Aion Institute

The CHI of Painting, led by Leigh McCloskey, is an experiential seminar that approaches painting as a form of creative attention and inquiry rather than technical performance. Drawing on the concept of art as a pathway to self-understanding and presence, participants begin in the garden of Olandar, and the symbolic significance of place. From there, the seminar moves into the archetypal studio space, where participants engage in spontaneous, direct creation—using color and gesture as tools for curiosity and exploration rather than critique. The seminar also includes reflective transitions through domestic and creative spaces, culminating in a visit to McCloskey’s painted library, which functions as a visual archive of symbolic language and mythic imagination. The CHI of Painting emphasizes art as a process of relationship, attentiveness, and meaning-making, offering participants an opportunity to reconnect with the creative spirit as an integral aspect of psychological and emotional life.