WitchCRAFT

Random forces of chaos, God, or The Universe, whatever you want to call her, she is the greatest artist of all time. What exactly is art? For some people this is painting, for others it’s writing poetry or composing music. The greatest sculptors can carve the most intricate of details of the human body into clay but who created the model? What inspired Mozart to create music that still connects with people hundreds of years after his death?

All art has some basis in seen or unseen reality, and that reality was certainly not created by humanity alone. No matter how good the painter is, they cannot compete with the setting sun; they cannot perceive let alone capture its full essence. If I were to put a name to my form of artistry, the terms witchcraft or chaos magick would suffice. Although I’ve never been tied down to those terms, witchcraft is the best way I can describe how I interact with the world and exert my will within it.

I love life so much and am always moved by its beauty, not just by the good parts but the ugly bits as well. The whole picture is gorgeous to me. However, each time I tried to capture the splendor of nature and express it on canvas I would cry, for I was a blasphemer. It was never one of my gifts to play the guitar either– I was never a prolific wordsmith, painter, or musician to my own satisfaction. All of my life I’ve asked, “What’s the point?” In my mind I was not good enough.

Obviously, I was wrong then. To get better at something you have to practice. Looking back at previous works that I’ve done I can see that I was being hard on myself; funny enough, I still am. I relegated myself to be a devotee of life and her higher crafts. I worshiped her and she taught me how to live with grace and how to die with honor.

Days that it snowed are considered holy to me. I would find myself ass- naked outside bowing in humble gratitude, because in my young mind the earth had risen and the heavens came down to visit us. I could not help but show my love and gratitude. For me this became my craft; to live life organically, full of love and gratitude for nature and connecting to the greater universe. I’m sure some would wonder how what I’m describing can be considered a craft. My reply to them would be, “What form of craft is greater than the craft of reshaping our reality?”

To see the divine harmony within the chaos of existence and to find your center within the storm of life are skills well worth having and developing. No, my craft is not in a medium that is easily consumable – you cannot capture moments of kindness on page. I don’t do the things that I do out of a need to be witnessed, but because I love people and the environment. People, like all things within this world, are an extension of the cosmos and, therefore, are holy to me. Learning how to love and respect my environment and the people, from within and without, is a craft as worthy as any.

The majority of my life has been dedicated to perfecting my craft. I’ve woven a web of love and camaraderie throughout the city of Memphis, my home. Until relatively recently, I’ve been satisfied simply spreading joy to the lives of others. Unfortunately, due to climate change and the appearance of microplastics within the rain water I couldn’t simply spread joy anymore. The snow no longer came as often and had been tainted so I couldn’t properly “go to church.” Back in 2018, when I was at my lowest point, I received a “message.” The world is heading towards absolute mutual destruction and that the arts are a pathway for our salvation.

When art is created out of love it can inspire beauty and change our outlook of the world. I was tasked with a mission to create art that would send a signal to the viewer of “please stop destroying yourself.” My hands always felt as if they were… broken when it came to painting, drawing, or any form of art. I never felt as if I were good enough, but when I understood the mission given to me I didn’t give a damn anymore. I became the lion that could not be tamed by either whip or chair.

I am now determined to create a work of literature or art in ANY medium that would convince people that this planet and themselves are worth saving. When I was at my lowest, the Goddess gave me the greatest gift that I could ever ask for. That was the determination to pick up my paint brush. As I developed my painting skills, I began to infuse my paintings with my magick. I wanted to create a grid of artwork that I sold or gave away in hopes to purify the negative energy within the city of Memphis. Before I could finish, I’ve been given an opportunity to use the craft that I have already mastered to help save the world.

It brought me to my advocacy work. Politicians come, go, and all of them make the same glaring mistakes. No one wants to sit at a table with you when you treat them as the simple brush strokes of your “masterpiece.” If you want to paint a better future, you’re gonna have to realize that there’s more than one person holding the brush. It’s gonna take everyone to build that brighter future.

Because I loved nature, I was willing to learn from her and use what I know to help heal others. I’m a protector of life and a kicker of ass when need be. The people that I’ve helped sometimes joined me on my quest to advocate for our planet or returned to the craft that they love.

Although I get tired, I’ve never felt as alive as I do now. The work that I do is stressful but fulfilling. Every day I am challenged to go beyond my limits and become slightly better than I was yesterday. In the back of my mind, however, I feel that I have no other choice but to continue because we are already past maximum stakes and I refuse to simply go quietly into the night. A part of my witchcraft is asking the universe to guide my footsteps and it has brought me here to you, the reader. I wanted to ask you all to join me in my quest to save our little corner of the world. If we work together, we can create a true work of art and Memphis can be a shining example of a better future. Let’s create something beautiful!