Have you ever found yourself inspired by an idea and wondering how to implement it? Lately I’ve been curious about the phrase “love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally”, and how I could express these qualities in my art, my business and my relationships.
The phrase that inspired my latest round of curiosity is from author, feminist and activist for social justice L.R. Knost. It is contained in the following quote:
“Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the bright that is you.”
L.R.Knost
To love intentionally seems pretty clear. Just as my intention is to look for moments of joy in the every day, I can set an intention to meet life’s circumstances with love. When I meet with resistance, or anger I can ask myself ‘What is the most loving response I can have in this situation?”. As an abstract artist I’m curious about what intentional love would look or feel like and how can I translate that into a piece of art?
I’ve written before about unconditional love as it relates to parenting my adult sons. How to love without judgement or expectation. How to love them no matter what choices they make in life. It’s not easy to love someone even when they disappoint you. The Chakra colour for unconditional love is pink. In my mat This Cord of Love That Binds Us, the pink, unconditional love layer was the one I struggled with the most. I dyed and re-dyed yarns and fabrics to get just the right colour. It was not lost on me that this layer was the most difficult of this quite large mat. I wonder what a whole piece of art devoted to unconditional love would look like?
When I think of loving extravagantly all kinds of images come to mind. Something overflowing, soft, love spilling out. Of course it would be a really large piece, as extravagance would seem to suggest this.
Thinking about how to express these qualities of love as a piece of art is my way of being curious. I write and sketch in my journal and create art as a way to integrate qualities I want to embody and to understand at a deeper level.
If you are curious about learning how to use journaling as a tool for creativity and self reflection, check out my One Loop at a Time, The Creativity Workbook.
“… So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the bright that is you.”
L.R. Knost
