Friday, October 3, 2014

Sisterhood of the Red Thread & a Blessed Transition

Last weekend I participated in another art show - an Art for Peace exhibit for our Interfaith Community 10th annual Peace Fair. 


 Two Hearts, 1 Red Thread - Shiloh McCloud
For International Woman's day in the Spring, artist Shiloh Sophia McCloud Lewis invited the Red Thread community to paint women (at least two) & donate the painting to a women's shelter or other community place. My piece 'Dancers' came from that challenge, & it now hangs at our Ballet Studio.

Late this summer, I thought of doing another piece, with women from several ethnic backgrounds, & began 'Sisterhood of the Red Thread.' When Shiloh began teaching, & was asked to teach a group of Native American women, she began wondering how to bridge cultures, & the Red Thread Tradition was begun. 

Sisterhood of the Red Thread - Nadya
The Chinese myth says that people who are destined to meet are tied together with an invisible red thread. Through the desire to connect with like minded women, we create community through power of intentional creativity.

 How our stories live inside of us is how we live our lives. We have found it, as a people, increasingly difficult -in any culture- to change the story that we are telling ourselves…it becomes a loop: what happened, how it feels, whats going on, we find it difficult to even get out of ourselves enough to be a part of recreating what our story might be … When we put it into story, whether its audio, video, written, image, when we bring the concept into form, it changes how the story lives inside of the human being… and from that shift we are able to clear up some space in our mind and our heart to consider another possibility…” Shiloh - 2013


Red Thread Heart - Nadya
During this time of painting, dreaming, & drifting into fall, our Sisterhood has been keeping vigil with Shiloh's mentor & our Art FairyArtMother, Sue Hoya Sellars. A couple of weeks ago, after a painting intensive with Shiloh, Sue went in for open Heart surgery, .... & never woke up! Sue LOVED the cosmos, & our sense was she got fascinated in that out of body dance! 

Shiloh & her community brought Sue home to her beloved Terra Sophia, where she spent her last days lovingly tended, sung to, soothed & gentled as she prepared to drop her human suit. 10 AM Monday September 29th, she did just so, & is now dancing among the  stars!  Here is a lovely interview (2005) with Sue & the neighbor from a nearby hill, author Alice Walker. 


Sue's Cosmos - Nadya
Shiloh and Cosmic Cowgirls have begun an Indigogo fundraiser, to gather resources to fund a dream of Sue's & keep her riverside sanctuary & make it place to keep 'committing art!' 

The Red Thread Community is also honoring Sue by 'committing art' daily in a 30 day vigil .... whether it be drawing in your art journal, snapping a photo, beginning or continuing an art project, won't you join us?

Linking to Paint Party Friday & posting on Facebook
Like my FB page: Nadya's Atlier
Shiloh: Artist Shiloh Sophia

10 comments:

Faye said...

Beautiful paintings. It was interesting to read about the sisterhood of the red thread.

Netty said...

wow I love your beautiful paintings. Happy PPF, Annette x

http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

Neesie said...

Beautiful artwork Dia, and an interesting post.
Happy PPF to you

Giggles said...

Very interesting post. So sorry for your loss! Sue was a very talented woman...She left behind some gorgeous art and friends! Love the red thread analogy and group! Thanks for sharing...

Hugs Giggles

Beth Niquette said...

When I was young I read a wonderful book called the Gold Cord by Amy Carmichael. It is so amazing how we are all so interconnected.

Your artwork is beautiful. I loved what you wrote, too.

Nadya said...

Awe, thank you, ladies!
That book sounds great, Beth, I'll look for it!

froebelsternchen said...

Beautiful paintings!

denthe said...

What a beautiful myth, and such a great way of expressing it onto the canvas. And also a wonderful way to look at the death of a loved one, dancing among the stars....

Julie said...

Hi, you are invited to share this Feline Art Friday:
http://kittypartay.blogspot.com/2014/10/feline-art-friday.html

Nadya said...

We are connected,
Woven together with stitches of love
Heart to heart
Spirit to spirit.

Through time, space, lifetimes
Dancing in brittle starlight,
we sing our way home!