One of my very favorite books is life is a verb: 37 days to wake up, be mindful, and live intentionally, by Patti Digh. We were lucky enough to sit down and chat with Patti about her book - you can read our author interview here.  This month, Patti would like to share the art from life is a verb.

Tamera Abate created this for an essay called "Carry a Small Grape," about cherishing the little things of life.

This is the piece of art that started it all--Donna B. Miller illustrated one of my essays on an artist's trading card to carry in her wallet, send me a copy, and sparked my idea to have readers illustrate Life is a Verb.

A global barn raising

-Patti Digh

An email from a reader of my blog, 37days*, started it all. She had created a piece of art to carry in her wallet as a reminder of one of my essays. At the time her email arrived, I was finalizing the manuscript for my book, Life is a Verb. It hit me instantly: "Why can't this book be illustrated by readers of my blog, people who have read and responded to my words for these past few years?"

And so I asked, and art started flowing in--collages, oil paintings, sculptures...

This illlustration for "Celebrate Every Orange Flag" is by Jennifer Krentz. While she was working on this illustration, her 11-year-old daughter asked what she was doing, and said she wanted to make one too. Her illustration is below.

This is by 11-year-old Callie Leone, daughter of Jennifer Krentz, and illustrates a story about giving yourself (or others) permission to wear pink glasses.

Kate McGovern illustrated the essay, "Say Wow When You See a Bus," about reclaiming our youthful exuberance at simple things.

Over 70 artists from around the world created 125 pieces of original art based on their interpretation of my words. I told people who contributed that we could only pick 37 pieces of art, one for each of the essays that would appear in the book. But when the publisher saw the amazing outpouring of art, they made two decisions: Every piece of art would be used in the book, and the book would be printed in full color rather than black and white.

From artists who were 11 years old and 80 years old and everything in between around the world, art came pouring in. Parents and children worked together to create art for the book; life partners worked on art together and so did brothers and sisters; and aunts and nephews, too.
This, my friends, is relationship.

"Bust Your Toast Rules" is an essay about the made-up rules we let rule our lives. Illustration by Leah Piken Kolidas.

Claire Hummel illustrated an essay, "Redefine Normal," about how we need to enlarge our definition of what is "normal" to include others.

One of the most popular stories in the book, "Say Hi to Yaron," is a cautionary tale about stereotyping others, here illustrated by Mahima Shrestha.

I was overwhelmed.

It was a literary and artistic barn raising.

I asked the artist who sparked the idea, Donna Miller, to create the cover, to complete the circle.

When the book arrived from the publisher, it felt like OURS, not just mine.

I thought that was the end of the story, but it wasn’t.

This beautiful painting by Wyanne Thompson illustrates "Roll on the Floor," a story about how we help (or hinder) others.

Japanese mud balls called "Dorodango" provide the inspiration for this essay, "Polish Your Mud Ball" and for this art work by Adele Wayman (an art professor I remember from my college days at Guilford College, in the small world department!)

"Save Face for Someone Else" is about working hard to allow others to maintain their dignity. Alice Woodside provided this illustration.

Suddenly my inbox filled up again, this time with news of the book's arrival. From New Zealand to Hong Kong to South Africa and far beyond, photos poured in.

People started showing me how they were engaging with the book, making it theirs. They were using the book in ways I had never imagined.

This is crowd sourcing. It's another name for community.

How could you harness this kind of barn raising spirit in your own life?

Liz Gill Neilson illustrated an essay about maintaining one's own dignity called "Don't Sell Your Red Books."

"Let it Be a Barn" explores the possibility of different perspectives on the same event, and Laura Stinson provides this illustration.

Denise Doupnik is the artist for this illustration of the essay, "Don't Stop to Wave, You'll Drown," a story of what it means to do our work in the world without seeking adoration for it.

"Burn Those Jeans" is a tale of a pair of blue jeans that haunted the author. Illustration by Jim Slatton.

Mat Wojcik and Megan Lane provided this illustration of an essay about giving "Free Hugs."

"Let Go of the Monkey Bar" is about embracing the liminal spaces "in-between," here beautifully illustrated by Sarah Davis.

Patti’s book, Life is a Verb (Globe Pequot Press, 2008), was one of five finalists for the prestigious “Books for a Better Life Award” in 2009, and is a finalist for the “Book of the Year Award” form the Southern Independent Booksellers’ Association. So far, it has been optioned for publication in Brazil, Taiwan, and the U.K., as well as the U.S. Her next book - on life as a creative act - is due out in the Spring/Summer of 2010. When’s she’s not writing, she’s teaching or coaching individuals and organizations on living and working more mindfully and more creatively.

Landscape architects call unofficial paths across a landscape "desire lines," a concept explored in "Follow Your Desire Lines" and illustrated by Kate Iredell.

Teenager Hanz Dalken provided this illustration of an essay about courage, "Get Off the Ship."

This sculpture was sent by an artist in Germany named Tari June Goerlitz who embellished the shrine with handmade beads by her friend and cancer survivor Kelli Schwert.

All photos courtesy and copyright of Patti Digh, Life is a Verb.