Memoirs of the Brightside of the Moon

by Ginger Gilmour

  One of my most influential thoughts, which carried me through this part of my journey, was when Nico asked if I had realized that I had the "soul of an artist." He had observed me over the last ten years and no matter what I put my hands to it was a piece of artwork. We often spoke about what we identify with as "who we are" influences every moment. Joel Osteen says it so well, "God has planted a divine spark in our DNA. You can believe what someone else says you are or even who you think you are not. Or you can believe how divine you are. You can believe what God says you are and live a higher purpose." I was beginning to see my divine purpose and its treasure. My mother was right; I was born to be an artist. She led the way while my path followed its course in sometimes-strange directions. During this phase, my foundations were further laid ready to take off.

  What was most wonderful, was how Nico helped me Not to poison the love I had experienced most of my life especially with David. It is often tempting to burn down the forest of the heart when difficult times of change appear. He inspired me to accept that there is always a silk lining to be found, which aids your next step. I could build on what went before that was Beauty and Love. I did not have to lock it away or destroy it, in order to move forward. He always said to me, "Accept life as it is and then make it special." There was something special in the "making" within the walls of Old Bilsham. For me it was time to feel free to awaken the gift God had given me to use and that was to be the soul of an artist. I had a purpose that filled my heart, which lit the days to come thereafter. Eventually even my workmen saw the virtue of my fairy glass that put rainbows everywhere. My neighbors said that the clouds and the sky on my garden walls always brought the sunshine. They asked me one day, "Ginger, what do you do when it is overcast?" I answered, "Well, I don't look up! I look at the Bright Side." One night I had a guiding vision. I had built the environment, a place where "It" could happen. Now I needed to create artwork that could go out to the world. I started a series called the "Art of Sacred Relationship." It began with Mother and Child. I found it most endearing and all the love I had in my mother's heart for my children went into its creation. Lovers came next.

  Just to give you an idea if you have not seen my work yet, it is beyond the normal human proportions. It seems to grow in its manifesting process to be rather elongated. Often, if it is a bit squat energetically during the creative process, something will happen making sure, I did not think it was finished. Either it would fall over on its own accord or a cat would knock it over with a brush of its tail. I grew to see the hints from God that it needed to reach for heaven more. "Taller, Taller!" went through my mind. "Ok, I got it!" I agreed and continued.

  I called it my artistic lobotomy as I reached into the chicken wire support inside the wet clay. With a pair of miniature pliers, I would set about pulling and cutting. Then with one hand, I would raise the form higher while adding extra clay with the other. It grew and grew reaching for the heavens. As it began to manifest, The Lovers was extremely special to me. I wanted to capture the sacred heights that a Man and a Woman could potentially share. I wanted to create the Divine Love with God formed in their union. What's interesting is that it was finished on the eve of Valentine's Day without my conscious intention.

  That summer Daniela Lavender, wife of Ben Kingsley, stayed with me as she was performing in a Midsummers Night Dream at Arundel Castle. She had to leave early one morning and when I awoke, she had left a trail of little pink Post-it hearts leading up to the Lovers saying she wanted to buy it in bronze for Ben's Christmas present. "Call me, to discuss it soon." Next was Sacred Vow, which sought to capture the sacred commitment between a man and a woman through marriage and God. Their hands bound together with a white cloth of purity. At one of my exhibitions in Arundel, a woman came up to me and asked about the intention of this sculpture. I asked "Why?" she shared with me that her own impression was of Love but hersister felt differently. In fact, she insisted that they had to leave NOW for it really disturbed her.

  I further asked, "May I ask if she has had a recent emotional upset in a relationship?" I waited, giving her space to respond. "You do not have to answer, if you do not feel it appropriate." She said with a lump in her throat, "Yes, she is in the middle of a divorce." I told her the deepest intention of Sacred Vow. I felt that if she had spent more time with the sculpture it might have touched her heart with the Love she so desired. I explained further that my artwork is "living art"and seeks to uplift and heal mankind. Sometimes that means facing the veils, which prevent healing.

  One of my most favorite in this series is Angelic Whisper. It is an angel whispering closely to a woman dressed in simple robes like the Madonna. She whispers words from God "I love you."The birth of this sculpture was rather challenging for her wings kept falling off. It was a fine balance between the wet clay and its drying process, as I built the extended wings that reached high beyond the angel's body.

  Many have asked me if it is based upon the moment that the Angel Gabriel speaks to Mary, the Annunciation. I have pondered this over the years. "Thank you, but not consciously,"I would respond but many hear her whisper. Over the years, Angelic Whisper has found her way into many homes, including a special one I created for my Mom. I made her one in clear pink that glowed from the light in her front window. When visitors, even repairmen, came to the house in her last years, she would proudly show them. She told me that many would shed tears when being in front of her. Even the photos brought this emotion to others. Now she has a new home with my brother Marcus and his wife, Jana.

  I loved this phase of my life, discovering the soul of the artist. Each time I went to my studio to create, even today, I am inspired by words from Cecil Collins classes. He's quoted as saying: "

  The Art of the future, will be to feed the interior life of the individual and will not be dominated by theory political, philosophical or spiritual. There must be in the world a revolution of human consciousness from the idea of fear and desire, victory and defeat, courage and cowardice, ownership and sharing. We need to return to the eternal values which are being human and divine." (1)

  That is the well of spring water, of inspiration, from which I seek to create for mankind. - It is my quest.

  CHAPTER 85

  HOPE

  I was on my way to California again and was part of a co- exhibition at the Institute of Noetic Sciences based in Petaluma, California. It was the brainchild of Apollo 14 astronaut, Edgar Mitchell. He said that his experience of observing the Earth from outer space changed his entire viewpoint as a scientist and as a fellow human being about the creation of the world. No answers came except to know of the incredible wonder of Life. This epiphany initiated another kind of exploration into the nature of things. Thus IONS, the Noetic Institute of Sciences, was born. Noetic referring to mental activity or the intellectual quality of the mystical experience to grasp the sense of revelation.

  So it was Three Women - Three Artists who came together to launch a new artistic movement - Art on Purpose. Referring to work that is deliberate in its intention to uplift humanity. Californian based artists Dana Lynne Andersen and Annie Harrison and I collaborated in an exhibition called "Zeitgist-The Spirit of the Times." I first met Dana at the Inspirational Arts Festival in London and later met Annie when I got to Petaluma. Our friendship grew ever since as we shared a similar vision. We were passionate about the power of art to change consciousness and touch God realization. Just one of Dana's contributions to this vision, apart from her wonderful paintings, was to found the Awakening Arts Network. It is a global resource nexus connecting hundreds of artists throughout the world who are engaged in creating art that is Evolutionary and Transformative. Annie in her way seeks to use the ancient science of sacred geometry to create stone and glass sculptures that feature flowing water as their central element. Successful artists individually - we were quite a team working together to galvanize a renaissance of art with conscience and consciousness.

  During the flight, as I snuggled under my flight
blanket, I chose to watch the movie Bobby, which was based on the life of Robert Kennedy. So many memories came forward of that time. Most of all how much the nation's heart was hurt again since the assassination of JFK, and Martin Luther King Jr. Hope seemed to vanish with a third assassination that of Robert Kennedy. His genuine vision of heart for the people had developed, healing us and giving Hope. He held the Nation like his brother. His actions spoke for the Heart of the Nation. Then he too was gone. I cried as the memories returned.

  ***

  I was home from school that day when I heard the broadcast over the radio. I nearly fainted climbing the stairs from the den to the kitchen grasping the handrail in dis-belief... " How? Really? NO!"Voices were heard, weeping with the reality. Now their leader was gone. America was already a nation of discord at the time. The violence that rose focused around Vietnam, Poverty and Racial issues. I was just a young teenager impressionable searching for Peace, for a way forward, as the call went out across the nation and the world.

  I was reminded of how the Kennedys stood for the true values amongst men. Challenged within the dramas of their century. Their words resound and sadly still apply today. I quote part of Bobby's speech after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

  "This is a time of shame and sorrow. It is not a day for politics. I have saved this one opportunity to speak briefly to you about this mindless menace of violence in America which again stains our land and every one of our lives.

  It is not the concern of any one race. The victims of the violence are black and white, rich and poor, young and old, famous and unknown. They are, most important of all, human beings whom other human beings loved and needed. No one - no matter where he lives or what he does - can be certain who will suffer from some senseless act of bloodshed. And yet it goes on.

  Why? What has violence ever accomplished? What has it ever created? No martyr's cause has ever been stilled by his assassin's bullet. No wrongs have ever been righted by riots and civil disorders. A sniper is only a coward, not a hero; and an uncontrolled, uncontrollable mob is only the voice of madness, not the voice of the people.

  Whenever any American's (or person's) life is taken by another American (or individual anywhere in the world) unnecessarily - whether it is done in the name of the law or in the defiance of law, by one man or a gang, in cold blood or in passion, in an attack of violence or in response to violence - whenever we tear at the fabric of life which another man has painfully and clumsily woven for himself and his children, the whole nation is degraded. (1)

  These words so spoken from the truth and wisdom of his heart. To all who listened, encouraging us to remember that we are here on Earth to do God's work. Each time, both he and his brother, and Martin Luther King Jr called upon us to ask for God's blessing and help to stand up for an ideal to improve the lot of another. For they knew that each time one stands up for this ideal it sends forth a tiny ripple of "Hope." And then they were no longer. Gone were the three men that stood for injustice in their time inspiring us to dare to make God's work truly our own. Believe it or not, one day we will realize the benefit from what hope we pass on does for one another and society. As JFK said,

  "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." (2)

  ***

  Years passed when we were now living in Old Bilsham Farmhouse. It was the weekend and Matthew was home from boarding school. During the night, I awoke to the sound of Matthew screaming. I ran into his room and in the darkness he was crying out, "Help! Help! Mom! Mom!"I held my sobbing child in my arms wrapping us in a blanket stroking his hair, "What's wrong Matt? He cried, whimpering as he told me the story of his nightmare, "It was terrible! A plane crashed into two buildings and people were falling out of the buildings from high up!" "Now. Now. It was only a bad dream, I am here." Gosh, Thank Goodness it was only a bad dream. I stayed with him until he was calm, gently rocking him back to sleep.

  Matthew returned to boarding school on Sunday and on that next Tuesday morning I turned on the telly. What I witnessed, filled me with shock. The twin towers in NYC were attacked. A plane flew into one of the buildings, there was an explosion. People were falling from the buildings. Had Matthew seen the foretelling of the future? I couldn't get it out of my mind as we all shared the shock for days and days as the story unfolded. September 11, 2001 was a day that brought the world to their knees. As we stood in the rubble, America had a choice to inspire or to fight as the dust settled and healing began.

  The city called out to artists and architects to submit artwork for Ground Zero. Doreen called to tell me, and asked, "Ginger, we need artwork that uplifts our hearts and holds the Divine Light. Can you make something?" I set about the task and created a maquette of a fireman holding the Earth, sitting on a bench in the arms of an angel. I called it "Hope." It was an installation proposal that included several other benches. The second and third would have life-size Angels, waiting to hold you within its wings. The fourth would be a place for contemplation and perhaps there would be more throughout the site and the world.

  Recently, someone on Facebook commented on "Hope." "The angel isn't above him - But with him - It's the feeling." Hope awaits us. Within the voice of madness still lies Hope. It beckons us to live our lives for truth, for goodness, and justice for we have the power to do so! As Martin Luther King Jr. said in his final words to us, along with many others throughout history, "I just want to do God's will."

  And there in, lies Hope.

  CHAPTER 86

  VISIONS OF BEAUTY

  My first moment to acknowledge the Bright Side of the Moonwas in a Press Release written about me, by Doreen Key, my BFF, in Los Angeles. The press release described an art exhibition, Esotera-Visions of Beauty, which Ioannis Antoniadis and I were to display. She wrote, "Exhibition takes Visionary Art to the Bright Side of the Moon." She so further captured our flavor writing, "Combining the effortless beauty of Ginger's Sculptures with the vibrant wonder of Ioannis' ethereal paintings, the curtain raising event marks a timeless moment in the power of artistic expression to enlighten the spirit and move the soul." For years, I have been working to manifest an exhibition, which incorporated large metaphysical paintings of an ethereal quality. Along with sculptures that explored the same world of light, color and form, which together, encourages feelings of contemplation and serenity. This vision had come to me in a dream, so powerfully directive that afterwards I spent long hours creating first the sculptures. During this time, I met Ioannis. His paintings and creative philosophy touched me. I felt we were kindred spirits on the path, as artists, to re-awaken and stir the soul.

  Ioannis described his passion for painting in this statement: "As I look deeper into a frame of a blank canvas, I feel like I am looking into a luminous white world. The more I look, the more I feel that a transformation takes place. My mind becomes a visual prism translating white light into an infinite number of possibilities, colors, ideas, feelings and forms." He added, "We call this exhibition Esotera-Visions of Beauty because Esotera means 'inner world' from the Greek word 'Eso' (he is Greek) and the Latin word 'terra'. Cecil Collins inspired me more by saying that the art gallery could also be a place where the Holy Spirit could visit, as it does in the church and in our hearts. Ioannis was also inspired by this possibility, so we came together to try. We rented the Chequer Mead Art Gallery in East Grinstead, West Sussex, UK and began to prepare for the event. Our intention, hopefully, was for our collaboration to uplift, heal and nurture the viewer in a way that expressed the archetypal power of art to touch the heart with beauty. Suspended from the exposed support beams in the ceiling was my 7-foot angelic sculpture Heaven, watching over the exhibition.

  At first, we set up the gallery in the traditional manner, with sculptures placed either in the corners orin the middle of the room and the paintings on the walls. I proposed to Ioannis to experiment with the arrangement differently, that is, create a story of relationship between the sculpture and the paintings. I tried
to show him, but he very quickly objected. This idea would have fulfilled what my dream had inspired. I attempted but had to put it aside, especially out of respect for him. A few days later though, the tide had changed. One morning I found him moving one of my sculptures in front of his painting. Not too close to block the view but close enough to try my idea. I smiled silently. He put his arm around my shoulder and said, "Ok, let's try." The result was beautiful. At least I thought so.

  For me, exhibitions are not so much about the artwork, but more of an interactive experience through the stimulation of the creative imagination. Creative imagination becomes active primarily in three ways: One, through the vibratory colors, glazing and symbolic imagery, which catches the archetypal relationship between the natural, and the supernatural of life. Secondly, the intention of the artist plays a major role in opening the doorway. Thirdly, by creating a new relationship between the second dimension (painting) and the third dimension (form) challenges the imagination of the viewer.

  With my artwork, I've sought to capture and perhaps reflect the multi-dimensional and energetic levels of what we are as human beings. I attempt to create this with a question to myself. How much physical form is required to allow the viewer to recognize "who they are,"and show a representational doorway to the invisible aspects of "who we are?" I feel there is more to us than the material physical aspects of life that we have become so familiar with.

  My quest is to capture the wholeness - given to us by our creator. We have forgotten our invisible beauty, including the divine spark given to us to BE. My path walks hand in hand getting closer to this vision. Recently, I have taken this further. I have integrated my Living Walls with my paintings onto canvas. Another experiment born to capture one's imagination. I am always on the quest to live and manifest our highest potential both in daily life and in my artwork. My inspiration, which has stayed with me is a quote from Aristotle.