Completely Collaged.com: International Day for the Elimination of VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Completely Collaged.com: International Day for the Elimination of VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

International Day for the Elimination of VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

I WILL PROTECT YOUR HEART
9x12 collage + acrylic on collage board

One of the things that I care deeply about are Women's issues. I care not just because I am a woman but I am concerned because I believe the love and care a society gives to women sets the tone for the success or failure for the generations to come.
My poem and art give expression to what I am trying to say-


I will protect your Heart

A maidens dreams taken by violence
Her innocence shattered by a fist.
The hope of a future, swollen and bloodied
In the name of religion or culture.
The whip bears down
taking with it all thoughts of being free.
The locked door of dominance and the chains of oppression
Bring death to a heart and another generation.

Zambia and the land that thunders

Victoria Falls Zambia

And this is why this place is called " the land that thunders"
Its the 7th Natural Wonder of the World.
The falls were amazing and beautiful and well worth the 6 hour drive to see them.
They were a lovely finish to a fruitful, pleasant trip.

Zambia- the land that Thunders

Corn Oil Girls

My short journey through Zambia held more sights and experiences that I could possibly explain or write about.

Anytime you travel so far from home you learn how differently others live, eat and speak.

And speaking of eating- I didnt know that corn and corn oil is a staple in Zambia. It is used in almost every meal to add flavor and moisture.

I did a quick watercolor sketch of the women going home from Market with 5 gallon plastic jugs filled with corn oil.

Zambia- the land that Thunders

Glynis + me in front of Victoria Falls

"It's better to have a partner than go it alone.
Share the work. Share the wealth.
By yourself youre unprotected
With a friend you can face the worst"  Ecc 4:9-12

 Well we never had a "worst" to have to face while on our trip.
All went so smoothly and was relatively comfortable as we journeyed across Zambia in 5 days.

 A worst could have been-

Getting sick from the delicious meat pie I had for breakfast after Pastor Fraywell said it was fine to eat. Only after I was half way finished did he turn to me and say

" You shouldn't eat those. Sometimes they are made days before and just sit out the whole time. The last American here ate one and was very, very sick!"

A worst could have been-

  Having to go to the bathroom so desperately that I actually agreed to go in the bush- I mean the real African Bush. While Glynis " protected" my modesty from the roadside ( I do believe there was laughter involved) Pastor again reminded me to beware of cobras and black mambas. He failed to mention that the 6 foot tall grass cuts and the abundant thorn bushes stick to skin and undergarments. But I did not meet a snake so all was fine.

And a worst could have been-

  After 1200 miles of good and not so good roads our poor Pastor's jeep had a big metal gear and belt fall off in the safety of the Arcades Shopping mall in Lusaka.
It could have happened anywhere less pleasant- for at least we could get a cold drink and a bite to eat rather than we could have been the bite to eat out in the middle or nowhere!

Zambia- the Land that Thunders

Faithful ladies escorting the body to church

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4
You learn more at a funeral than at a feast
Crying is better than laughter
It blotches the face but scours the heart 

Our first full day in Lusaka started with a funeral.
She was in her 30's and left behind 4 school age children.

The faithful women dressed in purple took care of the body from beginning to end. They prepared her, dressed her, escorted her body to the church and carried her within.
There are no mortuary services for the average Zambian - family and church do the job.

The service itself was an act of rejoicing for she rests in His Presence but there is no deeper earthly sorrow than the death of a loved one and especially a mother. This was reflected in the eyes of her children.

Death is universal and its pain is the same in every culture.
God choose to start out our trip with death for crying scours the heart and widens the footpath to His door.

Visiting the Land that Thunders- a short trip to Zambia

  What a great joy to be invited by my friend and Director of Reaching Generations - Glynis Crawford and to join her on a work trip to Zambia Africa. She overseas a unique program that allows financial sponsors in the US to help orphans in 7 different countries in Africa to stay with an African family or church members rather than be placed in an orphanage. The monthly sponsorship of $25.00 provides the child with educational costs, food or other things that they or the family might need along with care, nurturing and accountability through the local church.

Glynis and a new little friend

  Our adventure began in Oklahoma City and ended 8807 miles later in Lusaka the capital of land locked Zambia. It has a total population of 14 million with over 1 million living in the capital. The average yearly wage is $1473.00 per capita and for some its less than $1.00 a day. 80% of the country are literate with English as their primary language. They are very poor with limited access to water and sewage. Zambia is blessed with 3 major rivers and the 7th Wonder of the World- Victoria Falls.

  My job was to assist Glynis as the non professional videographer and anything else she needed along the way. Of course I had the fun of meeting the children and making friends with the local women that helped at the church in Lusaka.


 

Loves lifelong Vow

 Today Mike and I have been married 39 years! Of course we married at 10 -LOL.

At our wedding ceremony (which was very traditional 1974 style) we used the-

Groom: I,____, take thee,_____, to be my lawful wedded Wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.

Bride: I,_____, take thee,_____, to be my lawful wedded Husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth

I have no idea what my troth was and how I was supposed to give it but these were the things we said.
I started thinking about all the words we say to one another and giving our pledge is such a lost way of life. I did mean these words even if I didnt fully get it.
So here is my poem to my first and only love-

                            The Vows


The Vows we said were black and white
We had little understanding in the candlelight.

The Vows we said were words of old
From times past when love was often sold.

The Vows we said were meant to last
A pledge, a promise and a lifelong task.

The Vows we spoke were hard to live
But kept love going when there wasnt much to give.

The Vows we said were black and white
Keeping us through our darkest night.
And as the years have hurried by
Our love has been tested and has been tried.

And the words we spoke in black and white
Have burst forth in color illuminated by His Light.








 

Completely Collaged.com: ALWAYS PLAY IN THE GARDEN - Radical Wellness message to my Soul

Completely Collaged.com: ALWAYS PLAY IN THE GARDEN - Radical Wellness message to my Soul

ALWAYS PLAY IN THE GARDEN - Radical Wellness message to my Soul

10x7 ink on watercolor

My morning reading from the book of Proverbs reminded me-
                           
" The very steps we take are from God,
   otherwise how would we know where to go"

As I thought about these Words I saw myself stepping into a garden.
I needed to walk thoughtfully and be observant as I went- yet I didn't need to worry for the garden path was always there to keep me moving forward.

The garden idea was pleasant to think about for He created me to enjoy beauty.

I was made for a garden.

When things are hard or stressful I find peace by looking out at the natural world, my soul is nourished and calmed.

I was made for a garden.

Times with family and loved ones seem most enjoyable when surrounded by flora and fauna.   

I was made for a garden.

The artist in me enjoys creating and using the colors and themes of Nature. This is where my spirit loves to play.

For I was made for a garden.

Crossing Guards - artful thoughts from Radical Wellness

This week from my online course RADICAL WELLNESS we had to give some time to thinking about a childhood hurt or issue and how it became used for good when you became an adult.

CROSSING GUARD 10x7 ink on watercolor paper

My childhood was lonely and isolated. Most of the time my only sister and I couldn't play together for fear that we would fight and get too loud. We were not allowed to have friends over or have birthday parties until we were well into high school.
 
 At 6 I was told I was too old for my menagerie of stuffed things and off they went into the trash. To this day I don't know what the motivation was for discarding the pleasures of childhood but that was the rule.

 My best childhood stuffed animal was Quincy- a pink, big headed buttoned eyed dog. He protected me from all things that went bump in the night and was the leader of the fluffy animal pack. He was the object that felt and understood my pain, he dried my tears and held all my secrets. He helped me cross the bridge between childhood to girlhood.

My art imagery contains symbols of childhood and a "guardian" of sorts that helped me through. Quincy was it. He guarded my Crossing until I could understand that there was One who was the True Guardian. And so the poem and artwork...

                                         The Crossing Guard
      There is a journey that begins by crossing the empty desert of solitude.
      The dry air of Silence burns the lungs as the wasteland of loneliness scorches the soul.
      Yet there is hope in this journey and reward to be claimed,
        for here the streams of imagination flow
      Watering the secret garden of childhood- where fantasies and daydreams flourish.
      Here loneliness becomes a sanctuary- a place of renewal and strength.

I am grateful for this lesson of childhood for it has left me with little fear of Silence or Loneliness. They are the companions that lead to His Sanctuary.   
           
           

She must feel her Pain

quick sketch- acrylic on paper 7x10 journal

She cannot run from the darkness that chases her.
She cannot busy herself with life's amusements, pleasures or daily doings
For the darkness will push its way in 
It will eventually catch her and cover her.

She must turn to face it.
She must quiet herself to what the darkness brings.
She must let it near for all she wants is hidden by its blackness.
                                   SHE MUST FEEL HER PAIN
For in feeling the pain
       lies the power to make the darkness recede.
Feeling the pain brings light and truth that fear has obstructed.
She must feel her pain to know her choices.    

ATC- Serves 6

I made this ATC because I liked the old women making a meal. It brought back pleasant thoughts of childhood foods.

My Mother didn't cook for pleasure. She enjoyed all the benefits of the food "inventions" of the 1950s and 60s. Sunday may have included a pot roast and over-cooked veggies, but the rest of the week came out of the freezer.

Thank goodness for my Grandmother and her sister my Great Aunt Edithe. They both had a head full of family recipes and baked goods that were unrivaled. I looked forward to a stay at their houses for the delights that awaited behind the oven door. Of course being taught as a girl to make bread or a buttery pie crust was fun but I didn't then have the understanding of the importance of food to family life and memories until I had my own children.

As the Lenten Season comes to a close and His Resurrection Celebration day is a hand- enjoy a home cooked meal and try something made from scratch. 

                                          Nana's Crust for pies
1 1/3 cup flour
1 stick of good quality butter - very cold + cut into 1" pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup of ice cold water
  (Now here is the good part- you can take this and mix it in your food processor if you dont want to use a pastry cutter.)

So add the flour, butter + salt into work bowl with the metal blade. Process until the consistency of course meal 8-10 seconds.
With processor running add cold water slowly until dough becomes a ball.
Turn out onto plastic wrap and smooth into a flat disk. Let sit in refrigerator to rest about 2 hours and then bring to room temperature before rolling out.
Then follow whatever the fruit or meat pie recipe you are using.
  

Candles on Black Board

candles- Pastel pencil on Black Board ATC

Just got to try a "new" to me product. ATC Black Board.
Artist Trading Cards are small (2.5 x 3.5) just like baseball cards and are made to be swapped or traded among artist just like sports cards are.

I enjoy working on that small space when I want to just relax and draw or paint without having to put too much thought or energy into my work. I experiment with new types of paper or mediums getting an idea of how it works and looks.

I have traded occasionally with other groups or artists but most of the time Im happy just to use them as " thumbnails" for ideas later on.

The Black Board paper is smooth with just enough tooth for pastel + charcoal pencils.
Im looking forward to trying the rest of the package produced by Strathmore with gel pens, pearlized paint and who knows what else !

My Lenten Retreat- A SPACE

I have the joy this Lenten Season of joining an online retreat hosted by one of my favorite artists and spiritual leaders JAN RICHARDSON.

http://janrichardson.com/lentenretreat2013.html

She and her husband Gary give a daily Lenten mediation through art, music and words. Each day has been beautiful and thought provoking. It is open to everyone and its not too late to join.

Why am I taking this Lenten (long) journey?
My soul is feeling impoverished and weary from all the events of life- both personal and global.
I need a time and space just to follow Him through the last 40 days of His life.
I need to remember how much it cost Him so I could have relationship with God.
I need to wonder once again about all He is and all He has done.

And even though I cant spend 40 days on a tropical beach uninterrupted I can have a "soul" retreat when I get away daily for a small space in time just to hear and live His story again.

   

Art - When words arent enough

Remembering Bentley

I know most will agree that the Arts are a most wonderful thing.
From the beginning of time Art has helped express mans deepest feeling from unabashed joy to the depths of despair.

When words arent enough Art is.

My sweet friend lost her favorite cat Bentley last week.
And Art allowed me to say I cared. 

Illustration Friday: MYTH

Medusa

This weeks prompt for IF is MYTH.
I have always loved Greek mythology.
Medusa was one of the 3 Gorgon sisters + was cursed with a face that turned men to stone and hair of snakes. She gave birth to Pegasus + Chysaor.

I used a monoprint background + charcoal + pencil.

Thinking about Art: A Body of work

Body of Work- ipad art

Creating a body of work is a very important step in an Artist's life. It shows the expanding out of a comfort zone and a venturing into new territory.

It builds personal confidence within the Artist because they learn that the " one great piece" can be repeated in different ways, sizes, colors etc but remain true to the vision.

On a practical note it shows others such as gallery owners or customers that you really can produce what they enjoy seeing consistently.

But I think most importantly it keeps us Curious and that is the heart of a true Artist.

Thinking about Art: Accountabilty

Accountability is part of every journey we take.  

As artists we make many choices- what will I learn this year, where, how and when. We sometimes forget that everything has a cost even if we don't spend any money on supplies.

I love to walk with my grandchildren. The one "rule" I have is you must look for treasure. That means each walk we will find something we hadn't noticed before.
This walk was a hot one but the kids raced ahead as the energetic do.
Then they saw it - the small dense wooded area with a very narrow trail leading into it. And of course the question was "Can we go in there?"

I hesitated because "I saw" snakes, bugs, prickly plants and maybe poison ivy.

our treasure- the worlds biggest dandelion

But who wants to miss out on an adventure and a shared one at that!
It was 100* that day in Oklahoma as we explored.  We exited very hot with a few bug bites and scratches but mostly with the delight of a great adventure. The joy of discovery was well worth veering off the path well traveled.

So what does this have to do with accountability? and Art?

We have accountability to ourselves to get off the path we are familiar with and explore even when its "uncomfortable." Going on a shared journey in a group or a class can make the times of discouragement a bit easier for we aren't alone in our struggles.

But best of all we have an accountability to share whatever we're learning or doing because the treasures that lie within each of us are meant to be given away!

Thinking about Art: The dust of our Soul

I love to look back on my children's handwriting. In the beginning just the mere shapes of letters were a big accomplishment. Then throughout the years the process is mastered and now I recognize my kids writing at the very first glance.

In a world of intense Western commercialism uniformity is desired. From factory made bread perfectly sliced to lines of cars or houses made with few variations -individually is hard to find. Yet this sameness of things causes us to pursue more and more possessions in the name of being "unique".

Yet we are innately rare and unrepeatable. No two humans are ever alike. The mold is broken after the creation of each child conceived. We share characteristics that make us human and experiences that unite us but we are one of a kind.

I think the wonderful world of the internet with Google, social media and international awareness has opened doors for Artists to have amazing images and ideas right at their fingertips. It can also be intimidating knowing that there are thousands of Artists that can draw a tree more interestingly than you'd ever imagined. Somehow it makes most of us feel unremarkable and a bit boring.

1963 age 7

That is why our Artist Style/ Signature is so important and we must continue to nurture and develop it. Just as handwriting it takes time and practice. Our Style sets us apart from others because it has the dust of our soul mingled in the paint we use or the fiber we weave or the clay we form. It is our unique gift to this world and only we can give it.

Thinking about Art- Style

This is my first post of the New Year. Trying for consistency this year. Even if I dont have anything "profound" to say at least I can put up some art.

I joined a group called CAPI http://www.milliande.com/capi-create-art-portfolio-ideas.html 

The group is open to everyone so if you want to lay down some good art roots and habits check it out. It is free and uses supplies you already have.

Our first journal topic was related to Artist Style/ Signature and what is it and why do I want it? More on that in another post.

I journaled my more serious thoughts for a full page but this little idea keep singing to me in the background. When the odd side of my brain wants to say something I am compelled to go there....

So here is my little poem and art work for STYLE

made on my ipad