We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Linda Queally a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Linda , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
First off, thanks so much for the opportunity to talk with you again. I’m delighted! And that’s a great question…
My resilience comes from an unwavering passion for discovering my soul’s purpose in this lifetime!
I’m brave, adventurous, curious, and love to travel, both our beautiful physical world and my own mysterious inner world. Recognizing change is a part of life and nothing is permanent, I am learning more and more to trust the flow of life. Perhaps that’s why I’m so drawn to water… symbolizing movement, depth and intuition, and pearls… beauty formed by adversity.
I believe we are creators of our own reality, and that it expands to the degree that we do the inner work.
Recently I added the words “Spiritual Seeker” to my bio. Then later in the week, reading through some of my old newsletters, I came across one from 2009, in which I wrote “I’m an Artist and a Spiritual Seeker”. So, nothing new! At that time I remember I was reading Louise Hay, gobbling up every self help book I could find. Then one day my daughter looked at me and said “Mom, when are you going to read a REAL book, like “Harry Potter”!?” HA! But I couldn’t help myself. I can dial it back even further, soaking in “The Artist’s Way” and “Simple Abundance” in the early 1990’s.
My quest for answers started showing up in my water paintings in the early 2000’s through titles like “Head above Water”, “Just Keep Swimming”, “Going Deeper” and “Beneath the Surface”. The names served as metaphors for life at the time, with my kids in the pool my means of expression.
Through life’s twists and turns since then, it’s this unrelenting search that has kept me on the path as a self supporting artist. My most recent series of “Water Spirit” paintings seemed to flow through me, introducing me to a deeper understanding of the connection between art and the spiritual realms.
By listening to the whispers, and sometimes roars of my soul, and staying the course, I believe I energetically open up the doors of abundance both to myself and to all around me as well, and this is my beautiful gift to the world. It’s why I’m here. And that’s what keeps me going!!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a Los Angeles based Fine Artist and Jewelry Designer, with a particular passion for pearls and water.
Currently wrapping up a major body of work comprising twenty two paintings, these pieces represent “Water Spirits”, namely pearl laden Mermaids, Mermen, Gods and Goddesses. The last painting in my series, “Reaching for Enlightenment” is also the largest, 48”x36”, and has been the most difficult to complete, just like its title!!
These vibrant paintings are acrylic and fine art paper on Claybord, and each one tells a story. Spanning a ten year period, at first the ideas appeared to me playfully in my imagination. Then as the work progressed the ideas began to appear in dreams and meditation. Every step of the way, these water spirits let me know how they wanted me to portray them, and we talked as I brought them to life.
Trusting in the universe, I know that the opportunity is already on its way to show these magical beings in a solo show, and I can’t wait to see where it will be!!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus
I’ve most recently been studying Tarot, and I’m going to use the cards to answer your question about three qualities that have been impactful in my journey as a creative, namely getting clear, facing my shadows, and finding balance.
First “The Lovers”… Getting Clear
Not what you think, this card has less to do with romantic love, and more to do with getting all of our energy in partnership and moving in the same direction. As artists, we’re frequently pulled in many directions, being offered multiple rules and opinions from those who think they know what’s best for us. Many voices, including the ones in our own head, which don’t always align with our soul’s purpose! It is enormously important to get clear on who you are and what you want in this life, and then stand in that truth. The more we are clear about our path and don’t waver, the happier we become, and the more we attract those who want to walk the path with us.
Second, “The Moon”… Face our Shadows
This card asks us to explore the dark places within us where our subconscious fears and beliefs lie, and question them. Why do we think that way? Where did that thought come from? Once identified, we can make friends with our shadows, work to heal them, and stop sabotaging ourselves! Woo Hoo! I actually did a painting about this called “I Face My Shadows with an Open Heart”. Creating that work helped me see that our triggers are actually a wonderful gift because they’re a roadmap to our own internal wounds and traumas that are holding us back. This is where transformation lies, represented by the monarch butterflies in that painting.
Third, Temperance…Balance
This card reminds us that we are spirit, but here in human form, and that both are equally important and must be in balance. It’s best not to lean too heavily in either direction. I learned a lesson about this when I spent time in the desert during the pandemic. I experienced a lot of mystical moments during that time, and it would have been easy to slip away into a world of meditation and seclusion. But my soul reminded me it was time to return to society to both integrate what I had learned and show the work I had created.
So I would suggest anyone starting on the path as a creative take a look at these areas. While honing your art skills is important and comes with doing the work, it is equally important to investigate your inner self. When you bring an unwavering sense of confidence and purpose, you raise not only your vibration, but the vibration of the whole planet!
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I’m definitely seeking gallery representation for my “Water Spirit” series, including the opportunity to have a solo show featuring all twenty-two pieces together.
In addition, I’m looking for collaborations with those who are interested in the subject of “Art and Channeling”. Seven out of the twenty-two paintings in my series were born within a one year period during the pandemic, when I spent time alone in southern Arizona. While living in this open, expansive desert region, I meditated for thirty minutes, twice daily, and a channel seemed to open, where the work literally poured through me from a higher source.
I would love to share that remarkable moment in time with a blogger or podcast host. I’m grateful for the experience, and hope by telling my story it can inspire and encourage others. Thanks again, Voyage LA, for the opportunity to update you on my journey, and hope you enjoyed it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lindaqueally.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbylindaqueally/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linda.queally/
- Other: https://linda-queally.pixels.com/
https://artbylindaqueally.blogspot.com/
Image Credits
Linda Queally Lalo Rocha
