Jerry Wennstrom

In 1979, Jerry Wennstrom, a rnrising star in the New York art world, intentionally destroyed his paintings and rngave away his possessions and money. He spent well over the next decade rnwandering, seeking, and listening, relying only on his own intuition and an rnunconditional trust in the Universe to provide for him. In consciously emptying rnhimself of his identity, Jerry was led on an extraordinary spiritual journey and rnultimately, a return to creating art. In his new book, The Inspired Heart: An Artist's Journey of Transformation, Jerry tells the story of his metaphorical rndeath and rebirth as an artist and as a man. The Inspired Heart is a rnself-portrait of the life of a man guided by a desire to connect to the divine, and armed only with an unwavering faith in Grace to sustain him. In sharing the rntale of his remarkable survival and his surrender to life experience, Jerry rnwrites "it is important to bring the mystery of this survival back to the tribe rnas story." Ralph White - NY Open Center's Lapis Magazine

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The Inspired Heart:

An Artist's Journey of Transformation

By Jerry Wennstrom ISBN: 0-9710786-9-6

Sentient Publication www.sentientpublications.com

(See below for Parabola/Sentient Publication's companion video- In The Hands rnof Alchemy: The Art and Life of Jerry Wennstrom.)

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I'm sure that many people will find rncomfort and inspiration in this book. Jerry is able to describe a spiritual rnjou ey outside of any ancient tradition or modern system, and I trust that rnoriginality. He avoids the many hollow words that sometimes enter contemporary rnspiritual thought and embodies the idea that you can be fully spiritual and rnfully secular at the same time. Jerry's experience shows that simply by being rnreceptive to deep intuition and living intelligently from the heart, you can rnachieve a degree of holiness. In the old Sufi story people were amazed that Mojud, an untutored wanderer, developed the power to heal. I expect Jerry's book rnto be a source of healing, and so I can ask him the question put to Mojud: "Under whom did you study?" I would expect him to answer, "It is difficult to rnsay." -- Thomas Moore, author of - Care of the Soul and The Reenchantment of Everyday Life

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"One of the most magnificent things rnabout Jerry is his profound and courageous innocence. He has created a rnfriendship with a part of himself which is in love with the world, and his art rndisplays that. Jerry is one of the few people I know who, in a very quiet way, has actually claimed his happiness in existence." - David Whyte author- The Heart Aroused and Crossing the Unknown Sea

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The Inspired Heart is a wise and rnprecious document, revealing the timeless secrets of simplicity and holy rnrevelation." -- David Jay Brown - Author rnof Mavericks of the Mind and Conversations on the Edge of rnthe Apocalypse.

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"If you listen to what Jerry has rnshared with us you will know how our wisest healers deal with the people in our rnworld. Each person needs someone to 'listen' to them. Jerry has brought us to rnthe inside of listening. Thank you Jerry for your compassion and your true and rngenerous gift of listening and allowing us to eavesdrop. Dahadubul, you have rnhonored each of us with the words shared in this book. These words express your rnbeautiful gift of honoring life in all of its forms." -- Vi Hilbert - 83 year old Salish Elder, Storyteller and Author of Haboo: Native American Stories from the Puget Sound

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This rnartist's thoughts and experiences of living on the edge will expand and rnchallenge your vision of life's possibilities. Travel along in the "now" as Wennstrom surfs the waves of life and carries the most colorful people with rnhim. -- Joe Kulin Publisher Parabola Magazine

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In Jerry Wennstrom, his life is his art and art his life, a seamless flow from rninner to outer expression of light and dark, multileveled, joyously humored and rnlit with authentic experience of being in service to its source. Above all, this rnartist has learned to listen to the language of the larger life as it wishes to rnbe lived through him in all its joy, creativity, reverence - and as healing rnpower for our time.-- Claire Dunne - Author- CG Jung - Wounded Healer of the Soul ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In giving up everything -possessions, attachments, even speech and food - Jerry Wennstrom found his true rnself, and something more: the wellspring of human nature. His art reflects that rndeep level of knowing which links each of us to that part of our nature which is rnete al. -- Deloris Tarzan Ament - Author- Iridescent Light: The Emergence rnof Northwest Art (And art critic for The Seattle Times for over twenty years)

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" He really is a kind of phoenix rnwho has risen from the ashes. He teaches us in a very gentle way you can survive rnan act like that, you can come through as a human being with great gentleness rnand beauty and that you can create your life in a highly profound and artistic rnfashion." -- Christina Baldwin - Author - Calling the Circle the First rnand Future Culture, Jou al Writing as a Spiritual Quest

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"Few of us have emptied our cup rnas completely as Jerry Wennstrom did when he destroyed his art in 1979, and rntherefore few have experienced as deep a reawakening to the subtle stirrings of rnthe divine in everyday life. It's hard for me to convey how deeply I respect rnwhat Jerry shares with us in his book /,The Inspired Heart, /in his art, and rnabove all in his person. Here is a completely genuine voice of creative rnspirit."-- Chris Bache - Author rnof Dark Night, Early Dawn

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"We have in Jerry Wennstrom's work rnsomething that is very needed for our current times: a life placed in service of rnthe soul's depth. This surrender to a deeper calling and the conviction rnnecessary to craft a life that supports such a response is medicine for our rntroubled times. If we could all dip into the wellspring of creative faith that Jerry has manifested then our world would be a better place. Jerry is an artist rnthat shows us how to have the courage to bring healing to our world. This is one rnof the highest callings any of can have and we owe a debt to Jerry for helping rnto guide us on our collective journey. -- David La Chapelle - Author-- Navigating the Tides of Change

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The Inspired Heart -- A needed true to life mythic story - Jerry Wennstrom's rnnarrative is piercing and irresistible. His courageous quest for spirit and rnmeaning in a world blinded by consumerism is a modern fairy tale to find the source of art and inspiration. His stories invite the fearless heart to rnopen.-- Laura Simms-- International rnstoryteller & Author - Bone Man and The Robe of Love

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The Inspired Heart: An Artist's Journey of Transformation

Without hesitation, I can say that The Inspired Heart rndescribes in content, style and intention, everything that is near and dear to rnmy heart. It is, indeed, beautifully written, magically intimate and readily rnavailable to all who might pick it up. If we could somehow put it into a form rnthat would dissolve, I think it should be put into public drinking water! An rnodorless and colorless substance that could protect the soul from calcification rnand nurture it into deep-rootedness in all aspects of life. The very attitudes and courage required of Jerry in rnmaking this extraordinary pilgrimage are the same required...nay, demanded...by rnany soul worker - counselor, analyst, therapist, or otherwise. How few really rnunderstand this when wanting to be present for another. Being truly present for rnanother requires a ferocious trust: It requires the ability of the ego to rncompletely step aside and to remain steadfast and committed to the Unknown. It rnis this trust that can heal, that can foster a capacity to love when one can rnfind nothing to love.What is describe in this book is the very thing rnthat is needed at this time in the world, for this understanding is in danger of rnbeing forgotten, or hidden. Stories such as these are absolutely critical, both rnas inspiration and as documentation. Cedrus Monte, PhD - C. G. Jung Institute- Zurich Author-The Moonlit Path: Reflections on the Dark Feminine

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Parabola VHS Video & Now on DVD by Sentient Publications

In The Hands Of Alchemy

The Art and Life Jerry Wennstrom

Directed by Phil Lucas ( PBS & Turner Broadcast- The Native American Series) and Mark Sadan (original film producer for Sesame Street)

DVD includes the rnnew "Studio Dialogue" a presentation by Jerry Wennstrom rnfilmed in Jerry's studio on Whidbey island, W.A. before a live audience, with rnmusic by Marilyn Strong backed by live musicians. Film rnincludes Jerry's latest, large interactive rnsculptures.

To Purchase DVD - www.sentientpublications.com or www.handsofalchemy.com

To Purchase VHS -www.parabola.org or www.handsofalchemy.com

Jerry Wennstrom is one of a kind - and his point is that any of us can be rnthat. We can, like him, walk straight into the heart of mystery and emerge more rnourselves than we could ever imagine. His tells his story of being called to rndestroy his art, of struggling to hear any message but that one, of surrendering rnhis will and allowing the soft something beyond will to guide him. It's all a rnfabulous tale worth hearing again and again like a great myth, and it's a deep, simple instruction for how to find ourselves in the middle of a life that seems rnreal, but is often missing the central character. Jerry's amazing recent rnartwork, and his extraordinarily beautiful and talented wife Marilyn swirl rnaround this story of a courageous soul, making it even more compelling. Best rnwould be to know Jerry as I am privileged to do, second best is watching this rnfilm.

Vicki Robin - Co-author, Your Money or Your Life

About the rnfilm:

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In rnthe Hands of Alchemy features testimony by authors David Whyte, Christina Baldwin, artist Deborah Koff Chapin and rnother friends and colleagues.. Included in the film are Depung-Loseling Tibetan Monks blessing rna tower that Jerry built on his land and footage of the monks humorously interacting with rnhis large interactive rnsculptures.

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Quote from the rnfilm- "There is a tremendous kind of rncourage that Jerry showed in the midst of the chaos and the individual rnloneliness of the Post-Mode world, to go his own way. It was the ultimate rnartistic step." -David Whyte author- The Heart Aroused and Crossing the Unknown Sea

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"In the Hands of Alchemy is a rndelightful film, an alchemical mixture in itself of inspiration, spirituality, art and the story of a remarkable human being." David Spangler, author of Blessings; Parent as Mystic, Mystic as Parent and Everyday Miracles.

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"When Jerry Wennstrom destroyed his art in 1979, he threw himself into the great rnunknown searching for a more authentic life. Walking the road of radical rnemptiness, the result was the emergence of a completely genuine voice, gentle, sensitive to the stirrings of the divine in everyday life, and creative beyond rnreasonable bounds. Wedding compassion and creativity, In rnthe Hands of Alchemy is rna rare celebration of life and the joy of spiritual surrender." Chris Bache, author, Dark Night, Early Dawn

Ecology Magazine

NY Open Center's Lapis Magazine

U-Magazine

Marilyn Strong & Jerry Wennstrom

Pomegranate Seed Productions

PO 522 Clinton, Whidbey Island, WA 98236

soluna(at)whidbey(dot)com

http://www.handsofalchemy.com

http://www.jerrywennstrom.com

Blogspot

Stay Inspired

www.handsofalchemy.com

Jerry Wennstrom has presented at the Birmingham Art Museum, the Seattle Art Museum, the EMP (Experience Music Project,) Glen Arbor Art Association, the Old Firehouse Art Center, Other Side Arts, UCS-NAROPA (Wisdom University,) the Vancouver Public Library, Western New Mexico University, Califo ia Institute of the Arts and NYU. He has also done over 50 radio, TV and magazine interviews and art features. For upcoming events, new artwork and more media please visit our bolg.

Also visit Stay Inspired -- a new organization we are involved with in the East Coast.