Week 12- Highly Creative Women - Creed

And so, it's the end of our 12 weeks with Jamie's Next Chapter Book Club!  This last chapter deals with setting our creative creed and setting our creative priorities.  Honestly, i could have done with this earlier in the book, but i love the worksheet templates that Gail McMeekin provides.  Very helpful indeed!

Lisa's Creative Creed

I believe in the power of art and it's transformational qualities. 

 I will create art daily.  

I will dance in supermarkets, and public places as well as with 

my love in my living room to old Patsy Cline records.  

I will remember that art is part of my heart and without it  i am not whole. 

 I will play with colour and shape and line. 

I will break the rules.  

I will sing out loud.  

I will write outside the margins and i will share stories with abandon.  

And all the time that i do this, i will seek out the others in the world who, like me, are taking a chance to make this a better world.  

I will build a community of lovelies, artists, groovy dance movers, players, thinkers, teachers and students from 1 to 100 years old. 

 I will listen to the stories of the earth wherever i may be.  

I will listen to the land, and travel when i can.  

I will cultivate the opposite to try and see how the others live.  

I will get my hands dirty.  

I will strive to be excellent in my performance work, and will

accept mistakes along the way.  

I believe that creativity can and will make this crazy world a much better, 

more beautiful place to reside.  

Breathe, be, and begin.  

Thanks to all of the women who shared this journey with me.  I hope to keep in contact with you along the way. And many thanks to wonderful Jamie!  This has been wonderful!

I am in the process of coming up with a weekly creative check in.  I have seen very specific check in's online for crafts or writers, but i am looking to create a check in for artists of all disciplines.  Keep your eye our for an announcement next week and i hope that you will join us in this creative journey!

My Cat Wiener

Weiner, originally uploaded by girlcancreate.

Just a little hello to my friends in bloglandia!

This is my cat Wiener. I got her many years ago and now in her old age she is doing funny things. Like a few nights ago, i woke up to find her sitting in front of the monitor.

Just sitting there, ready for her photo shoot it seemed. I couldn't resist and had to take some photos. This is my favourite one!

Make and Trade ATC Sessions!

What is an ATC? Well, think of a baseball card. Or a playing card. Only, it doesn't have your favourite ball player, it has a one of a kind work of art. Originally these cards were created so that artists who couldn't afford art would swap with their friends. It has grown to become a movement that let's many people create and exchange original art!

The only rules are that it must be 2.5' by 3.5' and it must be traded.

ATC Toronto wants to spread the good word of Artist Trading Cards and is hosting monthly swaps and card making sessions! Exciting news is that we will hosting a regular trade on the last Sunday of each month at the wonderful Workroom!

These cards are for everyone, not only artists!

Join us once a month to make and trade some cards. Or come with your own cards to trade at our monthly session. This is a great way to meet new people, find some creative time and play with crayons, paper, glue, paint and just have time to make art!

We will provide the basics such as cards, paints, papers and glue. 

Beginners welcome!

Please know that this is for everyone! Even if you have never done any sort of art, you are welcome! It’s fun, and addictive, and you can have a great afternoon!

We will also have some vintage paper packs available for sale!

Sunday March 29, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
The Workroom
1340 Queen St. W.
www.theworkroom.ca

PWYC for card making

Free to Trade

Memories of the West Coast

Here are some photos of my time in Banff from January and February.  I will post them over the next few days!

Part of the installation that i created with Mirae Rosner and Adam Tindale.  Two incredible artists.  This was part of one suitcase that told the story of Patrick.  The suitcase was wired with a contact microphone that would be activated when the audience would open the suitcase.  It was a big sound with much resonance.  

This was an amazing music box player that played the song of the imagined couple, Patrick and Kathleen, which was also the name of the installation. It was hauntingly beautiful. I wish we had recorded it!

This was our studio in the afternoon.  It was a large space and home for a few weeks!

On the bus from Calgary to Banff.  A reflection on the window from the sunny side of the bus.  This bus ride would have been wonderful if it weren't for the man who talked loudly about himself for 2 whole hours! sheesh. 

A beautiful time, and i will post more photos soon!

Week 10 - Highly Creative Women - Movement

Throughout the past ten weeks with Jamie's Wonderful Book Blogging Group, i have been especially impressed by how things line up with my life.  I have always been of the belief that if you are following your dreams, that the world will let you know that you are indeed being noticed.  

This week was no different.  

This chapter addressed self care and avoiding burn out.  Unfortunately burn out is an old friend of mine, and one that i "think" I have some sort of a handle on.  And then, it creeps up on me and knocks me out. 

I think that one of the ways to avert burn out, is to surround yourself with a supportive community and to dance.  Yep, Dance.  Dance like no one is watching dance.  Dance to whatever music it is that you feel comfortable with, music that inspires and music that moves.  

You might not know this about me, but one of the many titles that i have had is that of a dancer.  I came to dance quite late in life and yet had the opportunity to dance professionally with mentors, around the world, in front of great audiences.  And a few years ago, i sort of stopped. 

You see, i am not a small woman.  Not someone that you would think of as a dancer.  But this art form saved my life when i was suffering from Funny Talking Head Syndrome.  You know the one.  You meet someone who is forever making people laugh, and thinks way too much and makes a bunch of funny faces, and yet has no connection to her body.  Sometimes you could insert another word instead of Funny, some people are Serious Talking Heads, or Negative Talking Heads.  I think that you have the idea.  

But when i started dancing, something changed.  You see, all of a sudden, my whole body was able to breathe, to tell a story, to share my e - motions.  

And now, after a few years, i am beginning again.  This last weekend I performed with six other dancers and six musicians in 6 different art galleries in the same building.  And i was reminded how important it is for us move.  To feel our limbs and be able to just dance.  I felt free and liberated and happy. 

I definitely believe that if I had continued to dance throughout the years, that i would not have burnt out. 

And so, my dear friends, i challenge you.  

Take a step away from the computer, get up, put on your favourite music, (for me lately it's been K'naan and it's always Prince!) and DANCE!

Week 9 - Highly Creative Women - Rejection and Roadblocks

This chapter seemed to come at the exact time when life began to throw some curve balls towards my creativity.  Well, sort of.  Here is the deal. 

Since January my creativity has been ripe, and happening and full.  I have received a grant to work on a show about my grandfathers life entitled Tonet, I have travelled to the Banff Centre, i am performing a lot in the next few months with companies i admire, and i am organizing a creative women's meetup group.  All of this is great. And I am happy.  And yet, it's hard to continue at this pace with what i see coming in the future. 

You see, about 5 years ago, my father, who is one of the most brilliant guys alive, was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma which is bone cancer.  His prognosis wasn't great, but his spirit is strong and he surprised everyone and now they call him Miracle Joe at the hospital.  But a few days before i left for Banff, we found out that the cancer was back.  And we are waiting for a new treatment, that we hope will work, because well, sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't.  We should find out later this week what the future might look like.  And honestly, i am pretty scared.  

And so my roadblock is fear. I become paralyzed in these moments when i think about all that my father has endured and i know that he is strong, but i also feel like i must be close to help him through these tough times.  Not out of obligation, but because he is my dad and i love him immensely.

And so, my question to you dear reader is this, how does one continue to create when she is crying?  How do i step forward when someone so dear is taking steps back?

This is my roadblock.  

Week 8 - Next Chapter

Characteristics of a Dream Team

1.  The Big Boss Lady - For me, i always have felt that there needs to be one person who is in charge.  Even if it's not really so.  I mean, i like when there is someone to facilitate the happenings, and make decisions when they need to happen.  This is often me. 

2.  The Detailed Eye - This person makes sure that every little detail is taken care of, and that it's all wonderful.  This is  not often me!

3.  The Challenger - Someone who makes you question why you do what you do and then finally accepts what your answer is as long as it's honest.  After the challenge you will receive the biggest bear hug ever. 

4.  The Bid ness person - Loves math, can't get enough of numbers and taxes and all that jazz. 

5.  Funny Lady. -  They would be funny. Sort of like Gilda Radner funny, like you just couldn't stop laughing ever. But not in an annoying way, more like i wish that i could put her in my pocket and carry her around way. 

6.  Mama Bear, someone that when we feel bad, or down or discouraged doles out the sweetest most wonderful hugs ever.  

7.  A Few Good Men - One of my problems with this book and even within my practice of working just with women is that we leave out some very creative and brilliant men.  My dream team would be men and women just as we do in our daily lives.