Page 22 - The Enso circle continuing Residents' Exhibition Catalog, Term Five, December 2022
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About
the
Artist & ANN LEACH
the
Work
I often get direction for my work through inner prompts. The most
consistent message is a challenge to work bigger and take up more
space. I accepted the challenge as a spirit doll maker and created
The Light Bearer, a 24” tall X 8” wide doll made of fabric with gold
threads, tulle with gold glitter, felt stars, buttons, and beads.
It’s no coincidence to me that we were offered the poetry of Mary
Oliver and more specifically her book, House of Light, as a guiding
touchstone this term. I see our physical bodies as the house of our
souls and believe we are indeed called to shine our light in contribut-
ing to the planet, our communities, our friends and families.
The Light Bearer spirit doll is a visual reminder of the soul body pour-
ing light over its owner and all others it encounters. I then recall the
Marianne Williamson quote I paraphrase here that says “It is our
light, not our darkness that most frightens us. You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world. And as we let our own
light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the
same.”
I felt those words resonating in my own soul body as I constructed
this spirit doll. In her famous poem, The Summer’s Day, Oliver in-
quires, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and pre-
cious life?” I can now respond “to continue to do it bigger and take up
more space”.
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