Friday Inspiration – Rebecca Love
Rebecca Love is a woman I’ve known for gosh I don’t know….close to 20 years now. She is the Godmother to Mason and, well, to me, she’s connected to my heart.
It’s funny how our relationship began and to say that God had a hand in it would be the biggest understatement of the world. You see, she and I met at the Renaissance Fair back when it was at Black Point Forest which ironically, is just a few minutes down the road from where I live now. I went to the fair with a boyfriend at the time and found ourselves at the place called “the end of the world” to have a tarot reading. People offered couples readings and since I had been on a quest to find my soulmate from the time I was 12, this seemed like a great way to figure out if this guy was the right guy.
Rebecca was the reader we were drawn to, and although I don’t remember what she said or what the cards had to say, she made an impression that drew me back to that spot at the end of the world, year after year, boyfriend after boyfriend. It’s funny, I think by year three she realized I was the same girl coming again and again and she must have seen something in me. Something she liked or related to or thought she could help out in some way.
She invited me to stay one weekend at Fair and our relationship went to a deeper level. I could see myself in Rebecca, I could relate to her on so many levels and I felt magic when I was around her. She lived in a small cottage in the woods of Occidental, CA, filled with books and art and ceramic pieces from friends, fellow artists as well as things that she created.
Over the years both of our paths took windy turns and twisty roads but always remained in connection with each other. Her love of clay grew deeper and she began casting faces and pregnant bellies and making beautiful pieces of art from those casts. I had her cast both of my pregnancies. So much fun!
Then at one of those turns in the road, a moment happened that brought her to her knees and back into a relationship with Christ. It was strong and passionate and a little unexpected, but, it was a piece of Rebecca that had been there all along. Sleeping while she went on her crazy journey of exploration. I looked at that moment and tried to see what was there for me and again, heard God talking to me and calling me back. I didn’t listen as closely as I could have for quite some time but eventually, the call was too loud to ignore and I too found myself back in a deep relationship with God. Rebecca was a strong influence in that return for me. Her faith, her love and her passion are inspiring and a bit contagious.
Her journey has brought a new development over the last couple of years. She has been called to reach out to women in Africa. Women who are artists and in need of support and guidance and a helping hand. They are basket weavers, jewelry makers and bead workers. This has inspired a whole new line of art from Rebecca as well. Her castings now have an African feel and influence that is unmistakeable. I photographed an event that was held at the gallery in Sebastapool that Rebecca started with a group of other artists. You can view the slideshow from the event HERE.
For so many years her art was her own, something for her to enjoy and explore and now, as she reaches out into the world to help others, she has decided to open her studio as well. She is starting to hold workshops on casting, so that other people can try their hand at creating a piece of art. She feels that there is a rich discovery to who you are “behind the mask” and that by creating a mask of your face, you can explore yourself on a deeper level and create a piece that will inspire you each time you look at it.
I’m so excited that Rebecca is reaching out in this way. Sharing her art on such an intimate level. She is truly a beautiful person and I have no doubt that amazing things will come to each participant of every workshop. This is a discovery workshop in it’s truest sense. You can see some samples of her work and learn more about her workshops HERE.
