WCAGA DRAW 4 DAYS (Day #6): Preparations for the reception and deepening community connections

HALLELUJAH FOR WCAGA! This week of "Draw 4 Days" has introduced Hallelujah Truth (The figure in this image is Hallelujah) to a wider public. In addition, my portrayal of her increased in size. Hallelujah has primarily been drawn on 8" X 11" paper. In addition, she made it to canvas for the first time (thank you Callahan). You might say, Hallelujah had her debutante party last night. Thank you WCAGA for getting to a place in my work to make it more public. (art by Hallelujah Truth)

Hallelujah for celebrations! Celebrating art, celebrating women, celebrating community! Hallelujah for WCAGA's "Draw 4 Days" and the scope of its ambitions: bringing women artists together in a public space to marathon draw with invitations to the community to join us!

CANVAS DETAIL!  (art by Hallelujah Truth)

How glorious the week has been speeding by with the rapidity of pencil and paintbrush strokes and wide open conversations and sharing! On Friday morning, a few of us finished our pieces, many hung their work for display, and all of us gathered for the reception. And what a festive reception it was! All of Tula Art Gallery was abuzz! It turned out that MOCA was having an opening reception too!

FINAL TOUCHES AND PREP

FINISHING TOUCHES!  (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO HANG A SHOW!  (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

HANGING HALLELUJAHS! WCAGA members were so helpful in everything we did this week, including hanging work for the reception. Thanks Linda and Barb (pictured here) and Maggie for helping me with displaying my work! (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

INTERMISSION BEFORE CELEBRATION

FRIDAY AFTERNOON FREE FROM THE STUDIO! Friday afternoon was the first day in the week that WCAGA members engaged in "Draw 4 Days" had free to be out in our beautiful city of Atlanta!  (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

LET THE RECEPTION BEGIN!  (photo by Tony Martin)

Celebrating our creativity is important. For every one of us actively engaged in the expression of our SOULS through art, there are just as many waiting and wanting to express what is unique and special to them. When we acknowledge our creative work in community by having a reception, we enliven the entire population. What is possible for each and every one of you to create? What idea or experience have you had that you wish to elevate by making marks? What if?

RECEPTION

YES TO CELEBRATING! The public turned out to celebrate our drawing marathon.  (photo by Tony Martin)

Tula Art Galleries hummed on the Friday night of our "Draw 4 Days" opening at Further Polycontemporary. MOCA had an opening and other gallery doors were flung wide open, wine was poured freely, and people flowed from door to door. Art matters. 

HALLELUJAH TRUTH DEBUTED 
Big intake of breath! Hallelujah went larger this week. For years, I have been drawing on paper of modest size. Often I have left images unfinished--more than a hundred. Hallelujah is drawn almost every day but she has not appeared in public except on this Coffee With Hallelujah blog and Facebook. 

DEBUTANTE!  (art by Hallelujah Truth)

However, like a giddy debutante, Hallelujah was introduced to society this week. One WCAGA artist even invited Hallelujah to go bigger--wall size! Hallelujah was and is delighted with the thought of being enlarged, going out doors on walls and under bridges! Let's see what happens in the future. 

As we each one of us moves forward in our creativity, let's remember to be open new possibilities, to be gentle to ourselves and to others. We live in such a wonderful world that kindness invites BEINGS to be present to important SOUL matters. Expressing BEINGNESS makes us all more connected. That's why I love art. Let's embrace the question, "What if?"!

That's Coffee With Hallelujah! SOUL BLOG with me! Tell me what you think of WCAGA's drawing marathon! Will you participate next time!?

LOVING HUSBAND

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: I have learned this week that it takes a village to support artists. We are all connected, and this connection when acknowledged, can be deeply expansive and richly rewarding. Thanks go to my Chiboogamoo (aka Tony Martin), who ongoingly supports my art making, discusses my ideas, photographs me in action, accompanies me to my events, and takes me out into the world of paleontology. I am so loved by this man, and he helps make all things possible.

Immense gratitude to WCAGA and Barbara A. Rehg, who walks gently in this world but manages to engage everyone in her love of drawing. What a kind mastermind you are Barbara. You took your ideas for these drawing marathons over the years and engaged all of us heart, mind, and body in this extended one, "Draw 4 Days." You succeeded in magnifying drawing for the community. Powerful work!

DRAW 4 DAYS MASTERMIND!  Barbara A. Rehg, who developed the "Draw 4 Days" event from beginning to end, selflessly served the bar at the reception along with help from artist Marie Weaver. Thank you! (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

How awesome is this world that we are given the opportunity to friend one another! I am so grateful for the WCAGA members I have gotten to know better this week while we made our marks in such close proximity. Thank you for being connected to your creative cores, making art, and sharing your ideas about the process from minus zero to plus, plus, plus! I love you all. 

THANKS CALLAHAN!  (photo by Barbara A. Rehg)

Special thanks to my buddy, girlfriend, fellow Facebooker, artmaker, and photographer Callahan Pope McDonough! Oh you took me to new heights this week. Thank you for getting me to sign up for this WCAGA drawing marathon, for sharing your knowledge and paints, and just for being honest, fun, powerful, and sweet! Love you much!

DANCING WITH THE FLOOR ART! Be careful when you get two InterPlayers together! You don't know what we might do like stretching out on the floor during an art reception! (photo by Tony Martin)

And Missy Christine! Thank you for coming to this event and bringing your guy Joe! It was so much fun hanging with you guys! Is WCAGA in your future?

WCAGA DRAW 4 DAYS (Day #5): Clean up, reception, and gratitude for art community and transformation

TRANSFORMATION THROUGH DRAW 4 DAYS.  "What if" was a common question I heard asked over the past few days at the WCAGA drawing marathon. One of my neighbors in the Furhter Polycontemporary Gallery, Marie Weaver, asked me, "What if Wandjina (the character on the right here), began to change?" In response to her gentle questioning, I thought that I would like to invite some transformation into my image making once again. I must proceed with caution as my images are symbols of my psyche. Was my psyche interested in the "play" with transformation? I had done it before at other times but Wandjina always melds back into Wandjina with little variation. Hallelujah for the invitation! So this morning I nudged myself to see what might appear. (art by Hallelujah Truth)

Hallelujah for marathons with fellow artists! Hallelujah for working in close proximity with other creatives, seeing them work and hearing them talk! Hallelujah for transformations!

PACKING UP DRAW 4 DAYS

"Draw 4 Days" is winding down. Yesterday, most artists packed up their tools and media, crated tables and supplies out to cars, and bid farewell until the reception tonight at the Further Polycontemporary from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. How absolutely wonderful these shared days of drawing and painting have been! 

For some of us involved in the WCAGA drawing marathon, finishing up our images is on the agenda until 1:00. Then all drawing must stop in order to prepare for the reception! Please come and celebrate with us and see our the results of our marathoning!

As I continue to reflect on what has occurred for me in the past few days during "Draw 4 Days," I am so deeply thankful for an organization like WCAGA and the democracy of its members. We are all equals even though we have different levels of training and experience in our artmaking repertoires. There are several themes I would like to celebrate today: telling stories about our images, talking and listening to other artists, artmaking as prayer and meditation, and transformation.

PRAYER AND MEDITATION
To watch an engaged artist contemplating their work is transfixing. What are they thinking? What will they do next? Is there love present? Or the opposite...dissatisfaction? What courage it takes to progress through the unknown of creating a work! Oh to see an artist in action!

MEDITATION.  (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

PRAYERFUL WORK.  (photos by Hallelujah Truth)

CREATION STORIES CRAFTED OVER 4 DAYS
During "Draw 4 Days," I heard the crafting of several stories concerning artists' work. In my special corner of the Further Polycontemporary Gallery, I heard my neighbors repeat explanations of their work each time another artist came by to inquire or guests asked questions. As the days progressed, the stories were told with more efficiency and skill--they became even more powerful than the first time I heard them. I noticed that my own "creation story" became clearer and more confident each time I told it. Experimenting with content, I provided different explanations, edited some things out altogether, and felt happier with my oral account of my images. 

LISTENERS.  (photos by Hallelujah Truth)

There is something so essentially human about telling stories to witnesses, to being heard! Hallelujah!


TRANSFORMATION
In conclusion? Transformation has occurred in my SOUL, in my CORE, and in my community! I have connected, created, and communicated. Listening and being listened to are transformative acts! I thank all the dear sweet artists I worked and played with this past week. You have given me the gift of an extended community. Many of you have validated my experience as an artist and urged me along my path. Thank you a million times over!

TRANSFORMATION TAKING BABY STEPS. What does it mean for me to integrate my animus figure with my Hallelujah self? I don't know. But it is fun asking, "What if?"! (art by Hallelujah Truth)

TRANSFORMATION CAN BE EXHAUSTING. By day 4 of "Draw 4 Days," many of us were feeling energy challenged. Callahan Pope McDonough takes a moment to stretch out on the floor while fellow artist Jes Gordon documents the event in black paint! (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

That's Coffee with Hallelujah! SOUL BLOG with me about your art community! What have you learned or shared with one another. Have you been transformed?

GREAT EXPERIENCE. How fun to spend days making art with my buddy Callahan next to me! (photo by Loretta Paraguassu)

NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORGED. What a fun discovery it was to meet Loretta Paraguassu! I know that we have a future collaborating on something. I just know it! (photo by Hallelujah Truth)