Marianne Mullen, of Middlesex, is a Vermont artist who draws inspiration from the complexities of being human. One of her paintings is the featured artwork for this year’s Valentines of Gratitude, WholeHeart’s January-February scholarship fundraiser. Marianne also works for state government in change management, is a certified end-of-life doula, and is pursuing her spiritual direction certificate. She hopes to help spiritual seekers use art in their unfolding and growing wisdom. She came to our interview fresh from her studio with paint-dappled hands. You can see more of her artwork at:
MarianneMullen.com or @mariannemullenartwork on Instagram.
WholeHeart: Thank you for offering your painting The Wisdom Inside as this year’s featured image for WholeHeart’s Valentine of Gratitude. The title of the artwork feels incredibly simpatico with the work of WholeHeart. How was the The Wisdom Inside conceived of, and what process unfolded in its creation?
Marianne: Actually, this is one of my favorite paintings. I think it represents everything that WholeHeart and Courage work stand for. It's about how to get into that contemplative introspective place that we sometimes don't make time for, and how that center of us, the inner teacher, KNOWS, if we can see and listen to that voice. I'm a very intuitive artist, so I show up at the blank canvas and let it speak to me. That also ties into The Wisdom Inside title of this piece, in that I bring forward the energy that the painting needs to be.
“There’s lots of layers in my work because I appreciate the layering of being human. This painting represents how messy and challenging it can be sometimes to uncover the beauty. ”
WholeHeart: How has your involvement with WholeHeart as a participant in the Courage Cohort over six years energized or evolved your artistry ultimately?
Marianne: I found WholeHeart during a period of my life where I was seeking, looking for the wisdom inside, and trying to discern. It helped me come out of myself and take ownership of my authenticity. Art has been a big part of my life, but it’s only in the past two years that I have shared it publicly. It's something very dear and fundamental to who I am, but I hadn't the courage to let people see it. I was worried about judgment, that it wasn't good enough, imposter syndrome, you name it. I do believe that my work in the cohort with trusted friendships I've developed over the years has helped me step into my own bravery around putting my art out there. It was a big leap, but it felt like taking ownership of who I am, to be seen and heard fully.
“The flow of creativity coupled with tapping the wisdom inside through the vehicle of making art has become a spiritual practice for me. ”
Marianne: There's lots of layers in my work because I appreciate the layering of being human. One of the things I appreciate about WholeHeart is how I can show up fully as myself - the complex, layered human I am. Processing my depths of feeling and coming from a place of being allows me to show up as myself for my artwork. The Wisdom Inside is layered with emotions of love, gratitude, curiosity, and grace. This painting represents how messy and challenging it can be sometimes to uncover the beauty. There are dark layers in this piece even though you don’t really see them. I know that underneath, it started out with deep greens, indigos, and some black, but then I continued to build upon it and build upon it. I like to use a combination of different types of materials – anything in my reach really – acrylics, molding paste which almost looks like plaster, lot of inks, pen and marker, and pastels. I love the blending look of color; I am very drawn to color.
“I do believe that my work in the cohort with trusted friendships I’ve developed over the years has helped me step into my own bravery around putting my art out there. It was a big leap, but it felt like taking ownership of who I am, to be seen and heard fully.”
WholeHeart: How does deep listening fit into your creative process and expression?
Marianne: Listening, for me, is hearing that inner voice, the Divine, that may come to me in the moment. It’s also being in the flow. I’m sure you’ve heard of the concept of flow as described by Hungarian American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, where you are completely absorbed and present. That’s the place I try to come from in my art. Sometimes I listen to music or have something in the background to take me out of my thinking head and into my being, so I can listen to the depths within, sometimes things I don’t want to hear. Being in that zone, the flow of creativity coupled with tapping the wisdom inside through the vehicle of making art, has become a spiritual practice for me. I want to help others embody their own path and journey through spiritual artistry.
WholeHeart: Is there an insight or gem from your WholeHeart work or learnings that animates your life in an ongoing way?
Marianne: Yes, I don't even have to think about it. It is the concept of the inner teacher. When I learned about its presence, I felt like it changed my relationship with myself and my Divine. The guidance to turn to your inner teacher and listen to what she has to say, to who she is, and what needs to be heard is one of those grounding touchstones for me. How important it is to listen within before listening outside. I've worked hard to honor that. It's not easy with the world telling you who you should be and what you should do. Because it does feel so vulnerable to put my art out into the world. But I am just going to do it because that's what I'm hearing I need to do, to trust and believe in myself, and that’s okay.