REVERB10: THE MEME STUDIO—A COMMITMENT TO THE EVOLUTION OF OUR MARRIAGE

Hallelujah for moments that are meaningful to one’s life and that serve as “MARKERS” to SIGNIFY CHANGE! In September 2010, my husband Chiboogamoo and I rented an art studio space TOGETHER at Sycamore Place Gallery in Decatur, Georgia, with a sincere desire to COLLABORATE using our distinctively different creativities. Length of Leaseà12 months!

We christened our studio space, “THE MEME STUDIO” as an experiment in our marriage. Because we forgot to have children and will not be passing on our “genes,” we are remembering ourselves in MEMES! That is, we are PROPAGATING OURSELVES by making art TOGETHER—the paleontologist and visionary artist! Here we ARE two strong bold individuals (HALLEUJAHTRUTH and CHIBOOGAMOO) in the equation: ME + ME = MEMEà to perpetuate units of cultural information in drawings, paintings and words!

Four months have already passed since the “defining moment” of signing the lease and moving in our lights, tables, and art supplies. In the EVOLUTION of our MARRIAGE in the MEME STUDIO we are still in the Precambrian! We are gleefully anticipating evolving in 2011!

Thank you REVERB10 for today’s prompt! Hallelujah for MEMEs and GOOD COMPANIONSHIP on the PILGRIMAGE! Dear Pilgrims SOUL BLOG with me by responding to the REVERB10 PROMPT for December 29^th: Defining moment. Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year.

(This yellow trilobite with its trail is an example of one of our first collaborations! To make ourselves more comfy in our studio, we made a stencil of both a body fossil and trace fossil and spray painted numerous images in blue and yellow!)

REVERB10: WINTER DREAMS FOR 2011—EFFORTLESS ACTION with the EASE of a CAT NAPPING

Hallelujah would like to befriend and transform the word “TRY” occurring in REVERB10’s CHALLENGE for December 18^th: TRYàEFFORTLESS ACTION. In galloping years 2009 and 2010, I have JOYOUSLY embraced “being” and “doing” with the exuberant ease of a cat napping=EFFORTLESS ACTION. My DREAM for 2011 is to continue the BIG CAT NAP, being in every inch of my BODY and SOUL, stretching from my insides out to all of you PILGRIMS!

In my BIG SLEEP, my WINTER DREAMS consist of the following meanderings:

COMMUNITY DREAMING: I imagine lingering in my Decatur community and building connection with other SOULs and their IMAGINATIONS by making ART together. Whether I am collaborating with other female artists like me, assisting Bhutanese senior refugees in creative projects, or meeting with the Beer Brew Girls to summon diverse female images for their homecrafted beers, I will be Hallelujahing with my COMMUNITY!

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS DREAMING: Hallelujah for the beauty of Georgia! I love our Appalachian Mountains, long-leaf pine forests, and the marshes and islands along our coastline. As a visionary artist, I dream of dancing out drawings and paintings that speak of the LOVE I have of my home state’s natural resources and its fragility. I dream of sharing my creations with the public, so they too can be aware of and connect with Georgia’s environmental richness.

RAISING ART UP WITH CHIBOGAMOO DREAMING: As a childless couple, Chiboogamoo and I dream of merging our imaginations to make art reflecting our understanding of evolution. Even now, we are laughing at ourselves as we ask each other how to do this project with JOYFUL EASE? Is there a route to relaxed parenting?

HALLELUJAH’S BABY DREAMING: Hallelujah for THE JOURNEY. I dream of beginning a book in 2011. I SEE myself NAPPING EFFORTLESSLY and rising to give birth to each chapter. My BABY will speak of PILGRIMAGING and SPIRIT and CREATIVITY.

Thank you REVERB10 and for your December 18^th PROMPT: Try. What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did or didn’t go for it?

I ask you my fellow PILGRIMs to SOUL BLOG with me. What would you like to do in 2011? What would you like to do with the EASE of a CATNAPPING? Happy 6^th Anniversary Chiboogamoo!

REVERB10 CHALLENGE: DECEMBER 7, REFLECTING ON COMMUNITY

The REVERB 10 PROMPT for TODAY: Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What communities would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?

Hallelujah for COMMUNITY! In 2010, I discovered The SPIRITUAL ART PILGRIM community through the manifestation of understanding myself and honoring WHO I AM. Adorned with my own self-knowledge, I was able to SEEK other ARTFUL SOULS. I have met JOYFUL CREATORS in my town of Decatur, Georgia, through art venues and schools, but most surprisingly, I have met virtual national and international pilgrims through my blog, Coffee With Hallelujah.

On my blog, Coffee with Hallelujah, which I began in 2009 but developed in 2010, I gleefully announce that ART matters! ART heals! ART informs! I share my WAY of SEEING artfully. I strive to be authentic and honest. I show my artwork and that of others that enlivens me. I invite other SOJOURNERS to share their JOURNEYS with me by SOUL BLOGGING.

In 2011, I would like to deepen connections with real and virtual SPIRITUAL ART PILGRIMS. What is my definition of a SPIRITUAL ART PILGRIM? She is a person who yearns to EXPRESS her SPIRIT in her own way. She begins first by looking inward, asking herself what she needs to be, say, or do—and voila!—she dances, hums, chops celery, opens the dictionary to find illuminating or seductive words, chooses colorful socks to wear—and yes, DRAWS, PAINTS, SCULPTs, and builds monuments to herself!

Very importantly, since BEING and DOING are the goals of this artful journey, the PILGRIM must allow herself to CREATE without judgment! Whatever YOU MAKE, HONOR it!

Share you journeys with me, Hallelujah Truth! I need you! We need each other! Hallelujah! Thank you REVERB 10 for giving me this time to reflect on community.