Stephanie's Studio

Today I’ve lit two red candles, for the blood of our people in honor of the two Nguzo Sabo considered so far.  Today’s red candle is for Kujichagalia or self –determination.  In many aspects of my life I have instilled and considered self-determination, especially during this past year. I visited self-determination during my extensive job search.  As all of you know, this is no kind of economy to be on a job search but eventually with some intense perseverance I did find a few jobs. The first job really stretched me.  It was with an internet up Start-up Company.  My job was to help build a metasearch engine, specifically related to the topic of health.  I was stretched at this job because it did not feed my artistic self.  Working 40 hours per week,  I found myself too tired to draw or write when I was off from work and relatively obsessed with ways to integrate artmaking and writing back in my life when I was at work.  It was comforting ...

Today is the first day of Kwanzaa.  I like this celebration a lot because it is cultural, family and community orientated.  There are the seven principles to revisit and consider each year, since each year their significance and meaning can deepen or vary.  Today that principle is unity or Umoja.  Our son works for an organization called Umoja, which helps underserved urban youth, so it is a word and concept with which we are quite familiar. Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor in California and founder of Kwanzaa speaks this year about well-being and right-being of and in this world.  The seven principles, or Nguzo Saba, in Swahili are focused this year around the message to walk gently, act justly and relate rightly in and for the world.  Umoja addresses our desire to maintain a sense of oneness, and togetherness in all of the circles of our lives—in family, friendship, community, the world and the universe.  Dr. Karenga urges us to consider principl...

Yesterday I continued making art cards for the faire on Sunday. I enjoy this Shirley Templeesque little girl with her great shoes that remind me of some I might have worn and her gigantic snowball. Even in my art classes I've had the elementary children this week working with snow flakes and snowmen so I guess I have snow on my mind. I look forward to Yule, Christmas and Kwanzaa. Yule is such a great reflection time and it is very noncommercial. It is a time to pull in and get into your dreams and clear up interior clutter. I like the crossover between Yule and Christmas with the emphasis on evergreens and the notion of birth, only in my belief system it is the birth of Oak King and his triumph over the darkness brought on my Holly King. Kwanzaa is a time of family togetherness and community engagement, while delving into the meaning of the core Swahili concepts. I love gifting, making things and cooking during this season. I made vegetarian chili and pumpkin bread last night. I mu...