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We've missed YOU! The Encourager hasn't been on schedule for awhile, but we've been thinking about our wonderful readers - that's YOU!! This month we're offering the interview and book review in a different format. Rather than starting at the beginning and cutting off when we run out of space here, we're sharing our favorite excerpts from each. You'll find links at the end of each piece that take you to the whole article.
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Our interview is with NY artist Olivia
Williams. And our book review is Steven Pressfield's the WAR of ART. The book "fits" with Olivia Williams' interview. She's doing what Pressfield talks about - working on her art, getting it "out there", showing up - repeatedly. She doesn't call it war - she talks about doing what she loves - but she seems to know (and be willing to pay) the cost. She does art even when it's hard, even when she's doing something else to pay the bills and even when she could be out having other kinds of fun.
| So, let's go make art! In Daniel Ladinsky's words
(Love Poems From God, reviewed here): "Go for it, baby; set the world on fire if
you can, kick ass for the Beloved with some great art."
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(Karen's been spending a lot of time yakking over there) Square-Peg Reflections: Square-Peg Living in a round-hole world Come on over and visit! |
| Square Peg Spotlight |
 |  Olivia's fundraising project  and see her artwork at OliviaPeach.com | |
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Excerpts from
Square-Peg-People's interview of Olivia Williams: Olivia Williams is a force - she's passionate about her art, about helping people, about life. Her site's motto: "Love Your Life, Make Good Art, Live Your Dreams" sums up the way she lives. She's an artist - a young artist with heart and drive! Olivia and two friends (Diane Desimone and Kristen Teranna - pictured in sidebar) created the fundraising project Art for Fire. "...when the wild fires {in California, 2007} were happening -
they were on the news and it was devastating. I hoped they didn't get handled
like Katrina. I had been thinking about if I had a million dollars - how I'd
want to fund things to help people - and I told myself "Why not now?"
I told my friend Kristen "I have an idea"...we talked with Diane...and we came
up with "Art for Fire".
We're looking forward to growing as a team, as artists, using creative ideas to
help raise awareness and money for similar causes...
...It's so important to find that balance between creativity and helping people.
So much of the time people who are creative have such a heart.
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They give their life to their art. Some people don't even get their work seen, but they keep doing it to express themselves, their opinions, views, world issues. The best way to express myself is through fine arts. I use alot of metaphor - to talk about what's really going on in the world. I love all forms of art - all expressions of art. It's what makes the world go round...My art is very much connected with music and literature. I go right up to people at a gallery looking at my painting and ask "What do you think? Be honest." I know that some people won't like it. I have to listen. In response to something someone might say about a painting I'll ask myself: "Why did I do that?"
Olivia has a big heart - she's willing
to live vulnerably (showing us her heart) - in her art work and her projects.
And she's persistent - she shows up and does the work (in making her art, in
finding galleries and shows, and in her projects) repeatedly.
Read the entire Olivia Williams
interview
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| Square-Peg Stacks |
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 Square-Peg Celebration! e-course: "Feeling GREAT about being a Square-Peg person in a round-hole world"
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Excerpts from Square-Peg-People's
review of the WAR of ART (Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles) by
Steven Pressfield:
On the last page, in the last paragraph, Pressfield says: "Creative work is not a
selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It's a gift to the
world and every being in it. Don't cheat us of your contribution. Give us what
you've got." He offers us that kind of encouragement throughout the book. The WAR of ART is a treatise on the wily ways of resistance, and encouragement to move past resistance. But mostly, it's a call to be the best of who we are as creators.
...Pressfield busts some myths:
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Pressfield writes for writers (with The Legend of Bagger Vance and a
string of historical novels as proof that he's got something to tell us), but
not just for writers. He writes for everyone who creates - that's all of
us, right? He talks about decisions, parenting - everything we endeavor to do -
as being potentially creative. His writing doesn't feel like he's pushing us to do or not do something. Instead, he lets our goal pull us. He shows us a picture of our destination (reminding us of who we are, why we create and what it's like to be doing our work) - along with what stands in our way. I got up from reading this book with resolve. I'll go back to read it when I need a booster shot. It energizes me. I don't feel guilted or shamed into daily creativity, but I feel very, very pulled! I'm reminded of the Rumi saying: "Let yourself be drawn by the pull of what you really love." YES! That's what this book is about.
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 Our friend
Pattie - interviewed here - began a blog dedicated to affirmations. Pattie
defines affirmations as: "...a question I propose to myself every day and then
listen closely to the answer to that question...the answer comes from deep
within me." She shares her art and thoughts Monday - Thursday (and requests that
you join in and share yours as well) and then, on Friday, reflects on the
week. Be good to yourself! Go visit Pattie - check out her beautiful work and thought-provoking
questions - and say "Hi!" |
We're planning on changing the frequency and format of The
Encourager. We'll let you know more about that as it develops.
In the meantime, I've (Karen) been adding posts to the Square-Peg Reflections Thanks again for your patience!!
| We're laughing over here!Come check out these sites and join us - laughter is GOOD for you!  Click on John Ireland's smiley face photo to visit his gallery - he always makes us smile! Square-Peg staffer Lauren (aka eldest daughter) found What Would Jesus Blog? - it's hilarious. And just today I came across this great (heavy on wit and sarcasm) book-review site called Roman's Forum.
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