The 'Fire In The Belly' Challenge 

This week the membership was asked to curate and write either thoughts or a poem to compliment their choice. Ten members took up the challenge. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 "There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." Nelson Mandela


The bold color highlighted by strong lines caught my eye and sparked a passion in me. Passion ... Fire in the belly ... Call it what you will, but, if you miss it...if you always play small...then you just settle.

Submitted by: Cynthia Westover
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 Donna French

 Deep inside the cave

lines, color, ice emotes

fire in the belly

A Haiku submitted by: Barbara DuBois
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 Amy McGrath

 The Solar Plexus


Look inward to the guts
Dig deep - past the heart of the matter
To the viscera

That feeling you get From the Depths Within  
Scorched desires eating your insides
Or feeding your fervent fancies

There are no lies here
Cauterized by the flames of truth
The Fire in the Belly speaks

Will you listen?



Poem submitted by:  Shelly Yoga
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Shelly Yoga 

This image was selected by several members: 

 I scrolled through the entries many times but my eyes always rested on this piece, inexorably drawn into the vastness of a vibrant galaxy.


"There is no abstract art. You must always start with something. Afterward you can remove all traces of reality" Pablo Picasso

Submitted by: Fiona Christian

 "Trust in dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity." ~Kahil Gibran


Submitted by: Catherine Restivo

Disclaimer:  Lene Basma writes: "Ok, so big discussions in da house (for the record, we, Johnny (Eckó) and I, did NOT submit this time:)). Between us and my son (Tobias 13yrs old), we have two (and 1/2) favorites.... and three different justifications, AND in the interest of vanity (my own of course); the only art critique I believe in - UNLESS it for some reason or other, has to be inside a convention - is the articulation of a personal experience;


... beauty before age... so, here it goes; "

  "...this one mama, I see blood veins, without them being really veins, you said it had to be abstracted, huh...? For me, the passion, the courage is in the red color, and the memories, the reasons why, are in the purple and blue - so this is "Fire in da Belly", for me..."


Submitted by Lene Basma for her son : Tobias (13yrs old)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 "...Butterflies, being in love, excited, wanting - all this can be "Fire in the belly",

but, for me, suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, that kind of excitement, positive or negative,is always toxic on a physical level, so for me, the concept of "Fire in da Belly"  is connected with something threatening, a darkness,which means this is MY favorite..."

Submitted by: Lene Basma
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 and Johnny felt he [with an extremely guilty and heavy heart] had to discard all the entries, when I asked him what "Fire in da Belly" meant for him,

pointing instead to a video (part of an exhibition we saw last week): http://vimeo.com/7722285, and this image, which he made as we were discussing...

Submitted by Lene Basma for Johnny Eckó
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Given the title of this particular challenge, 'Fire In The Belly', one could take the the theme either figuratively or literally. The artist in this case chose to express herself/himself in a reflective manner that transmutes insight into either school of thought. Needless to say, at first glance, it is apparent to me that the image imparts the notion of 'Life' at its primordial level - the splitting of a zygote into two. The process continues and life works its way into existence through the formation of a new being, with birth the ultimate conclusion. In the figurative sense, I believe that aside from connoting the concept of life and birth, it extends this notion into a further direction. The moods of life are captured through the blending of events or colors in subtle yet strong notes. The reflectivity and power of the thrust charged from splitting denotes the yin & yang of life - the balance - the left and the right - that which is good and that which must become better. All the various disparities, commonalities, oxymorons and coincidences that persist throughout our own individual and combined existence are inserted into this piece. It is for these reasons that I chose this piece as my favorite because it is complete: it fits the challenge, it evokes emotion, it beautifully transmits the commotion of life and birth and emotes the tranquility of the notion that there is a finality - an end result - to the pursuit of existence. That the challenge has been won! 

Submitted by: Rudy Vogel
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Fiona  Christian

 When I think of ‘fire in the belly’ I think of passion - that singular burning passion of being totally in love or lust with someone where you feel it in the depths your soul.


I like the seeming simplicity of this image, but the more I look at it, the more depth there is to it, and the more I am drawn to it. Looking at this image gives me that feeling of passion - one of warmth and energy - intense and concentrated - all consuming... fire in the belly!

Submitted by: Cara Gallardo Weil
  
  
  
  

Donna French 

 Every time I would go to the website to look at the entries, I found myself continually coming back to this photo. I'm not quite sure why -- maybe because the interpretation of Fire In The Belly in this photo was the use of blue and not red which most interpretations were -- my own included. It made me aware and feel a certain liberation to feel that that "fire" for life could be realized in a calm and slow way. I am struggling these days with my lack of fire and this photo gave me permission to do it my way. 


Submitted by: Sammi Gavich

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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