Spirituality, Love and Art / Part IV

In saving the best for last in this four-part series, I chose love because it is the glue binding this particular subject matter. Yes, love is the strongest component of spirituality and art. It is both the motivation and the expression, as manifested through practice.

Strictly and quickly from my first mind, I view love as a combination of compassion, commitment and communion. Compassion because love allows you to acknowledge the feelings of others. Commitment because love is a choice we make. And communion because on the most fundamental level, love allows us to see our connection to other human beings, as well as other living things.

When I say that I cannot thrive without love, I mean it. This is why I chose at a relatively young age to do the work of developing myself spiritually - a life-long and never-arriving quest. The good news is that I get to know love by choosing to give it through my thoughts, words and deeds.

Regardless of whether a handsome, loving man is in my life, I still am able to experience love by showing it. In doing so, it is invariably reflected back to me. To family, friends, children and animals, I extend kindness, laughter and concern. No less than this, but also a deeper, passionate sexual intimacy is what I extend to a committed and romantic relationship with the man of my choosing. No less than the love shown to others, but also a different passion and intensity is what I bring to the art process.

It is true that when rendered from the heart and soul as well as the intellect, the making of art is essentially an act of love. It is the giving of one's whole self to the conception and birth of a vision. That love is returned in both the completed work and the appreciation of the viewers. This is what makes art such a satisfying pursuit, a feeling that sends artists back to the drawing board time and again.

If love was a more open and benevolent pursuit in our society, our problems would be fewer. I believe that many of the seemingly insurmountable political issues we are now facing are inter-related signals of inevitable, yet necessary change that must occur if humankind is to survive. Our disregard of nature and other human beings is disregard of our spiritual selves, our loving selves. When viewed through critical thinking, it is obvious that this disregard is the crux of every political issue we now face.

Our daily lives are more enjoyable when we practice spirituality, give love (receive) and do work we love. I have found that I am happy when I find small pleasures in life rather than obsessively seeking the "big thrill," whatever that might be. Even in the midst of doubt or worry, I now find that I am able to enjoy the pleasure of a new flower, a note from a friend or the the funny look on my cat's face when she yawns and stretches simultaneously.

In this last post of the series, I realize there is so much more I want to say on the topic. But I probably would have to write a book to do so. Basically, I feel that spirituality, love and art are inter-related and I hope my posts have adquately expressed this.

My next post: "The Balance of Solitude and Socializing"

Spitituality, Love and Art/ Part III

It has often been said that art imitates life. While this adage refers to subject matter of art relating to life, it has been my experience that the actual process of making art imitates life, particularly in the area of spritual development. The process of making art sometimes mirrors the struggle inherent in developing oneself spirititually.

I say this because, like life, the making of art is not always seamless or effortless. More often, it is about having an idea or vision and then struggling to bring that vision into being in the form in which it was conceived. This happens even when you love painting as much as I do.

Throughout the painting process, my emotions might range from joy and excitement to frustration and questioning, the same as with life. I have found this to be particularly true during the crucial last stages of striving to resolve a painting. The interaction between my technical knowledge, emotional responses, the responses of the paint itself and my brush strokes are a continuous balancing act. Any snags are most likely to occur toward the end, as I am seeking to achieve harmony of vision.

I admit that there have been times when I have painted pictures without any struggle whatsoever. But there have also been times requiring much looking and questioning, much putting aside and returning later.

In choosing to live a life of conscious spiritual development, that is, doing the internal work necessary to become a better person, I "go back to the drawing board," as it were, many times to seek answers from my higher self relative to daily life. As is often the case with art, no answers are forthcoming.

In explaining these similarities, it is not my intention to give a pat answer. There is much more that could be said on this subject. However, time and space does not permit me to expound. I will say that six months was the longest time that I've put a painting away and come back to resolve it. The solution was simple, but I needed to distance myself from the work. That particular painting won an award, by the way.

The longest time I've ever struggled to resolve a spiritual question within myself was about the same length of time as I tried to get along with a co-worker whom I disliked. Once I told myself that I had no answer, and decided to simply detach myself (politely), I realized that I had actually found the answer.

The last part of this series is about love as it relates to spirituality and art.

The Week in Gratitude #2

I am grateful for the following:

- My granddaughter's visit last Sunday. If not for her, we would not have walked to the pool and enjoyed ourselves for almost three hours on a hot, muggy afternoon.

-Having the energy to get lots of tasks completed this past week. I still have lots more to do before my Open Sutdio Show.

-Not worrying this week. Although there is lots to worry about, I simply did not do it, and my body thanked me.

- The August issue of "O" magazine, a gift subscription from my daughter. There was a wonderful article about a Washington, D.C. woman who collects African-American art. Wonderful works. Great article.

- The thrift shops I found here in Ann Arbor last weekend, especially loved the unusual items. I enjoy decorating with both new and old things.

- All the outstanding artists' websites I recently visited. Viewing the art of others is exciting. Some of the calligraphy artists' works blew my mind. I went to some unpacked boxes and pulled out several works of framed calligraphy that I have never shown. I was pleased with them, and plan to hang them at my Open Studio Show.

-These songs made me happy this week: "Baby, Can I Hold You Tonight?"/Tracy Chapman; "Love"/Sugarland; "Summertime"/Miles Davis; "But Not for Me"/Ella Fitzgerald

Spirituality, Love and Art/ Part II

Over ten years ago, I worked on a collaborative art project with a man who often mentioned his strong faith in God. I recall once asking him if his faith ever wavered, and he said, "no." When I asked him why this was true, he said it was because everything he had ever asked for had been given him. Although I didn't question him on what he had asked for, I was amazed that he felt his faith had never faltered, because mine sometimes does. I attribute this to the fact that I am human, and therefore fallible.

For me, it's easy to practice my spirituality from the inside out when everything is going well in my life. Small daily trials incessantly present themselves, but are smoothly navigated and more often than not, forgotten. However, there are three areas that I see as presenting major spiritual struggle. They are the inevitable emotional conflict following the loss of a loved one, acceptance of the realm of mystery accompanying one's belief in God, and lastly, overcoming specific spiritual contradictions within oneself.

Of these three, I see the latter as presenting the greatest struggle. I feel it is difficult to overcome spiritual contradictions within oneself for the following reasons, among others:

1) Failure to act upon one's initial prayer or intention 2) Either deliberately or subconsciously choosing to ignore the truth available within oneself 3) Asking God to help you and then trying to take the reins from him/her 4) Asking God to help you and refusing to do your part (see #1) 5) Forgoing the necessary work of developing yourself so as to be fitted to the dimensions of your request (How can you request something that you are not prepared to handle? Example: You have asked God for a mate who is honest, kind and loving, yet these traits have not been exhibited by you.) (Recently, I read somewhere that we can only expect to receive what we already possess in some capacity.)

It seems that living on this planet earth would make bouts of spiritual struggle inevitable. This is particularly true of situations where one's faith is tested, as happened to me seven years ago when entering the hospital for major surgery of high risk. Having constantly prayed fear-filled prayers for endless hours, I grew weary of the fear, finally letting go of it. I simply could not hold on to it because it was too exhausting. I could try to tell you what the letting go felt like but the only word that comes close is "freedom." Yet I think the struggle was necessary in order to arrive at that point.

In my next post, I will talk about how the painting process often feels like spiritual struggle.

The Week in Gratitude#1

- I am grateful for letting go of stress this week through right eating, right thoughts and right actions, despite the ongoing obstacles of my lifestyle.

- I am grateful for being able to view nature every day - especially trees and water. They calm me.

- I am grateful for the new people I met this week.

- I am grateful for the new cats and dogs I met this week. Wow! They loved me right away.

-I am grateful that my clients love the new designer cards.

-I am grateful that I was able to finish one new painting and start another.

-I am grateful that two people who are not relatives told me they love me. I love them, too. Love is not exclusive. Love does not have to be "earned."

-I am grateful that I listened to the following songs this week while driving, and that they made my trips relaxing: "SoWhat" / Miles Davis; "Hear Me, Lord"/ Bonnie Raitt; "Dream in Rio"/Cassandra Wilson; "The Storm is Over"/ R. Kelly; These Arms of Mine"/ Otis Redding; "Clocks"/ Coldplay; "You'll Never Walk Alone"/ Roy Hamilton; "Time After Time"/ Miles Davis; "Ava Maria"/ Jessye Norman

Spirituality, Love and Art/ Part I

Spirituality is practice. Love is practice. Art is practice. All require doing in order to become. Become more of who we are. More of our better. More of our best. As we are growing we recognize we are not saints, we are not pious. We are not condescending in our attitudes toward other living things. We are not superior in our spirituality. We are not exclusive in our love. We are not arrogant in our art.

Spirituality is inner awareness of the existence of something higher than oneself, most easily accessed through the realm of the conscience. Here is where intuition dwells. The voice that speaks to you in the most subtle manner, most easily heard in solitude. Spirituality is practiced and affirmed through our actions in the outer world. On this earthly level, we are perpetual students of spirituality.

Living in a world ridden with violence, poverty and man's inhumanity to man can sometimes seem impossible to bear. Given the social climate of living on planet earth day to day requires a support system not only to survive, but to thrive as loving human beings. Family, friends and a loving significant other can certainly provide a strong support system. But belief in something higher than oneself can make that system even stronger.

I choose spirituality, love and art primarily as a means of feeling good through mental fitness, physical productivity, creativity and practice of my beliefs. All three personal tools for living require these components, which are essential to my feeling of well-being.

Having always been curious about the world around me as well as intensely introspective while remaining perceptive to the feelings of others, it seems fitting that, at the age of thirty-one (many years ago), I chose to live a life of conscious spirituality. This is a life that acknowledges both my spirituality and humanity through daily practice of kindness, learning and sometimes falling down. It is a life that recognizes God as both indwelling and omnipotent. With God being so, I am connected to other human beings on the most fundamental level. It is this belief along with years of having done the work necessary for growth that makes me appear perpetually cheerful on the outside while sometimes being "in the wilderness" on the inside.

At these times, I am simply practicing love toward my brothers and sisters without burdening them with what is actually going on in my life. At this point, it has become a habit, while I still have miles to go in terms of my spiritual development....as we all do. At least on this level. On this earthly level.

When I need to be in communion with my higher self, I choose the solitude of prayer, where I go to seek answers, request fulfillment through thankfulness and affirm my blessings. To me, prayer is a form of action, being so as we emit personal energy toward a positive outcome, most effectively realized when we do the physical work while allowing God to provide the way.

In my next three main posts, I will talk about why I believe spirituality is often a struggle, how spirituality effects the art process and why I cannot thrive without love, regardless of whether I am in a romantic relationship. I also want to talk about why I feel the world is currently in the midst of extreme spiritual change, and why this change presents endless fodder for artists' subject matter. Not the least, I want to talk about how enjoyment of one's life and practicing spirituality are quite compatible.

Favorite paintings related to this post: "The Night Letter"/ Eldzier Cortor; "Mary Contemplating a Candle"/ (Oops! Sorry, ya'll, I forgot the artist's name. I'll find it and post it later!)

Marrying and Losing Blue

Ah, the color blue! In all its glory and varieties, it is peaceful, moody and sensuous. I have loved it for many years now. Periwinkle, turquoise, cerulean, navy, powder, sky, lavender, ultramarine and yes, my favorite, cobalt. And, of course, any shades of blue I might have failed to mention.

What is it about blue that attracts me so? My themes are spiritual in nature, and initially blue seemed fitting for that reason. But the more I painted with it, the more I was attracted to its broad technical properties, as well as the resulting emotive aspects of work containing blue - particularly cobalt and ultramarine.

Technical because I have discovered blue to be the perfect undertone for the most unlikely colors - yellow, for example. My painting, "The Mid-Heaven" was begun with several washes of thinned cobalt blue over the entire surface, with thinned layers of ultramarine used during several last stages of the painting process. These two colors enhance, rather than detract from the vibrancy of the finished painting.

Emotive because finished works containing blue can be either contemplative or upbeat, depending on the tones of the colors used with it. The color blue can definitely set a mood like no other.

A friend once told me that blue is the color of truth, and I believe she might be right. Truth is certainly vital to spirituality.

At any rate, I will continue to love blue, but we just might separate for a while. I want to experiment with other colors as an undertone for paintings and as a potential suitor to add that special flavor to my paintings. I have tried to lose blue in the past, to no avail. I don't think I'll lose it now, as it will always come back and attach itself to me.

Imagination Defined

"Objects of Affection Series"

To me, imagination is the conceptual stage of an idea or a new way of viewing traditional or typical realities. Imagination might continue to dwell only in one's mind or it might be birthed to fruition through the process of creativity.

Although most artistic endeavors such as music, art and dancing are enhanced through the use of imagination, it can also be applied to many aspects of everyday living such as cooking, gardening, decorating, housekeeping, fashion and making love, to name a few.

Sometimes, it is stimulating to do mundane tasks in a new way by using one's imagination to be more creative. For example, I have a friend who is conservative in her political persuasion, but imaginative in how her home is organized and decorated. From the way her paintings are hung to how clothes are separated in her closet, she is extremely imaginative in how she handles her household, doing everything in fresh yet simplistic ways.

In art, imagination is delightful to behold when an artist presents material in unexpected ways that are uniquely his own. Two artists who immediately come to mind are Fernando Botero and Pablo Picasso. Botero's portly people are recognizable in his paintings, drawings and sculpture, while Picasso's cubist renderings are his own, no matter how many times his influence is apparent in the work of other artists.

I believe that we are all artists and that we all have the ability to imagine, however, I also believe that some of us choose to leave our imaginations in the conceptual stage rather than bringing it forth.

The Writings of Robert Henri

Robert Henri was both an artist and a teacher who passed away in 1929. His book, "The Art Spirit" has been read by me countless times and utilized as an "art bible" of sorts. His writings are important to me because of their timelessness, and because I have often thought about many of the things he writes about. Here are a few excerpts from that book:

"An artist has to get acquainted with himself just as much as he can. It is no easy job because it is not a present-day habit of humanity. This is what I call self-development, self-education. No matter how fine a school you are in, you must educate yourself."

"But few are capable of holding themselves in the state of listening to their own song. Intellectuality steps in and as the song within us is of the utmost sensitiveness, it retires in the presence of the cold, material intellect......"

"Great works of art should look as though they were made in joy. Real joy is a tremendous activity, dull drudgery is nothing to it....The drudgery that kills is not half the work that joy is...."

"Do not let the fact that things are not made for you,that conditions are not as they should be, stop you. Go on anyway. Everything depends on those who go on anyway."

"It's not that the juries don't mean well or at least think they mean well. but it is simply that art cannot be measured."

"If you want to be a historical painter, let your history be of your own time, of what you can get to know personally - of manners and customs within your own experience."

"No nation as yet is the home of art. Art is an outsider, a gypsy over the face of the earth."

"The only sensible way to regard the art life is that it is a privilege you are willing to pay for."

"Seldom has the great art or great science of the world been paid for at the time of creation. It has been given, and in general has been cruelly received. You may cite honors and attentions and even money paid, but I would have you note that these were paid a long time after the creator had gone through his struggles."

The Joy of Imagination

"Gratitude"

There is one component I have found present in most great art, and that is the use of imagination. To me, this is what makes certain art engaging, vibrant and original. Whenever I view a work of art where the artist has chosen a fresh way to approach even the most mundane subject, I feel excited.

A fresh approach might include a novel way of rendering line, texture, color, pattern, perspective or even the subject itself. A never-before-seen subject rendered in an original manner can truly be called a work of art.

When I think of what contributes to imagination in art, three vital characteristics come to mind: Development in the fundamentals of art, having a point of view and commitment to developing that view and being broad-minded in one's thinking. I am hard-pressed to see how having a narrow perspective in everyday life would allow an artist to be imaginative in her work. It helps to think "outside the box."

As an artist who, for several years, rendered technically correct, well-done drawings and paintings in the manner of millions of other artists, I could not understand why my work was often overlooked.

I had no voice, no point of view and no idea what I wanted to paint. For me, this was a good point from which to start because I eventually learned that art must be more than technical skills and more than the dictates of the market. Once I clearly understood this, among other important details, I was able to begin working as a continually developing, evolving artist. The paintings presented on this blog have recently furthered into broader renderings, which are still recognizable as my work, though in a different way. This is simply imagination at work.

As a practicing artist who is also imaginative in most aspects of my everyday life, I have sometimes been called "eccentric," "different," and even "hard-to-pinpoint." Whenever I'm labled in this way, I don't take it personally. I simply realize that some prefer a life within the confines of a box -certainly not conducive to imagination.

In my next post, I will say more about imagination relative to my definition of it pertaining to both art and life. Your thoughts, please.