A response from my newsletter from a kindred spirit,

From the Studio

Played at making prayer flags for my daughters, now my son would like some too. 

Other Daughters Prayer Flags hanging on the third floor 

Back in the studio after a good play session last week, I could tell I really needed that as it opened up a part of the heart that was closing in.  The struggles were starting to feel very dark and shadowy.  Waves or another round of something.... I don't want to bring Nature into this emotional state but the behavior of it all resemble waves, it's starting to get a bit ridiculous at times. Calling for Help! Dramatic right?

 

Counter it with some play as quick as you can?  Side tract yourself and let go a bit, feel energy the from your youth, let go of that fear, allow love to come in. You know so badly that you want to be alive again. 

Words from my Morning Pages..... 

Finding our direction these days 

is a struggle, a truth there for sure. 

So many words I've heard over the years. 

"When we face our fears we find out they were only paper thin."

 How about... "What doesn't Kill you makes you stronger." 

or 

"We were made for this." 

and 

" Your Shadows are your directions." 

Keeping our sanity and open hearts is a big job. One that calls for showing up, faith, love, boundaries, discipline and practice. Eventually things change, because that's a truth too. Nothing stays the same. 

The trick is to stay grounded and balanced which is what a open heart can do. 

The art that I make has always been a gift in processing the inner and outer surroundings and environment I live in. I thank all my elders alive and the ones that have crossed paths into spirit world and  beyond over the the years.

 Dear Laura,

 

What a great collection of “voices” you pulled up this morning from your repertoire to respond to the dark voices and doubts and fears that probably most sensitive people are feeling. I know I am too. I’ve heard and read the blogs of several creative people attuned as you are to the dark, the shadowy, the tragic chaotic realities that are happening all around us, all around the planet. Crises upon crises are piling up in our human consciousness.  All is not well with the world!

 

I heard Rollo May (The Courage to Create) speak once years ago in the 70’s, and his message basically was that it is the artists who “feel” and give expression to what is happening before the rest of folks “tune in”.  He cited the music of Simon and Garfunkel.  (“The Sounds of Silence”, “I am a Rock”… full of such prophetic images…etc..).  And I hear the words of Rilke in he letter to the young poet (“do not fear your images, the strangeness…”)  and I guess that I have tried to be faithful to both of them in their guidance in my work.

 

I have found this period of “collapse” of the way things were a very challenging time to paint from that place.  There are not images that have “emerged”, nor have I looked for them.  Maybe your email is a reminder and a challenge to me to open myself once again to the UNKNOWN more than I have been willing to do.  If so…here I go….and for that I thank you Laura!  This is, could be, the Gift that we have been given as artists for the Community of Life, for the World.   Maybe this awful moment is why we’re here at this time in history/evolution of human consciousness, our purpose as Artists.

 

I do believe that it is Human Consciousness is what is being “called” to change today…by Covid, chaos, crises of all kinds coming to a head ! ! !  Gosh, maybe this is a time when we should be trying to meet again in our artist’s group…to strengthen us in our Gift for this time!  What do you think, Laura?

 

Mary