If we want to improve our lives having an understanding of the positive benefits of art using the art and science of Feng Shui can be extremely helpful. For this article I turned to Julia Underwood jewellsart.co.uk an artist who lives in the U.K. She creates vibrant nature-inspired paintings with energizing colors and undulating rhythmic compositions. They emanate feelings of bliss and harmony which is due to her innate talent and acquired knowledge of Feng Shui principles.
In this article you’ll learn some basic facts about the history of Feng Shui, an ancient art and science that originated more than 3,000 years ago in China. Julia Underwood will increase your understanding about the subject as it relates to art. You will also learn why her beautiful and well-composed paintings of paths are very important in Feng Shui.
Julia is also a member of The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS online art gallery. You can view her beautiful artwork here. Please also visit The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS online art gallery.
First, An Introduction Into The History of Feng Shui
Feng Shui is an ancient art and science that originated more than 3,000 years ago in China. Some elements of Feng Shui practice date back at least 6,000 years, and it contains elements of various branches of scholarly study, including physics, philosophy, astronomy, and astrology. Translated to English, feng means “wind” and shui means “water.”
In Chinese culture, wind and water are associated with good health and good Feng Shui is associated with good fortune. Feng Shui is also related closely to the Taoist vision and understanding of nature and the notion that the land is alive and filled with chi (Qi) or energy. Chi is known as “The Dragon’s Cosmic Breath”.
There are many practitioners of Feng Shui who apply the principles as the art of placement and the placement of art. Based on the belief that as humans we are connected to the space we occupy, understanding how the placement of yourself and the art objects within your home and office may have a positive affect in various areas of your life. The converse is also true: bad Feng Shui can lead to negative energy.
Why should you care? With even the most simple, basic knowledge of Feng Shui energy you can choose art according to the energy you need, such as soothing and sensual in the bedroom, or active and vibrant in the living room or office. This can be done by referring to the Feng Shui Bagua or ‘pakua’ which is essentially a map indicating areas of your home or office space and the aspects that they correspond to.
Art and Healthcare: As you can imagine, Feng Shui principles can be useful tools when selecting art for hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Art consultants focus on selecting art that provides a sense of peace and harmony for patients, staff and visitors alike.
Julia Underwood Shares Her Knowledge About Feng Shui Art
Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice which creates harmony in your surroundings to enhance your happiness, health and prosperity. Sometimes we make use of its principles without knowing their origins. For example, you may have heard a lot about clutter clearing recently. This is part of the Feng Shui philosophy.
How Can You Use Feng Shui in Your Home?
Feng Shui divides our lives into nine different areas of aspiration. collectively they form the Feng Shui energy map known as the BaGua. They are: Wealth & Blessings; Fame & Reputation; Love & Relationships; Ancestors & Family; Health & Well Being; Children & Creativity; Knowledge Career & Life Path; and Helpful Friends & Travel, as shown in the BaGua chart below.
The BaGua can be used to show which areas of a building (your home or office) relate to each aspiration by overlaying the BaGua on a plan of the building. The position it is placed in, on top of the building plan depends on the buildings location and compass direction.
Using colors, images and objects in the right location within your home in alignment with the BaGua will support and enhance that aspiration.
What is Feng Shui Art?
Each area of the BaGua is associated with particular elements, colors and images. A lot of the Feng Shui BaGua philosophy matches our western view of what colors and images mean to us. We now have a greater understanding of how color affects our emotions and how the images we see every day can change how we feel in a positive or negative way.
For example, yellow makes us think of sunshine and so it feels cheerful and warm, red is energetic and passionate and pink is romantic. Joyful images which make us smile, lush landscapes which inspire and our favorite colors are uplifting.
Feng Shui Art uses the colors and images associated with a specific area of aspiration to create positive energy for the viewer.
Feng Shui Career & Life Path Aspiration
Looking in more detail at one area of the BaGua; ‘Career & Life Path’, an image which is very helpful for this aspiration is of a pathway. Pathways are a powerful symbol in Feng Shui paintings, they support your connection with nature and can represent a smooth flow of energy from the present to the future along your career or life path.
A work of art with the pathway set in a vibrant landscape with different plant types and a mixture of colors creates a balance of yin and yang. Trees and healthy plants also symbolize good fortune. A curved pathway creates good Feng Shui, as positive chi energy slows down as it travels on a curved path.
My painting “Path of Life” takes you on a walk into a lush green landscape and the future. You can choose which way to walk, traveling over bridges and along roads if you want to, with lots to see and people to meet along the way, the choices are yours.
If you don’t know what path you want to take but you want to move forward, use an image of a meandering pathway or more than one possible pathway.
If you know the direction you want to travel in, look for a less curved pathway. In my painting “Bluebells With Butterflies” I’ve left the gate wide open so the path is not blocked into an open sun-lit field. There are strong supporting (yang) trees and fine (yin) bluebells beside the pathway which encourages you to walk out of the shade onto the sun-lit path.
Final Thoughts
Artwork you love, which contains positive images with which you identify or want to identify with, will help bring that aspiration into your life.
Every time you look at the image you are reminded of the feelings and emotions you have associated with it, if that’s an image which made you feel happy and content, seeing it again will reinforce those emotions and make you feel happy and content again.
Choose artwork that speaks to you and you love looking at, in Feng shui your intentions and desires are key.
More Fascinating Facts About Feng Shui from the Editor…
How to Use Art to Eliminate Stress: In an article in The New York Times, Wei Dong, a professor in the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, emphasized, “Good feng shui means being in harmony with nature, or your environment, your mind and your soul… He advises us, if you’re stressed, in Feng shui terms, you have too much fire in your life. Since water puts out fire, you’ll want to seek out the tranquillity of nature and water.
To this point, if you want to eliminate stress from your life it would be well advised to choose art that contains water elements, like this painting by Julia Underwood titled “Wealth & Blessings Koi Fish”.
About Yin and Yang: Feng Shui experts refer to Yin and Yang. What does this mean? According to wikipedia, Yin and Yang is a concept of dualism, describing how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another.
In Chinese philosophy, Yin represents stillness and Yang means movement. So, an artist who may want to use the principles will incorporate a balance of Yin and Yang through line, color and composition.
Wonderful article! I love Julia’s beautiful, soothing art. Enjoyed reading the interesting information about using feng shui in art.