My desire in this piece was to express the joy found through the wondrous healing power of music. I chose to surround the musicians with harmonious, swirling color… bringing forth a cacophony of emotion… reminiscent of a carnival. I envisioned the music bringing these special souls together in a delightfully connected way. This piece was created by initially using pastels, and then by adding in a few digital flourishes. There may be darkness, but it is up to each of us to find the light in the well.
The vast majority of every well is underground, plunging hundreds of feet below ground. This painting depicts not only the part of the well that is visible above ground, but also the dark depths that remain unseen. I chose a highly vertical composition to emphasize how deep our emotions, especially our grief, can go. The image of a “light in the well” is an image of a light shining in those hidden depths. The light in the well is a small, insignificant light, unseen and seemingly disconnected from the events visible above ground. And yet, this small light is powerful, just like the unexpected ray of hope we often feel in the midst of grief and devastating emotions. Any diagram of a cross-section of a well shows that a well’s water is connected to another stream of water, a source of water deep underground. In this painting I allude to that hidden source of water, one more reminder that no matter how low our pain, there is a source of hope and love that goes even lower in order to find us there.
I am inspired by nature, trees specifically. Have you noticed how bare trees often resemble the human figure? Oftentimes what a tree experiences in just trying to grow and survive is a great metaphor for our human struggles. I find comfort and strength knowing and watching the forest.
Can you persevere without hope? In ‘Perseverance’ the young birch tree is growing amid a group of boulders in a stream, with no fertile ground in sight. I am struck by the strength of nature, nature may not be aware it’s surviving on hope but this young birch’s roots are weaving and growing with the hope of earth on the other side.
Lillian Keliher and Karen Folsom
Lillian Keliher is a 18-year-old young lady who has autism spectrum disorder that affects her ability to communicate verbally. Refused to be limited by her challenges, Lillian uses written words as a powerful tool to express herself. Here are 3 poems written by Lillian to convey her complex feelings, fighting spirit, and messages of hope.
Light In The Well
Lillian Keliher
There is light at the end of the well.
There is light at the end of the well.
If I persist then I can do well.
There is light at the end of the well.
I am curled at the bottom at the state of despair.
My clothes are wet, and I cannot get anywhere.
The sun is shining through the hole in the well.
So I believe it turns out well.
There is light at the end of the well.
There is light at the end of the well.
If I persist then I can do well.
There is light at the end of the well.
The slime of judgement cocoons me.
The plastered labels festoon me.
But I will breakout and let out a shout.
I don’t want to spend my life in the well.
There is light at the end of the well.
There is light at the end of the well.
If I persist then I can do well.
There is light at the end of the well.
My body does not listen to me.
My mouth speaks as it is pleased.
But all the bad prognosis- autism and dysbiosis
Cannot keep me in a heap in the well.
There is light at the end of the well.
There is light at the end of the well.
If I persist then I can do well.
There is light at the end of the well.
The Rubble of Memories
Lillian Keliher
You don’t talk to me at rubble.
That my memories reside.
You don’t care about the trouble of me losing their sight.
Rambling through the streets of childhood on the scooter of my dream.
Plunging into warm lake water letting out a joyful scream.
Running. Bare feet are squishing fragrant dewy garden grass.
Jumping in the bouncy house, splashed with a garden hose.
Grilling smells are penetrating evening air as I swing.
Staring at indefinite branches of a silver maple tree.
You don’t talk to me at rubble.
That my memories reside.
You don’t care about the trouble of me losing their sight.
The March of Penguins
Lillian Keliher
Penguins are superior species.
Watch us and tremble as we march.
You are not worth our feces.
You cannot hide in an arch.
Penguins are wonderful singers.
Bringing such culture to you!
Don’t you rehearse “Rigoletto”
You must sing,”Lululu.”
Penguins are such a fair nation.
Don’t you appeal for the bail.
If you just mention world peace.
You’ll spend your life in the jail.
Our wrath is approaching.
Pain and destruction occur.
We got superior weapons.
And we are all set to conquer.
Karen Folsom never met Lillian in-person. She was “moved and impressed” by reading Lillian’s poems. On first read, “so many visuals come through strongly” to Karen. Here are some thought process that Karen had in creating the illustrations:
“For Light In The Well: the allusion to being stuck but seeing the light- wet and trying to communicate but in a hole, able to break out – I decided to go for optimism and the reality of the situation.
For The Rubble of Memories: the pleasures of childhood contrasted with their visual fading and a sense of being trapped in brick or stone. The contrast of the active child on a swing/scooter etc with vibrant colors disappearing into a pale palette.
For The March of Penguins: begs for penguins singing- but not on the nose or saccharin. The Rigoletto theme seemed to fit the mood as I got deeper.”
This set of portraits began as digital manipulation of the photos Wu had sent me way back at the inception of this project. Learning their stories and seeing their faces, I tried to infuse each one with elements of their personalities. For Ferol, rays reminiscent of light beams shining her joy; Beth, bubbles like her unexpected abilities valiantly rising. James got puzzle pieces– a recognized symbol for the complexity of the autism spectrum– as well as his beloved piano. And for Nathan the showman, what could I do besides put him onstage, his face in shining stars? I hope the strong lines and high contrast style give the subjects of these portraits a sense of empowerment.
This is an abstract landscape 19”x11” created from oil pastels and wax. A sunrise signifies a new beginning and light after darkness gives us hope for positive things to come.
When Wu invited me to be involved in this project, I jumped at the chance! I love doing portraits, but I don’t usually work from photographs, so I liked that challenge. Before starting each composition, I listened to the music samples Wu provided for me. The samples corresponded to each of the individual people who are celebrated in this concert. Each piece of music was so distinctly different! It was a great way for me to start to get a feel for each individual. I started to write down words and images that came to me for each piece of music. Just listening to the music, I felt I had met each person and had a sense of who they are. From there I started to conceptualize how to organize each composition. I was able to visualize images and colors inspired by the music. The whole time I was painting, I was picturing each person seeing the work, and I was hoping they would feel I got it right!
Saraphina komodo DRAGON Fly, is a differently abled Dragon. Born on Indonesia island in tree stomp among dragon flies. Her mission is to save humanity from destroying earth. This project “HOPE” is about saving everything and everyone existing on earth. Regardless of their differences or species. She has bells of peace. Her theme song & ferris wheel plays around the world in 80 days.
Saraphina komodo DRAGON Fly is a table top sculpture 21 inches tall and 13 inches wide. Her ferris whee isl about 13 inches tall.
Sean Tsai
Eternal Love is a work that explores my personal understanding of what it means to be a part of Christ’s body. I desired to express the heart of Christ by painting a picture of living by the Spirit (following Jesus) through the more mundane parts of life.
Each character (or pair) represents a way Christ can lead in a Christian’s life–whether it is being patient in traffic, or repeatedly laying down one’s past at the foot of the cross. There are many more examples than what has been expressed here.
The braided rope that hangs above the cross is meant to represent the relationship we can now have towards God the Father through the cross. Through Jesus’ sacrificial death and victory over death on the cross, we have access to God. And by grace, we can have life (signified by the white/light border) beyond the darkness that surrounds all who live in this fallen world.
I pray that Christ’s love can be discovered by you today and received by all.
“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8 ESV
Instagram @salt.light.sheep
An unexpected impetus for a creative endeavor
Six weeks in, newly planted in an ancient land, and I’m waking up in Jerusalem to the October 7th attacks; dramatic violence (embedded within a cyclic history of horrific violence) is perpetrated on a new scale, shifting the regional dynamics. How do you intentionally respond and engage with the grief, anger, and shock that Israelis, Palestinians, Jews, Muslims, Arabs and everyone in between, are experiencing? With Instagram as my original platform, I began the #10000birds project.
The phrase “10,000 birds” had flittered through my mind before; as an artist I had occasionally painted birds as my subject matter. However I had never engaged such an audacious project, ten thousand being a monumental number. Sometimes hyperbole is a catchment and living through unparalleled times invites creative risk.
Birds provide a rich subject for metaphor; the urge to fly and flee from danger; birdsong; being trapped in a cage; soaring above the heights with fresh perspective. Something that is simple and encapsulates both the beauty and fragility of life.
I tried to creatively stretch myself by incorporating multiple languages within many of the pieces; I am a novice in both Arabic and Hebrew but both language are deeply imbedded in the Holy Land. I wanted to use them, along with English, as a part of this ongoing conversation. I’ve incorporated poetic text as well.
I hope these works invite you to join in with your own laments and rejoicing, in response to this conflict and the places we find ourselves.
Love, Christine
Birds 10,000
Creating for lamentation of war and death and celebration of life and beauty.
Keeping On
Sometimes the sun is shining but you can’t see it behind the clouds. Somehow you keep flying.
All of us
Fathers fighting with their blood. Mothers fighting
with their tears. Purple Hearts of bravery flying
through chaos and turbulence toward their beloved
ones. In life, in death, their hearts never stop beating
in love, their eyes never stop seeing their tears, their
ears never stop hearing their cries, because their love
is eternal. Oh Everlasting Source of Love, comfort
the bereaved, brokenhearted ones, the fathers and
mothers, the daughters and sons. (That’s all of us).
Both/and
We’ve entered a new phase
No longer counting the days,
Holding steady in the din
Until the unrelenting stress swells and overwhelms
Fatigued by the unending price of children, lost
Souls, tossed
Disintegrating, Severing
Both sides numbed with lies
Dire and desperate need clouding everything you see
Tell me about your garden
Where is the inner place
You can take refuge
Encounter enfolding peace / release everyone and everything
Where weary can rest
Where wounds can be healed
Where tears can water life
And life can grow with colors.
