Women & Creativity Month

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L-R  Ann Hunkins, Pat Malcom, Bonnie Bernal, Melanie Weidner, Renny Golden, Jenn Hart-Mann

An annual celebration of women's creativity and entrepreneurship organized by the National Hispanic Cultural Center and the Harwood Center in collaboration with local and regional partners and artists included "We Are the Eighth Day" exhibit of artwork, poetry, and lectures facilitated by New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light and hosted by St. Mark's on the Mesa Episcopal church.  The show opened on Sunday, March 3 in the Sacred Arts gallery at St. Mark's, 431 Richmond NE and will continue through March 30th.
Scroll down to see a little information about the participating artists.


Featured artists: 

Melanie Weidner 
M.Div., is an artist, spiritual director / coach, and workshop leader shaped by years of Quaker and contemplative practice.  Her work embodies deep values of truth, presence, self-reflection, compassion, and joy.

"I believe that we all have a place deep inside of ourselves where we touch each other and connect with the divine."   

She talked about her favorite scientist, Brian Swimme who is at the forefront of a new movement that integrates science and spirituality. "For him the universe is a radiant, numinous revelation, and contemplating the wonders of the unfolding creativity of the cosmos is a mystical, ecstatic, awe-inspiring event. Swimme says the universe is attempting to be felt, which makes him a pantheist: someone who believes the cosmos in its entirety can be called "God." 

Swimmers ten principles on the conjunction of spirituality and science have inspired some of her artwork. In particular his definition of Emergence or flaring forth.  

"The whole universe is full of the spirit of God.  How can we as artists participate in the power of emergence?"

Renny Golden, poet   

Reading from her new book, Blood Desert, Renny shared portions of "Firestorm and "The Old Woman of Box Canyon," Renny transported us into other places and times.

Blood Desert won the Willa Literary Award from Women Writing the West and was named Southwest Notable Book of the Year-2011

Holly Bahn is an artist, art therapist and creativity guide.  She helps others to connect more deeply with their creative nature to set free their authenticity. Her kaleidoscope mandalas are meditations on the wholeness we feel when we are in the presence of natural beauty. 

Sanctuary

 

Bonnie Bernal - Art teacher, and artist

Bonnie's journey with land arts began at UNM.  "Camping and making artwork outside changed my life."  She became more aware of natural world by  creating shrines in the wilderness using natural objects.    

Shown with the tree shrine she created in the patio at St. Mark's.

"Let these positive words be carried by the wind to create positive energy in the world."

Jen Hartmon- far left

Jenn Hart-Mann - Co-director of UNM Land Arts is an artist, farmer, teacher and mother. 

Jen encourages others to learn and explore through earth arts.    
"Listening to seeds"  Jen's (far left) artwork is shown behind her.  These pieces are free to anyone who will plant and then share the seeds with others.

Dorothy Bunny Bowen
Wax Resist Painting

Ms. Bowen was not able to join the group for the Sunday's opening, but her Kimono silk paintings with wax resist batik spoke powerfully for her.

Visit her website to read her statement about how a vision of nets inspired her recent work of images of nets.

 
"We have nets to mend"

Diana Stetson.  "Artists are uniquely able to distill environmental issues and make them accessible to the public."  Diana joined the show by video, which is available here

Mixed media in oils.  Studied in Japan and Hong Kong.  Traveled to Turkmanistan as a cultural ambassador.   "Hand graphics."  Very experimental.  Mono prints on glass.  Using painted forms to celebrate the beauty and forms of nature.  
"If you have something to say, do it big."

Currently Showing at the
Commissions Gallery at the State Land Office.

Ann Hunkins, poet and photographer

Ann has been working in fine art and news photography since 1992. She lived in Nepal for three years, and her photographic portraits of Nepali writers won the Willard Van Dyke Grant with the New Mexico Council on Photography. Clients have included: American Horticulturist, The Denver Post, New Mexico Business Journal, Albuquerque Monthly, The Santa Fe New Mexican. She is also also a prize-winning poet, video artist and translator of Nepali literature who studied at Columbia University, received a Fulbright Grant to Nepal, and got her M.A. in Poetry at the University of California at Davis.

"Reed at Dusk"

Pat Malcom, Icon painter

"The images of animals are my attempt to honor the life forms I meet in waking time, in dreams and in journeys. My intent is that once again animals, trees and all life forms will be revered as we learn to see them as sacred."   

Holly Bahn

Below are photos of Bonnie's Interactive Art Installation

Writing Positive words