Doistic (Taoistic) Art

I was recently approached by a Chinese newspaper as they wanted to do an interview with me. I was very curious as to why, I don't speak Chinese and don't know a lot of Chinese. I was very flattered and also extremely curious, so I asked him when he arrived.


He explained that my images and especially my "Healing Art" Philosophy  mirrored Daoism, also known as Taoism. I was very impressed and thought I needed to know more about this.


Along with Confucianism, “Daoism”  is one of the two great indigenous philosophical traditions of China.


Taoism is an ancient Chinese philosophy which promotes living simply and in harmony with nature, and going with the flow.


The Yin-Yang symbol exemplifies this view. The black represents the Yin the white represents the Yang. Yin is also associated with weakness and passivity and Yang with strength and activity. The symbol shows that within the Yang there exists the Yin and vice versa. All nature is the balance between the two.


I was amazed when I read this as I have always associated with the Yin Yang and have worn one around my neck for the last 15 years.


I have found along with many others that the peace and harmony in nature can be felt by us if we stop and take the time just to be.

I hope that as you view my images you will take the time to do just that, take time to just BE. 

Why does it cost so much?

A lot of people want to own good art but they balk at the price.
What are you getting for your money?

Why do you buy art?
Is it for an investment, or to create the living space that we want, be it for the home or office.
When you are decorating your home, do you just want to fill a blank space or are you looking for something that tells people a bit about yourself, through your style and your interests?
Are you looking to create a certain atmosphere? Do you want the room to be inviting, to stimulate conversation, to relax yourself and others, to create a healing space within the chaos of life?

If you are looking to do any of the above except just filling a blank wall I would encourage you to look at real art, not mass produced wall fillers.

When I take an image I am trying to create an image that will bring the healing and peace of nature to those who invest in my art. I want to increase their quality of life as well as their wellness. I try to capture not just the image, but also the feeling of the place I am photographing.

People often have no idea what it cost me personally to take an image. I have fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis, so any activity I undertake costs me in pain and in the reduction of anything else I can do, but for me it also brings me healing and enables me to feel that I still have something to contribute to society.

Once I have taken the picture, the art work has only just begun. I process the image so that the feeling of the place comes through. I make sure that the image itself is of the highest quality and I create the final image with love and add healing to each image.
I am a Reiki master and as such I add distance healing to my images so that no matter where you are when you are viewing it, it will bring you the healing you need.

Strange I hear you say.

I believe that nature has a great healing ability on its own, but I realize that when we are out in nature it is the energy of the place that also helps with that healing, so with reiki I add this energy back to the image so it becomes a living work.
Something that will bring you a lifetime of health and pleasure.

As such I only have my images produced to the highest quality while at the same time keeping my prices as affordable as possible. Most businesses add a 100%+ markup on everything they sell. I add between 25% and 50%. I am able to offer such good prices because for me this is a gift I am able to give you. I use the money I earn to keep updating my skills and equipment and am supported financially by other means.

I hope this blog encourages you to look for art that will do more than decorate a room, but that will be an investment in you health and wellbeing as well.

This is an example of my "Healing Art- Waterfalls on Uluru" set in a lounge area

If you require a specialized size please email me & I can organize what you require and send you pricing for it.
My artwork can be viewed at the Busselton Art Gallery or at http://www.juliakharwood.redbubble.com/

365 grateful project

I have stumbled upoin this fantastic project, its called the 365 day grateful project. I have added the link above and would love you to check it out. Basically it is finding something each day for a year to be greatful for. You can then write this down each day or if you love photography like I do, then you can take a picture each day of what you are thankful for or you can draw what you are grateful for. Why do this? Well often we miss the little things in our life that make it worth living and we are swamped by the troubles or worries that come our way, so this is a way to rebalance our lives and bring some joy into each day, so I would challenge you to take this on & then share some of what you have discovered. I am going to take on the challenge myself and starting today I am going to find things to be grateful for. I will post some things on here from time to time to.

I'm greatful for friends that visit!!!

Create a Healing Place

What is a Healing Place?

To me a healing place is somewhere you can go to take time out. A place of quite or soothing music. A place you can be on your own. A place that is nurturing to the body, mind and spirit.

I am fortunate, my healing place is the beach. I have a beautiful beach down the road which except during holiday season is deserted. I walk down on the white sand and it massages my feet, the wind gently blows my hair as the suns rays warm my skin. I look out across the vast ocean and know that all is well in the world. I am at peace.

Nature Makes Us More Caring, Study Says

Want to be a better person? Commune with nature. Paying attention to the natural world not only makes you feel better, it makes you behave better, finds a new study to be published October 1 in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
"Stopping to experience our natural surroundings can have social as well as personal benefits," says Richard Ryan, coauthor and professor of psychology, psychiatry and education at the University of Rochester. While the salubrious effects of nature are well documented, from increasing happiness and physical health to lowering stress, this study shows that the benefits extend to a person's values and actions. Exposure to natural as opposed to man-made environments leads people to value community and close relationships and to be more generous with money, find Ryan and his team of researchers at the University of Rochester.

On a personal level, Weinstein says the take home message from the research is clear: "We are influenced by our environment in ways that we are not aware of," she says. Because of the hidden benefits of connecting with nature, people should take advantage of opportunities to get away from built environments and, when inside, they should surround themselves with plants, natural objects, and images of the natural world. "The more you appreciate nature, the more you can benefit," she says.

Signiture Series

I have created a signature series of images that would be great for interior designers or offices. A way to introduce the Healing Art of Nature into the workplace. Check it out and let me know what you think. If you have any special requests for particular images in this format let me know & I will see what I can do.

Healing Art Photograhy

Tropical Sunset

What is healing art photography????
Good question. I beleive that spending time in nature helps heal our bodies, our souls and our minds. So often today life is so fast paste that we get up, go to work, come home, do the chores, go to bed and then start all over again the next day,. Never having time out to destress and it is that that is behind so many of the ailments we suffer today. Spending time immersing yourself in nature is very healing & theraputic.
BUT i hear you say, I don't have time. Thats where healing art photography comes in. I take images of nature and  make them available for you so that if you can't get out in nature, nature can come in to you. Be it in the office or the home. Put a healing art image up on your wall and spend 5 minutes a day, at least, just sitting and looking into it, imaging that you were there and feel the stress dissapaiting out of your body. I am amazed at how even looking at a nature screensaver for a few minutes will lift my mood, give it a try and see for yourself. I have a collection of images at http://juliakharwood.redbubble.com/ that you can also look at.
I hope you will find this helpful and benificial.
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