Following the Moon: Child's Play

'Gardean', Drozda, 16x20", Mixed, work in progress

I want to thank my dear artist/friend Che'usa for sending along a recent Huffington Post link that includes this thoughtful story:

Shuren Sakurai was born to a family of farmers, in rural Aichi prefecture. Life for many was very different then. "In those days, families were large and poor, and children were often adopted out. When I was nine, I entered this temple as a boy monk, and the abbot here became my master, my teacher, my parent. Though it was hard for me to be away from my real parents, in those days, we accepted the reality of what life gave us and we just did what we had to do."

"My adopted father often said to me, 'Become true gold, not gold plating. Whatever you do in your life, put your entire self into it. Make it gold." People now-a-days only want to do things that are easy and comfortable. There is nothing that can be accomplished well through short cuts. Things that matter take time and our complete attention."

Welcome to 'Following the Moon'. Today, Tuesday, April 26, we're seven days away from the close of the 'Clarity' Moon cycle.
In April there is an opportunity to consider what it is you'll focus on for your Art/Life walk around the Natural Wheel. The Natural Wheel begins each year at the time of the Spring Equinox (look back to March 22, 2011).

This segment of the year holds the energy for the entire year ahead. There's a feeling of new in the air. There's a natural sense of beginning. Each spring we can literally feel reborn, as many religious traditions celebrate and remind us.

Spring is a most excellent time to refresh and remember the goals that hold your passion and purpose. This is a time to invest in what you know is true for you, and often times you carry this from childhood.

This past week I was the, 'short n sweet', featured speaker at our Earth Day Eve Event at the Contemporary Art Center. It was wonderfully festive, the entire evening conceived by a lovely high school student, Margaret Salazar, for her senior year project.

Artists with tables filled with wondrous arts created of recycled pieces and parts, musicians, Art 21 playing in the theatre, and families & friends gathering indoors and out.

In the crowd I met 7 year old, Jackson, whose 9 year old sister told me, as he inspected my Animal Artz sculptures, that he wants to be an artist when he grows up. I leaned forward and whispered to him, "You're already an artist, just don't ever forget." His Grandfather heard what I said and after the family had moved outdoors to make Origami birds for a Wishing Tree/donation zone for Japan Relief efforts, Grandad returned to tell me a bit of Jackson's story.

Indeed we often are living our Art/Life by the time we're seven. I can mark this same time for my clearest awareness, how about you?
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I hope you'll comment there or here...it's always so good to hear from you.


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