5x physical form

Our physical form. The inescapable vessel we navigate this life through. The easily perceived creative expression of ourselves as we exist in this moment.

I am very fortunate that I have had a peaceful relationship with my body from an early age. This was supported by the fact that society had a peaceful relationship with my body as a white, cis, able bodied, thin, traditionally feminine person. I have never had a serious injury or illness that has given me reason to doubt or mistrust my body. My gender identity, although sometimes limiting or discriminated against, is generally perceived to be aligned with my physical body which protects me from a lot of harm. I have experienced great pains and great pleasures but neither has caused me to lose my connection to this living breathing vessel. Because I have such a peaceful relationship to my body it does not seem fair for me to reflect on the limits of my relationship to it. There are others that struggle everyday for what I have. And yet it is precisely because of that I feel it is still important to reflect that I am not my body.

I am not body, and in a blink of an immortal eye my body will break down and fade to dust. All of its quirks, concerns, and candor are fleeting at best. This inherent flaw renders all else mute in its shadow.

So how to live a creative life in this temporal form? Here are a few things I have been contemplating.

1. Rae Spoon’s latest album Bodies of Water they explore how like bodies, water is heavily regulated and increasingly commodified, despite being fundamental to life.

2. Everything You Know About Obesity is Wrong via one of my heroes Kimya Dawson who had this tender Instagram post on the subject

3.Our Sister Becky: What If The Doctors Had Listened to Her By Kate Beaton via The Cut

4. Shon Faye interviews Travis Alabanza about their new theatre piece BURGERZ via Alok Vaid-Menon

5. Music Video for Sea Dragon by Covet

5x sensual silence

It takes me so much longer to put together these lists these days. I’m not in a receptive mood, but I’m not in a creative mood either. I’m oscillating between contemplative practices and social sensory stimulation. Trying to find a way just to exist in the world without coming or going too much. In the course of that here are a few things that have come up for me.

1. Listen to Mulatu Astatke – New York Addis London (full album) via Broken Trancy Things
2. What Do Your Sexual Fantasies Say About You? via Slutever
3. Helmholtz Resonator via the book I’m currently reading Dramturgy of Sound in the Avant-Garde and Postdramatic Theatre
4. Bob Dylan on Sacrifice, The Unconscious Mind, and How to Create the Perfect Work Environment via Brain Pickings
5. Inspired by the art work of WITCHORIA revisted on The Hoodwitch

That’s a wrap.

Wow. What a weekend. What a festival. Thank you. Thank you to everyone that conspired to share their talents, and to bring this far fetched dream to reality. We far exceeded my wildest dreams of what this festival could be, and what it could mean for so many beautiful, wonderful, humans. 

For me it’s meant the opportunity to live my creative values, to give back to my community in a meaningful way, to be part of something larger than myself, to create new works & opportunities that are selfish in the best way possible. I have been consistently taken aback by the waves of love & generosity everyone has poured into every aspect of this festival. .
I keep saying it, but this festival was a stone soup production. To put it bluntly I just decided I was going to put my cash on the line with no hope of return & do whatever it takes to make this festival something that would feel like home. But once I provided the pot & the stone that drew people together their contributions far exceeded my expectations in every way. 10 amazing artists, over $1,000 grossed, audience packed to the rafters, and especially the love.

There were many people that introduced themselves to me for the first time this weekend to tell me how much they enjoyed the festival, and started out with “im not really an artist” or “I’ve never performed before but, I’ve had this idea” and that’s the most beautiful thing of all. There is a thirst. So many people with ideas stirring waiting for a pot to boil in. They want their opportunity to be part of creating something magical. I’m honoured to have connected with so many hearts & hope it contintues well into 2017.

There are so many more things I could say but can’t find the words.

I love this little city so much. I love these brave, willing, weirdos so much. I love creating art that isn’t for the final report numbers. I love creating space for creative connections. I love you for giving me space to do what I love.

Thank you all for your immeasurable support.

Take care & god bless

5x self love

I’ve been participating in the 7 day self love challenge over on facebook. While I might reprise some of that writing here for y’all, meanwhile I wanted to share some links to things that I’ve been contemplating as I spend some time lovingly navel gazing.

1. Nobel Winning Physicist Frank Wilczek on Complementarity as the Quantum of Life and Why Reality is Woven of Opposing Truths  via Brain Pickings
2. Solo-Polyamory, Singleish, Single & Poly via Psychology Today
3. Our Individual-Collective Midnight Anxieties via dear soul Kyle Golemba
4. How to Flush Negative and Draining Emotions Before They Lead to Physical Illness via Hearty Soul
5. Gabor Mate: The Myth of Normal via Crazywise
6. Bonus: Tonight I will be completeing Danielle Ayoka’s Full Moon ritual. You can read more about it here

OVERHEAR by Out of the Box Theatre

The next, and probably last, performance piece I am working on this year is Overhear by Out of the Box Theatre. Torien Cafferata approached me with the opportunity to be a part of this uniquely intimate experience & I couldn’t resist.

If you are interested in learning more you can check the Facebook event here.

I don’t want to spoil anything for those planning on attending, but this has been an extremely emotionally demanding piece for me to create. This is the last project on my plate before beginning my fruits & flowers phase. I’m excited to see how it will be received, and to hopefully understand a little more about catharsis role in art & healing from this project.

If you can make it out I would love to hear your experience receiving the piece, and I look forward to sharing my experience creating it after.