Skip to content
Venetia Nevill Logo
  • Home
  • Artwork
    • Solo Shows
    • Algae
    • Mandalas and Rituals
    • Ogham Trees
    • Group Shows
    • Exhibitions
    • Performances
    • Performance Paintings and Prints
    • Portfolio
  • Contact

venetianevill

‘I would love to live like a river flows, carrie ‘I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding’ 
John O'Donohue
How was the May eclipse portal for you? Adding mercury retrograde to the mix has felt pretty extreme at times. Raw disturbed sleep brought me to my knees, but so did nature’s unexpected gifts! May was the most utterly breathtaking month.  Nature constantly fills me with awe,  as it reveals its extraordinary treasures. There are so many ways to connect, and listen to the voices of the natural world. 
A dear friend reminded me that we keep creating art to be surprised.  The alchemy of making art from, and in nature is so inspiring, constantly soothing me, and bringing me back to myself.  Giving thanks to nature, the trees, and my wonderful, generous, Medicineways teacher for sharing magic in the woods.  Making bowls from fire out of a cedar’s storm damaged branches, digging clay and firing vessels, with supportive caring fellows restored my spirit.  I moulded mine on a special oak tree protected by the gnomes.  The beloved oak offers a portal and a strong support to hold any turbulence.  She enhances inner strength, empowering us to move forward, allowing us to grow strong through challenges. 
The Gemini New Moon can shine light on our dark side, negative thinking and habits, and where we abandon ourselves.  But it also encourages us to find the strength to stand up for ourselves , and speak our truth. The 6th moon cycle in June of Clan Mother, which honours native feminine wisdom, teaches us to speak the truth from our hearts.  Can we live the questions and trust the answers will come. Asking for help and being honest about vulnerabilities has revealed surprising blessings.  Dwelling and dancing with joy in the answer,  not the problem is my prayer for June.  And to keep digging deep for inspiration to cocreate, and embody the oak’s qualities of endurance, courage and faith. 
#sacred #13originalclanmothers #alchemy #fire #elements #newmoon #oak #devotion #ritual #healing #medicineways 
#cocreation #lovenature #spiritoftheland
“How often are treasures unearthed beneath the c “How often are treasures unearthed beneath the comfort of your house? Treasures are rather always found lying among old ruins.” Hafiz
Weaving words has become an integral part of my creative, healing process, but they seemed buried this eclipse portal.  A different language erupted from my skin, and the calligraphy of old raw trauma, and burning unmet needs, expressed itself through a cacophony of painful symptoms .
Seeing a badger rootling in the bluebells reminded me of his wisdom to never give up when facing difficulties and our boundaries are threatened. Home is his sanctuary and shaman Badger is a revealer of hidden treasure.  When we dig deep and unearth the stagnant, it creates space for the new to be birthed.  Mercury is retrograde, and eclipse time certainly shone light on uncomfortable outdated beliefs, and unhelpful behaviours in me.  Skin, feather and bark are the safety barriers between us and the world. Like the snake and scorpion we need to shed our skin in order to grow. 
Nature as ever is the healer.  She guides me to be still and soften to her frequency.  The nervous system can be like a musical instrument if I tune in and listen. Drinking Nettie tea, lying on the grass with the sweet daisies, taking cold baths with raw milk, stirred with a sprig of compassionate Holly.....all helped soothe! But ultimately meeting fire with fire in an inipi sweat lodge was the alchemy the soul called for.  As the sky thundered in anticipation of the eclipse, facing the fears released the toxic overload and brought purification.  Sharing prayers, gratitude and healing with open hearted fellows, feeling so held and at one with the elements.  Emerging from the womb of the lodge, kissing the precious earth,  felt like a liberating rebirth. 
#eclipse #portal #sweatlodge #purification #blessings #sheddingskins #devotion #elements #weareheld #compassion #courageoftheheart #warrior #sacred
Echoes of the Ancestors Ride the Winds of Change V Echoes of the Ancestors
Ride the Winds of Change
Voices of the Creatures
Calling out my Name 
Jamie Sams 
There are so many treasures waiting to be discovered,  if we can be still, and connect to the precious earth and her elements.  Creating ritual with the wondrous @_laura_hart_swann_ at Tudeley on the eve of Earth day,  I was gifted an intuitive, Celtic womb blessing which allowed a deep letting go space for new energy to unfold. 
Feeling a strong longing to handle clay, Earth Day inspired me to dig from the Ash well, and allow the clay to speak to me.  What emerges from the still darkness is always surprising, and earth creativity is a sacred, transformative, pathway to make the unconscious conscious.  Moulding clay releases stuck unexpressed emotions, and reconnects me with a wellspring of possibilities.  Meinhard talks about ‘receiving, integrating, outpouring in the void and our hiddenness.I created a mandala to honour these little clay guardians with a circle of the wise mother Hazel.  She helps us access inner wisdom, bringing the treasure from the darkness into the light.  And supports our emotional life offering safety and protection. Much needed during  these intense astrological times - solar eclipse and Taurus new moon this weekend.
According to Cherokee teachings, the May new moon is associated with black and the listening woman.  She is the Keeper of Discernment and Guardian of Introspection who teaches us how to listen to the opinions of others & the voices of the Ancestors  She reminds us to find stillness and slow down at this time of great growth and energy in the world.  Gently connecting to the elements brings me back to the earths natural rhythm.  Dipping into ocean resets my nervous system and creating ritual with @klinegreg52 was so restorative.  We invited wholeness and balance with all that is longed for and all that is resisted.  Water feeds my spirit and creates the stability to be more at peace with strong fluctuations bringing a sense of homecoming.....bless the waters and earth mysteries ! 
#ritual #earthday #mandala #sacred #guardians #blackmoon #alchemy #spirit #art #medicine #natureheals #blessings
“Nothing can dim the light that shines from with “Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.” 
Maya Angelou 
The warm orange glow of the beautiful Libra full moon spread its magic this Easter weekend! Ruled by Venus,  lover of nature, Libra brings balance.  Balance brings peace, and peace is our true nature.  Easter celebrates the light within all of us.  And the Celtic goddess of Spring  Eostre/Ostara was traditionally honoured in the month of April, with festivals to celebrate fertility, renewal and re-birth.  To make thankful offerings for nature’s bounty seems natural and brings me joy..... and yes balance.  What brings you balance and renews your spirit?  Walking barefoot on the grass under the owl rich night sky, hearing the ravens call and laugh, the wake up of the cuckoo and resting my forehead on the mossy willow ... all brought me back to a balanced peaceful heart this Easter.
The exhibition ‘Spirit  of the Land’ has closed and it has been the most wonderful, uplifting experience.  It felt right to take the iron water,  with everyone’s blessings for those who are suffering, back to the spring on Easter Day.  I created a little mandala to give thanks and poured the precious water into the spring.  It will flow into the Medway and on to the ocean.  Mandalas create wholeness,  and reconnect us when we feel out of balance.  The rising earth magic will amplify the energies contained in the water medicine, rippling out the sweet positive messages. 
I am devoted to this sacred spring, the source of so much in the show , the moon cloths, the magical paintings created with the iron water, and mostly for it being such a resource and sanctuary.  The artist led gallery @sevenoakskaleidoscope is the most wonderful space and I can’t thank @rosalinddrawing and @sue44evans enough for all their support and hard work.  And to all the friends and visitors who came, and interacted with the show and those who supported and encouraged me from far away!
#immanence #peace #balance #lovenature #spiritoftheland #ritual #mandala #blessings #waterheals #renewal #ascension #gentleness #sanctuary
Thank you so much to everyone who came to the arti Thank you so much to everyone who came to the artist talk last week!! And to wonderful artists @rosalinddrawing and @sue44evans for organising it and Ros for the great film and Photos! To those who missed it and wanted to know a little bit more about my inspiration and practice;
The natural world is my canvas. My art encompasses ritual, astrology and a sensory connection to the cyclical rhythms of nature, as a pathway to healing, and an expression of my deep love for this precious earth.  I create vessels from clay moulded on trees, and paint with feathers, iron, and organic materials, weaving a medicine that connects me to the felt but unseen. I love offering spaces for people to connect to the stillness within and around them. Slowing down and engaging with the natural world through our senses, brings balance and reconnection, as the mind calms down. Our ancestors valued the plants, trees, and waters, not only for medicinal use but for spiritual sustenance. 
By making art from nature and bringing it into a gallery i hope to complete the cycle by encouraging people to  go out and look at nature in a new light.  It has been an absolute joy to meet so many different people who come into the gallery, and are attracted to connect with nature and art in a deeper way. Feeling so blessed ! 
Still time to walk the mandala, stir the healing iron and make a wish for all who are suffering and our precious planet.  The show is open until 16th April.  Closing event and meet the artist 10-12 Saturday 16th April. 
 #artisttalk #exhibition #healing #lovetrees #ritual  #mandala #grieftending #forgiveness #spiritoftheland @7oakscommunity @sevenoaks #sevenoaksvisualartsforum @heartofsevenoaks 
#sevenoakskaleidoscopegallery #kaleidoscopegallery  #kentculture #artinsevenoaks #kentartist
I am leading a free mandala, ritual walk to Knole I am leading a free mandala, ritual walk to Knole Park this Saturday 9th April.  We will meet @sevenoakskaleidoscope gallery at 3:45 and gently walk to a group of gorgeous chestnut trees, in the magnificent deer park.  I was introduced to an extraordinary 400-year-old sweet chestnut tree by a dear friend a while ago.  She suggested I give it a very long three minute hug, and the hug that it gave me back started a love affair with trees that has been deepening  ever since.  Apparently sitting under a Chestnut tree will help increase energy , enhance intuition and ground, and clear the mind during meditation.  Druids often made staffs from Chestnut wood in order to access longevity and energy, but strangely it is not an Ogham tree. 
I love making mandalas for the trees, and It will be magical to connect with these beauties,  absorb their precious energy and co-create a beautiful Mandala with others, as a gift for them in return.  We will connect to our senses, to the generous sweetness of the trees and meditate.  There will be time to walk in the iron mandala,  before we set off at 4, and make a wish to bring peace to all who are suffering.  The ritual walk will continue and amplify our wishes.  The Bach sweet chestnut flower essence is for people who “have reached the limits of endurance” and who have “explored all avenues and see no way out of their difficulties.” This has been a tough week for many, with Mars and Saturn stirring things up, but Aries brings much needed courage to our hearts.  And Mother Earth can hold our troubles and transmute them.  In Japan the chestnut fruit symbolizes both difficulties and overcoming them 🙏
#ritual #walk #pilgramage #sweetchestnut #healing #gaia #sacredearth #mandala #portal #spiritoftheland #alchemy #lovenature #blessings
Let the rest In this rested place Rest for you ‘ Let the rest
In this rested place
Rest for you
‘Winter grief’ David whyte 
A lovely woman came to the gallery today and began talking about her difficulty with a loss.  We shared our love of feathers and how they are like divine messengers,  bringing connection and reassurance in challenging times. My medicine way teacher talks about how nature helps turn grief into praise, and Francis Weller shines light on the bond between grief and gratitude, sorrow and intimacy. 
I showed her this glass bowl created from clay, moulded on a willow tree to absorb its beautiful energy.  The Willow is a symbol of the moon, grief, water, and everlasting life.  It is known for its healing abilities but it can also bring pain to the surface.  Willow helps us retrieve the abandoned emotional parts of ourselves, and raw vulnerabilities,  enabling us to let go of suffering. The blue comes from the heart centred copper and is about hope.
This Dragon New Moon painting was created during a very dark moment.  Strong lunar energies  can reveal uncomfortable shadows, but the greatest gifts are often hidden in the things we avoid.  Sometimes action like painting can dissolve old wounds and other times I just have to sit with it, and remember growth comes through pain.  And nature always helps soften the edges!  I feel blessed that connecting deeply to the trees and elements, and creating art from nature, is a pathway for me to find relief, healing and embody change.  Forgiveness and acceptance are part of a process.  I will be talking about the show and my processes at @sevenoakskaleidoscope tomorrow night.  Drinks and artist talk Wednesday 6th 6-8 All welcome 
#willow #healing #lovetrees #ritual #glass #loss #grieftending #forgiveness #artisttalk #exhibition #spiritoftheland
Welcome to Spirit of the Land! The hazel circle i Welcome to Spirit of the Land!  The hazel circle is complete and the exhibition is open.  Come and walk the mandala, stir the healing iron water and make a blessing for our planet and all who are suffering.  The blue rope symbolises loss but is mainly about hope.  Even when challenges seem overwhelming in the world, I really believe that we can make a difference with whatever small gestures we can make.  Jung believed that by walking a mandala, we unite the left and right sides of the brain, thereby creating wholeness within and without. 
The cedar In the mandala spiral comes from a special tree that died.  Cedar is known to bring healing, protection and abundance.  The Cedar is mingled with recycled bark chippings, and I love that materials are transformed and amplified each time they are reused. Everything is recycled. 
The new moon in Aries tomorrow offers a portal, and is all about finding courage to create our dreams. The mars fire will ignite the flame in our hearts to take loving action.  My moon is in Aries so really feeling the power of this.  The first person to stir the magic iron at the centre of the mandala, was my wonderful earth acupuncturist, Richard Creightmore.  The astral and magnetic forces have been very strong recently, and he came to clear the stuck energies held in the Leylines that run under the cedar still standing in my garden.  Connecting to the earth and it’s magic always makes me happy! 
#mandala #ritual #healing #cedar #blessing #exhibition #art #presence #conscious #create #earthtending #geomancy #aries #newmoon @sevenoakskaleidoscope private view tonight 6-8 and artist talk and drinks Wednesday 6 April 6-8 .  All welcome
Load More… Follow me on Instagram
Copyright Venetia Nevill | All Rights Reserved
Please contact me at venetia9@yahoo.com
Instagram
Page load link
Go to Top