Maria Saloma͂o-Schmidt, MBA selected ‘Bearish’ on July 28, 2016.
Serendipity. Fate. Coincidence. Flow. Purpose. Creativity.
Maria Saloma͂o-Schmidt, MBA is bearish on life!

According to native belief systems, the bear is a good omen, representing courage and conveying authority. Maria walked straight to the necklace, put it on and declared it to be hers.
Flow that I was on duty at Amapola Gallery, an artists cooperative in Old Town Albuquerque.
Purposeful for Maria to feel the energy, not only of the jasper and rose quartz, but the carved bear itself.
Creativity. The connection we experienced. In a rush of words and emotion, Maria talked about her appearance on Oprah, her recent book, my necklace and the energy of art.

One of my favorite quotes:
“Art is flow. It cannot happen in stagnation. Art helps re-ignite life, not only for the beholder but for the creator.”
Our time in July was short so I reached out to Maria to ask a few questions about creativity.
Maria Saloma͂o-Schmidt, MBA Talks Creativity
ME: What does creativity mean to you?
“In society ‘creativity’ is sometimes seen as only occasionally appropriate and that some are more creative than others. These are huge misunderstandings that keep us away from our natural flow, our joy, our life’s purpose. Oxygen is to your body, what creativity is to your soul, your energy body. It is essential!”
ME: How do you feel when you’re in your creative space and what does that feeling contribute to your end result?
“When I’m in my creative space, I enter into my own “zone.” There is a flowing serendipity that creates a sense of wonder and exploration. Visions, ideas and ahas continuously pop in. It feels AMAZING! It’s also contagious. This feeling helps me manifest the most amazing work. That work then, in turn, inspires others.”

ME: As an artist, are there doubts and struggles you face?
“The doubts and struggles are ALWAYS feedback to me that I’m living from my ego. I embrace the philosophy that life happens for me and not to me. Whatever happens is both a gift and a curse. I get to live out which I choose to live. I have found it is a LOT MORE FUN to live from the gift side, MUCH more fun!”
Maria Saloma͂o-Schmidt, MBA on Creativity in the World
ME: Do you see an impact of fellow artists on you and your work?
“YES! YES! YES! “Art” is soooo loosely defined, in my estimation, that it could be absolutely anything. If you are open you don’t define where your inspiration comes from. When you are on that inspirational level everything adds and inspires because everything you are seeing, hearing, feeling and tasting is reverberating as the same level you are on.”
ME: How did your art evolve and how have you evolved as a result? (Tell me about the role of art in your childhood)
“My art greatly evolved from taking the ickiest parts of my life and finding the gift in each of them. My level of my art is in direct proportion to how much I trust. Art and life work the same way. There were parts of my childhood that were plain horrific. When scary things happen sometimes the response is to stay attached to the pain by replaying it. This causes stagnation.”
ME: How has your art changed your perception of the world and how the world sees you?
“Small “shifts” create large “changes.” Each time I do my art, something shifts. Even if it’s uncomfortable at first, it eventually feels so great! I can breathe better. There is a connection that is established. I begin sensing the flow.”
ME: What impact do you want to have with your art and on whom?
“None of us knows how long we have on this planet. Most act like they have all the time in the world. Many turn off their own intuition and mostly just listen to what others think they should do. My art is to help people connect to their flow, their own art.”

Conclusion
How will you tap into your flow, purpose and creativity?