Many Valleys

I was reading Art Journals & Creative Healing by Sharon Soneff to get some ideas for my home journals, and for the first time the dedication caught my eye:

"In loving memory of fellow artist and contributor Mary Zakrajsek, whose inspiring faith and impassioned art accompanied her through many valleys and then to her heavenly home."

Aside from this being one of the most beautiful dedications I've ever read, some of the phrases jumped out at me: impassioned art ~ accompanied her ~ many valleys.

Creative people are definitely mountain climbers, but we're also pretty good at falling, too. I never thought of sliding into my black pits of depression as journeying through a valley. Maybe if I could convince myself that's what it is, I could gain a healthier perspective.

The faster the world moves, the slower I want to go. Or rather, I want to go in a different direction -- contrary as always, I guess. This past month I've been doing that every day, creatively and practically, and finding that while it's not always comfortable, it's where I want to go. I'll take whatever trips through the valleys come with it because I think that's how you reach the mountains: not by jumping from peak to peak, but by climbing up and down.

I'm going to give away a brand-new copy of Sharon's book, which along with the dedication has some amazing ideas on how to work toward healing by creative art journaling, both in projects and personal essays by the contributing artists. If you'd like a chance to win it, in comments to this post tell us something creative you do that is healing (or if you can't think of anything, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST on Saturday, February 4, 2012. I'll draw one name at random from everyone who participates and send the winner an unsigned copy of Art Journals & Creative Healing by Sharon Soneff. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.