At My Kitchen Table

Beginning this past Thursday, I attended a virtual writer’s conference. Settling myself at my kitchen table with a cup of tea - one day with my lunch. This was my first experience with this form of virtual learning. An opportunity to ask questions and make comments was provided on the ‘chat’ or ‘Q &A’ dialogue boxes. My comments were limited as my ability to listen and respond at the same time were challenged by this new to me format. 

An hour long event each day for four days, I was introduced to the Saskatchewan Writer’s Guild (SWG). Writing North 11: Sheltering in Place, Dwelling in Words was the theme of this very interesting virtual event. The importance of books and reading in this time of distancing and separation was discussed by the speakers, each with a varied focus. Each speaker gave this novice writer great information and ideas. All of the events were recorded and are on the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild Youtube channel

 

“Reading is that fruitful miracle of a communication 

in the midst of solitude.”

        ~ Marcel Proust

Morning Application

After finishing a class about ArtWriting, I had an opportunity to visit two or three art galleries this morning with friends. Not an unusual sort of outing, except that now the little cards posted beside the various paintings had more meaning to me.

At the Winchester Gallery, we studied the exhibitions of two artists ~ Brad Pasutti’s exhibition Intertwining and Barbara Edwards exhibition: Road Trip, A Paper Trail. Copies of their New Release, from May describing their history and their work was available in the gallery. Last night’s class!

Then it was on to The Avenue Gallery to see the works of the artists Brent Lynch - Painter, and Susan Rankin - Glazier. Artist’s Statements were posted on the wall beside their works. Artists Statements were Session Three.

As we strolled the sidewalks, sculptures by local artists were placed.  Plaques at the base were much briefer telling the artists name and the sponsor.

I looked at the artwork with a different eye today, felt the artist behind the work and wondered who wrote the words - the artist, a writer or both. 

“Knowledge isn’t life changing. The application of knowledge is.”

~ Todd Stocker

Promotional Writing - Session Six ArtWriting

The final class of six ArtWriting classes.  Desperate for a new learning experience, and on impulse, I registered for a class in ArtWriting at Vancouver Island School of Art. It was a class for artists of any medium to put themselves forward. Defining not only themselves but their art works and how to approach the media for exhibiting their art. Clearly, I had jumped into the deep end but still wanted to learn. Introduction to the course began on May 17, then Session Two to write a bio, Session Three an artist’s statement and Session Four an essay about an artist’s exhibit.  Once more the deep end, and as the classes progressed, creativity was my only life jacket. 

My plans were to visit an art gallery and write a blog post about an art piece. That was the twist I needed. Artists need to wrtite, and if they don’t want to write or haven’t the time, they need someone else to write for them. Some galleries have blogs, that have exhibition essays and artist’s bios on them. So I planned to take my pen in hand……..and then the wind blew and the pollen filled the air.  Last week, and specifically last Tuesday, I was out of commission for Session Five.

Tonight, Session Six, I only stayed for a partial class. It was education about effective ways to approach media, and applying for grants. 

All in all it was time well spent. Would I take that class again?  Probably not based on the content, but for the learning adventure, definitely. It did turn up my ‘Awareness Meter’ regarding this blog and has set the bar much higher.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

~ Helen Keller, The Open Door

Artist’s Statement and Session Five - ArtWriting

Last week I promised my Artist’s Statement, completed this afternoon. Here it is:

“Approaching retirement age ten years ago, I wanted a new direction that would be a daily activity and would incorporate my personal life experience and my nursing career. “Standing still slowly” became an experimental blog for ‘Daily musings in poetry, story or just wandering with ideas, questions….’ in December 2011 to last one year. My medium of wordcrafting has included my own written work accompanied by a photograph from a nature stroll or a still life, and a quotation from another author from another website. Setting my own parameters for my posts, each photograph and each quotation must speak to the intent of whatever I have written.

As I have developed Standing still slowly, I have included book reviews, movie review and the occassional play review. Initially, I had no specific subject or theme other than my own experience with epilepsy and from my still active nursing career. I have also addressed social issues based on personal opinion. A couple of years ago, I began establishing a topic or theme for each month. With these parameters, my awareness of my daily life has heightened.

My first years of writing were influenced by Julia Cameron (The Artist’s Way), Naomi Wakan (Late Bloomer), Natalie Goldberg (Writing Down the Bones), Mary Pipher (Writing to Change the World) and a plethora of other authors and their books filled with their experience in writing. My interest in writing more deeply about addictions nursing, outside of my blog, has been encouraged and coached by Connie Frey, a certified Creativity Coach.

Writing has provided me with the satisfaction I sought in 2011. Standing still slowly has moved my life forward.”

******

Tonight we discussed Reviewing an Exhibition. As I am not an artist in any medium other than words, I felt rather out of my depth tonight. How to write a Review of an Exhibition when my gallery visits are few and far between. Like a speed dater, I do not linger long on any one painting or work of art before I’m on to the next.  I listened to tonight’s presentation, listening for anything that would give me a hint. While the others broke into pairs to review each other’s creations, I began reviewing Google for any glimpse of hope. And there it was, art galleries with their websites and blogs. So for next weeks assignment, and for next weeks blog, I will write a review of a Victoria Art Gallery. 

‘Til next week!

“Writing is a vessel...with readers the ocean and authors as its sails…”

~ William Petersen

Session Three - Art Writing Class

Painting by Dorothy Appleton

The challenge is still on. When other classmates are artists of the visual arts, my art is crafting of words - specifically this blog. This week we were introduced to the Artist Statement. To examine the roots of my desire to write, my personal study in writing - and then put it all down in words - was a very interesting exercise. The completed statement is part of next week’s assignment to hand in. I plan on posting it on next week’s blog.

My ‘pop-up gremlin’s’ have been quite noisy today assuring me that I am completely out of place in the class. Once they quiet down, I let the little darlings know I am learning about myself and my writing practice. The real purpose of this class.

“In a half-empty-glass sort of world, 

I’m the little girl whose cup runneth over.”

~ Sheila C. Johnson

A New Beginning

I started class tonight
and each Tuesday from 6 pm and 9 pm until and through June 21.
A challenge to learn more about this practice of writing.

The focus?
Learning to write about one’s art.

My art?  
I’ve chosen Standing Still Slowly as my focus.

First assigments?
Write a bio and two readings.
The bio at the bottom of the page is rather boring - a list of places I’ve lived!

So this week, I’ll be developing a new one.
Learning ~ expanding ~ exciting……

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

~ Mahatma Ghandi