WOMEN CELEBRATING ART: THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WOMEN'S CAUCUS FOR THE ARTS

WHEN IT HAPPENS TO YOU. I made this image in response to Alice Teeter's poem, "When It Happens To You." Alice's poems have inspired many of my drawings. (Art by Hallelujah Truth, aka Ruth Schowalter)

HALLELUJAH for WOMEN! And many HALLELUJAHS for WOMEN MAKING ART! The national Women's Caucus for Art has been around now for 40 years creating a community for women through art, education, and social activism! To celebrate this 40th anniversary, a LITTLE RED JOURNAL is circulating among the state Women's Caucus for Art groups. In this glorious fall month of October 2012, the Georgia Women's Caucus for Art (WCAGA) has it in our possession!

Each state that has a Women's Caucus for Art group gets to contribute to this LITTLE RED JOURNAL! Each participating artist has the opportunity to make from 1-3 pieces of art 4 inches by 3 inches! As a relatively new member of WCAGA (been a member for one year now), I am delighted to be participating in this 40th anniversary of women building community by making art, sharing knowledge and speaking out for what they believe!

HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO HAVE A FORUM FOR SPEAKING OUT AS A COMMUNITY OF WOMEN SUPPORTING EACH OTHER IN THESE ENDEAVORS! HALLELUJAH!

Here in this blog entry for "Coffee with Hallelujah," I am posting the images I made as my entries for the LITTLE RED JOURNAL. I chose to re-enliven previous images I had made when I first read Alice Teeter's manuscript for her book of poetry, When It Happens To You. Below is the image I drew in response to the poem with the same title as the book, "When It Happens To You." I resized it using photoshop to fit the dimensions required for the LITTLE RED JOURNAL and then happily used watercolors and gouache paints to encompass the passion I have for the spirit of this poem!

"YOU WILL LIE WIDE AWAKE WITH A TREMOR RUNNING THROUGH YOU-..."(from the poem, "When It Happens To You.") I love how this image evolved once I started using color. Notice that the black and white pen drawing above is without the "tremor" on the woman's body that appears here with the heavy black line! The process of creating art continues to amaze and surprise me! (Art by Hallelujah Truth, aka Ruth Schowalter)

Here are some more lines from this poem I adore:

When it happens to you the stars will come down
flood down through the top of your head--
their light will fill you up completely.

WHEN YOU WERE BORN THE UNIVERSE BEGAN. This is a line from another of Alice Teeter's poems entitled "String Theory." Alice had this poem performed with music and dancers (go here to see the performance).(Art by Hallelujah Truth, aka Ruth Schowalter)

The second image I revisited from my imaginings of Alice's poems is in response to her poem, "String Theory." I fell in love with the way Alice simplified a complex physics theory. She made it human--and feminine. Thank you Alice!

Here are some lines from this mesmerizing poem that Alice breathed life into by creating a live performance engaging many dancers and a musician, as well as an audience!:

When you were born the universe began.
When you die time will end.
You are dancing too fast for me, too.
You reach beyond all that is
And I cannot know the all of you.

"YOU REACH BEYOND THE ALL THAT IS." I love the poem "String Theory," and this is another line from it.(Art by Hallelujah Truth, aka Ruth Schowalter)

How wonderful it was to see this image jump to life for the LITTLE RED JOURNAL as I worked on a small image in color. I am so very happy to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the national Women's Caucus for Art. I am thrilled to be getting to know artists in Georgia and the southeast who are a part of this local Women's Caucus for Art.

HAPPY FORTIETH BIRTHDAY WOMEN ARTISTS EVERYWHERE!

That's Coffee with Hallelujah! Soul Blog with Me and tell me what you are celebrating today in your creative life. Let me hear your views about community fostering art, education, and social activism!