the magic of hands

artist’s statement

On a crisp February  evening, the last whisper of light clinging to the horizon, I trekked to my garden to harvest some greens for dinner.  By the dim light I could just make out the rosettes of komatsu greens, perfect mandalas waiting to be harvested.  Sirius was a brilliant point of white in the soft blue of the southeastern sky, while Beetlejuice burned orange in the dark indigo above.  A stone’s throw away a deer bounded through the thick shadows of the forest, leaping long through the brush, its hoofbeats a delicate drum as it made its way past the danger of my scent, down to the river.  I marveled at that moment how something so simple as visiting the garden could weave such cosmic elements into my experience:  the wonder of stars, the grace of the deer, the miracle of nourishment on a cold night.  I felt myself intrinsically connected to each.

So it is with my work.  By making a commitment to maintain a daily creative practice,  I leave the door open for cosmic elements to come leaping in.  The Earth and the heavens continue to astound me;  it seems there is no limit to the wonders they can weave into my daily existence.  It is my joy and duty to tend this garden,  and through my creative work I explore and honor my connection to each miracle I meet.

I am a pastelist and a writer.  My work with pastels is augmented by my ongoing study of sacred geometry and botany.  My written work is rooted in relationship  and myth.  The word and the image are the two hands of one practice, where one discipline enlivens the other.

I believe art is transformative and healing.  In an age of environmental degradation, art is essential to the understanding and rebuilding of our relationships with the life and dynamic forces  of the Earth.   Art causes us to pause, to engage, to celebrate, to know something in a new way.  Through my creative work I hope to provide  some small measure of transformation,  one small thread of renewed connection to the Earth.

Job Description

Summary
The artist is responsible for maintaining a healthy, receptive relationship with Nature and her Daemon, so that she might bring into being creative works that are both relevant to the evolution of humankind and healing to the relationship between humankind and nature.  Though this is her larger goal, it must also be performed on the stage of her own life and is thus always in that context.  The artist must make her work available for to an audience to complete the cycle of creation.

Core Practices
A relationship with Nature is best nurtured with significant amounts of time spent outside.  The artist is expected to keep a garden and take daily walks.  Night walks are especially beneficial to a receptive relationship with Nature.  The artist must attune herself to the spiritual elements of Nature, and find ways to honor them.

The artist must also maintain her own physical, emotional, and spiritual health.  Walks in the woods, journal writing, and meditating are essential daily practices.

The artist must then transcribe her experiences, both inner and outer, onto a substrate.  This act brings into form the energy of her relationship with Nature, exploring that mystery while never caging it.  The process of creating the artwork also makes this experience available to others.  She must spend significant time alone in the studio engaged in this process.

The artist should make her process open and available for others.  She must keep adequate records of her creative process, both with photography and journaling, which should be posted on her website.  Any stage of her process that she feels must be kept secret should later be discussed in depth once she feels the particular piece or project is complete.

Studio Practices
The artist must keep her studio clean and free of clutter to insure the flow of her work.  She should not allow other personal work to infringe upon her time or space in the studio, though she may allow visitors as long as it is conducive to her work.

The artist must experiment with other media from time to time so that she may keep her work fresh and evolving on a physical level.

The artist should always keep fresh, inspiring music and podcasts available in the studio.  This increases stamina and mental engagement in the work.

The artist should utilize the loft of the studio for dreaming, which often provides guidance and material for her work.
The artist should keep an altar in the studio dedicated to her Daemon, thus acknowledging that she is one figure in a collective creative process.  The altar should be kept clean and replenished with found objects from Nature.

Office Practices
The artist’s office is where she produces prints and other material objects derived from her studio work.  Because this space overlaps with other non-artist functions it is essential that it be kept clean and very well-organized.

In keeping with her commitment to the healing of the relationship between humankind and Nature, the artist seeks out and utilizes the most eco-friendly materials and equipment available to her.

The artist designs assorted materials that make her work available to a wide-range of people. Whenever possible she produces her materials by hand, holding the intention that the work blesses and inspires others. She markets these using internet technology, as well as other word-of-mouth methods.  She keeps good business records and replies to customer’s communications quickly and thoughtfully.  She maintains a practice of writing thank-you cards to customers.

Physical Requirements
The artist is engaged in work that is rooted in the second chakra.  She must therefore remain attuned to the health of all her charkas, but most specifically the Sacral chakra.  She must regularly partake of herbs that she feels will strengthen her body.  She must remain active and strong.

Compensation
The artist must practice gratitude for any and all compensation received, as it is indicative of a creation cycle well-completed.  She must not become focused on one aspect of the cycle, and must maintain adequate energy in each aspect.  To that end, a growing level of energy in each aspect would naturally increase her compensation.