Yellow Bird
In the Thoughts and Inspirations section there is a posting called Chased by a Poem which talks about the creative muse. For an artists, one of the most rewarding experiences occurs when creative forces just flow through… when a poem or painting or idea just comes and we are there to simply jot it down or express it…
One of the most powerful moments where this happened to me was in Boston. I was taking a poetry class and at the end of the class someone was talking about a loved one that had passed away. Just then I saw a bird land outside the window. On the way home the stormy sky was split in two with one half a creamsicle orange and the other, a dark slate gray. And then the rain started… A poem was brewing. I ran in the door, dropped everything, pulled out my journal and started scribbling down this poem about my grandfather. The sun was setting so by the time I finished I was writing in the dark. But this poem remains one of my favorites because of how it was created:
SYNTHESIS: A Fundraising Gala for the Queen West Art Crawl
Friday, March 25 · 7:00pm – 11:00pm
Pia Bouman School For Ballet and Creative Movement, 6 Noble Street Toronto, ON
I am so looking forward this year to participating in SYNTHESIS. Such a cool concept… 20 artists divided in two, the first 10 artists create a piece of work to then be passed onto 10 other artists (dancers, clowns, storytellers, singers) to then create something inspired from their creation… it is synthesis at it’s best!
Toronto Storytelling Festival
March 25 to April 3, 2011
The 33rd Annual Toronto Storytelling Festival will be a 10-day celebration of storytelling influenced by this year’s theme, The Seventh Generation: Past, Present, Future. On Saturday March 26th at 3pm I am thrilled to be telling stories again with the Katari Storytelling group.
Come travel to Japan with the Katari Japanese Storytellers as they tell traditional and contemporary Japanese stories.
Chased by a Poem
Sometimes poetry or paintings or ideas just come. They appear when we least expect them. Or all of a sudden loose ends or images that we may have been thinking about surface; they unconsciously tie themselves together to form something new. In this wonderful talk by Elizabeth Gilbert on Ted.com, the author of Eat, Pray, Love talks about the creative process and creative muses.
One of my favorite parts is where she mentions the poet Ruth Stone. Ruth, as a young girl said she would be out working in the fields and she could hear a poem coming, barreling across the Virginia landscape. And she would have to run home in order to get it down on paper. This speech is under 20 minutes and so worth listening to. It is confirmation and a little bit of balm for the creative soul.
Celebrate Everything
Lines on face, desire lines Look how they radiate outward, hazel suns reaching, reaching Gained weight, all will even out, all will ebb, then flow again
No need to frown, see See it as a rainbow, children holding hands on a hillside Forming a bridge A frown can be a bridge, you know From today to anything
Is this delusional? I don’t know? But perhaps There is something to say about embracing the what-is-ness of ourselves Something to say about putting down the clipboard Stopping the judging panel
Red Toboggan
Camp Magic – Summer 2010
Ross and I were thrilled to go to Singapore last summer to work at Camp Magic!
Here’s are a few pictures as well as some postings that will give you a feel of our six weeks there!
Emma May’s Magical Day
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In Emma May’s Magical Day we follow the adventures of a young girl, Emma who “goes out one day to find what she can find. She has shoes for walking, lips for talking and curiosity on her mind”. With the only rule being to put one foot after the other, Emma discovers a sea of ants on a boat building mission, a snail on rollerblades and a wise and mischievous butterfly named Olive.
Emma May’s Rainy Day
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The ants are back to test out their boats and take the white water ride of a lifetime. Rain turns the day grey for Emma but with a few reminders from Olive or the wise ant named Bamboo (with the wild hair-do) we see that with any day or situation there is always a choice:
Emma May Met Her Match One Day
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In the third story of the Emma May series Emma takes a wrong turn and through a disheartening situation she finds a ray of light. She discovers Thomas is up in a tree with binoculars to see the festivities that are about to begin. With a few teeth missing from his welcoming grin and his glasses not quite straight on his face he welcomes Emma with humour and warmth and together they embark on a gigANTic adventure:
Recent Paintings
