Last November we asked, “What keeps your firelight burning?”
This is the light that guides you through dark days. This is the fire that warms you in the cold. This firelight draws community to huddle in hope.
When the pandemic began the world shifted for so many of us overnight. Artists lost their venues and exhibition spaces. Studios shut down.
The questions were about immediate survival. Short term strategies. How to pivot for the next few months?
We weren’t thinking about the long haul. We weren’t considering the spiritual tools we would need to last through a cold dark winter in this new reality.
Since then, we met artists who found ways to keep the firelight burning through times of isolation and anxiety. We created virtual venues and met together in grief, joy, lament, and encouragement.
A Common Flame
The pandemic landscape is ongoing. Fears and fatigue have given rise to Tribalism and polarization. New lines are drawn, some old lines are bolded, and human flourishing seems far off.
It can be easy to forget that we’re all gathered around the same fire.
This fire is a beacon of warmth for each of us, burning brightest in the dark. It is a flame that can reach beyond borders and light a common path forward.
“Common Flame” is this year’s theme for Bleeding Heart.
We’re featuring artists who are creatively responding to the light and warmth they see in others. We’re continuing to create supportive spaces for the mutual sharing of grief.
We’re calling you to ignite your torch in the fire and illuminate with us a procession of hope through another dark winter. You are needed and you are welcomed.
Photo by M.T ElGassier on Unsplash