creativeexpression
Spirit Whisperings
Through an Artist’s Heart
by lee walker
L
ynda McHugh had experienced a lot in her life before
she was called to turn inward and connect with her in-
ner artistry. Hers was a latent talent, which had surfaced
briefly in childhood, then lay dormant until age 33, when an
emotional life experience opened McHugh to gentle inner
stirrings that nudged her in the direction of working with
clay. Several goddess sculptures later, McHugh’s hands and
heart were leading her through a life transition and a celebra-
tion of her womanhood.
“My soul responded to the nurturing and healing feel-
ings that flowed through me as my hands shaped and molded
the soft, moist clay,” reveals McHugh.
Art became an outlet through which McHugh’s imagina-
tion and emotions could play. On and off the canvas, both
linda mcHugh
Native American spirituality, as well as goddess and Earth
mythology, influence her celebration of womanhood. She
“My soul responded to the nurturing and
acknowledges that a sense of divine feminine energy consis-
tently shows up in her art, though she confesses, “Because
healing feelings that flowed through me as
I’m still often surprised by the images I paint, I consider it my
my hands shaped and molded the soft, moist
task to get out of the way of what wants to come through. If I
put too much of me in the painting, it inhibits the flow and I
clay,” reveals McHugh.
end up frustrated.”
Widowed at age 29, McHugh was a young mother who
felt frequently overwhelmed by events. She admits she was life transitions, because I wasn’t aware of such things.”
a stranger to her own feelings; that is, until her art allowed Earlier, the menopausal process was something she pre-
her to eke them out in canvas or clay, a little at a time. Before ferred to run from. “Today, I find it a real paradox that I am
then, McHugh had largely intellectualized her emotions, in valuing and honoring it in other women,” observes McHugh.
order to distance herself from them. “It’s an incredibly rewarding and validating experience to
“I couldn’t feel Spirit moving through me for a long teach other women to honor it in themselves.”
time,” she muses, “but I managed to read a lot of books McHugh’s first retreat weekend drew 13 women, who
about how Spirit whispered to many metaphysicians.” Her gathered around a ceremonial fire to share their life sto-
favorites include Edgar Cayce, Jess Stern and Ruth Montgom- ries. When the retreat drew to a close, the women looked
ery. “Even before I grew up emotionally, I always had one at McHugh and said, “When can we do this again?” More
foot in the metaphysical world for support. But, it wasn’t until retreats followed, on average three per year, each held on
I began walking the path of a Twelve-Step program that I Useppa Island. “We imagined ourselves being borne on a
came truly alive and my life took on the richness of a beauti- barge to the mystical Isle of Avalon,” McHugh smiles.
ful tapestry.” McHugh now facilitates five retreats a year on Palm
The thread of McHugh’s life tapestry weaves itself Island in Cape Hayes, within 90 minutes of South Fort Myers,
through the women’s retreats she began organizing and facil- plus an event in New Jersey. “I see such strength and power,
itating in 1990. “After I’d been in a Twelve-Step recovery pro- fun and laughter when women come together in a circle,”
gram and involved with the women’s movement for a while,” smiles McHugh. “This is really what my life and my art are
explains McHugh, “I began sensing the inner movements of all about now.”
my feminine energy and responding outwardly.” She began
honoring and commemorating the important times in her life To connect with Lynda McHugh, visit DaughtersOfThe-
with art and ceremony. “My first retreat on the island of Cayo LaughingMoon.com or call 239-472-3276. McHugh’s art is
Costa was a celebration of the rite of passage into meno- displayed at Koi and Krane Gallery, 6338 Presidential Ct., Ste.
pause. Prior to that, I had never honored any of my life pas- 203, in Ft. Myers. Her next retreats are October 10-12, 2008
sages, be it marriage, childbirth, someone’s death, or other and January 16-18, 2009.
September 2008 1
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