Straight from The Horse’s Mouth

Making art opens a space inside us that speaks a personal language, that allows us to see and listen more clearly. It can be many things, writing a story, drawing or knitting, dancing or even building a barn or tying a fence. Art's creative inner territory is prayerful. It is life and is always inspired. This inspiration comes to us in whispers and 2X4s.

Last Sunday Carol came to teach my second pottery lesson. She is an amazing creative who wears many hats. She paints, sculpts, pots, plays piano, teaches and counsels (she recently graduated from seminary).

We talked as we worked, getting to know one another better, sharing our stories. As is typical with her we spoke more about life than of clay. In hearing her philosophies I was reminded that it is when actively listening for divine wisdom, in hearing the 'small still voice within' that we are successful. This is when life clicks. When we try to control an outcome or when some big scheme is 'our idea' is when things get out of whack. It's the whispers we must listen for. The whacks painfully announce themselves.

Some call it inspiration, providence, or insight. It is the thought hanging around in the back of our minds that we just can't shake. Sometimes it is so obvious, when heeded the task at hand takes on a life of it's own, as happened to us when the bookstore came to Buffalo.

Hard times, whether economic or personal, often offer the most creative solutions; we'll hear them if we're listening. While actively making art of any kind we are in that space where we're most open to whispers of inspiration. It's when we aren't paying attention or are trying to interject our own agendas that the 2X4 swings and whacks us between the eyes. Join us for the Writer's Group this Thursday and the Artist's Group next Thursday. Perhaps now you feel inspired to create a dish for the Pot Luck Dinner/Trivial Pursuit game Night on the 24th! Call for more information: 903-322- 2180.