Drawing on the Dream
Denise Kester
Caretaker of the Small
She is the Caretaker of the small.
The keeper of the small things,
that matter in the larger scheme of things,
that hold our world together by their
fragile threads of pure joy.
Raven Dream
Crow returned home dreaming a Raven Dream,
a big dream full of promise and gifts,
full of hope and renewal, light and warmth.
It was a power dream of strength and courage.
A way of seeing multi dimensionally
while standing firmly grounded in personal power.
A way to survive in troubled times.
Crow is pretty smart and knows that
when you take a Raven Dream seriously,
the Raven Dream will take you seriously.
So, Crow took the Raven Dream to heart.
She danced the dream, sang the dream,
painted the dream, acted out the dream,
and she gave the dream away.
The dream gift multiplied in the telling and sharing
and became a part of other people's lives and stories,
no longer a dream, but a reality.
Crow continues to have Raven Dreams,
and she continues to pay attention to them
and they continue to pay attention to her.
At the Country Fair
It was summer time in Oregon.
We stood in amazement at the Country Fair.
We were surrounded by music, art, and magic everywhere.
The smells of food cooking wafted around us
as we walked the paths to new discoveries of jugglers,
clowns, and acrobats, oh my, and
theater, poetry and belly dancing fiddlers too.
It was a feast for all the senses.
We followed a marching band to a teddy bear picnic.
We watched a flamingo parade, our favorite.
We danced at the Drum Tower until they swept us out.
So much beauty and celebration of life
at the Country Fair.
Bearing the gravity together
We are in watery electric motion
We are being pulled apart
Until Bear holds us together
Keeping us close
We hold firm our beliefs as one
We pour from our hearts as one
We nurture with our presence as one
We bear the gravity together
Sheltered by our determination
We fulfill our pact to give freely
From our own deep source
We hold firm our beliefs as one
We pour from our hearts as one
We nurture with our presence as one
We let something mysterious be born
Emerging from our kinship of purpose
We allow life awakening possibilities to
Fly off in all directions
We hold firm our beliefs as one
All life is precious
We pour from our hearts as one
Letting love be our guide
We nurture with our presence as one
Giving peace a chance
Well Being holding the world together
Well Being holds chaos
On the edge of despair
While breathing in disappointment
And breathing out trust
Breathing in aloneness
Breathing out community
Breathing in greed
Breathing out kindness
Breathing in war
Breathing out peace
Well Being holds multiple realities
On the edge of creative possibilities
While breathing in new pathways
And breathing out intention
Breathing in the void
Breathing out the source
Breathing in all time
Breathing out this moment
Breathing in the dying away
Breathing out the birthing anew
Well Being holds the world together
On the edge of the great wide open
While breathing in the eyes
And breathing out the heart
Breathing in the cosmos
Breathing out the atom
Breathing in oneness with all life
Breathing out the unique choice
Breathing in love
Breathing out love
She let her words fly forth as blessings,
Like white birds cheering the heart.
In the shelter of Bear’s arms she let go of her fears.
Her words became like birds and flew away
Becoming something unexpected.
About the artist
Photo Credit: Oregon Public Broadcasting
Denise Kester is a renowned teacher and international artist. She has been teaching workshops for 20 years in the creative process including monoprinting, collage, and book arts. She has presented “Awaken and Amplify Your Creativity” with Dr. Jean Houston’s Social Artistry Seminars and Women of Wisdom conferences in Seattle, WA. Denise is Artistic Director of Drawing On The Dream, an art distribution company since 1992. She exhibits her work at Hanson Howard Gallery. She is a recent featured artist on Oregon Public Television’s Art Beat.
For more information about Denise, visit her website drawingonthedream.com. You can email her at denisekester@drawingonthedream.com
For more information about Denise, visit her website drawingonthedream.com. You can email her at denisekester@drawingonthedream.com