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Celebrating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 15, 2018 by Melodye Shore

Today we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister, Nobel Laureate and civil rights activist who dedicated his life to “peace, social justice, and opportunity for all Americans, irrespective of color or creed.”

Today we commemorate the undeniable force behind Dr. King’s words, the unmistakable impact of his willingness to “pray with his feet.” As we examine his place in history, we reflect equally on his physical footprint and the truths he held self-evident.

It’s a good day, also, to think about our personal legacies. Where do we stand in the long arc of history? When we “tell it on the mountain,” what’s being echoed in the valleys below? I’ve illustrated a small sampling of Dr. King’s quotes, because they speak to my own ideals and aspirations. Feel free to download them and share.

Morning glory, MLK Jr. quote about nonviolence

Seagulls by the ocean, MLK Jr. quote about hope

Voyager sculpture, MLK Jr. quote about love

Heart-shaped rock, MLK quote about service

orange airplane, MLK Jr. quote about peace

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Art Challenge of the week: LOVE

February 10, 2016 by Melodye Shore

Once upon a time, a consortium of artisans (poets, musicians, artists, and the like) tried to translate this complex emotion into words. But as someone wise once said, the language of love has many dialects.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, our Art Challenge theme o’ the week is (cue the harp music) LOVE. And lucky me, I get to host it.

Here, an opportunity to translate your own thoughts into images, using your favorite art form(s) and media. I enjoy photography, so I’ll be working with my camera. But Art Challenges are for all-comers. Painting, sewing, drawing, cooking…express your creativity any way you like, so long as you share your finished work in pictures.

Let your imagination run free! Picture yourself and your beloved, for instance, doing something that sparks your inner passions. (Hint: It doesn’t have to be romantic.)

LOVE isn’t all chocolate and roses, although it could be. It can be sweet as these hummingbird hatchlings, in a cottony-soft nest…

Or as absurd as this peacock, oblivious to its surroundings.

LOVE can be dangerous at times, and prickly.

Clingy or trusting? Reveal to us your vantage point, in literal or figurative ways.

There are countless approaches you might take, when it comes to this theme o’ the week. No rules; limitless boundaries. But may I offer you one suggestion? Leave no stone unturned in your quest for LOVE!

One last thing: Be sure to link your project to the blog entry I post this Friday.

Note: This Art Challenge is not a contest, and you most certainly don’t need to be a pro to participate. This is art for its own sake, no judgment or restrictions. So c’mon, share the love.

Thankful Thursday: (Love)birds of a different feather

October 13, 2011 by Melodye Shore

My husband, sweet man that he is, sees life through a somewhat cynical lens. He's optimistic, but data-driven, if that makes any sense. MBA that he is, he can whip up a spreadsheet right quick, filled with empirical evidence that supports his Eeyore-ish stance. Want to approach him with a different point of view? Data please, and STAT.

My world view is ~~wildly~~ somewhat different. Pollyanna that I am, I tend to see the world through rose-tinted glasses. By that I mean that I believe that people are good, and that they can (and will) do great things, given the right opportunity and circumstances. It's a belief system that isn't borne out by past experiences so much as an inborne personality trait. That, and the deep underpinnings of faith that hold me aloft, even when experience might suggest otherwise.

Two birds of very different feathers, perched on the same branch. How is that possible, you ask?

I can't say for sure, but I'm thinking it's probably Hope that balances things out, that provides the harmony among faith and reason. And humor, there's that. Plus lots of love and laughter…blessings for which I'm so very grateful.

P.S. The quill pens (from Rome) are only tangentially related, but I loved them so much that I decided to drop them into this entry.