5 a.m. Offering - Published

I am filled with glee to share with you that I have had my first piece of artwork published in the 2009 Multifaith Calendar - "Reflections of Joy".  Lately I have been doing a lot of reflecting myself on the meaning of life's lessons, seeing them as opportunities to understand, and taking the time to journal these reflections. What I am discovering is that having a spiritual connection within, is vital to being in the moment, to enjoying life to it's fullest and in celebrating the diversity of all of us at so many levels; such as culture, religion, life and the choices we make and how we share them with others in our life.  This art piece created is called:  "5 a.m. Offering", it is  an encaustic mixed media and collage piece using a photo I took in Nepal, Katmandu, layered and embedded under the photo is a prayer flag with flower petals.  Often in offerings, flowers and incense are used which is a lovely way to fill all the senses in a time of prayer and meditation.  I am thankful for this blessing and wanted to share it with you.

The Multifaith Calendar is published annually by the Multifaith Action Society, based in British Columbia, Canada.  They believe that all religions, cultures and societies recognize that human beings have a huge capacity and need for joy.  It is in joy that we can find inspiration, peace and love.  It is joy that often propels us to connect to one another, to our natural surroundings and to the divine.  Our very souls can virtually burst in response to a child's sound, to the intensity of colour in the rising sun or to a musical interlude.

Responses to joy take many forms, the visual being only one.  This year's invitation for artistic submissions on the theme of joy received a response from more than 80 artists, giving the Multifaith Action Society a welcome selection from which to choose.  The Multifaith Action Society thanks all the artists for their participation.  They are pleased to offer in this 2009 calendar their choice of visual reflections of joy to augment the textual information.  Their hope is that both the visual art and written word will work together in support of better understanding of religious and cultural traditions.

For your own copy of this calendar please visit their website:  www.multifaithaction.org