Inspiration: Everyone is Beautiful

A work by Katherine Center

Inspiration: Jonas Gerard

Thank you, Rebecca, for sharing this inspiring video and artist on your blog as a part of Wishcasting. It makes me want to play, move and paint.

Inspiration: Any Time is Hammer Time

Thanks to Genie Sea for sharing the magic and madness!

Inspiration: Police

Inspiration: whirlwish by Jen Gray

It took me a while to track down who created this video but it is the wonderful Jen Gray.

Inspiration... Respect Rally

Book a Respect Rally or Get Trained! from Respect Rx on Vimeo.

Your Creative Spark ~ The Podcast (coming soon)

I'm excited to announce that the interviews for Your Creative Spark were such a rousing success and so much fun that I've decided to launch a podcast of the same name. I will feature interviews on the topic of creative living, sharing tips, strategies and ideas to spark your creative spirit and help you overcome your creative challenges.

I want Your Creative Spark to encourage your inner artist, to build your creative confidence and to stir your soul into action! I want to help you infuse your life with your unique spirit, so the world can see you shine and you can be the star you are.

I'm starting out by asking you...

• Who would you like me to interview?
• Of all the questions I could ask, which would most help you on your creative journey?

I'll look forward to your suggestions and bringing inspiration to you via Your Creative Spark!

If you'd rather email me your reply, feel free to do so at jamie(at)openthedoor(dot)ca. I always love hearing from you.

Inspiration: Cirque de Soleil

I was visiting Greenish Lady and she had this beautiful excerpt from Cirque de Soleil's Quidam posted. Cirque de Soleil moves my heart and stirs my spirit. I remember the first few moments of the first of their shows I saw, I simply cried and cried. This was magic. I hope you enjoy this clip.

(Note: I feel I must say that they lost me a little bit with their ticketing policies. It seems that all the best seats are never available, even if you join their Cirque Club. After years of trying, I was particularly put off when a friend was able to get corporate seats in the best section - no problem. Still the beauty of the show experience is undeniable)

It's Live: Your Creative Spark ~ available now

Today is the big day!

As a part of The Next Chapter book blogging group, I had the honour and joy of interviewing 12 amazing, inspiring, magnificent creative bloggers. I've brought these interviews together into a collection of almost 3 hours of transformational audio in Your Creative Spark: Inspiring Interviews with 12 Highly Creative Bloggers. And I wanted you to have it all in writing too, so you'll get a pdf of complete transcripts of each interview, plus my dedication and introduction. And many of the amazing women who participated have contributed bonus materials to encourage your creative dreams!

I've spent a lot of time with these interviews and every time I listen to them, I'm so touched by the wisdom, grace and insight of the women who participated.

In Your Creative Spark, you'll receive creative inspiration and guidance from...

• life coach and artist Jennifer Lee
• writer and domestic diva Suzie Ridler
• pet portrait artist Jessie Marianiello
• mixed-media artist Leah Piken Kolidas
• artist and writer Christine Mason Miller
• artist and coach Andrea Scher
• artist Melba McMullin
• goddess Leonie Allan
• artist and activist Jen Lemen
• photographer and poet Darlene Kreutzer
• writer and scrapbooker Sunny Schlenger
  
• artist and writer Laini Taylor

Your Creative Spark includes...

• Audio files of interviews with 12 highly creative artists and bloggers. There's 2 hours and 57 minutes of inspiring audio to savour over many cups of tea, long walks or while you're enjoying studio time.
• Complete transcripts in pdf format so that you can print them out and underline, write inspirations and draw in the margins as ideas start to bubble and flow.
  
• Special Bonuses: Several interviewees have contributed additional materials to encourage your creative spirit to soar!
• Connection: Where to find each of these inspiring women, so you can stay connected. The inspiration doesn't have to end when the interviews are over!
• With your bonuses, that's almost 3 hours of audio and over 100 pages for you to download and enjoy.
  

Your Creative Spark: Inspiring Interviews with 12 Highly Creative Bloggers

just $47 for
2 hours and 57 minutes of audio (mp3)
122 pages of accompanying text (pdf),
including full transcripts and bonus material from featured artists

To celebrate the launch in a spirit of joy and abundance, I'm offering a special price for everyone who buys this collection before Sunday April 5th at midnight EST. Enter the Coupon Code "celebrate" and save $10!

If you'd like more information, you can discover even more at Your Creative Spark. And if you'd like to connect with me directly, please feel free to contact me at jamie (at) openthedoor (dot) ca.

Inspiration: Shutter Sisters

Shutter Sisters Dream Assignment: Picture Hope from LittlePurpleCow Productions on Vimeo. Register and vote for this beautiful project at Your Dream Assignment. Today is the last day to vote and help make this dream come true..

Jen Lemen is one of the interviewees on Your Creative Spark, which launches later today. Stay tuned for more details.

Who Does She Think She Is: The Discussion Continues

I want to thank everyone for their thought-full, vulnerable, honest and loving comments on the post I wrote about my experience watching the documentary Who Does She Think She Is? I deeply appreciated the dialogue about art, mothers and women who are not mothers.

I have great respect for the film and for the director, Pamela T. Boll. In fact, I wanted to share with her the impact the documentary had on me, and so I emailed her my post. It was the beginning of a great dialogue. I've asked her permission to share it with you and she'll be sharing it soon with readers of the film's blog. I hope that all of us discussing the issues and sensitivities involved will bring more understanding and deeper connection to us all.

1. My post, emailed to Pamela.

2 Pamela's response:

Hello Jamie:

Thanks for writing about your response to the film. So, sorry that you felt you and your experiences were not mirrored by the film.

I don't feel that "mother" and "woman" are the same. I chose to profile mothers, because I feel that for women who have either decided, made a choice or otherwise do not have children it is a bit easier to heed one's "inner artist." Not much easier, given thousands of years of experience as the "other." Just somewhat.

I feel that women have been seen as most valuable in their role as "mother" and perhaps 'wife." So, I wanted to explore what happens when these roles, valued by "the patriarchy", society, the culture--whatever you want to call it--- came up against a woman's need to be a person in her own right.

Yours, Pamela

3. My response

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and for sharing more about your intention. I hear you – and I’m fascinated by that last piece about patriarchy’s valued roles and a woman’s need to be a person in her own right. You know, at the screening in Toronto when the man in the audience talked about the “luxury” of art-making, I felt so deeply this aspect of the film – how could he not see that it was about our right to be ourselves?

You know, writing about the movie has been a gift. There has been really interesting and healing discussion in my community, the creative blogging community, in response to the film and the post. People have been open and discussed this divide there can be between mothers and non-mothers. You can read the comments here if you like. It seems to me there’s more discussion to come and stories to be told.

Would you give me permission to share your email with the group? I know they would be interested to hear your response.

And I want you to know that I appreciate the film and the story. I recognize its importance. In many ways this was a matter of mismatched expectations.

Thanks again for responding.

Sincerely,

Jamie

4. Pamela's response

I would love for you to post my email on your blog!

I truly truly did not intend to exclude women who are not mothers from the issues addressed in this film. I think that even if a woman is not a mother, she has a mother, her sister is a mother, her grandmother is a mother...and in that sense, it applies.

Also, I do feel that in the film, we discuss, pretty explicitly the fact that for many women for many years, the only way to even do one’s work, was to NOT have children. So, the film explores what happens when one does have children?

I feel that for women, this issue of having children or not, can be so intensely divisive and that is sad. I love having friends who are not mothers—they have a different perspective! And we need ALL of women’s experiences seen, heard, lived and sung!

Yours, Pamela

In the end, one of my big learnings (and I've shared this with Pamela) is that there is such a deep need for our stories, for all of our stories. Everyone wants to see their story, myself included. It's like Who Does She Think She Is was a life raft in the middle of an ocean of women and each of us wanted so deeply to get on.

And of course Pamela had to tell the story she was meant to tell - and it was gorgeous and important and a reminder to us all to tell our stories and to make room for each other's.

I've been deeply encouraged by the discussion, its vulnerability and its desire for inclusion. I believe that from there so much is possible. There's many more films to be made and much healing to be done.

PS Thank you to each of you who encouraged me to consider making a film. Little did you know you were watering a dream in my heart. Much love to you all!

Inspiration: Who Does She Think She Is?

About a year ago, I first saw this preview. It still brings tears to my eyes. I immediately signed up for the movie's mailing list, offered to host a viewing party at my house and couldn't wait to see it. A couple of weeks ago, I was so very excited to found out there was a Friday night screening in Toronto and a panel discussion afterwards featuring the director, Pamela Tanner Boll and Janis Wunderlich, one of the artists in the film. Of course, Shannon, the Movie Moxie, and I immediately decided to go.

When I watched the preview, what I saw was the challenges faced by women when answering the call of their inner artist. My heart stirred. My soul answered. I recognized these women. I recognized that experience in myself. I thought, this is a movie about my tribe! Yes!

But what the movie is really about is the challenges faced by mothers when answering the call of their inner artist. Now, that's a powerful issue. That's a story that needs to be told. And it's not mine.

So in watching this movie, I appreciated deeply the artists and their struggles but each moment I felt sad to be on the outside looking in, not included in something I had been looking forward to for so long. And as a feminist watching a feminist film, I was surprised to experience what felt like an underlying tone that it was not only possible but appropriate to collapse the distinction of woman/mother, as if by nature they are one and the same. That not only left me out, it pushed me out.

There is power in this movie and in the way it takes a stand for each of us being able to fully commit to our dreams and express our gifts in this world. As someone who believes in this with all of my heart, I just wish I'd been seen as one of 'us.'

Inspiration: Dads

I saw this on Shawn's site and wanted to share. Thanks, Shawn!

Jamie's Feb 3 Act of Love: coaching & connecting with my wonderful clients

Inspiration: Dance

Dance definitely spreads joy! Will you get your groove on today?

Inspiration: Wonder Woman

Recently when I was in the midst of a busy, busy week, one where I thought that perhaps I was a bit overextended, one of my friends and accountability buddies celebrated my 2009 plans with me by telling me to "Go, Wonder Woman!" I hope this tune inspires the Superhero in you too!

Inspiration...What's Possible

In the blink of an eye, you can change things.
Look at what one young woman created with her heart and her babysitting money.
You can change the world.

For more information go here and here.
Thanks, Jen Lemen, for posting this.

Inspiration: Laura Trice on the power of saying thank you

Inspiration: The Artist's Creed

Thank you, Jessie, my dear friend and co-inspiratrix, for posting this.

Thank you, Jan Phillips, for creating this.

I hope you all enjoy. May we all believe.

Inspiration... John Southworth

I hope you enjoy this quirky little beauty as much as I do. May the thought that "life is unbelievable" send you off into a truly amazing weekend.

How a music teacher rocked my world

Mr. Cringan was a much-loved music teacher at my high school. I studied with him, but it wasn't in class that he changed my life. It was on the stage.

Our school produced amazing yearly musicals. Brigadoon, Finian's Rainbow, they all came alive in that auditorium. In junior high, I went to see one of the performances and was blown away by the sheer energy of it, not only on the stage but also in the auditorium. The show was exceptional and the place was alive, hopping and full of joy. It was so amazing that I started imagining what it would be like to be a part of it!

When I did get to high school, I desparately wanted to audition but figured the competition must be fierce and that there wasn't much chance of making it.

And here's the magical moment.

Mr. Cringan announced that anyone could be in one of his shows. Anyone. If you came to rehearsal all the time, you could perform on stage. There was room for you. No matter what. You just had to want to be there enough to show up.

I love this man for what he taught me. The excellence if the show didn't come from competition and weeding out. It came from harnessing joy and desire. Everyone on the stage wanted to be there. No one had to sit in the audience feeling sad or resentful or left out. If you wanted to be on the stage, you could be.

The Universe is like Mr. Cringan. There is room for you on the stage, my friends. There is. You've just got to show up and sing.