Sondra Moore, IFGT Arts Department Director

Scroll down for interesting and informative Articles on the Arts.

Sondra Moore

Sondra is a classically trained fine artist and anthropologist with a strong background in business and community service. Sondra has a deep interest in all areas of the arts. She has produced ink drawings for national newspaper and magazine publications and provided commissioned art work for private clientele and military contracts. Sondra also ran an architectural woodworking shop providing high end custom work for residential and commercial contracts.

The Arts speak through the global language of color and light, geometry, movement, sound and rhythm. The creation of contemporary and dynamic sacred spaces by this group of artists produce activities designed to uplift and contribute to the collective transformation of humanity.

A quote from Jean Vanier and her book, Community and Growth, sets an important tone for our arts program.

One of the signs of life in a community is the creation of links with others. An inward-looking community will die of suffocation. Living communities are linked to others, making up a huge reservoir of love for the world. It is a sign of maturity for a community to bind itself in friendship with others; it knows its own destiny, so doesn’t need to make comparisons. It loves even the differences which distinguish it, because each community has its own gifts which must flourish. These communities are complimentary; they need each other. ~ Jean Vanier

Articles on the Arts

Before there were therapists – there were crafts.

Sondra Moore

AngerAs this Ascension 2023 is upon us we are all feeling the chaos. Increasing demand and limitations combined with incessant change have us all feeling frazzled these days.

Why do middle-aged women harbor dreams of having a craft room? Because they crave sanity.

When life comes crashing down on you, just take a step back and know this: YOU are the result of creativity; your very existence is testimony to eons and eons of the creative process. Genetics are just a side component of our ancestral tool kit. YOU are the summation of creativity itself. We can trace our hair color through generations of ancestral hook ups, but stop and question:  how did our ancestors actually survive in order to pass on their DNA? What did it take for those ancestors to survive against all odds? Many qualities such as hard work, strength, luck, perseverance, and intelligence were required to ensure mankind’s survival, but none of those qualities would have existed without creativity. Creativity enabled our ancestors to craft an existence in the world and ensure our survival.

Before EVERY thing there were crafts.  How long would our ancestors have survived without tools, clothing, and shelter? They needed to make things to ensure survival. Baskets needed to be made, clothing needed to be sewn, stones needed to be sharpened, and pottery needed to be made just to continue human evolution. Weaving, Sewing, Lapidary, Pottery. Crafts ensured our survival. Without them, we would not be here today. Our creativity made our very survival possible. It enabled us to adapt and flourish amidst strife and adversity.

Ancient people relied on their creativity to meet their needs for survival – this was the birth of crafts. As civilizations progressed more craftsmen were needed to fulfill the expanding needs of the community. EVERY thing throughout history required a craftsman to make it.

While the humble craft satisfied society’s utilitarian needs and ensured our survival, it also addressed more subtle and profound needs of the community as well.  Crafts became the glue that kept communities together and kept individuals physically, as well as mentally healthy. They promoted community interaction and security while we created valuable skill sets to ensure our survival.

Crafting takes the humblest of materials and transforms them into the highest expressions of creativity with the simplest of tools. The process is repetitive and mundane. Repetition and simplicity are very soothing to the human soul. The very act of doing a repetitive thing calms us and gives us a safe escape from the cacophony of our daily lives. Crafting is a kinesthetic mediation where we are able to maintain an inner dialogue with ourselves. It stills our minds and calms our nerves. It fosters confidence as well as pleasure and empowers us.

So, when life flies off the rails and the world becomes unhinged, take up knitting – or any other craft you may be interested in that gives you pleasure. Quilts are made from scraps of cloth, pottery was made from available clay, toys were carved from branches, pictures made with dryer lint, masks made from packing paper, jewelry made from wire, painted rocks and eggs – the possibilities are endless. There is no need to buy anything. Look around you and see what you have to work with, then do something with it and reap the rewards.  It’s an ancient tradition! To get inspiration check out the IFGT Arts Department Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/IFGT.Arts Happy Crafting!

 

Artists Are The Prophets Of Today

Sondra Moore

Bobbie Austin Clay WhistlesArtists are the prophets of today.  They are the canaries in the coal mine and a reflection of our society .  For many, the pandemic was more a blessing than a curse.  For once, the world slowed down .  Life had quieted.  Artists retreated into their own worlds and created, and I set out to find them.  I contacted some local artists and met them in their studios.  Septarian Bobbi Austin shared her childhood memories of growing up in rural North Carolina and how to make a whistle out of clay.  Her studio was cluttered with beautiful whistles sculpted in the shapes of fish, doves, cat heads – even the head of a child.  Each more charming than the last.

Diana LeMarbe ShamanI traveled to the New Mexico desert where I met Diana LeMarbe, a geologist turned artist living just 20 miles north of the Mexican border in the shadow of the Florida Mountain range.  Her love of geology inspires her to give form to the Mesozoic petroglyphs of the southwest.  Her sculptures of ancient lentils and local geography are absolutely mesmerizing.  As a formally trained geologist and past museum curator, Diana also was able to give an in-depth explanation of the regional geological history of the area in addition to the history of the U.S.  mission to capture Pancho Villa in 1917!

As the world adapted to the new normal, the trade shows and festivals which had always been marketing pillars for artists began to reemerge and the IFGT Arts Department went to look for them.   Having amassed 2 years’ worth of work, artists were eager to step out of their studios and greet the public.  And I knew they would be there.  They juggle careers, families, personal relationships, time, and catastrophes, all while practicing their craft.  Artists are intrepid survivors.

 

Lee LaneyThe first post pandemic art festivals had low public turnout so I was able to visit the artists and spend time with them at their booths  Everyone was an amazing individual with fantastic stories to tell.  I met the delightful Lee Laney of Carrolton, GA.  His study of literature and political science provides fertile grounds from which his whimsical art springs.  Lee was the last protégé of folk-art icon and Baptist preacher, Howard Finister and spoke about assisting in his studio.  Lee’s paintings and pottery are an edgy blend of folk art and social commentary wrapped in whimsical good humor with a dash of Americana kitsch.

I found artist, Frances Byrd, at a promotional event hosted by a fledgling restaurant.  To promote the new venue, the owners invited artists to paint murals on a long wall outside their establishment and held a mural contest.  Frances is one of the hardest working and most disciplined artists that I have ever met, dedication to the community always keeps her busy and her studio time is spent elevating women in her work while celebrating nature.

Veteran Anthony Walls was displaying his work on a beautiful day at a festival in Atlanta.  We spoke about his process of making artwork and the challenges of online marketing.  His ink illustrations convey an authenticity that can only be achieved through a true love of nature.

Artists are genuine people who live multidimensional existences on much deeper levels.  They are neighbors, spouses, parents, employees, caregivers, students, and volunteers who feel their daily experiences so deeply that it builds up inside of them until they release them.

Artwork is a legacy. It is a legacy of inspiration, opinions, and love that an artist is compelled to create so that they may give it away.  Wherever you may find yourself in the upcoming holiday season, I encourage you to seek out artists in the area.  It could be as easy as taking in a fall festival or as simple as a google search or checking out the IFGT Arts Department Facebook page.  They are gracious, amazing people eager to show their work and make a human connection.  With retail supply chain interruptions, traffic congestion, shopping lines, and budget restraints all welcoming us into the gift giving season, I urge you to make work by local artists your default gift.  Not only will you be giving an affordable and quality gift to someone, but you will have an interesting story to tell with it and you may just make a new friend!

Check out the IFGT Arts Department Facebook Page at:  https://www.facebook.com/IFGT.Arts

To view videos of the above mentioned artists visit :  https://theglobaltransformation.org/youtube-channel

Click on the “Artists” Playlist

If you are an artist and would like to submit your artwork, or be featured in a video, please contact Sondra Moore at sm****@if**.org.

 

 

Sondra Moore

Sondra is a classically trained fine artist and anthropologist with a strong background in business and community service. Sondra has a deep interest in all areas of the arts. She has produced ink drawings for national newspaper and magazine publications and provided commissioned art work for private clientele and military contracts. Sondra also ran an architectural woodworking shop providing high end custom work for residential and commercial contracts.

The Arts speak through the global language of color and light, geometry, movement, sound and rhythm. The creation of contemporary and dynamic sacred spaces by this group of artists produce activities designed to uplift and contribute to the collective transformation of humanity.

A quote from Jean Vanier and her book, Community and Growth, sets an important tone for our arts program.

One of the signs of life in a community is the creation of links with others. An inward-looking community will die of suffocation. Living communities are linked to others, making up a huge reservoir of love for the world. It is a sign of maturity for a community to bind itself in friendship with others; it knows its own destiny, so doesn’t need to make comparisons. It loves even the differences which distinguish it, because each community has its own gifts which must flourish. These communities are complimentary; they need each other. ~ Jean Vanier