Imbolc, Saint Brigid’s Day

Imbolc is one of the eight Pagan sabbats and celebrates the moment in the year when the days begin to lengthen once again. It is during this time frame that the first lambs are born and plant life is beginning to sprout once more.

Brigid is the Celtic goddess of fertility, of the fire of the hearth, and other fire-blessed skills including that of poetry and blacksmithing. The Christianized version of Brigid is that of her as a Saint, who “was known for feeding the poor and healing the sick,” as described by this Pagan Grimorie article.

Symbolic Activities

To celebrate Imbolc, there are several symbolic activities and gestures one can participate in. All of these are done with the intention of energizing the initiative of the year. Here are a few examples:

• Fire festivals
• Light a candle in every room of your home
• Make dolls to symbolize babies
• Make Brigid crosses
• Plant seeds
• Cleanse yourself with clooties and hang them in the trees
• Burn incense

The Art Club: Conception

Imbolc is a perfect holiday to mark the launch of the GSOVIBES Art Club precisely because it is in its “Conception” phase of existence. As if we have just planted and fertilized the seed, there is much more growth to come.

That growth will manifest all of what Conceptual and Social Practice arts are meant to be: communal constructive, educational, environmental, enlightening.

Event: Art as Healing

Be it meditative, therapeutic, spiritual, or exercise, our acts of creative self-expression lend value to our coping and healing experiences. In order to have an extended conversation about what I mean by this, I feel I must first establish the foundations of my conceptual interpretations of what art is and means, as well as how we yield artistic practice as a tool for relating to one another (including ourselves). For this reason, I will merely cite a few peer-reviewed articles about art as healing below… For now.

Art as Healing Academic Articles

• “Creativity and Spirituality in Nursing – Implementing Art in Healing” by Mary Rockwood Lane, PhD, RN
• “Art as Healing: Edward Adamson” by David O’Flynn
• “Art Therapy Strategies to Raise Self-Esteem in Female Juvenile Offenders: A Comparison of Art Psychotherapy and Art as Therapy Approaches” by Liz Hartz and Lynette Thick
• “Arts and crafts as an educational strategy and coping mechanism for Republic of Korea and United States parents during the COVID-19 pandemic” by Meera Choi, Hannah Tessler, and Grace Kao

Social Practice Art and Crying

Please take a gander at my albeit semi-dated Social Practice Art powerpoint article, and then keep an eye out for my blog about how I first stumbled upon the question, “What is art?”

Here’s a sneak excerpt I find particularly humorous:

“It was 2 AM on a Wednesday night, I was nine pages in on a four page essay, defining Conceptual Art by citing Islamic script alongside commentary on Duchamp’s urinals by critics, and sobbing, because I had suddenly come to terms with the meaninglessness of all the petty cartoons and acrylic still lives I had ever created. Why ever endeavor to express oneself artfully if not for the sole purpose of highlighting the miracle of existence and yet, its abyssal possibilities?”

– on Conceptual Art, by me

First GSOVIBES Art Club

Saturday, Jan 21st from 6 PM till midnight @ The Swamp House

• Themes: Imbolc, healing, fertility
• Activity: coloring & collage
• We will have some drinks, but we encourage BYOB!
• No food will be provided at this event unless we all agree to order pizza together 🙂
• We will provide materials, but feel free to bring your own colored pencils and pens, magazines, glue sticks, etc.!

Next GSOVIBES Trash Pick-Up

And in case you’re already ready for it, here’s info on the next trash pick-up. Remember this frog? I’m thinking of making stickers of him for y’all…

Saturday, Feb 4th from noon to sundown @ The Swamp House

• Food will be made & distributed at noon. First come first serve. BYOB.
• We will provide trash bags and gloves.