LOUIS PARSONS
SOUL ART WORKSHOP 26 SEPT 2009
1-DAY CREATIVE WORKSHOP

EXAMPLE OF ONE OF LOUIS PARSONS’ SOUL WORKSHOPS:

Using Art to Develop Leadership Ability

Ashridge International Leadership Conference – A Variety of Leaders
Venue: Ashridge Leadership Centre
 No of Participants: 20
The aim of this session was for participants to create an oil on canvas work of art that says something profound and positive about their own leadership style.
 As well as being a fun and playful session, the idea is that participants find that they connect to the most important part of themselves through an act of intense creativity. Art is a powerful, relaxing, therapeutic tool, but it can also provide powerful insights into the unique configuration of the unconscious mind, and the soul.
Key themes:
Accessing the source of your creativity, connecting with the emotions and with the unconscious mind, and ultimately with Soul.
In doing so, one comes to know oneself better and to discover one’s unique vision and purpose.
We are all artists and the creators of our own lives and thoughts.
There is no such thing as a mistake.
The barrier between creativity and spirituality is paper-thin.
I think there is a new art movement; one in which we are all the artists and creators of our own lives.
This was a highly experiential session in which participants were guided by Louis to connect with the deepest part of themselves – the unconscious mind.
Each person was asked to think of a moment in time when they felt the most happy and energised. They were then given the opportunity to paint this on canvas using oil paints and a few simple tools. The paintings were to be abstract and non-representational, thus removing any anxiety about whether the painting would be ‘good’ or not.
Louis made the link with the keynote speech given by Charles Handy, in which he quoted Aristotle: ‘Know Thy Self’. Through discovering and working with their innate creativity, the participants were able to see a different aspect of themselves revealed in the oil paintings that they each created. After the paintings were complete, participants were asked to give each other feedback on what they thought the painting revealed about the painter. Time and again participants had the sense of a mirror of their inner souls as the viewer described with accuracy the character traits of the painter.
Louis had also displayed four paintings, each in a predominant colour – red, yellow, green and blue. Each participant chose their favourite and Louis explained how the choice reflected their Myers-Briggs personality type, providing further insight into Self.
Louis’s approach emphasised how personal creativity and spirituality are so closely linked and that tapping into creative approaches can connect people with their higher purpose and vision. This was a soulful experience, which uplifted as well as bringing about reflection. It taught participants to honour their creativity, even when faced with the daunting prospect of a blank canvas.
Participants were deeply absorbed in their painting and yet completely relaxed. The wonderment brought about by the experience illustrated how being creative can bring insight, renewal and inspiration for leaders.

Who is Louis Parsons?
Louis Parsons got kicked out of art college in his foundation year, for producing a rather ‘contentious’ (to say the least) piece. Ironically, he now considers it a pivotal moment in his life, not least because it gave him the freedom to travel, obtain new skills and meet wonderful people all over the world.
He managed to avoid several major world incidents (the Bali Bomb, Egypt bombing), and it was whilst on the West Coast of Australia that a rising sense of spirituality and destiny took hold. “I drove to the coast and headed for the beach,” says Louis, “And it was whilst sketching with oil pastels, that it struck me I could capture more in a sketch than what the eye saw.” Louis felt he was capturing the essence of a place – its emotional impact as well as the visual.
He carried on for weeks, feeling that someone was sketching through him, and not long afterwards, the pieces ‘Transformation’, ‘Faith’, ‘Angel’ and ‘Decision Made’, were created. Once a strong churchgoer, Louis’ spiritual development continues, driving much of his artwork – although his beliefs are broader then they used to be.
On his return, a major turning-point was when someone asked him to do a sketch based on them. Similarly to his experience at the beach, Louis was able to capture the essence of that person, and this has now become the major focus of his commis¬sion work. “I spend time with someone, and using my coaching skills and intuition, arrive at an image that says something of that person’s personality, soul, purpose, character,” he says. Indeed, a director of a business called Louis recently and said, “Louis, whenever I look at this piece you did on me, it reminds me why I am here. It helps me make the decisions I know I should. It must be the most personal piece of art I’ve experienced.”

Louis draws upon his work as an intuitive personal development coach to paint works that are emotionally charged and thought provoking.
Influenced by Turner, Hodgkin and Rothko, he draws his inspiration from his extensive world travels, his own life experience and meaningful interaction with others.
Now widely collected his artwork has deeply affected the lives of many throughout the country. Visa Barclaycard, Amcor Flexibles Europe and various training consultancies have all used Louis's artwork as part of their training and personal development programmes.
"My art explores the values and ideals of people and organisations. I enjoy the challenge of attempting to understand their spirit, their inner most being and their direction - following which I attempt to translate this "inner portrait" onto canvas."
The results of this process are a powerful and striking piece of work that stirs something profound and positive within the spirit.