What happens when life takes something you thought would always be close… and places it on the other side of the world?
For mixed media artist Silvina Lanusse, this wasn’t just a question.
It became her reality.
When her only daughter moved from Canada to New Zealand, Silvina found herself navigating a kind of distance that wasn’t just physical… but deeply emotional.
And in that space, something unexpected began to unfold.
Not a solution.
Not a clear answer.
But a creative process that would slowly guide her back to herself.
When Life Unravels… Creativity Begins to Rebuild
Silvina describes this period as a time when everything felt pulled apart.
The identity she had known…
the role she had held…
the rhythm of her everyday life…
All shifted at once.
Like many women moving through a spiritual awakening or identity shift, she found herself asking:
Who am I now?
What is my purpose?
She didn’t set out to “heal through art.”
She simply started creating.
At the time, she had been experimenting with different materials — stacks of printed papers, textures, fragments that didn’t quite belong anywhere.
And instead of discarding them, she began tearing them.
Layering them.
Placing them intuitively onto canvas.
And slowly, her now-signature paper scapes began to emerge.
It wasn’t planned.
But it became clear:
The torn paper mirrored her inner world.
Fragmented… yet capable of becoming whole again.
This is the quiet power of healing through creativity.
It meets you where you are…
without needing you to understand anything yet.
Nature as a Bridge Between Worlds
During this time, Silvina began taking daily walks.
Not as part of a creative strategy…
but simply as something that felt supportive.
She would record short videos for her daughter — small glimpses of her surroundings:
The movement of the ocean.
The shape of the clouds.
The texture of stones beneath her feet.
Simple moments.
But over time, something shifted.
She began to notice more.
To slow down.
To really see what was in front of her.
And without realising it, these observations began making their way into her work.
Her landscapes became more than visual compositions.
They became emotional bridges.
A way to connect:
- Canada and New Zealand
- Presence and distance
- Memory and reality
This is where nature and creativity intersect so powerfully.
Not as something you need to interpret…
But something you can simply feel.
Creative Empowerment for Women: Letting the Process Lead
One of the most striking parts of Silvina’s story is how little control she tries to impose on her work.
She doesn’t plan every layer.
She doesn’t force an outcome.
Instead, she allows the materials to guide her.
Even something as simple as tearing paper becomes part of the process.
Each type of paper responds differently.
Each tear creates a different edge.
And rather than resisting that…
She follows it.
This is where her work becomes a living example of creative empowerment for women.
Because what she is really practising is:
And most importantly…
Permission to be imperfect.
Her art doesn’t hide the fragmentation.
It honours it.
The Unexpected Moments That Hold Meaning
There’s a moment Silvina shares that captures this beautifully.
While working on a piece, she felt something was missing — a small detail to complete the landscape.
She searched through her materials…
And what she found was a photocopy of her father’s handwritten letter.
Not something she had planned to use.
Not something she had consciously chosen.
But it was exactly what the piece needed.
And in that moment, her creative process became something more.
Not just expression…
But connection.
This is the space where creativity becomes spiritual.
Not because we force it to be…
But because it reveals something we didn’t know we were holding.
Finding Purpose Through the Creative Process
Before this chapter of her life, Silvina describes feeling uncertain in her art.
Creating… but questioning.
Enjoying the process… but wondering what it meant.
It wasn’t until she moved through this deeply emotional experience that something shifted.
Her work found direction.
Not because she decided it should…
But because it became personal.
Because it became real.
This is something so many women experience:
We don’t always find clarity by searching for it.
Sometimes…
We find it by living through something that asks more of us.
And allowing creativity to hold us in that space.
How to Connect With Your Soul Through Creativity
Silvina’s story isn’t about becoming a different person.
It’s about returning to herself… in a new way.
And if you feel a similar pull, you don’t need to have it all figured out.
You might simply begin by:
- Creating without a clear outcome
- Noticing what draws your attention
- Allowing imperfection to exist on the page
- Letting your experiences shape your process
Because creativity isn’t separate from your life.
It reflects it.
Gently. Honestly. Powerfully.
A Gentle Reflection
You may wish to sit with this:
Where in your life do you feel something has shifted or been pulled apart…
and how might your creativity be inviting you to meet yourself there?
You may wish to capture your reflections in your journal…
or simply hold them quietly within yourself.
