Tangible Art For Intangible Feelings

I have a wonderful artist friend, Laura of Layers of Color, who someday I will post an interview with but, until then I wanted to share something that she created. Wednesday's Child full of Woes Bottle! (Click on her website above to check out what she did) This piece is so like her too, full of symbolism! Her art is lovely, her piece reminded me of how important it is as an artist to take the intangible and give it form. She took her woes and shut them up in a bottle. A clever cathartic way to tangibly "put a cork in it!" Sometimes we need to don't we? I know I do and this project got me to thinking and creating. Here is my own version! This is what I came up with. I used recycled coffee drink bottles and lots of fun papers, embellishments and ribbon, of course!

Often there are times in my life when I am struggling or I am moved emotionally and I am unable to articulate my feelings about it. Sometimes, I have articulated it too much and I don't want to hear the words come out of my mouth any longer(neither does my husband:o). These are times that I need to create a tangible reminder of the thing I am struggling with to remind me of my victory or that I am still wrestling in process. Sometimes it is just good to get it out...get it out of me, quit my yammerin' and complaining and well, put a cork in it! Instead, I should create!

The bible talks in Matthew 6:21 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This is applicable to my life and I can interpret this passage a couple of ways. As a positive, My heart can be filled with the love I have for my husband and children my treasure is my family... but what if I spend too much time dwelling or allowing my heart to ruminate on a struggle in my life does that struggle then take shape and form as part of my treasure? I think it does, when we think on the struggles and negatives of life they infect other areas of my life and soon my treasure is a heap of tarnished and dingy struggle that I have learned to love and admire and hang on to, when frankly I shouldn't! I have become burdened, disappointed, frustrated and miserable but I am not going to let go of the tarnished heap of struggle why? Because it is my treasure. Have you seen Lord of the Rings? It could be likened to Scheme's Precious. Get the picture? Seems a bit ridiculous...but really how often do we do this? The bad relationship or the over indulgences and sin. We come to like the struggle or chaos. Weird!

I am here to tell you that life is much better without the tarnish. Sparkle is much more fun and freeing! So this project got me to thinking about putting those unlovelies into something and doing the same with the lovelies too, to remind us of "whatever is true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things...and the God of peace will be with you." Phil.4:8,9b The rest we can just cork!

I am going to follow Laura's example, but I think I am going to make one called woes and one called wonderfuls! Hopefully I will have more wonderfuls than woes!