The Pageless Book

About a month ago, I had an idea to write a post regarding art and spirituality. I knew one of my frequent visitors was an artist, and had asked her for some input, and perhaps if I could use some of her art in my post. Her response was enthusiastic, but due to the Christmas season, she was unable to give the issue her attention. Earlier this week, she e-mailed me with an entire post’s worth of content! Well, I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

I would like to introduce to you Kelly Naylor. She is a true artist and I’m proud to have her as my first guest blogger here on The Pageless Book. The following article is written by Ms. Naylor, and each art piece used is her original art work. The above work is titled “Dragon Rising.”

In most of the places around the internet where I display my art, I mention that I create art because I can’t not create art. This compulsion, by the way, extends to my writing and singing as well. I do it all because I must. While reading a line in Autobiography of a Yogi about 15 years ago where Paramhansa Yogananda equates song to prayer, I realized the absolute Truth of that statement. It has always been true, and always will be true, that when I say “I will pray for you,” what I mean is “when next I finding myself singing, I will be holding you in my heart and mind and sending a request to Spirit to do the same.” (By the way, any song can be a prayer… from Shubert’s Ave Maria to The Beatles Lady Madonna to kd lang’s Crying.) So singing is my half of a conversation with Spirit.

My visual art, on the other hand, is what Spirit says to me. Very little of my art comes from my head (and the stuff that does isn’t really as interesting… to me, anyway). Most of my art comes from my heart. In fact, a lot of times I’ll put a DVD in the player and let my mind play “over there” while my heart and hands are playing “over here.” Half the time I’m not even sure what the paintings mean after I’ve created them. Perhaps the messages aren’t meant for me. I create abstract art because abstracts allow the viewer to see what they think is in the painting. On a mundane level, I could (and do) say it allows the viewer to become part of the art, part of the story. But more than that, it allows each individual to interpret the message of Spirit in their own way. Some of the pieces I create are profound, while others just flat out make me laugh. There are messages of hope, peace, love and joy… and yes, even a few about sorrow and mourning.

I think it’s important to note that I only started on this artistic path after my daughter Mackenzie died. She was born on Christmas Eve in 2000, and lived for four days. I sang (prayed) a lot, I wrote a lot, and I began dabbling with various artistic media. I went through all the stages of grief, some of them many times over. During the course of several years, I listened to Spirit. For Mackenzie’s fifth birthday, I was able to declare: I am an artist. My art honors and celebrates Mackenzie’s life.

I’d like to share one particular painting that has a powerful message for me; it’s one of those profound paintings. I was going through some employment-related difficulties at the time I painted it. Touchstone, shown right, emerged during an episode of The X-Files (where I had sent my mind to play). I was finishing up the painting just about the time Mulder tells Scully she is his touchstone (hence the name of the painting).

Looking at the painting later, I had a very clear, concise and powerful message from Spirit: You are not alone. You are loved. I am here. I love you. What is Spirit saying to you? I invite you to visit my galleries to see if Spirit has left any messages for you in other paintings.

Blessed be. Namasté.