We need art now more than ever

Last updated on: November 18, 2016 at 2:41 pm by Brandy Williams

We need art now more than ever 2016-11-18T14:41:17-07:00 Brandy Williams

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Art saved me this week.

My life changed on election night. I settled in front of the television expecting to see an historic and hopeful moment. After the celebrations I planned to hold elected officials to the progressive agenda. Instead a sexual predator with an autocratic agenda that threatens American democracy and the climate of the planet rode into office on a wave of rage and hate.

I spent three days just processing the waves of emotion. A sense of unreality swallowed me as I watched my own country follow in the footsteps of Russia, Egypt, Turkey. A fist of fear settled into my stomach, fear for myself as a Pagan woman and for my even more vulnerable friends, people of color, LGBTQ, Muslims.

When I thought about the future I couldn’t imagine devoting much time to my work. For the Love of the Gods just came out and I’ve been on a campaign to get it in front of people who need it. After the election I postponed a coaching session that was going to focus on building my author platform. How trivial was that when people’s lives are in danger? Many of my creative friends expressed the same thought. How can I paint, act, sing at a time like this?

When I was finally able to think again I cast around me for sources of solace and inspiration. By chance the musical group Sequentia came to Seattle last week. They sang music that had not been heard in a thousand years, musical settings of excerpts from The Consolation of Philosophy. Listening to Sequentia sing about how Lady Philosophy counseled Boethius during his year in prison finally re-centered me in my life and in my spirit.

A few nights later I got to sing myself. We had full attendance at regular practice night of the the Medieval Women’s Choir. For a few hours we forgot about the uncertain future and blended our voices in the common voice.

I realized then that we have to keep on singing, playing, writing, acting, painting, making jewelry and woodcuts and beautiful clothing. In these circumstances our art is not frivolous, it is essential. It is the solace of our pain, the engine of our hope, the expression of our selves. Through our art we link with each other. Through our art we can resist tyranny and imagine a future in which the planet and our friends survive.

The work of Boethius helped me reconnect with my spiritual strength. I am grateful to him as a teacher and ancestor for his example of grace under dire circumstances. I emerged with a new determination to write stories about Lady Philosophy, who tells us she is trying to bring us all home.

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