As the traffic on my website has slowed considerably over the past several years, this influx of orders, though greatly appreciated, was perplexing 

“Why all these requests coming now and all at once?” I asked my husband David. “I wonder what has generated the renewed regard for this particular image.” 

Finally the answer came to me by way of Susan Adams, Interim Executive Director of Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin. She posted on Spiva’s Facebook page a kind recognition of my Black Madonna that she apparently came across as a Facebook post made by author Sue Monk Kidd. Sue, who has a worldwide Facebook following of 25K, had posted the image of “Our Lady of Chains” along with five other images of the Black Madonna. Several of Sue’s followers tracked my Black Madonna to my website and then placed their orders for prints.

Sue Monk Kidd wrote on her post:

“I became deeply interested in the history and meaning of the Black Madonna many years ago.

Most scholars believe her blackness derived from her connection to dark-skinned, pre-Christian Goddesses once worshipped in Europe—Goddesses with African, Eastern and Mediterranean roots. When Christianity emerged and began to spread, the images and replicas of these Goddess were not always destroyed, but were simply renamed Mary.

I find this blending of the ancient Goddesses with the Christian Mary fascinating. In effect, the Black Madonna inherited the symbolism, functions, and roles of both the Goddess and Mary. She retained the fearlessness and power of the Goddess and the empathy and mercy of Mary.

In my novel, “The Secret Life of Bees”, the Black Madonna has a rather prominent part. I think of her as the queen bee in the hive. The raised fist and painted red heart on her statue represent her untamed power, strength, and autonomy, as well as her compassion for those who are silenced, excluded, abused and marginalized.

In the novel, she is called Our Lady of Chains, not because she wears chains, but because she breaks them. Her role in the story is not only to comfort and sustain the female characters, but to inspire them to find the Black Madonna’s attributes within themselves. She is a kind of Civil Rights Mary who empowers the women to act.

Today, the Black Madonna still carries these meanings for me.”

As noted on Amazon: “Sue Monk Kidd's debut novel, “The Secret Life of Bees”, spent more than one hundred weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, has sold more than six million copies in the United States, was turned into both an award-winning major motion picture and a musical, and has been translated into thirty-six languages. 

Her second novel, “The Mermaid Chair”, was a number one New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a television movie. Her third novel, “The Invention of Wings”, an Oprah's Book Club pick, was also a number one New York Times bestseller.

Her latest novel, “The Book of Longings”, was published April 21, 2020.

She is the author of several acclaimed memoirs, including “The Dance of the Dissident Daughter”, her groundbreaking work on religion and feminism. She lives in North Carolina” where a Black Madonna keeps watch over her writing desk.

For Sue’s shout out for my work and for the fans who have tracked me down I am most grateful!

While artCentral at Hyde House is temporarily closed through July, in the interest of public health and safety we are reluctant to move too fast and too soon to throw open our doors for group gatherings. Statistics of rising diagnosed cases of this virulent virus behoove us to proceed with caution.

In artCentral’s tradition of offering grand art for our small town, Board member and artCentral artist Jason Shelfer, is installing his original up-cycled, repurposed, found objects assemblages on the beautiful Hyde House lawn under the impressive canopy of old growth trees.

This drive-through (from the air-conditioned comfort of your car) and walk-through (to get some cool-of-the-day exercise) exhibition is free for your viewing pleasure at 1110 East Thirteenth Street in Carthage. For more information visit www.artcentralcarthage.org/sculptural-spectacular--jason-sh… or call (417) 358-4404.

As an artist of many, many talents, Jason Shelfer has a Bachelor of Arts in English (minored in Studio Art with a Sculpture Emphasis) and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. He not only makes large scale sculptural constructions, he also creates lovely rosaries and whimsical jewelry and paints and contributes paintings to artCentral’s fundraising artist-generated auctions.

Jason, married to Meg Fethers Shelfer and father of Miles and Flannery, is a truly committed Carthaginian and has tirelessly supported our community as a City Council member. He works today as the Supervisor in the Child Support Division in the office of the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney. He serves on the board of Art Feeds National.

A graduate of Carthage Senior High School, he tells us he has shoes to fill:

“My Great Great Grandfather permanently moved to Carthage in 1918 where he was appointed to serve as Street Commissioner and eventually passed away at his home on Maple Street. My Great Grandfather worked for 23 years at Carter Hardware until he became a Deputy Clerk at the Jasper County Courthouse until his death at McCune-Brooks.

My Grandfather graduated from Carthage High in 1929. At one point he was a credit manager for the Carthage Marble Corporation and was the owner/operator of the local Buena Vista Dairy. My mother graduated Carthage High School in 1967 and has been a very active volunteer to numerous local organizations.”

Come see Jason Shelfer’s SCULPTURAL SPECTACULAR! Treat yourself, ask a friend to ride along or load up the car with your family and celebrate the art that is thriving on a beautiful lawn in our hometown.

************
​
For my artist husband David I painted a mini “Sculptural Spectacular” of another nature to hang on his studio door. “Sculptural” because in the 2D picture plane I built a sinuous image made of curving contours: “Spectacular” because I included a clip from David Bowie’s outlandish “Space Oddity” lyrics that go “Take your protein pills and put your helmet on!”

Lately this painting has been on my mind because right now we all need at least one personal “Sculptural Spectacular” to remind us that we are in the second surge throes of a pandemic—that is revving up fast. I almost feel I should immediately crank up mass production of wall art that reads, “Take your temperature and put on your facemask!” In other words, do your small part to monitor and protect yourself and to show respect for the health of others. Put on your masks, people! Put on your masks and wear them everywhere!

 When I stay focused in the present, continue to work with intention, do not waste worry on the future and stay open to receive the help I need, then that help consistently comes and I get to practice saying “Yes!”

​The Universe just keeps coming through in better than imagined ways like the creation of July’s Virtual Summer Arts Camp now set for July 13 through July 17, 2020!
 
This is one of those “things” I have been experiencing and writing about ever since the message on my morning tea bag read “Let things come to you.” Wow! Another unexpected delivery of really good news—a really good opportunity—arriving unsolicited out of the blue.
 
Saying “Yes!” came easily when artist/art teacher/arts activist Sarah Serio first pitched her request: “Is artCentral interested in partnering with the Neosho Arts Council to present a Virtual Summer Arts Camp?”
 
“Oh! Yes!, Yes!, “Yes!”, I heard my heart chorusing, as Sarah and I talked details and logistics over the days that went into planning this online art adventure for aspiring artists, ages 8 to 15.
 
Back in early spring when Covid-19 became a growing concern, lacking a crystal ball to predict the unfolding circumstances of the pandemic, with great regret artCentral’s 2020 Annual July artCAMP for Youth on the Hyde House campus was cancelled. This artCamp director as well as the teachers, interns and artCampers who were anticipating another two weeks of fun discovery, camaraderie and art-making were without a time and place to celebrate creativity.
 
Thank goodness for a tea bag’s admonition to relax and receive; for the Universe responding; and for Sarah Serio and her phone call and her energetic team that have manifested an exciting week of online classes. You can see the class curriculum, get all the details and signup at http://www.neoshoarts.net/summer-arts-camp.html.
 
The Registration deadline is Saturday, June 20. Don’t delay! Spaces are limited.
 
Each one day class runs for two hours via ZOOM from 1-3 p.m. The Class Supply Fee of $35 is the only charge, with a reduction in the fee for each additional class taken.
 
All supplies will be mailed to artCampers anywhere in the US at no extra charge via USPS Priority Mail.
 
Here’s the schedule:
July 13, Monday – “Welcome to Songwriting” taught by professional songwriter and touring musician Violet Vonder Harr.
July 14, Tuesday – “Creating Comics” instructed by Jeremy Haun, professional comic book artist.
July 15, Wednesday – “Addictive Art of Zentangle” with artCentral artist and artCamp teacher Teri Diggs. Teri will teach how to draw tangle patterns in a relaxing, fun way and guide students in creating miniature works of art.
July 16, Thursday – “Acrylic Painting Adventure” led by Matt Myers of the Ringling College of Art & Design.
July 17, Friday – “Wizards and Wands” instructed by artCentral artist, artCamp teacher and proud Gryffindor Sarah Serio will guide you to become a master wand maker of a wand that chooses the wizard as you craft a wand of our own and a wand rack for displaying your wand when not in use.
 
Visit http://www.neoshoarts.net/summer-arts-camp.html and sign up today, then pull out your next year’s 2021 calendar and write in bold letters…artCENTRAL 2021 artCAMP – PERFECT VISION plus ONE – July 5-9 and July 12-16, 2021 on the Hyde House campus! Surely the Universe will make this dream yet another terrific delivery to which we all can say “Yes”!When I stay focused in the present, continue to work with intention, do not waste worry on the future and stay open to receive the help I need, then that help consistently comes and I get to practice saying “Yes!”

That’s right—“The Veggie Knight”—because his suit of armor is made entirely of garden variety vegetables! Corn and peas; artichokes and mushrooms and broccoli; onions and turnips and squash; carrots and a radish and a pepper topped with a rhubarb face guard on a pumpkin helmet! All are rendered with meticulous draftsmanship and the just right tints and hues of fresh produce.

“Who did this?” I asked Bev. “John Hendrix!” came her reply. I googled this master of imagination to learn the title of his flamboyant knight is “Fruits and Vegetables Are Trying to Kill You”.  John Hendrix’s website tells the story of his impressive artistic career and his success at https://www.johnhendrix.com/about:

 “John Hendrix is a New York Times bestselling illustrator and author of many children’s books…including Drawing is Magic…His illustrations have appeared on book jackets, newspapers and magazines all over the country. John is a Professor of Art, teaching illustration at the Sam Fox School of Art and Design at Washington University in St. Louis. 

John’s work has appeared in numerous publications, such as Newsweek, Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, Esquire, The New York Times, Time Magazine and National Geographic among many others.  His images also appeared in advertising campaigns for ESPN/ABC, AT&T, and Target/Star Wars.

John lives in St. Louis with his wife Andrea, son Jack and daughter Annie, dog Pepper and cats Kit-Kat and Luna. 

​
I make about 70% of my income from my illustrations, selling rights and original works as well as prints. The rest comes from teaching, speaking fees and other work outside the studio, but still related to illustration.'

John has some good advice for aspiring artists: 'Remember that for the moment you don’t worry about the…question: How will I make a living? Put that out of your mind. What is important right now is to do the stuff that you love doing. If you follow your desire (and desire trumps talent any day of the week) then making a living will come naturally. Push yourself to try new things and most importantly, KEEP A SKETCHBOOK AND DRAW EVERY DAY! Don’t forget to have fun…and travel as much as you can.”

Besides veggies John Hendrix has mastered illustrating an incredibly wide and varied range of images and interests. This gifted drawer seems to be able to draw any and every thing! Be inspired and amazed! Check out more of his fascinating art on his website and by searching “John Hendrix Illustrations” on the web.

You will be happy for any time you spend in the company of this illustrator of the “Veggie Knight”—a native son who found east coast artistic success and has returned to Missouri to make his home with his family.