Dearest Friends,
From April 8-20, I’ve asked some friends whose hearts I trust to participate in The Authenticity Project. The goal? To share something true. I gave these folks very loose parameters — no word count, no guidelines, no rules to follow — and I asked them to be free with what’s real for them these days, whether that reality is thoughtful or funny or poignant or ridiculous. I hope you enjoy meeting these people as much as I enjoy counting them among my friends.
With love,
The Power of Cataclysm
An Authenticity Project Guest Post by Melanie Weidner
For months, I’ve been working on an artistic, spiritual response to violence in our society and politics. It’s timely to share what might be my bravest art yet– this fabric art called Cataclysm— and a brand-new 7-minute Cataclysm Art Process video clip on the making and meaning of the image.
Both the video and image are rather intense commentary, yet to me they are full of hope that the power of breakdown offers us new possibilities in the long run. Oh how we need that kind of imagination right now– ecologically, culturally, religiously, and in just about every arena of our lives. I’m deeply disappointed by the increasing violence and corruption in our political system, wondering how and when it will fall apart– maybe even with our help– to allow fresh justice, compassion, and leadership to emerge.
I’ll keep this post short hoping you’ll watch the video. It’s home-made, for sure, but I worked hard on it, and I think you’ll enjoy seeing the photos of how I created and then tore apart the fabric elements of the piece. Yep, it’s all fabric. Yep, I built a colonial mansion and made trilobites. Yep, this is the first time I’ve ever used a gun or bombs in my art. And yep, I shredded all those pieces to make a point– we can join the power of Cataclysm to dismantle whatever does not serve life as a whole, then out of the raw materials from the breakdown we might weave something new.
This Cataclysm image joins my Resilience Project series, along with the other more obviously inspiring principles I’ve sketched in watercolor, like Emergence, Allurement, and Centration. Check out my other just-finished art quilt, Seamlessness, representing the generative space out of which everything comes and in which everything is connected! (This science stuff still bends my mind and opens my heart.)
I can hardly wait to keep working on this ambitious project to complete 11 fabric art quilts embodying each of the Powers of the Universe qualities! I’ll appreciate your encouragement and support….
With blessings as it all unfolds,
Melanie
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Melanie Weidner‘s art inspires people of all kinds, especially those interested in spirituality, mindfulness, and healing. Her images stir the soul and inspire compassion, self-reflection, and peace.
Melanie also offers engaging creativity and spirituality retreats in summer and winter in the glorious Pendle Hill Arts Studio, a Quaker Contemplative Retreat Center near Philadelphia, PA. See more on her Workshops and Events pages. You can find Melanie’s blog here, her Facebook page here, and her Listen for Joy shop here.
Melanie lives with her wonder-full partner, Hollin, their dog Tashi, and Milagrita the cat in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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