Where I live is a tree called Manzanita, beautiful red smooth bark and oval shaped lime green leaves. It’s seeds can only be opened up by fire or a lightning strike to the ground, only then is it possible for a tree to be created.

Poet Gary Snyder talks about the speed and agility in the flanks of the deer, as a direct result of the wolf that preys upon him.

Art and the creative process is sometimes like this – the most beautiful things blossom and come out of the most challenging circumstances. My art often depicts people in the context of overcoming great odds, calling forth their inner most resources to do this. In my creative coaching and hypnotherapy work I help people access their inner most capacity for  healing, change and growth.

There is a story told of a great Tea master in Japan, who had been challenged to a duel by a Samurai warrior, who too was a master, in swordsmanship.

In these times it was not hard to insult a Samurai, a simple brush by shoulder or a bump in passing would be viewed as disrespect, and would be cause to challenge someone to a duel.

The tea master had only one week to the duel, and he was not up to the challenge, knowing nothing of the art of sword. He sought out a teacher going to the finest school of sword in the province. Telling of his predicament he convinced the teacher to help him. Day and night they worked hard and long fencing. Even though the tea master gave his all in the training it was of no use, he was just not a swordsman. The tea master new he was doomed and in a final plea said to the teacher, what am I to do now. I cannot win this man in sword, and I will lose my life.

The teacher looked resigned, and then said to him, you are the greatest tea master in the land,  are you not. There is no match for you when you are serving tea. The Master of Tea said, yes. The teacher then said, tomorrow morning I want you to go to the duel and present yourself to this Samurai, look him straight in the eyes like you are about to serve him tea, with the all the confidence of your craft. That is the only way you have to match him.

The Tea Master did just as the teacher said, and to his surprise the Samurai bowed deeply and said, I have met my match, and left.

We can meet life’s challenges creatively, drawing upon our own unique inner resources, and rise to greater levels of awareness and potential.

The above image is a triptych, oil painting 6″ x 6″ each, titled “Hijab.”

Prints of my art are available on this Blog. Original artwork for sale, contact Michele at mbm@fivechanges.org or by cell (310) 339-3531

To communicate freely, to express fully, to let the heart speak uncensored, to translate an idea on a surface of paper, canvas, computer screen, skin, any surface – with any medium!

This will be the the context for the “Art and Soul” weekend celebration at Manzanita Village Retreat Center in Southern California. The content will come from the participants individually and as a group, and the means to this is through learning meditation skills, guided imagery and through process work that comes from the language of Hypnosis and NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programing) to remove blocks and open doors to more creativity and freedom of expression.

We will be hands on creating Art, preparing by through various warm up exercises and then engaging in projects to inspire the best in you.

This weekend is co-lead by Tabitha Fronk and myself, both of us dedicated to the arts and creative expression with backgrounds in transformational and healing work; our combined tools are meditation, therapy, hypnosis, NLP, and performance coaching.

Oct. 23rd – 25th Friday 6pm – Sunday 3pm, for more information and to register go to www.manzanitavillage.org  and I can be reached directly at mbm@fivechanges.org or (310) 339-3531 for any questions.

The above image is titled “This” it is Sumie and Inks on watercolor paper. All of my original art is for sale by contacting me dirrectly or through the galleries listed on this blog, and prints can be bought online by clicking on the image bar above the pages titled “Backbone” or “Piece of Mind Kids.”

Click for full details

“If we did all the things we are capable of we would astound ourselves.” Thomas Edison

Creative expression that leads to full-out living – on purpose! connected to your larger vision! Come prepared to let go of limiting ideas you may have about your own creativity — and come prepared to have fun..

This is Not a silent retreat or a meditation retreat – but be prepared to fall easily into the silence of focused creative work.

Do you have questions whether or not you are an artist? You will forget about them, and begin to open to the limitless wealth of creative possibility that is alive inside you.

Bring pen, journal; bring any paper, pens, crayons, painting supplies you wish. Art supplies will also be provided.

To register go to www.manzanitavillage.org

or for more information contact Michele at mbm@fivechanges.org

or cell (310) 339-3531

Both artists Tabatha Fronk and Michele Benzamin-Miki are teachers in various arts and disiplines. Tabatha is an Art Therapist and Michele is a Hypnotherapist and Life Coach, both have worked extensively in high risk communities, and their soul work is creative expression, and opening that door for others.

Come and Join us !

Signed selected prints of my art are now available here online. Two current themes of my art can be seen in a slide show or by clicking each individual picture. You can access these images from the two new pages on the blog image bar above titled “Backbone” and “Piece of Mind Kids.”

“Backbone” is a series of work showing at the Bergamot Station at Grey McGear Gallery #G-7 in Santa Monica. The Backbone page also features a selection of my new works on Paper, a work in progress called “Path of the Sword” from the perspective of a woman.

The new page titled “Piece of Mind Kids” consists of a series of pastel portraiture of the youth at risk that I have worked with over several decades in various institutions and portrays them in a colorful, whimsical and fun way. The originals are currently showing at the Noel Baza Fine art gallery in San Diego.

Check out these two pages and enjoy the images.

The above image titled “Follow Through,”  is Pencil on Paper and 17″ x 20,” it is part of a triptic in my new work in progress titled the “Path of the Sword.”

This image is titled “Tree people” and is dedicated to  a very young girl living at the Santa Ysabel Reservation. I met her while teaching a combined martial arts, creative arts and meditation class.

I asked them to meditate on an object of their choice with their eyes open – looking at it for 5 minutes – a material object like a tennis shoe, tee shirt, flower, tree … then draw what was observed about that object, like what it is made up of for instance… they were estentially free to make up their own stories. Later we talked about our drawings.

She drew a tree in the center of the page, and had many lines radiating out from that tree, one to the sun and rain clouds, and one to the house she lives in, to the timber and wood from the trees, and connecting it to the forest and the many things living there, but the most beautiful part of her drawing were the people she drew as trees, and the trees as people, she made a clear distinction between the two. She talked about how everything is connected and how we can appreciate that, and that appreciation is felt, by many things other than humans.

This drawing is for you.

Colorful pastel portraiture tells magical tales. Your imagination is free to explore, buy now these images tell more than just children stories.

Their were these three gregarious sisters, not related yet bonded together by their love of animals and wild clothing for example. Sister number one was most reflective, thoughtful and a bit of a cheeky monkey.  Sister number two loved to learn and share those learning’s with others, and sister number three was quick witted and fast to take action. They combined their talents with their love of animals to the task of educating their classmates about animal rights and injustices. They were passionate about the care and treatment of animals and wanted only to share that passion with others.  They concerned themselves with speaking up for what they love rather than changing peoples beliefs. “Listen to our passion, and if it moves you like it does us, great!”

These girls represent for me the new spirit of activism I have seen from my young teen friends and students, putting their focus in championing what they love and  not blaming others for what they do.”

You can see the ” Three gregarious Sisters” now, showing at Noel Baza gallery (San Diego) through early September.

In the image above I am standing next to one of the gallery owners Tom Noel. Click on the “Piece of Mind Kids” page above in the picture bar to see the slide show of work.

Pastel portraits, whimsical fantastic bright and colorful art works of the children that have inspired me over many years. I have spent quality time with these young people under some tough circumstances within the institutions and organizations for high risk youth, teaching them many life skills. This image here is of a young girl I  have renamed Kujichagulia. She identifies as 100% Happa, she is of mixed parentage, Japanese on her mothers side and African American on her fathers side. Like many mixed raced children there is a determination to self identify and therefore they can change there identity many times, and when ever it suits them.

In her words, “I love the magic of seeds that grow into plants, and how plants can even break through concrete, they are allot like me, tough and filled with magic.”

You can see “Kujichakulia” and the other kids hanging around at the gallery Noel Baza, 2165 India St. North of  little Italy in San Diego it is the new home for my pastel portrait series “Piece of Mind Kids.”

I have worked a lot with high risk kids in the juvenile justice system as well as many other places. Sometimes these kids have qualities that you can’t see right away.

The Piece of Mind Kids series of images show what you might see when you take the time to look . . . Check them out on the next page. Click here for the Piece of Mind Kids

My memory of  this dream is still vivid, and it has created a whole series of images that I have been working with since 2005.

The dream -

I was in a vast dark space hanging from a thin silk thread, and I was a spider – luminous and white, long legged and light of body. I remember the ease in which my body ascended and descended the sliver of rope, and how comfortable I was just hanging there.  My mind was unencumbered by human thought, I was the spider. The dream was timeless.

Titled “Ascending” dry media on paper 28″x 48″

When I awoke from the dream I felt strangely free, like I had somehow shape shifted and left the world of human fear and concerns. I don’t recall how long that lasted.

I wanted to explore that dream further, through imagery, through my art. I replaced the spider with a human and the silk thread with a rope, and the dream space began to be filled with light and shadow and other happenings. I am still exploring the dream.

Title of 1st piece is “Stillness” 28′ x 48″ and the 2nd piece is “Birth Root” 30″ x38″ both Dry media on paper – all pieces are framed and showing currently at Grey McGear Gallery at the Bergamont Satation in Santa Monica California.

GREY McGEAR GALLERY. 2525 Michigan Ave
Building G-7 (Bergamot Station)
Santa Monica 90404
(310) 315-0925

Spiritual traditions world wide speak about longings – the longing to be one with the source of  love. Like a bamboo reed growing in a still pond that dreams of being a flute played in the hands of a virtuoso, the bamboo flute that longs to be a reed in a still pond, and like our own longing to connect to the source of our existence.

There is a clear connection for me between the creative process that makes art and the creative process that is love.

My late Japanese grandmother – Obaasan, Noe, saw that I had a passion for drawing. I was three perhaps four years old living in Japan, and we (my mother, father, sister and I) were staying with Obaasan.

I remember the many coloring books, and crayons she gave me. The many days spent coloring with her. One day in particular stands out above all the rest. I remember that day clearly – feeling this enormous frustration as she tried to keep me coloring within the lines.  It was quite an advanced coloring book with pages upon pages of Japanese letters and Kanji. I would naturally continue to spill out and color all over the whole book, and even onto the floor. She eventually replaced the book with these huge pieces of blank paper. I remember the enormous joy and freedom I felt when she did that. Eventually I got too expressive for these large sheets of paper on the floor, so she then began to tape the paper together all over the floor, and even onto the walls!

We were both set free that day. Free to love. Free to create!

Unconditional love frees us from the limitations of our conditioned love, informs us to be creative! Michele Benzamin-Miki

All things splendid have been achieved by those who dared to believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances. Bruce Barton

The image above is Dry Media 11×14 inches, titled ‘Longing,’ all works are for sale and prints are available. Contact me if you’re interested.
I can also be contacted for Creative Coaching and Hypnotherapy.