These are the views of Shiloh Sophia McCloud and not Cosmic Cowgirls as a whole.  This is unedited.

In my workshops...
By using creativity as the DOORWAY through which we enter the inner realm, the juicy ideas and inner truths are revealed in a powerful manner.  There is no painting experience needed, at all!  I have guided hundreds of women through this journey - and the women are astounded at what information they receive from doing this work. You do not have to be artistic or have any skill at art.  The intuitive process I teach enables the women's paintings to come alive beneath our brushes. There can be only truth that emerges because it comes from inside where only the truth lives.  This TRUTH will show us what we need to see about going forward with our business and our life work because our Visionary Self, our Visionary Identity is activated. Our work can be Sacred. Holy. Inspired. Blessed.  Especially when we choose for it to be that way, through the power and clarity of our intention.

Art is a Spiritual Practice

I believe that art is a path of healing.  I believe that art is a Spiritual Practice.

My paintings are prayers for the world.  Offerings of hope and rest.  My wish for wellness, healing and beauty.  A devotion of gratitude to the Divine.  A most delicious outpouring from my soul. 

Everything I create is rooted in my desire to ease the suffering of the world. Some of us are serving at the soup kitchen. Some of us are marching. Some of us hold the hands of the dying. Some of us teach the children. Some fight. Some pray. And some of us, create art.  The artists’ touch the suffering through our creations.  Some may say that it is not as important as other works.  That to paint a painting or sing a song is not the same worth as digging carrots from the garden or volunteering at the (fill in the blank).  Art is as important as every other form of service and devotion - when the artist is committed to the art being a form of service and devotion.

I am not speaking of all art. I am speaking of sacred art. Art that is committed to bringing healing and information.  Just like a soup cooked with love. Or a garden planted with care. Or a song sung to lift the spirit. I call this kind of art, sacred art.  Art that is intended to lift the soul of humanity. Art that when other’s experience it, they FEEL the soul of the work, speaking to them.

I began creating art in this manner over thirteen years ago.  I had one of those mountain top experiences in Northern California.  My heart belonged to Jesus - but I felt I desperately needed to speak with my Mother.  My Divine Mother. At this time, I am not sure if I knew that there even was one. Although my mother recently recalled to me that when I was a young child, I asked her if Jesus had a Mommie in Heaven too, or if he came from a broken family (since mostly just the Father was mentioned)  

I was twenty-two at the time, and seeking my art form for many years, but honestly, with very little fruit.  It was not until the Mother, in the form of Mary, revealed herself to me that I truly became me. Some might call it an awakening, as it surely was. I call it, becoming me.  And as a result of becoming me, my art came. And it is no surprise, that the very first art that I created, that I KNEW was my life work, was a Madonna and Child.  I had the support of my life long mentor, Sue Sellars, and my beloved husband Isaiah, and my wise mother, Caron, with their love and encouragement, my work was born. 

My call to create rang out from the heart of the Divine and I answerd, YES!!  And I have not ceased to create since that time.  The creation was informed by something though, something that is always challenging to put into words.  Before I did not know what to create, and for whom.  And so my work lacked vitality and originality.  But with the coming of the Mother Mary, my precious Mary Ma - came information about the suffering of the world. And with that information came responsibility.  I knew of the suffering, the tragedy - but I was removed from it - it was “out there” and not “in here”.  It was as if several parts of my heart, which before were veiled, became illumined. I had access to more of my feeling, my seeing, my loving. And I also felt great profound agonizing emotional pain. 

This awakening experience was definately among the more mystical experiences of my life.  Almost a third birthing.  My first was my life - my second was my relationship with Jesus Christ, and my third, was the knowledge of my Mother, her children, and my call to art.  And I have not stopped since!!!  When I prayed to her about WHAT was I to do? about all of this newfound pain that seemed to be very much present in my own body - she opened my art.  She gave me art as what to do about it. How to contribute to the healing of the world and the people who live here.  I was to create, and teach others to create!

And as soon as I began to paint- the pain transitioned to knowledge - and the knowledge transitioned to wisdom - and the wisdom informed the painting and the teaching.  Clearly - my gift was not to be only process painting, but to share the work.  And to teach the work.  And little did I know at the time, to prosper the work.

I had my first art show exactly one and a half years later.  And I sold everything.  And now, twelve years later, I have been making a living all this time, selling art and teaching art as sacred practice.  We opened a gallery about ten years ago, and began having workshops and events designed to raise awareness around important issues that we are facing.  For example we worked with Parsa, to connect with women artist’s in Afganistan (pre-9-11) to create prayer shawls for the women in my community - and educated all the folks we could reach about the situation of the women.  They risked their lives to create those shawls for us, and they arrived in November after 9-11.

Many of my works are about family, friendship, lovers, healing, possibility and moments of joy.  And many remain to be inspired the Madonna, Our Lady in her many manifestations.  She nurses her child or she created miracles, or she heals our heart, or hears our prayers.  I delight beyond belief to paint her - I experience hours of what can only be called bliss as I paint and pray. 

I founded a woman and girl-owned publishing company, Cosmic Cowgirls Ink, LLC that publishes art, books and journals by and for women and girls.

I believe that all of us are creative beings with stories to tell and gifts to share.  I believe that art can be a natural talent, but more than that I think it can be learned.  The problem can come in when we try to make it look like something else that already exists. If we invent from the soul, with our focus on the good, what comes out will be true and original. It cannot not be so.  I have taught hundreds of women to paint who did not think they could do it - but they did do it.  And not only that - they loved it.  And they learned that art could be a sacred practice.  That transformation is availble right now through art.

I ask every single one of my students, and in fact all of the people in my life - What is YOUR vision? Your LIFE WORK ? What did YOU come here to create, fulfill, birth, reveal, transform?  Having found my own work, and the peace, and true bliss, and fulfillment that I have, I cannot cease in asking others to inquire into these questions for themselves.  Until we have found what it is we REALLY care for - how can we know what to manifest - what to attract - what to focus on?  I feel that knowing oneself, and our relationship with the

And so, with a heart full of gratitude and endless prayers waiting to be painted - I send you my love. 

Go to our blog for my information on how to set up your own paint studio...