Theater Ppl and Body Positivity

On our way home from NYC the other night there was a fire around the train tracks, so the two hour trip from Boston to Portland took about six hours. So that was fun. But, I caught up on a few podcasts and wanted to share a couple with you! (Also, NYC was amazing. The Lion King was incredible. Julie Taymor is a goddess. Can’t wait to go back.)

Theater People Podcast

The delightful Patrick interviews amazing stage actors, choreographers, directors and more, while occasionally talking about his adorable daughter Daisy and, of course, “My husband Steve.” There’s something about his energy that just makes you love him. As I listened I realized I cared about him as much as I did the people he was interviewing.

Obviously this podcast has a specific audience in mind, and maybe you think that isn’t you, but Jennifer Tepper says we’re heading into a new Golden Age of musical theater, and I believe it. So hurry up and become a theater people, okay?

Besides, who doesn’t enjoy listening to Lea DeLaria, who just might be the funniest woman alive? And that episode with Alex Brightman is one big lesson in gratitude. He should be a positive thinking coach. The host, Patrick has infectious enthusiasm that could actually turn you into a theater lover.

(Also, if you already ARE a theater people, I also suggest The Ensemblist.)

The Body Poscast

Do you remember Lillian Bustle’s Ted Talk? If not, here:


Lillian is one of the women behind The Body Poscast, and I absolutely LOVE this show.

The Barbie Doll episode is actually what prompted this post. On that episode they talked about how they pick and choose who to follow on Instagram and twitter in order to create a happy place for themselves online. Facebook is hard and emotional and lately with all the trans bathroom stuff it’s making me want to ... well, anyway. It isn’t always a happy place. But this episode got me thinking about what I’m pressing “like” on and how it’s affecting my emotions and my day. And that’s what I love about this show is how it makes me think.

Plus these women are fierce and amazing and will make you feel so good about life, even while touching on tough topics.

All the Love for Anthony

I think as far as the business of art goes, Amanda Palmer has created something incredible that all artists need to take note of. And you're probably sick of me talking about her, but too bad. I'm going to. Because she's doing something amazing that we need to acknowledge.

Art on a mass quantity can go around the world, yes. Everyone is singing that same song, and that's great for that artist. But art on a smaller quantity with better quality and more connection to the individual fans can do more. It can change the way people think.

I have had a few conversations with writer and artist friends recently about wanting to have a best seller and wanting to get national or international recognition. One person asked me, "How do I make this book universal enough so everyone can relate?"

My answer is you don't. You don't make it that universal. You can't make every single reader/viewer of your art love your art. But you can develop a beautiful relationship with people who are influenced by your art, touched by your art. Write what you want to write, create the art you love. Somewhere someone else needs that art. And you don't have to be famous to be successful. You don't have to be universal enough for every single person on the planet to want to read your book. You have to be speaking to the people who NEED your book. The people who need your art.

Stop trying to be famous and stick with trying to be the artist you need to be for the world.

Below is Amanda Palmer's Facebook post from this morning. I'd like you to click the link and see the comments. I want you to see the way she is loved by her fans. If you click on the comments for any other musician you see a bunch of people who obviously don't think their post will be seen. A bunch of "you suck" or "I love you Rihanna!" or whatever. At least half the comments are off topic for the post.

Amanda's fans are on topic. They are on topic because they feel like they know her and she knows them. They are commenting on the post of a friend.

She does know them. She's taken the time to connect and build an artistic relationship and community, which in my opinion is infinitely more important than advertising your art.

My love to Anthony at this horrible announcement. I'll be thinking of you.

some aching news from london.please send love. https://www.patreon.com/posts/2690011
Posted by Amanda Palmer on Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Vacationland Photos

These are older photos, but I figured they were a good way to get us ready for summertime. These were taken in Monhegan Bay, Maine, in 2009.

 

Create.

I write. I paint. I take photos. I collage. I bead. I knit. I bake. I draw. I Create. 

In the last few days I’ve had some pretty emotional conversations with a very close friend who is going through some stuff. This friend and I have known each other a long time and we have often used art in a sort of group therapy way, trading poetry prompts, endless bottles of Elmer’s glue and piles of magazine clippings. We both feel better when we Create. And, at least for me, if I don’t Create I feel trapped. I feel this itch inside my skin that makes me want to Create.

Creating is therapy. Creating has always been what keeps me sane. It is the way I process the world. 

I fought through social anxiety for years by carrying a camera with me. I healed from abuse by writing binders full of angst-filled poetry. I processed some of the strongest anger I’ve ever felt by throwing paint on a canvas, and it was an “Aha! Moment” for me when I realized how much that helped. 

I recently received one of the biggest compliments of my life when someone I barely know who follows my Facebook feed told me I “inspire people” and I make him “want to art.” (I love that he used “art” as a verb, by the way. Because truly, it is.) I realized immediately that this is what I’ve always wanted. I have no interest in judging artwork or grading artwork. I don’t want to subscribe strictly to what is called “good art” by the people who believe themselves able to make that call. I want to connect to art. Connect to other people through their art. I want to share it and I want to inspire and be inspired.

Most of all I want to inspire others to Create. To Create in ways they don't think they can. To draw even though they think they are horrible at it, or to sing even if they're off tune. 

The ability to Create is powerful. It is important. It is everything. And I think the world is a better place when those in it are using their energy to Create.

Painting My Guitar With Light

These photos are a few years old, but the technique is so much fun and I'm hoping to play around with it again soon. It's easily one of the most fascinating things I've ever done with digital imagery.

Put your camera on a tripod, focus it, then set it to a long shutter speed. Turn off the lights. Click the picture. While the shutter is open shine a small flashlight or pen light over the subject. Stop when you think it's bright enough. There is no way to instruct how to do this part, it really is experimental. 

If you try this technique tell me in the comments. I'd love to see what other people do with it.

The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer: Book Review

I hate asking for help. I don't like asking for someone to loan me money. I don't like asking to borrow a vehicle. I don't like bumming a ride. I don't like asking for a shoulder to cry on. I am a chronically independent person.

I think it was kismet that while I was reading this book I was also moving into a new apartment with almost no notice and no money. In the last week I've asked to borrow vehicles, washing machines, time, hugs and muscle power. I've had to ask for more favors than I ever cared to ask for. Luckily, I had Amanda Palmer's love of the world to help me in humbling myself and trusting my amazing family and friends, my personal network, in this process. (By the way, thank you to our friends and family who helped!)            

The Art of Asking

I've been a fan of Amanda Palmer, indie rock star turned author in this memoir/self-help-book/business-guide, since her Dresden Dolls days. I performed as the "Coin-Operated Boy" in a drag show performance of her popular song just months after I turned twenty-one and could legally go to bars. She has inspired me to put my art out there, to be true to who I am and to be okay with exposing my darkest and deepest self to the world in the way an artist must. Many people have discovered her through her endlessly inspirational TED Talk.

Amanda Palmer loves. She has an ongoing love affair with her fans, her husband, the world itself. She loves people. She loves life, even when she hates it. She loves the entire human family. And her love of the human family, the things we are capable of and the things we sometimes fail at, seeps out of every line of this book. This book will make you want to trust, want to love, want to feel comfortable relying on people, even in moments when you are making yourself incredibly vulnerable.

Palmer details her controversial experiences with media and social media. She describes some of her big mistakes in life, and some incredibly difficult positions she's been put in. But throughout the whole thing she is telling a story about how to rewrite our relationship with artists, and our relationships with fan if we are artists. She is allowing us, as a society, to entertain the idea of returning to embracing our artists, welcoming them back into the arms of society and off the pedestal, off the red carpet and from behind the velvet rope. She is telling a story about embracing the Indie artist as valid and real without a label or publishing house or art review telling us they are valid and real. She is telling artists to rely on their fans to help them, financially, emotionally and in building a rewarding career. To build a rewarding network of fans and followers that can catch the artist when she falls and boost her up when she succeeds.

Palmer is validating the artist who only sells a few hundred prints as just as important to the world as the one showing in art galleries in New York or Paris. She is validating the musician who performs for free at their friend's birthday parties as just as much a musician as the one topping the best-sellers lists. She is validating the self-published blogger who is just as much a writer as the one being reviewed in the New York Times.

This book is going to be a part of a collection of books that I return to often when I need a social and moral boost. Palmer reminds the reader that we are all human, we are all connected and we all need to allow ourselves to be vulnerable, to be flawed. To be exactly what we are and to be proud of that.

The Art of Asking, like so many books, came to me exactly when I needed it, and I'll forever be grateful for it. I can't wait to finish unpacking my new apartment and place it in its rightful place beside the other books that inspire me to love life.

Next I'm reading:

Faery Tale: One Woman's Search for Enchantment in a Modern World

Calendar of Regrets

Steampunk Comics and Paying for Art

I am eagerly awaiting Amanda Palmer's new book, "The Art of Asking." Her Ted Talk about asking to be paid for art, and how to ask for it, can be found below. There is something to be said for paying your dues and getting good exposure for your work. There is also something to be said for being paid what your art is worth.


As someone who has done many (too many?) free pieces for "exposure" and nothing more, this talk resonated well with me. I am also hugely intrigued by artists (writers, musicians and visual artists, alike) who have built careers on the internet just by asking for support.

So, along those lines, I'd like to share a Go Fund Me Campaign for a friend's comic book. To Helena Handbasket is years in the making, and as I've been watching this good friend grow and change in his art, I've never been short of excited for this piece.

"In a world powered by magic and steam, one basket-weaving mama's boy turns to necromancy." The best part? If you make a $100 donation you have an opportunity to be forever immortalized as a character in this series! 

Here is the link to the Go Fund Me campaign: To Helena Handbasket.

Even if you can't contribute, keep an eye out for this upcoming comic book from this wonderful, dedicated artist.

Attraction Shadow Theater

I am totally hooked on these videos so while we are buried in snow and not going very far anyway, I figured I'd share a few with you.

As you all know I have a thing for theater. I also have a thing for dance.

 

...And puppetry. This is the most beautiful combination of the three that I've seen in a long time. So even though I'm easily distractible and all my writing energy has been focused on my novel (which is keeping me from blogging much) I figured I'd share something beautiful with you.

 

Like their Facebook Page cause these folks have a lot of beautiful art to share with the world!

Notting Hill On Writing (and a little on life)

I'll admit it, I've watched "Notting Hill" more times than I can count. Although I'm not a huge fan of romantic comedies there are a few here and there that have caught me and I have a bit of a thing for Julia Roberts. The other Julia Roberts movie that tops my list is "Mona Lisa Smile" but that's a post for a different day.

Nothing Hill. The fruitarian, the blue door, the orange juice, the guy with the book down his trousers. Horse and Hound Magazine. It's just so fun. Oh, and that soundtrack. I love it even though my wife insists it is elevator music. I hate elevators but I just might be okay in the one that plays this:




But honestly the biggest reason I've watched this movie so many times is the character development. It's important for a writer to know more about their characters than the reader does. After years of hearing this I've finally caught on and begun to use it in my own writing. I've taken to writing backstories, even for characters that are only in one scene. It's amazing what you can learn about someone this way. For instance, a character in my book who is only introduced in his death I realized had a special relationship with the protagonist. Because of this I was able to include a few little details, for instance a penchant for peppermint tea, which later develop into...  well, that would be spoilers. Let's just say, it might be important.

Richard Curtis, the author of "Notting Hill" obviously knows this technique. He also wrote for "French and Saunders" and "The Black Adder." Oh and one more... The episode of Doctor Who that has spawned a thousand pieces of Van Gogh/Tardis fan art... He wrote "Vincent and the Doctor."

I know, right?!

Anyway, back to "Notting Hill."

This technique Curtis uses is demonstrated best in the scene with the last brownie. In this scene William and his friends agree that the "saddest act" at the birthday party will get the last brownie. One friend reveals that she and her husband can't have children and talks about what it's like to be stuck in a wheelchair for life in a house of ramps. Another laments his job and how much he sucks at it. The birthday girl stresses over her feather hair and shrinking boosies. In this scene the spotlight is taken off of the leading man and leading lady and shared by the supporting cast.
(It was reading that this was someone else's favorite scene on Facebook tonight that prompted this post.)

Not only does this make for good character development, I feel it makes reading more natural as well. Life is supported by a full cast, and even when we feel the most self-centered, the most focused on ourselves, we are never alone in the spotlight.

Blogs, Books and Journals: A Post About Other Writers (and a couple artists)

A few weeks ago I began collecting links to blogs/websites of classmates, professors and alumni of Chester/NHIA. My intent was to simply link them on a sidebar here, and I still will but that's a project for a different day. For today, a dump of links for you to check out.

My friend over at Inciting a Riot wrote a book of poetry. It can be found here: The Playground. I haven't picked up my copy of it yet. I have read much of Don's poetry, however, so I'm really looking forward to it!

54 Devils by Corey Hutcheson is a book about the art and folklore of fortune-telling with playing cards. Corey also has a fabulous podcast about witchcraft and folklore.

It is largely agreed among his students (my wife and I included) that Eric Pinder is one of the kindest men you'll ever meet. He is a writer of children's books as well as poetry and nonfiction. I highly suggest "I'd Rather Be Riding My Bike." (One of these days I'll remember to snag a copy from you for my nephew, Eric!)

On The Deadliest Character Chris has readers vote who would win in a cross-universe battle of superheroes and fantasy favorites. This blog prompted a game of "Who Would Win?" between me and a fifteen year old boy last year that lasted for months! Chris is a student at NHIA.

I never had a class with Araminta Matthews, but she taught at the community college I attended before I transferred to NHIA. I recently picked up a digital copy of Blind Hunger and am hoping to start it this week.

Tim Horvath is the reason we ended up at NHIA. On "Accepted Student Day" at Chester College he sat at our table for lunch... or maybe we sat at his? I'm not sure which. But twenty minutes into a conversation about the story possibilities of the Desert of Maine Trisha leaned over to me and said, "this is definitely the school for us. We need to make this work." Of course, we lost Chester but we kept Tim! Check out his book, Understories. I'm a particular fan of Conversations, which got a Pushcart Special Mention this year.

Remember a few entries ago when I said that free writing in Jenn Monroe's poetry class changed the way I write? Meet Jenn Monroe. She is no longer teaching at NHIA but she and fellow former Chester/NHIA professor Chris Anderson (who was recently published on Spry Literary Journal) are the editors over at Daily Dose of Lit. Keep an eye on Daily Dose in January... *cough cough*

Meghan Carter is a current NHIA student who says she hates to blog. Hopefully she gets past that and keeps her blog up!

Greg Henry is a current NHIA student. On his blog he has interviewed Dennis Mahoney and reviewed a few literary journals. Another new blogger I hope sticks with it!

Photography of the Mind has photography, poetry, blogging and will definitely provide you some introspection and reflection time through the multiple stories appearing in Kenneth's art.

While were on art for a moment, check out my wife's Facebook fan page. Trisha brings life to paintings in a way that I rarely see.

Rachel Lieberman largely writes about writing and she has good tips and inspirational moments for writers.

On Sweaters Letters and Teacups Alyss has written some great book reviews, as well as some personal posts about writing, cooking, fashion... basically her blog covers wherever her mind goes.

Tower Journal publishes poetry, essays and short stories. The kind that you want to read a second time before that feeling passes. (I read a lot of these this morning.) Oh, and one of the editors is W.T. Abernathy.

Big Lucks has two Chester Alumni on the editing staff. There is online content, so enjoy some wonderful poetry and prose over there.

And if you want something a little on the lighter side: Marsupial Jones. Comedy that isn't for the kids. The Mission statement names it best: "Marsupial Jones tickles that part of your funnybrain that hasn’t evolved since you were chased by dinosaurs."

Stop being afraid. Just write.

Ever feel like a message is being hammered at you from all directions at once? I have. And this is the message:

Stop being afraid. Just write.

First this message came to me when a friend sent me Neil Gaimen's "Make Good Art" speech:




I had heard this speech before yet it somehow didn't mean as much. Because now is when I needed to hear this message. Why have I never finished a book? I've had plenty of ideas. Dozens of outlines and mounds of research.

I've never completed a book because somewhere in the process I get scared. I become afraid that I will spend months or even years of my life on a book and it will flop. That fear grows and grows until it becomes debilitating and I switch projects. Something smaller and less intimidating. Because if I spend a few days on a short story and it sucks it's just a few days.

I have known this about myself, probably blogged about it in the past. But now it is time to change it.

Today I heard Elizabeth Gilbert read from her new book "Signature of All Things." At one point during the event a question from the audience developed into Gilbert talking about fear. To paraphrase her (because my memory isn't that good) she said that you just have to go for it. When it comes down to it if you write a book or do a painting and it's horrible, what have you really lost? There's no life or death consequence. It's not like failing as a doctor or failing as a lawyer.

There is no good reason NOT to go for your dreams.

"You have to throw that flag really far ahead and just go for it," she said.

She also said that you can't look down or back or below you. She went into a metaphor about Road Runner cartoons which kind of flopped when she realized that she was sentencing us all to falling in a pile of Acme explosives. It was funny, anyway. And the metaphor worked until the explosives...

I can take all the classes and read all the craft books and do all the homework I want. But the only thing that is going to make me a writer is if I write.

"You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone oughtta be." -Elizabeth Gilbert "Eat, Pray, Love."

3D Coloring Book Pages

This is Trisha's homework for her Observational Drawing class. Ink and water on coloring book pages.

Some PlayDoh Round Here

This is my afternoon. PlayDoh gets the creative juices flowing.