This is the cover of the poetry book by Alice Walker that I had the honor of illustrating and creating the cover for.
Dear One,
The post today is “inspired” by my reaction to the ugly naked sculptures of you-know-who. Not ugly because it is the naked body – but it just so untasteful in so many ways. It’s not beautiful. Spare yourself even seeing it if you can. Maybe me telling you about it is enough :)
I am all about Intentional Creating as you likely know, and this is that, but with an intention that feels like the wrong direction. It really sparked me up and got my pen moving on the page today – asking myself, what kind of revolution was I really committed to causing and working with others towards? It’s personal and collective.
The person who created it is an artist who creates monsters, hired by an anarchist group called Indecline. I honor their revolution and I get it. It’s called the Emperor Has No Balls. They are not other, they are also me. He is not other either. Yet as me, I get to respond. And my response was inspiration for this Red Thread Letter. And so.
Why am I telling you this. (Sorry to bring any of this to you – but I think it is time for us to choose how we are going to show up.
Two reasons. 1. I am about art, so this is in my wheelhouse to explore art and it’s social impact.
2. I am inviting those who choose to – to curate their part in the revolution and decide how they will be a part of it.
Each of us MUST be consistent with our own soul journey in this in order to not just survive but thrive. THAT SAID we have to do our own work to prepare for this journey.
I get it. Art has always been a part of a revolution. Always! But what revolution is the one that lives in our heart? I had the privilege of having a conversation with the Author and Poet, Alice Walker. She said something like – wish I had an exact quote – at some point we must choose to live and vote from our hearts, no matter what the outcome, we can’t keep denying what we know. It sparked me in a mighty way about how I would engage with the future. It was one of those life changing moments.
Violence is Ugly
I know any form of violence is ugly. I am not saying there will not be ugli-ness and it is happening already and has always been so, sadly. I am just saying we need to choose to curate how this is going to go, and in that, save ourselves through choosing how we will engage. How will you choose to engage? If we don’t take care of our own hearts and bodies we won’t be able to be mighty and resilient, and we must learn to be mighty to navigate this uncharted terrain.
Blessings to you in whatever way you are processing this ‘happening’ in our world. From shock to anger to despair to wonder we swing. My stand for us to be intentionally creative has never been more potent than it is right now….when I create I change my mood, my state, my body, my pain, my outlook. Just a bit of painting or drawing or writing and I am moved to a new place…..KAPOW. This is because intentional creating serves as a kind of nuero-hack to change how our mind and body work, through conscious choice. I simply haven’t found anything that works as well as this – and so here I am…and as always inviting you to join me in the journey of creating.
You don’t need to be an artist to create. We are all creatives.
Exercise – Choose 3 -5 minutes. Check in – How are you feeling in this moment?
Now Just pick up the pencil and begin to move it around in a doodle of how you are feeling right now. That’s it. Just how you are feeling.
Let the pencil or pen lead. Don’t dominate it. Let your energy uncoil as you go. Then just check in.
In my early days I was trained as an advocate for women suffering violence. It was there I learned there could be love and violence in the same relationship. It was there I learned.
In the presence of beauty, there is no harm.
I may be writing more in the days to come than usual so I hope you don’t mind receiving these Red Thread Letters, I know you get a lot of emails. So I thank you for choosing to keep me in your circle of readings.
Of course my writing today is about me, but I say WE, that doesn’t assume I think you are part of that ‘we’, it was just how it came out. I know you have your own view. I know I can love you and not need to stand in the same place you are – but beside you in wonder.
