SNAPSHOT OF MY LIFE IN MY CITY: Being and loving the place where you live

MY OLD STOMPING GROUND. Three miles from Decatur, Georgia, down Ponce De Leon, a major artery of Atlanta, is my former home--Little Five Points. I visited the Sevananda Food Co-op and the feminist-lesbian bookstore, Charis Books, to promote the Intuitive Painting class that Jes Gordon is giving on Sunday, October 6th. To my surprise, I found that Little Five Points had received a bit of a face lift! The mural you see in this photo is bright and shiny as a new penny!

Hallelujah for BEING here right now. For BEING grounded in the spot where you are geographically situated! For putting down roots and digging in to the EARTH beneath your feet! Welcome to my LIFE in the Atlanta metropolitan area, where I am currently rooted! This blog entry is a brief snapshot of it!

SYCAMORE PLACE GALLERY. How I love returning to Sycamore Place Gallery, where my Chiboogamoo and I had our studio while we collaborated on our paintings for the Darwin show back in 2011. An entire new troupe of artists have moved in since we departed, among them being Jes Gordon, whose Intuitive Painting class I am promoting in exchange for a reduced tuition price so I can attend the workshop. You can see Jes' car parked in front of the gallery. Her business, Buckets of Color is wonderfully advertised with all the bubbles of color! I met her there to pick up the flyers!

JES GORDON DOING "RESEARCH". Upon entering the gallery, I found Jes "researching" or feeding her mind in preparation for painting intuitively. As an artist, who also paints intuitively, I talked with her for a while about the transition that takes place between acquiring knowledge and skills and painting from the gut. Also for me, BEING grounded geographically here in Decatur, in this vast sprawling metropolitan area of Atlanta, really helps ground me in MYSELF. To BE in one's home physically, allows one to BE in oneself! This is my city. This is my spiritual home.

ACROSS THE TRAIN TRACKS.  From where my Chiboogamoo and I live in Decatur is another amazing community--Oakhurst! When I went to a wonderful coffee shop--Karvana--to leave a flyer for Jes's Intuitive Painting class, I saw this banner for "Jazz Night." Later, after our dinner dishes were done, and Tony's class preparations were completed, we strolled over to this family friendly neighborhood to relax on a cool green lawn and listen to the live music. 

Here is a video of some of the music. Notice the darling girls dancing to the jazz! What a bright moment in my day!  
Right now, right here, I have planted myself in LIVING. ATLANTA is my home; thus, ATLANTA is my SOUL. That's Coffee with Hallelujah. SOUL BLOG with me and tell me if you understand what I mean by being grounded where you live and standing for this present place.

EMERGING SOUL OF A SIGN: The Making of the Summer SOULstice Soiree Sign for Mulberry Fields Community Garden

EMERGING SOUL OF A SIGN. Paint holds spirit! As I fill out lines with shades of color, something magical emerges from the image. (art by Hallelujah Truth)

STARTING FROM A FAMILIAR PLACE. This image of a mermaid is a familiar one in my repertoire of drawings (just check the sidebar of this blog, on the right). When I am asked to do something and have little or no idea as to what to do, I begin with what I know.(art by Hallelujah Truth)

photo by Chiboogamoo

Hallellujah for requests for my artistry to support worthy community causes, especially when that cause is MULBERRY FIELDS COMMUNITY GARDEN AND GREEN SPACE in Candler Park, Atlanta, Georgia. When Jesse Merle Harris, one of the founders of Mulberry Fields and a dear artist friend of mine (see my interview with her), asked me to promote the upcoming fund raiser for our community garden, I readily accepted. 

The name of the fund raising event is perfect for me, Hallelujah Truth, because it has been named, SUMMER SOULSTICE SOIREE, and I applaud the use of the word "SOUL" in place of the prefix "sol." How magnificent to celebrate all of our SOULS at the summer equinox, the longest day of the year! Hallelujah!

COLOR HOLDS ENERGY. Painting with color is a joyful process! For me, I follow my heart for color choices and love to see what kind of energy is evoked from the calamitous rioting colors. (art by Hallelujah Truth)

ADDING WORDS TO MAKE IT A SIGN. It has been a first for me to make this sign to advertise an event. Figuring out how to write the words was slightly haphazard since I don't like to plan carefully but prefer the result of spontaneous writing (ha ha)! (art by Hallelujah Truth)

FUNDRAISING NAMES AND LEVELS REQUIRE PLANNING. WHOOPS! To fulfill its mission as a fundraising sign for both the Summer SOULstice Soiree event and advertising donation levels, I needed to call in planning and...CHIBOOGAMOO's assistance! Here, in this photo, you can see that I have measured out even lines on the mermaid's body and made rows of light and dark turquoise. Now, that is planning! (art by Hallelujah Truth)

CAREFUL LETTERING. Hallelujah for CHIBOOGAMOO's careful clear writing! You can now see the donation levels and the cool names of each! Don't you want to be a "Stampeding Pumpkin"? (art by Hallelujah Truth)

WHEN YOU RUN OUT OF ROOM, AMMEND. Instead of trying to add all of the information to the painting of the Summer SOULstice Soiree mermaid, I decided to build the sign up and down, adding the Mulberry Fields marquee to the top and the blog for making donations to the bottom! It has been tremendously fun to work with wood and tin again after a sabbatical of two years. (art by Hallelujah Truth)

PROTECTION FOR BEING OUTSIDE AT MULBERRY FIELDS. In order for the Summer SOULstice Soiree sign to live safely outdoors, she needed to be swabbed with exterior polyeurethane! (art by Hallelujah Truth)

FINAL TOUCHES--ASSEMBLING. Hallelujah for felines who can use power tools! Tao, assisted me in the final stages of this Summer SOULstice Soiree sign for Mulberry Fields (And he is with me now helping me write this blog entry by walking all over the key board!). (art by Hallelujah Truth)

Dear Pilgrims, I painted passionately from Saturday morning to Wednesday morning, examining my interior life while focusing on making this Summer SOULstice Soiree sign for my community garden, Mulberry Fields. When Jesse came by with her truck to take the sign away, I felt happy and sad simultaneously.

Hurray for artists and their art. Hurray for me and my connections to community. My Chiboogamoo and I do not have any children; therefore, our works are our offspring. And when these quickly reared offspring go rapidly out into our communities to lead their own lives, there is an  "empty nest" syndrome experience.

SOULFUL MERMAID AT HOME in MULBERRY FIELDS (art by Hallelujah Truth)

Hallelujah Truth, photo by Chiboogamoo

However, there is always the next art project and the next blog. And, in this case, there is Mulberry Fields and our garden plot that has been planted with tomatoes, beans, basil, peppers, and eggplant. 

That's Coffee with Hallellujah on this day of June 13th, 2013. What will you do today Pilgrims to serve your community and to plant something that will feed your body and soul? SOUL BLOG with me and share your ideas!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Thank you so much SOULMATE, Chiboogamoo!

HUBBY SUPPORT. Chiboogamoo with vegetables for our garden plot at Mulberry Fields Community Garden and Green Space! (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

BLOGTOBERFEST #12 (DAY 18): MY EXPERIENCE OF THE WORLD THROUGH PHYSICAL SPACE

Hallelujah Pilgrims! I am capturing the waning days of October by blogging with Kat, "I Saw You Dancing," and her daily prompts provided by guest bloggers. Today's prompt comes from Lee, blogger at Sleepeybear's Spot. Lee wrote about the rocking chairs in the Charlotte Airport in North Carolina, USA. It inspired to ask bloggers this: "What item that most people consider normal or everyday has special significance for you?"

PHYSICAL SPACE is a special item or concept for me. (photo by Hallelujah Truth) 

This photo illustrates my amazement at "physical space" and how we interact with it. I know that this "item" is a larger concept than a specific item; nonetheless, its significance impacts my EXPERIENCE OF THE WORLD. 

This morning I met my artist friend and fellow ACNer Elise Helfer for coffee in a new physical space, Carroll Street Cafe in Cabbage Town, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. I found the cafe's environment warm, serene, and aromatically pleasing. The "vibe" uplifted me, held me, and soothed me.

As part of our coffee ritual, Elise and I haul our art out onto tables. This morning I had brought work that I was making decisions about sending into an upcoming show for WCAGA. The trilogy (Hallelujah Truth drawing, pumpkin, and photo) that you see above interact in a way with the physical space (shelf and two wall colors) that intrigues me. Does it you?

As an artist, I am constantly assessing everything around me and who am I in relationship to these things in this environment. How do the colors, scents, sounds, and objects impact me. Then when I put my ART into this space, how does my CREATION interact with it? I am absorbed by all of these stimuli? Am I alone in this practice? Do any of you in my SOUL BLOGGING community do this also?

That's Coffee With Hallelujah! Hallelujah for completing day #18 of Blogtoberfest!

BLOGGING IN AN INVITING PHYSICAL SPACE!

FLUX, FLOW, FALL: A TIME FOR ART IN ATLANTA

ART PLAYING WITH LIGHT IN THE DARK.  Walking along the streets in the Castleberry District of Atlanta, Georgia, pedestrians had the joy of discovering "art events" in nooks and crannies! What fun! (photo by Chiboogamoo)

Hallelujah for the IMAGINATION and how it wakes us all up! Here in Atlanta, it has become a tradition for Castleberry Hill to host a most unusual art event, one that plays with LIGHT and DARKNESS. Called FLUX, this event summons Atlantans at dusk, so that films can be projected on city buildings, performances move along streets in out of light, and dancers stomp on a lit stage while their elongated shadows dance behind them. Doors of art galleries are rectangular beacons of light inviting pedestrians in off the street.

DIGITAL GRAFFITI. As the night progressed, FLUX visitors started dancing to the digital graffiti projected on a building. Art event created by Jacob Abramson and Suzette Guy. (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

It is always good to see friends in my artistic community here in Atlanta helping CREATE events. My dear Chiboogamoo and I were delighted to see Jessie Merle Bathrick and her husband Richard participating along with the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons to create a Jazz Funeral for Snake Nation.

LANTERNS LIGHTING THE STEPS OF THE KREWE OF THE GRATEFUL GLUTTONS. Clad in funeral garb and marching to a dirge, these Grateful Gluttons lit up the night with their handmade fanciful lanterns! (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

CREATIVE FRIENDS BRANDISHING LANTERNS. Friend Jesse is hidden by her homemade lantern. Her husband Dick is waving to Chiboogamoo, me and our crew! (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

After the parade of the Krewe of Grateful Gluttons, we stopped to watch an art event made in collaboration with the community of art seekers. Stretched out on a grassy lawn was a piece of expansive red fabric. Participants took turns being encased in a red swath of fabric. In their pods, they wiggled and moved or sat still while we onlookers watched in fascination. Eerie music surrounded us. When ready, they were released from their cocoons, giving us all a sense of  some kind of REBIRTH. Hallelujah for ART and NEW WAYS of BEING!

RED PODS PROVIDING REBIRTH EXPERIENCE.  (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

The most intense experience of the evening for me was provided by GloAtlanta, a dance company, performing "Act of Devotion," choreographed by Lauri Stallings. Lots of vibrant movement, people transfixed, lights flashing and changing, dancers moving on stage and through the audience, dancers talking and telling stories to individuals. When one dancer stopped square in front of me and stared me in the eyes, I felt so uncomfortable, I laughed. She proceeded to tell me a story as if it were a confessional and we had just become best friends. Yet, it was eerily dreamlike. I would respond to her and she did not acknowledge me. Then she finished her story, finished holding me with her eyes and vanished into the crowd. A moment of ART in a public space made personal. 

ACT OF DEVOTION.  Words cannot describe GloAtlanta. You have to experience it. Notice the shadows projected on the wall behind. Some viewers watched from the street above while others of us went to the back alley and stood by the stage. (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

There was so much ART at FLUX 2012 and thrilling gut wrenching involvement demanded of us the viewers. The evening turned cool, and we felt the FALL breeze lowering temperatures. Time flowing along with FLUX. Thank you FLUX for this sense of experiencing ourselves differently while taking in the city skyline of Atlanta!

FLUX, FLOW, AND FALL. At the end of the evening, you can my crew heading back to where we parked the car. The skyline of our beautiful city, Atlanta, is right in front of us! (photo by Hallelujah Truth) 

ARTISTS TAKING IN FLUX 2012. Here I am (center) with colleagues in creativity, Karen Phillps (left) and Elise Helfer (right). Here we were waiting for the parade to start! (photo by Chiboogamoo)

I AM HOT MAGMA MAKING MANNA: AN ARTIST CONFERENCE NETWORK ASSISTED VISION

I AM HOT MAGMA! art by Hallelujah Truth

Hallelujah for the Artist Conference Network (ACN)—a coaching community for ARTISTS! Hallelujah for a shared language for going deeper into the CREATIVE PROCESS and a method to JOURNEY into BEING and ACTION based on NOTHING!

If it sounds like I’m talking in CODE, I am! You see FELLOW PILGRIMS, in my CREATIVE SOJOURN I have found a way of communicating with writers, singers, performers, musicians, and visual artists who have agreed to SPEAK about their work following generous yet prescribed ACN guidelines, a way that does not interfere with each INDIVIDUAL ART PILGRIM’S VISION.

You might ask what I mean by VISION….You would have to belong to the Artist Conference Network (ACN), to truly understand the way I am using this term, but I will tell you joyfully and courageously that the VISION I arrived at from Atlanta’s ACN annual weekend that just took place April 16 to 17 in the club house of Pine Lake, Georgia, moves me forward into my ARTISTIC JOURNEY—I AM HOT MAGMA, MAKING MANNA.

Yes, I AM HOT MAGMA! The driving force that fuels my creative work is the “hot lava” inside me waiting to erupt and create new territories. This magnificent magma is molten and throbbing waiting to be formed, to be named, to be given voice, and to be heard.  I work as an ARTIST to translate this exciting source of vibrant life that is TRUTH, is HALLELUJAH, is RUTH TRUTH and all the incarnations I have ever been. First the MAGMA, then the visual images!

A quote of Martha Graham’s that we read frequently at ACN meetings reinforces the importance of SPEAKING in the unique voice that is ours alone:

There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.

And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is; nor how valuable it is; nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.

Yes there is that LIFE FORCE! Thank you Martha Graham! Yes! And the other part of my vision statement is—I MAKE MANNA! As an ARTIST, I CREATE food for my SOUL through the “process” of drawing and painting. Amazingly, I simultaneously feed other SOULS—because none of us, not one of us is ALONE! Friends, family members and SOUL BLOGGERS have let me know I have given them something through my LIFE as an ARTIST!  Thank you! And I know that the work of each and every PILGRIM impacts us ALL. My MANNA is your MANNA and vice-versa!

In addition to ART being SOUL FOOD nurturing our spirits, I believe ART is MEDICINE healing us at the most basic level of our BEING. What do you think FELLOW PILGRIMS? SOUL BLOG with Hallelujah and tell me what your VISION is. What drives your CREATIVE WORK?

The Atlanta Artist Conference Network with Jean Anderson (front left) April 17, 2011 (photo by Hallelujah Truth, aka Ruth Schowalter)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: I wish to thank Beverly Cassell, Founder of the Artist Conference Network, who I met at my first ACN weekend in 2002. In recent years, I have appreciated the coaching leadership from three members of ACN’s current board of Directors: Jean Anderson, Lynne Prather, and Marianne Connor. In addition, I am so thankful my own local ACN leaders: Lesly Fredman, Donna Rutherford, and Alice Teeter. It is with pleasure at the beginning ACN goal setting year, that I join the leadership team here in Atlanta! I look forward to working with ALL our members. Hallelujah! I’ll be blogging about ACN in future entries at COFFEE WITH HALLELUJAH! SOUL BLOG back!

Work in progress, a future puppet for World Laughter Day, May 1, 2011 in downtown Decatur, Georgia, brought to us by Jean Woodall!

Arriving Sunday morning to show work 

Showing work and Getting Coached

Donna Rutherford emerged as a top secret character to introduce her upcoming book

Dana Kemp showing her most recent body of photographs

Engaged in Coaching

 Some Smiling members of the Atlanta Fabulous Artist Conference Network on day two of the Artist Conference Weekend, April 17, 2011

REVERB10: Hallelujah for Wisdom of 2010

In 2010, I began WISELY living IN my LIFE! To be IN my LIFE, I first had to acknowledge the simultaneous existence of both my DESIREs to DO and all the FEARs about why I shouldn’t ACT on these DESIREs! Then I grabbed the FEARs with both hands and jumped into the abyss of the GREAT UNKNOWN to SEE what I might DO anyway! My FEARS were welcomed GUESTs on my PILGRIMAGE.

One of my loudest and noisiest FEARs is IMPERFECTION. Mr. IMPERFECT used to stop me cold in my ambitions by saying, “If you can’t do a job well, don’t do it at all!” Welcome 2010 and WISDOM of the 5 DECADES—acceptance of the MESSINESS of DOING!

Here’s a list of some of MESSY projects I have taken on this year:

• Committing to doing art workshops with senior refugees at the Clarkston Community Center in Clarkston, Georgia, without volunteers, supplies, and a background in teaching art
• Designing a logo for a friend’s business called “Curious Cup” without previous experience
• Being a group leader for the Atlanta Artist Conference Network
• Getting a studio space at Sycamore Place Gallery to do collaborative work with my Chiboogamoo
• Agreeing to organize an art project to raise money to support small business endeavors for refugee women
• Dedicating myself to develop cool, powerful, and diverse women for beer labels for the Beer Brew Girls
• Striving to write one blog entry a week for COFFEE WITH HALLELUJAH
• Seeing LIFE through the eyes of HALLELUJAH wherever I go!

The outcome of “feeling the fear and doing it anyway” is that I am FULLY living MY LIFE! I smile at the CHAOS created by the imperfection. Sometimes, when EVERYTHING is seeming SO messy, I ask myself if I want to BE here DOING what I AM DOING—and the answer is a resounding, “YES.”

In my art group, Artist Conference Network, we routinely read inspirational quotes about creativity. I will leave you today with one by Martha Graham:

There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one you in all time, this expression unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is; nor how valuable it is; nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself, or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate YOU. Keep the channel open…No artist is pleased…There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction; a blessed unrest that keeps us marching.

Hallelujah for the Wisdom of 2010! No artist may ever be satisfied, but certainly there is GREAT satisfaction in being ALIVE and DOING!