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| woodcut by Peter Pryputniewicz |
Lately in relation to my creative endeavors (as evidenced by
my last post on the obstacles I faced leaving town to go to an art opening) I
feel stymied. Trying to take my creative life seriously, but in fact, spending
more time “on the wrong side of the wind” as light and transportable as a
dandelion seed.
In actuality I do not have the Wicked Witch of the West
breathing down my neck nor her host of emotional under-pinnings and murky
cross-purposes one discovers upon reading Maguire’s semi-sympathetic portrayal
in Wicked (how risky, but clever, to
take her on—the dark horse to Dorothy’s eventually unbearable bright). Though
I may not, during this intense time of
teaching online and in person courses, have as much raw writing time as I’d
like to go around after the three children, Husky, feral cats, and two indoor
cats are fed, watered, and put to bed, I can stop and appreciate the fertile
results of prior and ongoing collaborations.
My co-collaborator Robyn and I did escape to 
I’m including the visual postcard again as it
sports the Sir Gawain (Gallery Award Best of Show) and Green Knight works by CJ Hurley. In person, the full-body size work
dazzles with its intricate use of thin braided rope, wax, jewel work, mottled
copper and bronze.
In his artist statement, Hurley writes: “Although Sir Gawain represents Chivalry,
Christian ideals, and, civilization, his counterpoint, the Pagan Green Knight
is no polar opposite. The Green Knight represents the Pagan gods, the forces of
nature, and the untamed wild. Yet he is no savage, he is neither barbaric nor
deceitful. In fact he displays as much honor, and integrity, if not more than
Sir Gawain.” Read Hurley's full statement here.
Applying to the 2D3D poetry show came via a nudge from
sculptor Sandy Frank. Several years ago, we started playing with the idea of
putting poems and sculpture together. At that point, she penned some lines from
one of my poems across a male torso.
Though we were not in position to enter this year’s show together, the occasion
of the 2D3D poetry show did remind us to pick up the thread and play some more.
So here
In other news: stop by to read new collaborations up at Liz Brennan’s
Perhaps Maybe blog—I meant to post these links by Halloween, as they were
slightly darker than my usual mildly dark side, especially “Some Human Actions” and Ley Lines , less so, though still appropriate potentially for this belated All Hallows Eve timing.
I also just finished teaching a section of Transformative
Blogging for women writers at Story Circle Network--still riding the creative play high--and will be teaching it
again in January. I remain in love with the flow of
exchanging information and I’ll be sure to post a link to the next class.
I am presently in search of writing mothers curious about blogging--I ran a guest post over at Mother Writer Mentor about the class (the post also links to example blogs written by mothers). When I get enough students, I'll run the course. I would be the last person to urge a mother away from her child, but I believe one can write and one can mother, just as one can mother and one can blog. Sign up with a friend and come out to play--I'd love to work with you.
I am presently in search of writing mothers curious about blogging--I ran a guest post over at Mother Writer Mentor about the class (the post also links to example blogs written by mothers). When I get enough students, I'll run the course. I would be the last person to urge a mother away from her child, but I believe one can write and one can mother, just as one can mother and one can blog. Sign up with a friend and come out to play--I'd love to work with you.
