The Sonoma Art Movement Revolutionizing Art Education Globally

There’s an art school and museum in Sonoma you may have never heard that is boldly revolutionizing the art education landscape globally. Musea, the Intentional Creativity® museum, is changing the way artists create by challenging what we consider the typical methods of making art. They teach creators how to navigate one’s own creative process and add a touch of magic to the experience. It involves infusing our artwork with intention, cultivating mindfulness and embodiment throughout the creative process. This transformative approach can be applied to any artistic medium and allows any person to explore a wide range of thematic topics to unlock an artist’s own inspiration and story.

With a headquarters in the sleepy town of Sonoma, it’s hard to imagine that this organization has taught over 30k members in 8 countries and has over 340 certified Intentional Creativity teachers worldwide. Their teachings have had a profound impact on countless individuals, myself included, by facilitating the connection or reconnection with their artistic essence.

Founder and artist Shiloh Sophia McCloud speaking to students during a retreat in 2019

I discovered this organization almost by accident when I had basically given up on being an artist and didn’t think there was much I had left to say as a painter. It was around 2014 where I thought I could just erase being an artist from my life, move on and let go of that part of myself. I stopped painting, I stopped drawing, I even took the art I’d made off my own walls at home and put away my art supplies. It felt almost like breaking up with a best friend. Art no longer had meaning for me – I was just…done.

My friend invited me to a paint day at an artist’s house in San Francisco (my now mentor, Elizabeth Gibbons – also known as “Glitter Wasp”). I said yes thinking it was just another crafternoon with the girls. I had no idea it would change the course of my life and would help me reconnect with lost parts of myself, heal old wounds and ultimately save my life.

Divine Warrior For Love – art by Elizabeth Gibbons

I’m a firm believer that we are shown our path when we need it the most and, right when I had put the paint brush down, Intentional Creativity (also known as “IC”) was revealed to me. After my first class with Elizabeth, I dove into the school’s teachings which opened up a whole new world. IC methodology has shifted, not just how I create art, but how I relate to others, how I heal old wounds, how I process my struggles, meditate, set goals and more.

The Origins of Musea, The Intentional Creativity® Museum

Although the methodology of IC was created by Shiloh Sophia McCloud, the origin of the work goes back over a 100 years. Every IC teacher is also part of this long rich history and artist lineage.

Intentional Creativity® traces its roots back to Eleanor Roosevelt, who fostered its development during the New Deal era. Under her guidance and invitation, Master Teacher Lenore Thomas Straus utilized art as a means to manifest intentional ideas. Lenore passed down her wisdom to Sue Hoya Sellars, who in turn shared her knowledge with both Sue Hoya Sellars and Caron McCloud. Shiloh Sophia McCloud, a student of Sue and Caron, has since become a prominent teacher of the Intentional Creativity® method, imparting her wisdom to tens of thousands of individuals.

Painting by Sue Hoya Sellars

Shiloh’s work has extended to significant platforms, including presentations that raise awareness at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for the past six years. The Center for Intentional Creativity Museum and School, operated by the Intentional Creativity® Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, serves as a central hub for most all IC-style training. Through this foundation, they provide on-location and online global support, empowering people worldwide through the transformative practice of Intentional Creativity.

Shiloh Sophia McCloud painting at her canvas inside Musea, The Intentional Creativity® Museum

The Vision: “Many Voices: We are an Art Movement with tens of thousands of creative members around the world working together on a common red thread of creation. The philosophy we work with is called Intentional Creativity, which means to create with consciousness. Intentional Creativity as a methodology is an integrative approach to art and healing taught by our arts Guild of over 350 certified Teachers, Coaches and Guides worldwide. We may be one of the single largest current art movements in the world.”

As for the name “Musea” it means multiple museums in Latin and the name encapsulates their diverse range of interests and endeavors.

Color of Woman students admiring their collective artwork at Musea, Sonoma Center for Intentional Creativity – photo from the museum website.

Musea has two founders – husband and wife duo Shiloh Sophia McCloud and Jonathon McCloud.

Shiloh Sophia McCloud is a true Renaissance woman. Through her paintings, storytelling, and illustrations, she communicates her philosophy to the world. Over the past 25 years, she has dedicated herself to creativity as a transformative and conscious practice. Through her groundbreaking research on Intentional Creativity, she has shown how art can give voice to the soul. Her message of “creating with intention” has touched the lives of tens of thousands.

Shiloh’s spiritual practice revolves around sacred art-making, particularly medicine painting and metacognitive drawing. Shiloh’s work is not only taught in university programs but also at the United Nations and by over 300 Intentional Creativity® Teachers and Coaches worldwide. At the heart of her teachings is the belief that self-expression is a fundamental human right. Her research delves into the interconnectedness of the right and left brain with the heart and body, as well as how images and language shape consciousness.

Shiloh’s piece for “Codex” – a one year painting program with over 100 woman from across the world

Jonathan is also his own style of renaissance man. Having dedicated nearly 30 years to a successful career in the hospitality industry, he made a profound life shift and embraced the path of an artist, photographer, and poet. Alongside this transformation, he ventured into the realms of art, digital technology, and business startups, collaborating with renowned organizations like Burning Man and Couch Surfing. Revered as an alchemist by his peers, Mr. McCloud co-founded the non-profit Intentional Creativity Foundation and fulfills the role of CFO.

Founder and artist Shiloh Sophia at her canvas

My favorite memory of Jonathon is when I took a class called Apothecary where he spoke about what it means to be truly free. What I took from the talk was several things but I often will refer to some of the talk and remind myself that, in order to walk over the alchemical bridge, I must be willing to let go of past biases and push myself to find my path. Lectures by Jonathon often have talks about metaphysics and how the brain processes information. Imagine connecting metaphysics to art… it’s truly eye opening and helps you connect art to so much more than just a 2D drawing. Also, he has a great video on Creativity And The Brain worth watching!

Learn more about Shiloh and Jonathan here: About The Founders of Musea

Why Intentional Creativity And This Art Movement is so Special

Intentional Creativity is very approachable while being transformative. It brings mindfulness into everything you create – whether it’s a drawing, in a poem or a painting. It is essentially a methodology which combines somatic techniques with proven art therapy practices as well as philosophy and metaphysics. Rather than following a straight line from beginning to end, an art piece is created through a journey. This journey can come in many forms but often includes deep inquiry and setting your intention at each step in an effort to allow your inner knowing to come forward onto the canvas.

Teaching an IC-style class at The Palace of The Soul in San Francisco – a class called “Ocean Pour“

“I’ve been sharing what I call Intentional Creativity. Basically, creating with mindfulness. That whatever it is that we approach, we bring that love and care to it. And so, in the work of Intentional Creativity, the person doing the creative is invited to pose an inquiry and as they are doing the work, whether it’s gardening or drawing or painting or making music, they are letting that inquiry run through their mind and what happens is you gain access to information which wasn’t available to you and isn’t available to you via ‘traditional thinking’. When you are engaged in a creative act, you bypass the usual constraints of the prefrontal cortex which I often call ‘The Dominatrix’ and you enter into a flow state where way more access to your ideas is available and it’s pretty exciting over there because when you hang out over there you see what you haven’t been seeing,” says founder Shiloh Sophia.

Founder Shiloh Sophia goes into more detail in a short video around the work she does and who the teachers/students/artists are:

Maybe this all sounds a little complicated but I can boil it down a little more by telling you how that first experience I had way back when played out which will give you a bigger picture of the overall process.

We arrived at Elizabeth’s house way back in 2014 (a beautiful mediterranean-style home called The Palace of The Soul) and gathered in a circle to discuss the plan for the day and set our intention as well as acknowledge any feelings that might be coming up for each of us. As a small cohort of people, we essentially created a container for anything that would come up for us during the day. 

The group proceeded with a time-honored Red Thread Ceremony within the framework of Intentional Creativity. This sacred ritual served to unify the collective of artists, recognizing the profound interconnectedness that binds all IC students together. Through the symbolism of the red thread, participants acknowledged their shared bond, while also embracing the understanding that each individual is accountable for their own unique contribution to this intricate web of creativity. Elizabeth led us next in a guided meditation where we sat in stillness and allowed our minds to access our own content and imagination.

Here I am taking an Intentional Creativity class about mermaids taught by my mentor Elizabeth Gibbons & artist Kerry Lee

After our meditation, we started our paintings which are typically led through a 13-step process. No experience is necessary in any IC class and every student has their own deep-knowing and journey they are on throughout the day. My first class with Elizabeth was about finding our own sacred tree and what that tree symbolized. At the end of the class, each of us had a very different interpretation of what the tree looked like and what it meant for each of us. That’s some of the magic of IC work – even with the same 13 steps or the same inquiry from your teacher, you will find your own way through the art piece.

Two of my own paintings which use Intentional Creativity methodology

How has Intentional Creativity impacted my own art practice today?

Since finding IC, I’ve been on a journey of belonging… where I have unearthed deep knowing in myself while creating art. Today, I paint as a form of meditation and, as cheesy as it sounds, the largest wounds inside myself have been healed through the way I create art nowadays.

That moment when I completely doubted whether I was an artist or if I was on the right path as one, it’s not completely gone. I see that time as an important part of my own story. In Buddhism, they believe that we can transform our own karma “by not being defeated by such challenges, we lessen their negative impact on us. In fact, we can transform our challenges into fuel for better understanding and encouraging people going through similar struggles.” I felt like what I was doing was something anyone could do, I felt my art had no soul and I struggled to paint for years. But now, I can show others that your art can always have soul if you’re brave enough to transform your personal struggles and make them into art.

The cohort of newly-certified Intentional Creativity teachers from the 2019 Color Of Woman Training – You can see me front row, 4th from left

Today, nearly 9 years since I first discovered Musea and IC, I’ve become a certified teacher through the school’s year-long Color Of Woman Course and started to write my own guided meditations which help my students tap into their own imagination. I’ve connected with hundreds of amazing IC artists around the world, turned my art practice into my own way of meditating and no longer look down on my artistic ability. And, I’m not the only one who has felt their whole world has changed using IC methodology – hundreds and thousands of people worldwide have similar feelings I have.

“In 2022, I connected through Grief to bring reconnection and reparation to our world. I hold Shiloh and Jonathan in heartfelt gratitude for all that you are and all that you do.” – Elizabeth Ellen 2022 student for Apothecary.

“It will be the most amazing journey into the Mystery of Life and you will be surprised by the blessings you received. Expect the unexpected, it is one of the great adventures of your life.”~ Rosamaría Polidura when speaking about the Red Thread Course she took.

“This experience made me see myself in a new way.”- Intentional Creativity Teacher, Evelyne Verret

a “portrait” of me against my IC artwork – photo by Vita Hewitt

I’ve sat on sharing this amazing art school for a while and it’s mostly because I just don’t know how to articulate how meaningful the experience with IC can and will be for those who choose to tap into this amazing methodology which will lead them towards self-transformation. But, I’m sharing the knowledge that someone out there needs to know this place exists. Maybe you’re in a similar boat I was in so long ago? Maybe you’re just looking for something to stretch you a little outside of your comfort zone? Whatever calls you to IC, take the leap and you won’t be sorry you did.

What’s next in my IC journey? Well, I practice Intentional Creativity methodology in all of my art these days. However, I’ll be taking a class at the school this next month called “Legend”. You can sign up and join me in the class if you’re ready to change your life.

Where can you find Musea, The Intentional Creativity® Museum Online?

Current IC Class Offerings Are Here:https://musea.org/university/
imusea.org, features work of Guild members, Museum information and more information about the Intentional Creativity Foundation [501(c)3].

Museum + Guild: imusea.org
University + Sanctuary + Atelier: musea.org
Instagram: @musea_center
Facebook: facebook.com/museacenter

For more inspiration… hear from my mentor, Elizabeth Gibbons to understand how she sees art and learn about her work as a contemporary symbolist and how she uses mythology and sacred symbols to transform her art in a sacred practice.

Broke-Ass Stuart works because of reader support. Join us now.

Howdy! My name is Katy Atchison and I'm an Associate Editor for Broke-Ass Stuart.

I want to take the time to say thank you for supporting independent news media by reading BrokeAssstuart.com. Supporting independent news sources like Broke-Ass Stuart is vital to supporting our community because it amplifies the voices of a wide variety of diverse opinions. You also help support small businesses and local artists by sharing stories from Broke-Ass Stuart.

Because you're one of our supporters, I wanted to send over a pro-tip.

Our bi-weekly newsletter is a great way to get round ups of Broke-Ass Stuart stories, learn about new businesses in The Bay Area, find out about fun local events and be first in line for giveaways.

If you’d like to get our newsletter, signup right here, it takes 5 seconds.