Feng shui Five Elements expressed uniquely at local arts festival

According to feng shui, everything in the world is comprised of five elements, usually in combination and always in a state of change. They are Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. These elements are expressed in myriad ways. We humans, for example, express as the Fire Element – active, passionate, moving, being, changing, creative — and wow, did I see that creative elemental aspect of our energy at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival this past weekend in paintings, mixed-media works, sculptures, rugs and more. Having artwork in our homes and workspaces is a wonderful way to bring ALL the feng shui elements into our lives. And, having all of the elements in our spaces helps to balance them energetically. My clients often ask me to help them identify the elements in their artwork. Here are some examples of art from the Cherry Creek Arts Festival and how each piece expresses one or more of the feng shui Elements:

Jaana Matson wood and fiber art from Cherry Creek Arts Festival July 2016
Jaana Matson wood and fiber art from Cherry Creek Arts Festival July 2016

This work, by artist Jaana Mattson, is comprised of a fiber (wool) picture embedded in a wooden frame and is a fabulous example of the Wood Element (wood frame, and fiber, made from plants). The green and blue in the fiber picture are the colors of the Wood Element while the white in the clouds balances the piece as the one of the colors of the Metal Element.

These whimsical, square, ceramic plates (below right) made by Nancy Gardner and Burton Isenstein, hold several different elemental energies but are primarily Earth Element, as they are made with clay (from the Earth). Yellow is an Earth color, while blues and green express as the Wood Element and the black represents Water, while white is Metal.

 

 

Ceramic plates by Nancy Gardner and Burton Isenstein from Cherry Creek Arts Festival July 2016 express the Earth Element.
Ceramic plates by Nancy Gardner and Burton Isenstein from Cherry Creek Arts Festival July 2016
This sculpture says Fire Element at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival July 2016.
This sculpture says Fire Element at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival July 2016.

This sculpture  (left) says Fire Element with its primarily color – red, and the pointed flower petals. It is nicely balanced out with some Water Element as the flowers are coming out of black (Water Element color) vase. Created by Christine & Michael Adcock.

This vase (below left) features a waterfall made of glass by artist Thomas Spake and it expresses as the Water Element. If used as a vase, it will hold water, creating more Water Element energy.

This vase expresses the Water Element with its cascading waterfall.
This vase expresses the Water Element with its cascading waterfall.

And, the vase is asymmetrical (the waterfall is only on one side) another attribute of the Water Element.

Artist Jerry Brem paints bookshelves full of books. Books are expressions of the Wood Element (books are made from paper made from plant pulp . . . ) and since there are so many books in each painting, Wood is the primary elemental energy of these pieces.

Books, books, books - express the Wood Element. At the Cherry Creek Arts Festival July 2016.
Books, books, books – express the Wood Element. At the Cherry Creek Arts Festival July 2016

However, the books are stacked in rectangles and squares and those shapes express as the Earth Element. Plus the books are in all different colors – and those colors express as all of the five elements. One of these paintings would bring a balance of the elements into a space.

Metal sculpture made with metal squares expresses . . . the Metal Element!
Metal sculpture made with metal squares expresses . . . the Metal Element!

This piece, made by artist Anthony Hansen, is made of metal squares and expresses as you might have already guessed as . . . the Metal Element! The white color also expresses as Metal Element. The square shapes bring the Earth Element into the piece and the blues and greens help to balance the Metal with some Wood energy.

Whimsical wall hanging features Fire, Wood and Earth Elements.
Whimsical wall hanging features Fire, Wood and Earth Elements.

Lastly, this sweet sculptural wall hanging (left) is a nice balance of the Fire, Wood and Earth Elements. The owl expresses as the Fire Element (animals are Fire) but it is made with paper and an actual book, which as we know from one of the examples above, are expressions of the Wood Element. The color of the book, yellow, nicely stabilizes the entire piece with its Earth elemental energy.

The art at the festival each year is phenomenal for its creativity and variety and ability to delight, attract or repel! The important issue, for all you feng shui practitioners, to remember is to have art that you LOVE and expresses who you ARE at this point in your life. Now, when you select your art you can determine which elemental energies the piece brings into your space.

Trusting in the flow of life is pure Water Energy!

In Feng Shui balancing the elements in your environment can help you to achieve balance in your life. Contemplating what’s important and where you’re going is a good place to pause as the second month of the new year gets underway. The act of mediating, of thinking deeply, is an expression of Water energy.

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Feng Shui Metal Energy Helps with Clear Thinking

I’ve been writing about the Feng Shui elements as they express in our environments. Everything is made up these elements and their interaction and change is part of the flow of Feng Shui. This change is constant in our natural world. We can control the elements in our environment to support our wishes and goals. The principles of Feng Shui and the use of the elements help us to achieve those goals. This month’s Element is Metal.

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