December 23, 2022 Weekly Musings

Announcements:

Blue Bird On Her Should Receives Award

Artistic Excellence Certificate was given to  “Blue Bird On Her Shoulder”  by Circle Foundation For The Arts Quarterly Magazine.

Dreamer Juried Into Exhibition

Christine Alfery's work, "Dreamer," has been juried into the Missouri International Exhibition. The Exhibition will be from January 28-Feb 19, 2023 at the Kranzberg Arts Center Gallery in Missouri.   The Kranzberg Arts Center Gallery showcases works from diverse ranges of artist in the St. Louis community and is the premier visual arts gallery around.

Musings:

A Christmas Question

Have you ever been given a plate of beautiful, wonderful Christmas cookies, created with lovingness by a family member or friend? Which one do you go for first? Do you choose the one with all of the sparkles and glitter or the not so glittery one tucked under some of the sparkly ones? Do you prefer the ones whose recipes have been handed down through the ages before sparkles were an option?

They are the ones that take just a little extra time to create and a few more ingredients than the others. I have a favorite one that has been handed down by my grandmother, the woman I was named after, to my mother and then to me. I call it “Mom’s Snowballs.” There have more walnuts and butter in the recipe than one can imagine – but someone did and I am grateful. They are beautiful in their own way just like the sparkles.

Life is like a plate of Christmas cookies, all are just a plate full of difference and history and beauty. Merry Christmas!

Life Here On Earth

 Featured image: Sacred Earth

I have always been fortunate in my life, I mean really always, known that art would become a centerpiece in my life’s journey and that art would give me a very happy life here on earth. For this reason, it has always been hard for me to watch those who struggle with their lives. It’s hard for me to see those who find it hard to find what they want to do with their lives or find something that will make them as happy as art has for me. This is why I write these musings. These musings are for folks who want to make art, or something, the center of their lives, so they can live a happy fulfilled life here on earth. Hopefully, my musings help those who are searching. The key is to know or to feel that something is missing in your life and the urge to want to figure out what it is.

It is my beliefs that comfort me when I am troubled and concerned. The comfort I seek is not an atonement, or a comfort through my artwork for “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8,9, NIV).. This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.

A concept that I have thought about over and over again, is the concept of self, and how we can think about ourselves. Although I am always willing to learn more and change, I have come to the conclusion that it is wrong not to fulfill the mission that He has created for me. Have I ever questioned this mission? Yes. I stopped creating art for over 2 years, thinking I wasn’t understanding what my mission was. But then He made it quite clear to me as He spoke to my heart saying, “Yes, you are to create, and you are to talk about creating, and creation and living and life.” He wants me to love myself, as He does, as He created me, a unique one-of-a-kind, authentic person. He wants me to live the best life that I can in His image. He has given me all the tools that I need to live a creative authentic life. And like in painting, all I need to do is explore and discover them.

Why wouldn’t you have self esteem and do what He created you to be? Why would you allow yourself to be lesser than you are by giving your power of self away to another to control?
Do yourself a favor and love yourself and the beautiful authentic person He created you to be. And, if you need help finding that beautiful authentic person, ask for help.

Dancing Trees and Dragonflies

 Featured image: Dragonflies and Birch Trees

Wind carcasses
Treetops dance
With the
Dragonflies
Sunlight peeks thru
The woods

Folks in the Middle

Featured image: Colors in the Middle

Folks in the middle respect the confirmed habits and prejudices of others in the middle. They don’t try and change them unless they upset the goals of the middle. Upsetting the goals in the middle would be, “do unto others as you would have them to unto you.” The goal of those in the middle is to “create” the best ideology and moral code that all in the middle can work with while not being constrained. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.