We had the good fortune of connecting with Lindsey Sutherland and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lindsey, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“A mind stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” I don’t remember when I first heard this quote but it changed the way I thought about how I move forward in life. Kind of like, the point of change and moving forward is to expand, flow off the edges of the canvas. We are not meant to fit in these tiny boxes and follow all the rules. This is how I paint.

Pour painting for me is a practice in letting what I think should be “perfect” or what I’ve been conditioned to think should look perfect, be messy and explosive and flow over the edge to see what else it could be. There is a fear in the unknowing, but that is where all the beauty of life lies, and how is one supposed to put poured paint back onto a canvas when it’s been intentionally spilled off of? You’re not! Thats the point – to try new things and expand. This, I believe, is where the most beautiful growth in the world is, and leads us into new avenues that we never even knew existed, to bring us to our highest potential.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve always had a creative mind and always felt like I thought just a little bit to the left of the majority of the people I knew. But it wasn’t until I went through some major life shifts that I really took it upon myself to explore the creative aspects of my mind. I always said “I can’t draw” and then one day I sat down and drew. I always said “I’m not a painter” and then I put brush to paper and a woman appeared. It was like I was out to prove my thoughts wrong. Then once I started pour painting, I wanted to do something unique to me and my life and to capture the mountains that are constantly inspiring me in everything I do. But pour painting is very unpredictable and actually doing mountains and having them work out seemed like a tall order. There really weren’t any examples of pour painting as landscape work that I could find and the more I looked the more overwhelmed I got, the more I had to hype myself up to sit down (or stand) and figure it out. I really wanted to make a series but I am always two steps ahead of myself (I hadn’t even done one!) and because I put that pressure on myself, I just sort of went into my studio one day and did it! This created my Alpenglow pour painting. I am probably the most proud of that one and it is my most requested piece. I did it on the first try when I was absolutely certain it wasn’t going to work. Sometimes, that’s just how it works, but we need the courage to get to that point. When that spark really ignites inside to just try it, follow it. That’s the motivation.

My practice is absolutely intuition based. I do what and when I feel in my core. When my intuition is on, thats when the creative process is at its highest and most connected to produce work, even when I’m afraid (especially when I’m afraid). The creative process for me though comes in waves, and I tend to move between pour painting, watercolor painting, writing, and photography. I am constantly educating myself through reading and higher education and connecting with other artists and practitioners. I’ve learned that in order to keep motivation sustained, I have to keep up on something until the next something wants its turn. I spent a lot of years not listening to my creative intuition and if I were to leave any advice it would be to find that inner voice and listen to it. It will bring you to where you are meant to be.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Estes Park and I love our small town! To get outside I’d actually skip the National Park and head into Hermit Park. Hermit Park is a small state park just off of Highway 36 before you come into Estes. There are a number of different trails in there and I have hikes, mountain biked, and snow shoes and all experiences were awesome! I would hit up You Need Pie! for breakfast, Val Thompson is the owner and is an incredible human! And La Cocina De Mama for taco’s! Inkwell and Brew for coffee and MacDonalds Book Store because the atmosphere of that old store is just the coolest! Would also visit The Phoenix Nest in the Old Church Shops, Simply Christmas (Carissa the owner is amazing!), The Highland Bard, The Rock Shop (Red Rose Rock Shop), and Coffee on the Rocks to sit by the little lake and check out all the ducks (babies in the spring!). We’d also go up the Aerial Tramway to overlook Estes.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my family – My kids, Declan, Brinley, Adasyn, and Claire, my mom, Wendy Rashid, for always listening and supporting me on so many different levels, my dad, Mark Rashid, for paving the way for me to see the creative’s road map, Crissi McDonald for opening my mind to so many new ways of thinking, and my brother, Aaron Rashid, for showing me that the true path doesn’t need to be paved after all. I would also like to send a special shout out to some of my friends who have pushed me, inspired me, and supported me in so many ways – Kai Cavallon, Amanda Birkeland, Blane Irish, Sue Hill, and Louise Thayer.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC95TIB_TEGi2L-XYLGH-gjg

Other: Herbal and ancestral blog: https://www.lindenandlore.com/
Photography: https://lindenandlore.mypixieset.com/

Image Credits
Lindsey Sutherland. I took and edited all photos.

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