the "c" word. no not that one, the other one.

C-A-T-H-O-L-I-C. "catholic". there, i said it. now the only reason i bring it up is because this institution has been rearing it's head in my life lately and in a creative context. doesn't make sense i know, it's confused the h**l out of me too. because that "c" word, c-r-e-a-t-i-v-e, not the other one, happens to be one of my favorites. i'll admit it, i'm one of those reluctant catholics. one of those that says "well i was born catholic but i'm not really religious. or "i love the art and the beauty of the ritual but that's it". i have less trouble admitting and embracing my san jo-ness. (you san jo expats who claim sf or nyc you know who you are!)

there have been two things that have been a constant presence in my life the first is spirituality and the second is art. don't ask me why, but i realized through some recent experiences that there was a separation of the two inside my brain. even though i grew up with the beautiful images of michaelangelo and ruben somehow the word creative/fun and catholic didn't belong in the same world. the catholic part, i don't really think is important here. but the importance of the creative process and it's irrevocable tie to the expression of the human spirit...it's longing for a means to express all that is...well is important.

so ya, the pattern interrupt. what was it?

1. stumbling into an event one night as i walked my dog called the catholic underground. picture franciscan friars in grey robes rocking out. and they were really really good. so good that i actually went to their event a couple weeks later. i wasn't disappointed. www.catholicunderground.net. I had a brief conversation with the lead singer (weird) to just tell him how stunned I was to see ex skater boy looking monks using their art to share their joy. He got really excited and began telling me how people don't know about this part of the church (i'll say!) which leads me to the 2nd pattern interrupt:

2. pope john paul II wrote a letter to artists. i don't know about you but i found this shocking. if you care to read it, it's kind of long but with some very beautiful bits. google pope, letter to artists. sorry, i'm to lame to figure out how to paste this particular link so you're going to have to work for it.

3. a great article today in the sfgate entitled "the spirituality of andy warhol". who knew?

what i found profound was the interviewee...a 92 year old art historian named jane dillenberger and her description of how she experiences art. here is a link to the interview with jane dillenberger from the SF Gate. It really is worth the read:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/05/05/findrelig.DTL

i related to her description immensely because i've never been moved by the institution of church. but i have been by art, by theater, by song, by dance, poetry and literature. by little things like cherry blossom trees in spring and their flower petal rain. watching my daughter wake up and smile. seeing a stranger help someone they don't know. listening to the kids walk out laughing and smiliing from the ice cream shop across the street from my house.

seeker of truth

follow no path

all paths lead where

truth is here

- e.e cummings

that's the kind of stuff that helps my heart open up. that at the end of the day is what's what counts. that your heart opens up. we all have our own way.

xox little miss shiny