable and other worlds begin to show through. In ‘Athena, Goddess of Wisdom’ for instance the figures are easily recognizable. Whereas in in the later painting ‘Tough Love’, I really have to search to see the images. But then, it’s rewarding when I uncover them. The further the exploration the deeper is the discovery of self.

When I look at one of these paintings, I give attention to the magic held in The Space Between the forms. Abstract images begin to surface that I hadn’t seen before. The movement of a clown face, a running animal, the trace of a dragon or maybe a lone figure crossing a desert come into view. The more I concentrate the more the likeness becomes focused. It’s like tasting a vintage wine, each mouthful yielding a deeper and more subtle taste.

Sometimes after several weeks or even months I see a vision I hadn’t noticed before. It makes itself known as the initial one fades into the background like a mist. A horses head, a group of workers in a wheat-field or the eye of a large animal is suggested. Whenever I look at the painting, I can see the new visions. I wonder how I hadn’t noticed the impressions before because now they’re so obvious. But later, as I observe further they too evaporate and a new sighting comes to light transforming the picture yet again. Moment by moment there is a completely new creation. It’s as though the act of observation freezes a new energy.

Some elements allow the light through as translucent as a stained-glass window. More are transparent, as soft and yielding as sponge. Others are solid but at the same time fluid, stretchy, able to snake through one another. Just like a chameleon changing colour, some can transform at will. This experience is transient like a magician pulling rabbits out of a top hat. Any moment now the scene can change completely to something totally different.

Rather than be just a spectator on the outside I can take myself inside a painting and probe the Space. Surrounded by it, I have time to explore the whole movement. Evolving is like a game of Cleudo where each mystery is uncovered. Gradually the imagination opens up intuition and invention come alive as the innate self is brought further into play. New discoveries are made. It’s an exploration in small stages. With each painting I gain further insight becoming more aware of my inner connection to the Field. This could mean travelling into unfamiliar regions experiencing the snakes and ladders of a new adventure. That’s where the fun lies.

We are all of us inquisitive artists when connected to the innate and create from our true selves. Intelligent creativity is not locked into the brain but exist when interacting with The Space Between Objects. Through our thoughts, dreams and visions we may wish to further explore the unconscious. The witness goes as far as he or she wants. There are no rules no judgements no one particular way of appreciating the content. Each person sees what appeals to them. There are endless creative possibilities in the Universal Energy Field.

THE FIELD as a mirror

When I create consciously, I am my authentic self. A mirror is held up to show me who I truly am.  The question for me is do I live the safe life I have, or do I wish to explore The Universal Energy Field beyond my current beliefs? How open am I to venture further than my thinking, my emotions, my actions and my learned preferences? To what degree do I trust in self or do I keep checking behind the mirror for evidence of what I already know?

Exploring with the unfamiliar is like floating in outer space. This is why I paint and write, because it gives me the opportunity to expand new possibilities. I can choose to stay safe within the limits I impose or explore the Space beyond my understanding. Do I trust myself in the vastness of the Field? The question is am I a survivor or an explorer?  My engagement will surely show this.

Similar to being in a state of active meditation, I go to the inner conscious levels of Alpha or Theta mode. When I paint, I can travel in the innate world. The Space Between Objects gives me the opportunity to uncover who I truly am. To find safety in the intellectual, emotional and physical alone is not my preference. I can choose what I want to do rather than what I have to do. I don’t always immediately understand what I feel but I trust that I’m where I want to be and whatever happens is right for me. A clear understanding will eventually come. This approach in turn enables me to invent new scenarios.

Like a runner that decides to sprint before the bell, I use my instinctive knowledge that inspires me to take more risks. This in turn develops my ingenuity. There are no limits except the ones I apply. All life can be timeless, loving, beautiful and knowledgeable. In the uncomplicated I discover truth and wisdom. Joy and harmony can be with me. Even though sometimes I may see what could be described as conflict around me and even within me, I realize the Space has a different understanding of the situation. I can choose to remain open and trusting. This abundant life is free for me to explore. I can be infinite and at one with all.

In the Universal Energy Field, the dynamic flow of purposeful life and unified intelligence, there are no opposites. There is no labeling or separation, no judgement of right and wrong, no good or bad, no destruction or need for preservation. There just is.

Creating a New World in THE UNIVERSAL ENERGY FIELD

As the human race advances forward the old conventions by which we live have less influence. They begin to fall away gradually becoming extinct. This may be why so many of us are experiencing both inner and outer conflict at present. The rules that we have fixed in position to give us reassurance in a material world are of little value in a constantly shifting awareness. By recognizing the power of interrelationship with the Universal Energy Field we are entering a new and exciting reality. We will not be controlled by static or outside forces in the future. As we shift from survival to exploration and re-evaluate our position we may need to question the true origin of the separating influences, behaviours, values, opinions and rules in which we currently place our trust.

The human race is evolving into a consciousness of multifarious frequencies. We are entering a new age and becoming aware of how human consciousness affects The Space Between Objects. This is an opportunity to realize the power of desire and intention and how to harness the  Field’s energy. Within the grasp of each individual is the potential to be Supernatural.

Through individual desire and intention we can influence the random fluctuations of the Space. As a collective power with deliberate aim we could conceivably heal the ailments on the planet. Illness could become a thing of the past and conscious creation take on a new meaning. To request, relax, get in touch with the Field through visualization and then step back and allow the process to take place, in this there is the power to bring humanity into the next stage of evolution, the .

Each one of us is born as a natural artist with an innate ability to create the supernatural from source. Our inborn resources of imagination, intention, invention, intuition, inspiration, insight, instinct, interpretation and innovation etc. are wrought from the Field. These are the neglected elements we need to re-develop, to reclaim.

Within every individual is an inherent guiding power. It is Trust in the wisdom and knowing of our innate selves. Here is where we can rediscover a fresh set of values wrought from silence. As we Meditate or contemplate in the present we tap into this natural power and realize our future.

The Creation Exhibition is a visible manifestation of the Space Between Objects. It shows how we can, with intention, influence the Universal Energy Field and have the potential to create a New World that values and reflects our true desires.