The Moment Everything Cracked Open
When Ovi Paulter first picked up a paintbrush, it wasn’t to make something beautiful. It was to breathe again.
After years of surviving childhood trauma, navigating infertility, and juggling the demands of motherhood and a full-time job, Ovi found herself in a hospital—completely depleted. A therapist encouraged her to find a hobby. She didn’t know it at the time, but that tiny spark of curiosity would lead to a profound healing journey.
“Art was the only thing that was able to touch the part of me and start to heal the part of me that was dormant for all these years.”
She signed up for a local oil painting class at a community center. She was surrounded by retired folks painting landscapes, but slowly, week by week, something in her started to thaw. The act of showing up—with no pressure to perform—was the medicine she didn’t know she needed.
The Power of Quiet Creativity
Ovi speaks openly about living in “survival mode” for most of her life. She shares how trauma at age 16 shaped her internal landscape and led to years of living in a fragmented state—successful on the outside, but emotionally numb inside.
Painting gave her access to emotions she had buried long ago. When she began painting flowers—specifically inspired by memories of her grandmother’s garden in Lithuania—her soul started to speak again.
“It was like taking a straw and stirring up the deep, dark masses of my soul.”
She eventually realized she wasn’t just painting flowers. She was painting her way home.
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Floral Sessions with Ovi: A Nonprofit Rooted in Presence
What started as private evening paintings at her kitchen table turned into something bigger. One night, she had the idea to teach. She reached out to a local gift shop owner and offered to host a free session.
The response was overwhelming.
Her teaching style is calm, kind, and simple. No pressure. No perfectionism. Just small, doable steps—blending colors, brushing gently, creating space for presence. And something incredible began to happen. Strangers started talking to each other. People left feeling lighter.
“Maybe they left a few burdens on the table. That makes me feel so good. That makes me feel so full. That makes me feel so fulfilled.” Now, Ovi offers free monthly painting clubs both in person and online through her nonprofit initiative, Floral Sessions with Ovi. Participants are even encouraged to “nominate someone who needs softness” for the next round.
Softness as a Healing Tool
In a world that often celebrates hustle, Ovi is a quiet advocate for softness.
She describes her sessions as gentle experiences that intentionally avoid pressure or stress. There are no time limits, no rigid rules—only structure that she holds quietly in the background.
“Softness to me is the complete opposite of go-getter energy. I try to create an atmosphere that’s stress-free—where it just flows.”
From serving wine to hugging participants and playing music in the background, every part of her class is designed to help people drop into presence. And it works.
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Healing Without Pressure
Ovi also challenges the belief that creativity has to lead to productivity. She shares how early art training—even from generous teachers—quickly moved into sales and marketing. She had to unlearn the belief that “art only matters if it sells.”
“Creativity does not have to be productivity or result. There’s value in creativity as a healing tool for us.”
She cites studies showing that just 45 minutes of using your hands—whether painting, knitting, coloring, or crafting—can dramatically lower cortisol. When we create in safe, supportive groups, our nervous systems calm down together.
Beauty as a Lifeline
One of the most powerful moments in the conversation was Ovi’s reframe of beauty—not as a luxury, but as a lifeline.
“Beauty isn’t a luxury. To me, it’s essential.”
Whether it’s a canvas, a vase of grocery store flowers, or a coloring book, she believes keeping the door cracked open to creativity gives us access to calmness and purpose.
And you don’t need a fancy studio. Ovi paints in her kitchen.
What’s Lighting Her Up Now
Ovi beams as she shares what’s bringing her joy:
– Hugs and kisses from her teenagers (when she can catch them!)
– Walks through flower farms
– Teaching others to paint without pressure
– Feeling aligned with her purpose after all these years
Gratitude in Full Bloom
As the episode wraps, Ovi reflects on her gratitude for the timing and alignment of this conversation: “The name of your show—Hard Beautiful Journey—just so well reflects my journey. It feels so right to be here today, looking at my peonies.”
🌷 Want to Connect with Ovi?
Follow her on Instagram at @ovipaulterart to see her gorgeous work and learn more about Floral Sessions.
To join one of Tiff’s healing offerings:
- 🌬 Download the free guided meditation
- 💛 Sign up for the Healing Heart Workshop (next one is Tuesday, May 20!)
- 🏔️ Apply for The Healing Heart Retreat this October in Canmore, Alberta
All available at www.tiffcarson.com 💕
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