111 Day Artistic Spirit Pledge: Spiritual Growth Through Creative Expression
Day 28: Autumn’s Shelter
Autumn’s Shelter
Covered by the russet-colored ceiling, the injured blue jay moves not an inch. She’s camouflaged within Autumn’s shelter but must return to her nest before nightfall.
She’d barely escaped the predator’s chase, weaving and darting to safety. She must take flight once again, yet every attempt takes her nowhere but grounded.
There are others depending on her; she needs to push through the pain. At the sound of their cry, her final attempt achieves success.
**I am an Artistic Spirit! For most of my life I’ve used the creative arts as a source of spiritual exploration and healing, even though I didn’t always do so consciously. Sometimes I was the instrument creating the art and other times I was on the receiving end. The connection between art and spirituality is so significant in my life that it’s infused into everything I do. I love music, theatre, television drama series (daytime and primetime), and creative writing and find fulfillment in artistic expression of various sorts: singing, acting, and jewelry design. Throughout the next 83 days, I’ll delve into how all of the above strengthens my spirit and has saved my life on more than one occasion.**
111 Day Artistic Spirit Pledge: Spiritual Growth Through Creative Expression
Day 27: Creativity Prompt #4
TALENT…SPIRIT…GUIDE
Create a piece of art (writing, sculpting, painting, music composition, etc.), using the three words above as inspiration.
I’ll post mine on Monday. Please stop back and tell me about your experience. Happy creating!
**I am an Artistic Spirit! For most of my life I’ve used the creative arts as a source of spiritual exploration and healing, even though I didn’t always do so consciously. Sometimes I was the instrument creating the art and other times I was on the receiving end. The connection between art and spirituality is so significant in my life that it’s infused into everything I do. I love music, theatre, television drama series (daytime and primetime), and creative writing and find fulfillment in artistic expression of various sorts: singing, acting, and jewelry design. Throughout the next 84 days, I’ll delve into how all of the above strengthens my spirit and has saved my life on more than one occasion.**
111 Day Artistic Spirit Pledge: Spiritual Growth Through Creative Expression
Day 26: Artistic Spirit From Birth?
The birth of my niece got me thinking about art and spirituality even more deeply than before. As our spirits enter the body, do we bring with us artistic talents and gifts? Or, does it depend on our personality as to whether we recognize or embrace creative expression?
Was my love of music present from the moment I entered this world? Can something so powerful, meaningful, and ultimately healing be a gift from an all-knowing/all-powerful deity? Perhaps I performed as a professional singer in a past life and the residuals paid it forward to the present one. Or…maybe a slew of psychological, philosophical, and medical reasons explain my artistic spirit connection.
I don’t presume to have the answers to the questions posed above, but that doesn’t stop me from pondering the possibilities.
**I am an Artistic Spirit! For most of my life I’ve used the creative arts as a source of spiritual exploration and healing, even though I didn’t always do so consciously. Sometimes I was the instrument creating the art and other times I was on the receiving end. The connection between art and spirituality is so significant in my life that it’s infused into everything I do. I love music, theatre, television drama series (daytime and primetime), and creative writing and find fulfillment in artistic expression of various sorts: singing, acting, and jewelry design. Throughout the next 85 days, I’ll delve into how all of the above strengthens my spirit and has saved my life on more than one occasion.**
111 Day Artistic Spirit Pledge: Spiritual Growth Through Creative Expression
Day 25: Baby Steps
Spirited Dreams (Photo edit tools used – I’m not a sketch artist)
I watched my newborn niece sleeping soundly in her mother’s arms
And wondered what she’s thinking
Does she dream of the place her spirit left
Or rest in silence in a comforting embrace?
This beautiful child joins our family
One filled with laughter, love, and our equal share of drama
How soon will her personality reveal itself
And what does her future hold?
So much possibility for an artistic spirit in a little body!
**I am an Artistic Spirit! For most of my life I’ve used the creative arts as a source of spiritual exploration and healing, even though I didn’t always do so consciously. Sometimes I was the instrument creating the art and other times I was on the receiving end. The connection between art and spirituality is so significant in my life that it’s infused into everything I do. I love music, theatre, television drama series (daytime and primetime), and creative writing and find fulfillment in artistic expression of various sorts: singing, acting, and jewelry design. Throughout the next 86 days, I’ll delve into how all of the above strengthens my spirit and has saved my life on more than one occasion.**
111 Day Artistic Spirit Pledge: Spiritual Growth Through Creative Expression
Day 24: How Fairy Tales Inspired Me
I admit without hesitation or reservation that I love fairy tales – especially the animated movie kind.
However, while some may deem them as a step backward in the journey toward female empowerment, I suggest a different perspective: Not only are these princesses beautiful, kind-hearted, and musically gifted (I had to include that one) but they exhibit personality traits worthy of admiration and adoration.
When I read the stories as a child I didn’t think, “Okay, so I need a prince to ride up and save me.” I loved reading them because they featured young women who were kind, generous, forgiving, brave, adventure-seeking, and able to both love and be loved. These were qualities I admired and were infused into the woman I am today.
There’s a reason the classic animated princess films are still my favorite – because they combine romance, a search for self, and a message that dreams can indeed come true.
**I am an Artistic Spirit! For most of my life I’ve used the creative arts as a source of spiritual exploration and healing, even though I didn’t always do so consciously. Sometimes I was the instrument creating the art and other times I was on the receiving end. The connection between art and spirituality is so significant in my life that it’s infused into everything I do. I love music, theatre, television drama series (daytime and primetime), and creative writing and find fulfillment in artistic expression of various sorts: singing, acting, and jewelry design. Throughout the next 87 days, I’ll delve into how all of the above strengthens my spirit and has saved my life on more than one occasion.**
111 Day Artistic Spirit Pledge: Spiritual Growth Through Creative Expression
Day 23: Seeking Attention
“Was I really seeking good or just seeking attention?”
That question posed in the wildly popular musical WICKED has been on my mind a lot this past week, and not just because the Broadway show remains one of my all-time favorites.
I started the Artistic Spirit Pledge to
Foster spiritual growth
Promote creative expression
Prompt a discussion about the link between art and spirituality
Then I got wrapped up in checking numbers. How many views did the post get today? How many people did I “reach” on my Facebook page? Are people “Favoriting” or “Retweeting” my link on Twitter? Am I getting comments or likes on the blog site?
I lost track of why I chose to do the pledge in the first place. Yes, it was my hope that my words would inspire, motivate, and cultivate reflection, but this was more so a personal journey. It’s a structured way to write every day and to challenge myself, both professionally and personally. Are writers still writers if no one reads their work? My answer to that question is a resounding “Yes!”, yet I got caught up in wanting people to read my work and becoming disappointed when seldom did.
Over the course of the past 22 days, I’ve already noticed a few interesting tidbits.
My prose and poems get the highest views, likes, and new followers.
I’m learning what post topics come easily and which ones I struggle to write.
The variety of art and spirituality topics helps me solidify the career path I most want to take
I’m enjoying this process and look forward to what I’ll write about during the next 88 days! I hope that in discussing these topics, I’ve offered others out there an opportunity to reflect on their own lives and how art and spirituality are linked in ways that are not always visible. More importantly, I am proud of myself for what I’ve achieved so far!!
**I am an Artistic Spirit! For most of my life I’ve used the creative arts as a source of spiritual exploration and healing, even though I didn’t always do so consciously. Sometimes I was the instrument creating the art and other times I was on the receiving end. The connection between art and spirituality is so significant in my life that it’s infused into everything I do. I love music, theatre, television drama series (daytime and primetime), and creative writing and find fulfillment in artistic expression of various sorts: singing, acting, and jewelry design. Throughout the next 88 days, I’ll delve into how all of the above strengthens my spirit and has saved my life on more than one occasion.**
DISCLAIMER: No endorsement by any of the companies, organizations, or shows listed is intended nor implied!
111 Day Artistic Spirit Pledge: Spiritual Growth Through Creative Expression
Day 22: Creativity Prompt #3 result
On Friday (Day 19), I posted a Halloween-inspired prompt. The result is the short story below:
Happy Halloween!
He couldn’t move. Fear gripped every inch of him. Logic told him not to be afraid, but that didn’t stop the shock waves that burned up within.
He’d seen it from a distance despite the trees’ attempt to conceal the cloaked figure. Standing in the middle of a run-down cemetery made him uncomfortable enough, but now his senses rose to new heights. His body shivered though perspiration soaked his neck and forehead.
He removed the cigarette from his mouth, gave it a cursory glance, and extinguished it with the sole of his cowboy boot. Removing his leather-trimmed hat, he wiped the sweat from his brow and clutched the gold pocket watch once owned by his great-grandfather.
“I have to do this,” he yelled – his drawl think and the tone genuine. “I’ve done everything possible, Granddaddy. They’re taking the land, and everyone else in the family refuses to help me.”
“That’s a lie!”
The guttural whisper echoed in his ears as he stumbled backward, tripping over a grave plaque as he went. He trembled as the cloaked figure floated from the tree line and moved toward him. Cowering on the ground, his arm sore from falling on a protruding limb, he shook his head to scare away the vision.
When his eyes opened, the figure was gone but so was the sun. Confusion swirled around him, so he touched his head for any sign of a bump. He got to his feet, determined to accomplish the task he came here to do. The night air blew cold and he pulled his buckskin coat in tight and adjusted the oversized brown cowboy hat.
He scanned the graveyard for signs of life and breathed a sigh of relief at realizing none was present. He continued the path towards his father’s grave, his body weighed down with grief and dread.
He came here to explain, to apologize for losing the farm. His father made his displeasure known while alive and though deceased ten years his memory still evoked intimidation in his youngest son.
The namesake and heir stopped dead in his tracks, disbelieving his eyes. His father’s marble headstone had a large crack down the center and the wording scratched out in long, deep wounds. Anger would have been his first response had he not encountered a cloaked figure in the cemetery. He still couldn’t figure out how it could’ve gone from light to dark in the blink of an eye. He wondered what kind of evil existed here and knew he’d need help to ward off any malevolent being. He stared toward the swaying branches and prayed.
“Dear, Lord Jesus. Please don’t let the devil take me. I know I’ve done god-awful…sorry, awful things, but I’m a good man. You know I am.”
The wind whizzed by and he swore it carried “liar” as it went.
“Okay,” he pleaded, down on his knees. “I promise I can fix this. I’ll make it all better.”
A loud crack and a big bang behind him caused his body to shake, and he buried his head in his hands. Begging his father for help, he took the pocket watch from his jacket and clung to it.
“I was going to sell it. I had to. It would pay off the debt we…I accumulated. We needed money for the farm and I thought I could pay them back…”
His words came fast and furious, plagued with fear and racked with guilt. He sobbed at his father’s grave and swore to make amends.
The wind whipped in one strong blow, sending the son to the ground where his head met the cracked stone of his daddy’s resting place. As blood seeped into the soil below, the cloaked figure retrieved his pocket watch from his descendant’sgrip and disappeared, for good this time.
**I am an Artistic Spirit! For most of my life I’ve used the creative arts as a source of spiritual exploration and healing, even though I didn’t always do so consciously. Sometimes I was the instrument creating the art and other times I was on the receiving end. The connection between art and spirituality is so significant in my life that it’s infused into everything I do. I love music, theatre, television drama series (daytime and primetime), and creative writing and find fulfillment in artistic expression of various sorts: singing, acting, and jewelry design. Throughout the next 90 days, I’ll delve into how all of the above strengthens my spirit and has saved my life on more than one occasion.**
111 Day Artistic Spirit Pledge: Spiritual Growth Through Creative Expression
Day 21: A Novel Poem
Inspired by one of my characters
Art’s healing power
Spirits existing beyond physical form
Family connections that strengthen and stress
Themes that shape my Young Adult novel
A young girl who searches for her place in the world
A mother who seeks to protect her children no matter the cost
A young man who must face his responsibilities
Characters that guide the story
A blend of fairy tales, mystical elements, and ancestral connections
Formed the book that I loved to write
And one that I hope future generations will treasure
**I am an Artistic Spirit! For most of my life I’ve used the creative arts as a source of spiritual exploration and healing, even though I didn’t always do so consciously. Sometimes I was the instrument creating the art and other times I was on the receiving end. The connection between art and spirituality is so significant in my life that it’s infused into everything I do. I love music, theatre, television drama series (daytime and primetime), and creative writing and find fulfillment in artistic expression of various sorts: singing, acting, and jewelry design. Throughout the next 91 days, I’ll delve into how all of the above strengthens my spirit and has saved my life on more than one occasion.**
111 Day Artistic Spirit Pledge: Spiritual Growth Through Creative Expression
A Blank Canvas
Within the confines of my mind exists an artist’s playground.
Pastels swirl around me like a tornado – blues, pinks, and silver whirling by. I dare not reach my hand out for fear of disturbing the chaotic beauty moving in perfect motion. I lift my head and put pen to paper.
My hand flows across the page, and the colors blink and flash. As I write, the colors bend and form to mirror the setting my creativity expressed. The ideas flourish as my pen leaves an impression on both the material and my spirit. The story grows in complexity, so the lovely colors call upon their hue family to enrich the scene in my imagination. The setting deepens in contrast with each descriptive word choice.
As I create a character, a form becomes clearer. Once a grayed silhouette, now the figure enhances in detail. The long brown hair flows down her back then magically shortens when I edit my adjective. As I waiver on her eye color, the face in my mind changes accordingly. Additional characters enter the picture and the page, adding conflict and visual clarity.
As the scene unfolds in my imagination I hurry my pen to keep up. It’s only after the image fades do I smile at the written creation at my fingertips.
**I am an Artistic Spirit! For most of my life I’ve used the creative arts as a source of spiritual exploration and healing, even though I didn’t always do so consciously. Sometimes I was the instrument creating the art and other times I was on the receiving end. The connection between art and spirituality is so significant in my life that it’s infused into everything I do. I love music, theatre, television drama series (daytime and primetime), and creative writing and find fulfillment in artistic expression of various sorts: singing, acting, and jewelry design. Throughout the next 92 days, I’ll delve into how all of the above strengthens my spirit and has saved my life on more than one occasion.**
111 Day Artistic Spirit Pledge: Spiritual Growth Through Creative Expression
Day 19: Creativity Prompt #3 (A Long Time Ago)
Use the following Creativity Prompt as inspiration for a work of art. Write a story. Paint a picture. Sketch the setting on your canvas. Or, come up with a themed menu for a dinner party.
Happy Halloween!
SETTING: You’re standing in the middle of a cemetery, gravestones all around you.
SIGHT: What does the setting look like? Is the sun rising or setting? Are there other people present? Are the headstones new and towering? Have some headstones fallen over or sunk into the ground, covered by overgrown weeds? Do flags adorn some of the gravestones?
SOUND: What do you hear? Is the cemetery near a busy intersection or surrounded only by nature? Airplanes flying overhead? Train whistles in the distance? Is someone praying over a loved one’s grave
AROMA: Perhaps you brought flowers with you. Maybe there’s an older gentlemen sitting on a bench smoking a cigar. Can you smell your beloved grandfather’s favorite cologne or grandmother’s perfume? Are you holding a cup of coffee in your hand?
TASTE: Are you chewing gum or sucking on a mint? Is it tradition to have a picnicked lunch at the family plot every year? Does the very idea of visiting a grave make you feel ill?
TOUCH: What does it feel like to brush your hands over the gravestone’s inscription? Do you sense a supernatural presence? Is someone next to you squeezing your hand tight as you pay your respects?
**I am an Artistic Spirit! For most of my life I’ve used the creative arts as a source of spiritual exploration and healing, even though I didn’t always do so consciously. Sometimes I was the instrument creating the art and other times I was on the receiving end. The connection between art and spirituality is so significant in my life that it’s infused into everything I do. I love music, theatre, television drama series (daytime and primetime), and creative writing and find fulfillment in artistic expression of various sorts: singing, acting, and jewelry design. Throughout the next 93 days, I’ll delve into how all of the above strengthens my spirit and has saved my life on more than one occasion.**
Kelly Deeny 