Redemption Stories Series with Guest Artist Beth Morey

Redemption Stories Monday: Over the course of ten Monday's  I am welcoming 10 guest artists as they share a story of redemption from their own life or work. These stories may be a broad overview or observation, or they may be very specific, deep and personal. The post may be very short or very lengthy. I have left the specifics up to each of the ten. View images of their work as you read their words, and bios. Be sure to check out the links each one will provide to learn even more about them and their work as an artist.

Beth Morey is an artist I connected with through a mutual friend on Facebook. She has a way with words and art that moves me and inspires me to live just a little more openly and real. I am so honored to share her work and story here with you. It is raw and vulnerable and honest and I absolutely love that kind of story. The work of redemption is anything but clean and pristine, and Beth so perfectly and poignantly gives us a glimpse of what it looks like to be in that process. 

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"Soul At Sea" by Beth Morey

I didn't know that stillbirth still happened in the western world until it happened to me.  Thirty-one weeks of pregnancy and all the evidence I had for my daughter's life were a few precious items and the yawning ache in my soul that still throbs, two and more years later now. 

After we returned home from the hospital, empty armed, I was brokenhearted but determined.  Determined to grieve well, to to feel it all, to let God use it.  And I did, and he did, I guess.  I don't know, really, who did what, only that I showed up to the pain, to the searing of reality.  And it changed me – and it changes me.

In the church, we like to talk a good line about redemption.  And that's not necessarily a bad thing.  Jesus is redemption with skin on, after all.  But we – especially we here in the first world – like our redemption to be neat, tidy.  We often want to come in on the after of redemption; not the before, and certainly not the during.

"Soul Rising" by Beth Morey

It's odd to me, that we have become so ill-used to mess.  Jesus' life is anything but orderly and expected.  He went to the wilderness, willingly and often.  I don't think you can go there and come back anything but unkempt, with tossed-about hair and a strange new light in your eye.  I wonder if it's the desert that gave Jesus the courage to live and die and live again as he did.

 After my Eve girl died within my body,  after my first pregnancy ended in birthing a dead body, I tried so hard to be the after of redemption, even while I accepted that grief was unpredictable and long.  I thought that if I could be – or really, act – faithful enough, Eve's death would be somehow worth it, redeemed. 

Perhaps it inspires you that I could birth my dead daughter and still profess to love the God that didn't save her.  If it does, I am truly glad.  May he lead you ever deeper through my attempts.

 But it didn't work for me.  I was trying to force redemption, to get to it as painlessly as possible, in spite of the raw and seeping wound that stillbirth had inflicted upon my heart.  And you can't.  You can't force redemption.  It's not neat.  It's not clean.  You can't get to the after until you walk through the fire.  And fire burns.  It hurts, and rages, and consumes.  You cannot walk into flames and come out anywhere near recognizable. 

"A Brave New Magic" by Beth Morey

I am not sure if I have reached my after yet.  I don't know if I ever will.  I think I might be in the during at last, now that I have given my soul permission to flail, to falter, and to doubt.  This place, it is a desert place – harsh, with few comforts and fewer companions.  The daylight burns and the night freezes.  There is nothing tidy about the desert. 

But the desert does make you stronger.  The fire does incinerate the unnecessary, the facades and crutches and everything you were (I was) using to convince yourself that you were just fine, thank you, when you were anything but. 

This is the work of redemption – to live in the desert, the wild of the fire.  To let your skin be scorched, your heart melted like molten glass and fashioned into something new and wonderful.  Jesus was here, and is here, in the muck and the mire.  He is not keeping his hands clean, because it is not about clean hands.  It is about open hands, hands that help and heal, hands that give and receive and give, hands that caress a baby's new-soft skin and soothe the forehead of the dying. 

It is not about clean hands.  It's about new hands, born of fire and clay, and pain and love.  This is redemption.  It is not easy, but it is worth it.  I have lived the truth of this.  I live it still. 

Friend, the desert calls. 

Bio:

Beth Morey has stopped running from the questions, and all the old adjectives don't quite seem to fit  anymore. You can find her throwing her soul into the mess of not-knowing and Divine-seeking at www.bethmorey.com. She also is the artist behind Epiphany Art Studio (www.epiphanyartstudio.etsy.com), and founder of the Made course (www.madecourse.com).  Beth lives in Montana with the Best Husband Ever, their rainbow son, and their three delightfully naughty dogs.

Slow Down Sunday Weekly Review: A Day In the Life of an Artist- Dealing with Disappointment

As I mentioned in this post last week, I will be running a new series each Sunday recapping my weekly activities in and out of the studio, giving you a glimpse behind the scenes, both the highs and the lows, of the life of an artist- well at least this artist- Crystal Neubauer. And I may expand this at some point to include tips and tutorials, resources etc. 

One thing I don't talk about here very often is my health, being thyroidless with multiple auto-immune issues, as well as healing from adrenal insufficiency, has made it vitally important that I adhere to a good routine when it comes to sleep. So all the walking I did in Seattle, and not getting home from the airport until 1 am Sunday morning, meant that Sunday and Monday were couch days, which was okay because I had plenty of work online to do.

• Monday I launched my RocketHub campaign.
• Tuesday I sent out an e-newsletter blast and got to work cleaning up in the studio.
• Wednesday I spent some time shooting some photos for the book and then started working on a new body of work for the ACC show in April.
• Thursday, nose to the grindstone, working on that body of work for the ACC show - having delivered most of my available work to the show in Seattle and my gallery in Scottsdale last month means I have a lot to create to get ready for this show.
• Friday I shifted gears to cleaning the guest bedroom for an artist friend who will be visiting from Hawaii, who is traveling on a buddy pass which requires her to show up at the airport and wait for a flight to open up. Today will be her third day to attempt this and we are both feeling the disappointment of anticipating the visit each day only to have no seats available.

The issue of disappointment has been a hot topic lately.

One reason my career has advanced so quickly as an artist has been my willingness to take risks.  When I decided I wanted to teach, I set my sights on the national retreats - instead of waiting for more experience like common sense would have me do, I applied for the bigger venue and got in! When I decided I was ready for gallery representation, I didn't want to start at a coop or small local place, I knew I wanted to be at a fine art level, so I went for it and here I am with two beautiful galleries representing me.

I've written articles for magazines, and now am working on a book, by daring to believe the answer might be yes if I submitted a proposal. When I decided to do art shows I didn't want to start with the craft fairs. I didn't want to wait. My first ever booth type show was at the American Craft Expo in Evanston, IL - one of the top two fine art/craft shows in the entire nation.

I didn't have the right experience to bolster me, but what I did have was desire. White hot burning desire. And a conviction that I was supposed to be there.

And most importantly- a willingness to be disappointed.

The answer will never be yes if you can't deal with the possibility of hearing a no. 

I got in to the American Craft Expo the first year I applied. And it was an incredible experience. I gained more in that one show then I could have in several years of local shows. But after I've had to apply for 6 more shows at that level, over the course of two solid years before I got another yes- quick math fact - that is 3 times as many rejections!

Now there is a reality check thing that has to happen at some point, where you ask yourself if the rejections are an indication that your work isn't at the right level yet, but that is a post for another day. This one is about disappointment - and I have felt its sting. Two lovely galleries represent me, but at least 10 more have told me "no thank-you" or ignored my inquiry altogether. I've been paid to write articles for major mixed media magazines, but I've also submitted proposals that got turned away. I've entered tons of competitions that I didn't get into, I've applied to teach at venues that didn't accept me. At least 3 no's for every yes - every step of the way.

I'm no superwoman. Rejection is disappointing, and somewhat deflating. Even downright debilitating.

It takes the wind out of your sails. Self-doubts set in and the ever present "who do you think you are" voice whispers its accusations in your ears. But I refuse to listen! At least not for very long.

Because to do this job. To live this life. To answer to this call. Disappointment has to be addressed for the liar that it is.

It isn't rejection that defines you, it is your willingness to start again. Your willingness to stand on what you know in your heart to be true whether anyone else, circumstances, or the lying voices in your own head agree with you, understand you or not.

This week my disappointment has been in the finances of being an artist. The shows, whether the local level or the national, are not cheap to enter. And the set up requires a big investment up front. The car winds up breaking down and life throws a little action our way and suddenly there is nothing to spare. I wrestled with the decision as to whether to pull out - but it was such a huge deal for me to get in that I know I can't throw in the towel on this one quite yet. I've always been the kind of girl who looks at these situations and instead of saying "I can't" says "okay then, what can I do?"

And what I can do is offer up my art to you, and my workshops, and my book, and tickets, and my ability to mentor and ask you to consider supporting my campaign to raise the funds I need for my booth. The RocketHub system is a platform to help me organize this and gives me the ability to set a goal with an exchange of goods at extraordinary prices in order to meet that goal.

So here I am once again, taking a risk and facing the possibility of rejection and disappointment.
It is a day in the life of an artist.

Found Object Friday with Guest Artist Seth Apter

Found Object Fridays: We artists love our collections don't we? Even as a child I remember foraging through flea markets and looking for special trinkets that caught my eye. Going for walks, to this day I find myself scanning the ground looking for interesting bits of metal or unique rocks to add to my collections. Long before I knew what I would be doing with them, I collected objects that pulled on something inside of me. As an artist I was thrilled to find there are others who love and collect little oddities and curiosities too. 

Over the course of ten Fridays I am honored to introduce ten different guest artists who will share some of the objects they love. You may recognize some of these names, while others may be new to you, each one is somebody whose style I admire. Check out the photos of their found object-and in a virtual show and tell, read about how it caught their attention and what they plan to do with it. Then check out their bios and links to learn more about each artist. . .

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I first connected with Seth Apter in my early blogging days when I was in the assemblage period of my career- my found object heydays.  Seth has a flare for using found objects so seamlessly in his work that it looks worthy of any fine art gallery. But he isn't just a talented artist, he is the author of one of the most popular mixed media blogs on the internet called The Altered Page, where he has a knack for fostering creativity in others. Seth is also the author of two books, teaches in retreats and venues across the nation, and sells his work online and at art fairs, and has been shown in multiple exhibits. 

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You can always tell the tourists in New York City as they are the people looking up, trying to see the sites of the city. Most locals are simply looking at their smart phones. I, on the other hand, am always looking down -- just waiting to spot some treasure on the ground that I can use in my artwork.

Whenever I pass by a construction site and see the familiar blue or green scaffolding, my heart beats a bit faster as there are often discarded objects just waiting to be picked up. As much as I enjoy altering the patina of a found object, my best finds are those that have already been weathered by time and use. And such was definitely the case with this rotary blade I found on the streets of New York.

This beauty was found as is, with a surface already covered with rust and patina. As is often the case for my finds, I held on to it for several years until I was inspired to use it in an artwork. This particular object ended up as the central focus for my artwork Rotary Club.

Bio:

Seth Apter is a mixed media artist from New York City. You can see and purchase  his work on his website sethapter.com and learn more about him at his blog thealteredpage.blogspot.com.

Studio Spotlight With Guest Artist Michel Fletcher

It is Wednesday and that means it is time for a Studio Spotlight. But before I get on with the business of the day, I'd just like to give an update on my RocketHub campaign: After only two days I have nearly reached the 25% mark. I am so grateful to all who have sent me their encouragement and to those who have decided to support my campaign. I also want to clarify that RocketHub is not a charity and does not solicit donations. It is an exchange of goods platform, making it possible for the participant to save for a goal by offering goods in exchange for support. The items I have listed are being offered at greatly reduced pricing; one of a kind works of art, tickets to the ACC show in St. Paul, signed copy's of my book, and workshops for up to six students. It is a win win for all. You can check out my blog post here and the campaign itself here. 

And now on to Wednesdays Studio Spotlight Series!

Over the course of ten Wednesday's join me in welcoming 10 guest artists as they share a glimpse into the spaces that foster their creative process. One of our ten guest bloggers referred to the artist's studio as "Sacred Space", and indeed it is just that for me. Working in the silence of my own studio is the place I am most easily able to connect to my Creator. As our guest artists share images of their own sacred spaces, they tell a bit of their creative process through the answers to four simple questions. Read about the artist in their bio and then explore the links each one will provide to get to know them a little more.

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Michel Fletcher's Studio

I met Michel last summer when she took my collage and assemblage workshop at EncaustiCamp. She had a natural affinity for design and brought her project together beautifully. Aside from the mutual love for a similar aesthetic & color pallet and all things creative, I was struck by Michel's sense of adventure, as well as her wit and sense of humor. As many EncaustiCampers do, we have stayed in touch over the months and I've had the opportunity to enjoy Michel's travels through photo's and posts on Facebook. As soon as I decided to do a studio series, I knew I wanted to ask Michel. Something told me I would really be able to connect with her creative space, and I was not let down in the least bit! So without further ado, join me in welcoming Michel. Have a look at the photos, read about her process and as a treat - we have a video at the end of the post. Enjoy!

1. What is your favorite time of day to create and why?

**Like many artists, my creative heart begins to unravel at night, when the quiet allows my mind to get louder and spill my inspired thought onto canvas.  I take bits and pieces from my days, and then at night, when the rest of the house blanks out the day with sleep, I take those bits of my mind and give them license to unleash in my  my studio.

2. What do you love most about your studio?

**It's an absolute chaotic love triangle made up of messy me, my creative tools and that which will inspire me.  I am entirely clothed in myself in this space, I am home in the sense of where I am supposed to be, and find it difficult to interrupt when my real life knocks on the door.

3. What can always be found in your work space?  

**Besides the obvious? Well, there will always be incense, world music playing that I have collected on my travels and thought provoking words, whether scribbled on a sketch pad, quotes in tattered books, or splashed on my wall, just pondering them gives my mind the release to run the race and see what I end up with at the finish line of my piece. 

4. What dream supply would you purchase if money were no issue? - or alternatively – What medium would you want to learn if time were no issue?

 Well my dream that I am currently and collectively working on is a custom studio placed in Mexico, that truly is where my heart belongs... on foreign land.  Oddly enough, where I reside now feels foreign, but when I am  there, breathing in the culture, which really is a deliciously simple way of life, I feel grounded, my heart pumps at the right beat.  I want to share this with others, and having an Artist retreat seems like exactly what I need to do.  I believe surrounding myself in a richly visual and yet soul soothing environment is my calling, and that voice is getting louder, rather hard to ignore.  Owning an Artist Retreat means I may share with others a peace so many of us lose along the way, a chance to remind us of what we were meant to be in this game of life. 

BIO: Although Michel Fletcher has a residential address on the Sunshine Coast, she is rarely found there, bags always packed, she is called away often by her gypsy heart, as she travels to the lands we dream of, stays there often, embedded in foreign culture, creating her art and admiring first hand that of the masters who made history with theirs. Her soul seems to be fed by the scent of vegan faire, the visual blessing of outdoor markets, the tightness felt on her hands from spent paint and falling asleep with the soft lull of a foreign language.  She is one that not only lives to create, but is true to Live her life Creatively. 

Michel's Blog: http://satwagypsyrawcanvas.tumblr.com/   

Crystal Neubauer launches on RocketHub: A Journey to the ACC and Beyond!

"Come What May" 10" x 10" collage by Crystal Neubauer

If you didn't get a chance to read my post about the art opening above, I'll recap for you that I flew out to Seattle with some pretty big questions on my mind about the next thing on my calendar - the American Craft Council show in St. Paul, and specifically whether I was going to be able to manage it, especially after receiving a text from my husband that our car had broke down on his way home from work that day. 

The ACC show is one of my dream list shows - and I really am hopeful there will be more of this caliber in my future, but this artist life can be a tough one - often the behind the scenes stuff is not what I share with you. I report on the highs and let the rest go, and with good reason, dwelling on what I can't do or didn't achieve or have to overcome is not how I'm wired. 

This journey has been one of taking each step as it comes, but taking off on this flight found me asking some hard questions. And I did get the answers I was looking for; being in Seattle, standing in front of my work and having the opportunity again to see and hear how others respond to it was a good reminder. I wasn't meant to do this thing alone. Life is about community - and relationships- and my work as an artist has everything to do with those relationships and this community.

I've worked long hard hours to get to this place and now it's time to share it with you. I just launched a campaign at RocketHub and I'd love for you to check it out. I have some incredible goods listed in exchange for backing, making it possible to own a one of a kind work of art for far less than normal. I am also offering tickets to the ACC show, a mentoring package that allows you to start your own journey armed with advice gleaned from my experience, signed copies of my book, and even a private workshop for you and your guests- get your friends together and go for it! 

In addition to this campaign, I am committed to a new series on my blog each Sunday which will give you a behind the scenes look at the artistic life, the highs and the lows, the nuts and bolts and how to's and what-for's and why's of it all. I'm looking forward to this next step of building an even stronger community, because I mean it when I say, it isn't just about me, I know you are here because you are on a journey too!

So what do you say? Lets do this artful thing together!