Look carefully. You will at the very top of our house, on the highest point, our very own guard squarrel.Tis a fierce creature!
Beware!
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11 years ago
Friday, May 30, 2008
Beware Guard Squirrel on Duty!
Look carefully. You will at the very top of our house, on the highest point, our very own guard squarrel.Tis a fierce creature!
Beware!
Moor is Moorvelous
Janine Antoni's book "Moor" arrived right before Memorial Day Weekend, it's Moorvelous!
I love the way the text wraps around the rope that is braided with various belongings from Janine's family, friends & acquaintances, and
the text is comprised of the
stories about the donated materials,
I love the way the text wraps around the rope that is braided with various belongings from Janine's family, friends & acquaintances, and 
the text is comprised of the
stories about the donated materials,and the people tell about these items in first person,
so it gives you the reader the feeling that you are moving around a room listening to bits of conversation here and there, and
this so beautifully magnifies the universiality we all have as human beings who
by the way
wear clothes, and
have stories
about
them, so
what do you have in your closet right now and what can you tell me about it...
I'm all ears...
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Meet Charlene Bearskin, a gifted storyteller
I had my friend and fellow storyteller over yesterday. Meet Charlene Bearskin. She is a member of the Seneca-Cayuga tribe of Oklahoma, and specializes in native american tales. She is a gentle, wise, & lovely soul and a gifted teller.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Okay, we weren't completely lazy...
We took a walk with Jasmine too. Lily went on a long hike with her friends. Restful Park Day
We had a lovely day at the park last Sunday. The weather was gorgeous. We relaxed by a lake, played Yahtzee and, as you can see by the photo above, hubby Jeff put in a little nap time.Entry Wall
This is the wall by the front door. I have hung three of my Phony Flower creations, a textured flat bowl (the other one did not fit into the frame) and the old window frame display I made that features many of the postcards my globe-trotting sister Ruth has sent to us over the years. This picture illustrates why I like those textured blocks at the DMA. DMA Center For Creative Connections
I LOVE this wall at the Dallas Museum of Art. It's in the Center For Creative Connections, the new educational area for children. It features blocks of wood that have been "textured" with various materials. The kids are invited to feel the blocks and write their reactions on slips of paper that can be stuck on the wall. It's lots of fun to read read what the kids have written down. I was their last Friday night and tried to take my own picture in front of the wall with only partials success. Looks like my hair style completely went flat before my program.
Really, really need that makeover!
Anyway, in my art work for years now, I have been interested in using unusual materials and creating various textures that are tactile friendly. So this wall and the exhibit that is up right now are fascinating & inspiring. I've begun two projects recently, not exactly sure where I'm going exactly with them, but for me it is the process not the product that is the most interesting.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
My Latest Crappy Photo ID
Why do photo ID's make many of us look like pasty-faced, sleep derived aliens from some remote gaseous planet?
I finally got my official Dallas Museum of Art Photo ID and my photo sucks. Dang!
>sigh<
I need a make over.
I finally got my official Dallas Museum of Art Photo ID and my photo sucks. Dang!
>sigh<
I need a make over.
Mind Blowing Experience
If we are fortunate... sometimes every once in a while... we are lucky enough to meet someone who is a kindred spirit. Immediately we connect with these others souls as if we have known one another for years and years. These spiritual brothers & sisters can understand us in a way that most people never will.
I have a unique perspective and way of relating with the outside world. I know this, have ALWAYS known this. Early on, I learned to submerge that part of myself and assimulate. In submerging this aspect of myself, I unfortunately closed the door to a vital, unique, creative spark. This can be devestating for someone who knows they NEED to be creative to be fulfilled. In order to cope, I obsessively read about others who were out there in the world daring to be different, daring to follow their dreams & creative urges. I lived vicariously through their accomplishments.
During the last few years I have begun to take more creative risks, lower my mask, step more fully into my own skin. Low and behold I became a more successful storyteller and multi-media artist. Doors are opening that I never knew existed. I am meeting some really cool, creative people and having a wonderful time, AND I am making money doing what I love to do the most!
So where am I going with this?
This past weekend I did eight shows for the grand opening of the Dallas Museum of Arts Center for Creative Connections. It was a big deal. I spent a lot of time doing my homework, learning about the featured art and connecting them with stories. My favorite works were two sculptures titled "Lick and Lather" by Janine Antoni. I had seen other work of hers on exhibit at the museum and found them intriging and fascinating. My daughter and I watched the PBS series ART:21 where she was featured as an emerging, significant artist of the 21 century. I read the chapter about her in the ART:21 vol. II book. I loved her work, understood it, appreciated it while also noting that she was "out there" and that mainstream folks are probably puzzled by much of her stuff.
So, when I found out that she was going to be flying in from New York to talk about her work on Sunday just one hour after I finished my programs, I was estactic. There was no way that I was going to miss her talk. Secretly, I hoped that I might meet her, but the chances were slim...I thought.
After my last set on Sunday, I was going back to the green room where I had left things. As I rounded the corner I found Janine Antoni sitting on the couch - 1 hour early! She was waiting with a museum representative to do her sound check. I was introduced to her and we talked for several minutes. It was like meeting an old friend. She was so nice. I sensed that I needed to move on so they could prepare, so I collected my stuff and left but not before telling her that I would be back to hear her talk about her work. I came back 15 minutes before her show and was sitting near the front watching the fancy folks (art collectors, curators, the DMA director and asst. director take their seats in the reserved sections). I noticed someone coming down the aisle to my left and saw that it was Janine. She looked over at me, smiled and then proceeded to come over to talk to me until right before her talk. She told me about her latest project. (It is really neat by the way!) She gave me her email so that I could send her some book recommendations and then got up to give a wonderful talk about her work. As she spoke about how she came up with her ideas, how she learned new skills to do them...etc, I realized just how much alike we were - it was startling - shocking really. I have chosen a more conservation, traditional form of expression to be sure, but maybe in another reality, I would have done differently.
So we have emailed each other. She too is fasinated by stories, both old myths and modern tales. Her piece titled "Moor" is a visual story uniting the belongings of people from all kinds of backgrounds into a rope. Their "stories" are woven together - united. She wrote many of the stories down and I hope to read them someday. If you would like to learn more about Janine and her work go here: http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/antoni/
For a while now I have been trying to figure out how to combine my love of making things with storytelling in a personal, unique way. I want to explore my options and follow my intuition more. Janine inspired me to risk more, dream more, allow my ideas to be more fully realized.
Who knows where it will lead me.
Either way it will be an exciting journey.
I have a unique perspective and way of relating with the outside world. I know this, have ALWAYS known this. Early on, I learned to submerge that part of myself and assimulate. In submerging this aspect of myself, I unfortunately closed the door to a vital, unique, creative spark. This can be devestating for someone who knows they NEED to be creative to be fulfilled. In order to cope, I obsessively read about others who were out there in the world daring to be different, daring to follow their dreams & creative urges. I lived vicariously through their accomplishments.
During the last few years I have begun to take more creative risks, lower my mask, step more fully into my own skin. Low and behold I became a more successful storyteller and multi-media artist. Doors are opening that I never knew existed. I am meeting some really cool, creative people and having a wonderful time, AND I am making money doing what I love to do the most!
So where am I going with this?
This past weekend I did eight shows for the grand opening of the Dallas Museum of Arts Center for Creative Connections. It was a big deal. I spent a lot of time doing my homework, learning about the featured art and connecting them with stories. My favorite works were two sculptures titled "Lick and Lather" by Janine Antoni. I had seen other work of hers on exhibit at the museum and found them intriging and fascinating. My daughter and I watched the PBS series ART:21 where she was featured as an emerging, significant artist of the 21 century. I read the chapter about her in the ART:21 vol. II book. I loved her work, understood it, appreciated it while also noting that she was "out there" and that mainstream folks are probably puzzled by much of her stuff.
So, when I found out that she was going to be flying in from New York to talk about her work on Sunday just one hour after I finished my programs, I was estactic. There was no way that I was going to miss her talk. Secretly, I hoped that I might meet her, but the chances were slim...I thought.
After my last set on Sunday, I was going back to the green room where I had left things. As I rounded the corner I found Janine Antoni sitting on the couch - 1 hour early! She was waiting with a museum representative to do her sound check. I was introduced to her and we talked for several minutes. It was like meeting an old friend. She was so nice. I sensed that I needed to move on so they could prepare, so I collected my stuff and left but not before telling her that I would be back to hear her talk about her work. I came back 15 minutes before her show and was sitting near the front watching the fancy folks (art collectors, curators, the DMA director and asst. director take their seats in the reserved sections). I noticed someone coming down the aisle to my left and saw that it was Janine. She looked over at me, smiled and then proceeded to come over to talk to me until right before her talk. She told me about her latest project. (It is really neat by the way!) She gave me her email so that I could send her some book recommendations and then got up to give a wonderful talk about her work. As she spoke about how she came up with her ideas, how she learned new skills to do them...etc, I realized just how much alike we were - it was startling - shocking really. I have chosen a more conservation, traditional form of expression to be sure, but maybe in another reality, I would have done differently.
So we have emailed each other. She too is fasinated by stories, both old myths and modern tales. Her piece titled "Moor" is a visual story uniting the belongings of people from all kinds of backgrounds into a rope. Their "stories" are woven together - united. She wrote many of the stories down and I hope to read them someday. If you would like to learn more about Janine and her work go here: http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/antoni/
For a while now I have been trying to figure out how to combine my love of making things with storytelling in a personal, unique way. I want to explore my options and follow my intuition more. Janine inspired me to risk more, dream more, allow my ideas to be more fully realized.
Who knows where it will lead me.
Either way it will be an exciting journey.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Big Weekend Ahead
I have been slow in getting posts out lately. Truly, it is my intention to greatly improve from this point on.
What have I been up to lately?
On Wedneday, April 3oth I did a program for the Dallas Museum of Art for Dia De Los Ninos/Dia De Los Libros (Day of the Children/Day of the Books).
On Thursday night, 6 tellers and I told stories for the Dallas Heritage Village for an evening concert.
Today at the Dallas Heritage Village several Dallas area tellers including myself and one delightful teller, Lucinda Wise from Austin told stories to area Elementary students.
Tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday I will be telling stories for the Dallas Museum of Art's grand opening of their new Center for Creative Connections. I will be doing a total of eight 30 minute sets for them. It promises to be a fun, active & creative two days for me. I hope to be able to partake in their other ongoing activites when not onstage. Today, I had the pleasant surprise of finding my name mentioned in the Dallas Newspaper's article regarding this event. Fun, Fun!
So, between now and tomorrow morning when I will take the train downtown to the museum, I will be polishing up my stories for this weekend.
Once upon a time, I read that the difference between anxiety and excitement is one's interpretation of what is essentially the same sensation. So henceforth, from this very moment in time, I shall interpret the butterflies crazily fluttering around in my belly as excited little critters joyfully waiting to be released into a warm & welcoming world where they can enjoy life's limitless bounty.
Hhhmm...or something along that line of thought...for I am choosing to be excited and not ANXIOUS about this major storytelling opportunity at the DMA.
What have I been up to lately?
On Wedneday, April 3oth I did a program for the Dallas Museum of Art for Dia De Los Ninos/Dia De Los Libros (Day of the Children/Day of the Books).
On Thursday night, 6 tellers and I told stories for the Dallas Heritage Village for an evening concert.
Today at the Dallas Heritage Village several Dallas area tellers including myself and one delightful teller, Lucinda Wise from Austin told stories to area Elementary students.
Tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday I will be telling stories for the Dallas Museum of Art's grand opening of their new Center for Creative Connections. I will be doing a total of eight 30 minute sets for them. It promises to be a fun, active & creative two days for me. I hope to be able to partake in their other ongoing activites when not onstage. Today, I had the pleasant surprise of finding my name mentioned in the Dallas Newspaper's article regarding this event. Fun, Fun!
So, between now and tomorrow morning when I will take the train downtown to the museum, I will be polishing up my stories for this weekend.
Once upon a time, I read that the difference between anxiety and excitement is one's interpretation of what is essentially the same sensation. So henceforth, from this very moment in time, I shall interpret the butterflies crazily fluttering around in my belly as excited little critters joyfully waiting to be released into a warm & welcoming world where they can enjoy life's limitless bounty.
Hhhmm...or something along that line of thought...for I am choosing to be excited and not ANXIOUS about this major storytelling opportunity at the DMA.
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