"Words into Dreams" by artists S. Jewell S. McGhee and Nikki Leeper will be a part of the festivities in Maplewood's annual  "Let Them Eat Art" Festival.

 Maplewood's Whimsical Tribute to Bastille Day - 
Here's your chance to take a self-guided tour through historic downtown Maplewood.  

You will enjoy live art demonstrations, entertainment and food & drink specials sold streetside by Maplewood’s award-winning restaurants. 
Here's a sampling of what's being planned:
 
This year we are offering a sampling of the STL 250 Cakes courtesy of the STL 250 Cakelovers who will be kicking off the festivities with a Cakewalk parade down Sutton Blvd. at 6:30 PM.
                          

Starting at 6 PM, we welcome Farshid Ethniko on the Sutton Mainstage at 2731 Sutton and, headliner, The Gene Dobbs Bradford Blues Experience will serenade us from 9 PM to 11 PM. 

Entertainment includes the St. Louis Hoop Club, Dream Seekers Dream Interpretation, Belly Dancing, Impish Grin Face Painting and Tarot Card Reading at Mystic Valley. 
 
The event also features: 

• Live music around town with Elliot Ranney, Kecia Davis, Kevin Bilchik, Bryan & Lola, Phatz Jango and Miss Julibee.  

• Great food & drink specials by Maplewood’s award-winning restaurants including wine tastings at Vom Fass and chocolate tastings at Kakao Chocolate! 30 Food & Drink Venues to serve you.  
 
• Activities with Shakespeare Festival St. Louis and CAM (Contemporary Art Museum) 

• Dan the Pancake Man 

• Kid-friendly food at Bolyard's Meats and Provisions 

Reflections by the Artist on
“Words into Dreams”     Words become many things.  Words are instructions and information. Words are lies and words are truth.  Words are just a medium to craft beautiful works of art.  Words hold our dreams and give them back to us full of hope and soaked in magic. 
     This community art piece standing on the Delmar Loop in front of Subterranean Books brings books to life.  Is she Marie Antoinette, or Marian the Librarian? She is the keeper of a "take-a-book leave-a-book" bookshelf that adorns the front of her court gown.
   The artists S. Jewell S. McGhee and Nikki Leeper collaborated to make this artwork for Mannequins on the Loop 2015 and representing the business Subterranean Books.   
      
S. Jewell S. McGhee

Mannequins on the Loop 2015
 
Subterranean Books 
One of the Great St. Louis Independent Bookstores6275 Delmar Boulevard, On the Loop
www.subbooks.com
 
Artists: S. Jewell S. McGhee and Nikki Leeper

Jewell
2735 Ellendale Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63143
sjewellsmcghee@gmail.com
www.sjewellsmcghee.com
314-458-5601

Nikki
www.behance.net/nikkileeper
NLeeper.illustration@gmail.com

You gave eleven answers.

I wanted to know how to live a life that you would fill with your presence and holiness.

You told me these eleven things.

1.      To make my foundation a consistent dedication to the way of the LORD with my whole life; not sinless perfection but consistent dedication.

2.      To wear my heart on my sleeve.  “To speak the truth in the heart is to be so integrated that inner thought and audible speech agree. (Gerald H. Wilson)”   To be transparent in my words and deeds.

3.      …so that distortions of truth would never leave my lips.

4.      To do no knowing harm to those I know.

5.      And not to judge unjustly or hastily those I don’t yet know.

6.      To recognize wickedness as ugly. To hate what is hateful, and condemn what is damnable.

7.      To recognize virtue as beautiful, and honor holiness and righteous living.

8.      To keep the covenants I make. To recognize the sacredness of a promise.

9.      To keep my promises, even when it hurts. To be self-sacrificial in my virtue and fully committed to my words.

10.  To give plainly without strings attached or unspoken expectations.

11.  To never be persuaded that injustice is justice because of financial pressures.

These things will keep me grounded in the presence of God, infecting my whole life with worship.

by S. Jewell S. McGhee

11-14-2014

Quotation taken from Ps. Vol. 1 page 299 by Gerald H. Wilson, as part of the NIV Application Commentary Series

God, you are my place of safety.

God, you are my source of peace.

It is your goodness and your kindness that soothe my fears.

Without my certainty and hope in you, all of my life and decisions would be laughable.

Instead, I will look at the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before me and see your children and your delight and I will rejoice in the good inheritance of my faith.

I know that those who find their hope and safety outside of you will suffer and will suffer more.

I will not seek after other comforts, other solutions or other people, to be for me what only you can be.

Lord, you have given me my past, my present, and my future is securely yours.

You bring me gratitude and contentment.

I will praise you because you counsel me always, even as I rest you instruct my heart and mind.

“I will fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of my faith.”  He is my solid ground, my strong foundation, my sure footing.

Therefore I know gladness, I speak gratitude, I rest and relax in the safety of my God.

You will not abandon me.

You will not neglect to care for me.

You show me the way of abundance and life.

You give me joy, you fill me with your joy, like an excited friend whose mood wears off on you, and like contagious laughter.

You provide completeness and pleasure in your presence.


                                                                                                           S. Jewell S. McGhee

Do I say or act in my heart of hearts as if there is no God?  Do I enjoy watching corrupt and scandalous stories on TV?

            There is no one good, but God.

  God I know you see me clearly, you know my thoughts and motivations. You know that all too often I chose to relax rather than discipline myself in seeking you.

             There is no one good but God.

  We have all joined together with Adam and Eve and ignored your bountiful gifts in order to lust and lie over the forbidden and ungiven.

  Do I call to God when I need help, or do I make a phone call?

  Do I use my friends and use them up? Do I act swiftly on my selfish desires?

             There is no one good but God.

  When I think of God’s righteousness and his requirements, does it fill me with dread? Am I overwhelmed by how God asks me to live?

  Do I work with or against those who are acting righteously?

             You are my guide, your Spirit plants goodness in me.

             Your fruit grows in my heart—kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control

—and your salvation is near.

Restore me. Restore my heart and restore my actions to align with your goodness
and the good you’ve done for me.

 

 I was challenged in looking at this Psalm to see myself as the wicked and not righteous.  Because I really didn’t want to, I thought I should.  And as usual, I am glad I did.