Elif Shafak - The Politics of Fiction

I found this TED talk on Face Book, and until today I had never heard of Elif Shafak. When visiting the TED site and reading the comments left and the varied opinions about what she had to say, I was a little over whelmed and rather confused by all the analytical headiness of what was said about her talk. Instead of getting into a big brouhaha over linguistics etc., and God only knows, having taken a linguistics in University, I found out how linguists seem love a good fight. When considering the controversial comments on the TED site, I can't help but reflect on what is said in the 12 step rooms of recovery.  " Take what you like and leave the rest ."

 
Personally, I found it her talk insightful and enlightening. I loved what she said about story telling, circles, Sufis, and that she talked about Rumi, whom I love so much.

 I look forward to reading her books of fiction.

Correctional Facility For The Arts

Ralph and Me

It will soon be March.  This time of year I think about my late brother, because his birthday is March 26th. There is ten years between us in age. I was 60 last year, and Ralph would be 71 next month. Once March arrives, I know June is soon to follow and I'll be another year older too, and I'll have caught up to him, with our ten years between us.

Today, for what ever reason, Joe Mendelson, or Mendelson Joe came into my mind. Ralph, always greatly admired Joe as an exceptionally gifted blues musician, and as a person. The fact that he was a  very humourous, quirky kind of artist and personality, was why my brother loved him so much; that and because he was the kind of individual who didn't care about people's opinions of him either. He spoke his mind, and would shoot straight from the hip, is how Ralph would often describe people like Joe. My brother knew that Joe had many similar kinds of struggles that he could relate to, and they both spent many years living and growing up in Toronto. I have no doubt if they'd ever known one another, they'd be great friends. Maybe cause they both for a while lost their marbles.





Although Joe is very much recognized within the art community internationally as a musician, artist and outspoken political activist, I do suspect many folks, especially younger people today, are not likely familiar with his music, or his art work.

I love this painting below that Joe did. I speaks loud and clear to me, and it's not hard to figure out what his  message is in the subject matter.

Harper's Social Program

Kehinde Wiley

Human beings are naturally drawn to the narrative in art. Not necessarily realism all the time but definitely narrative . That said one cannot help but be struck by high realistic rendering, though it isn't always everyone's favourite.
Here's an interesting and compelling artist. Kehinde Wiley  I heard about on CBC Radio Q.

Julie Feltham

Almost two weeks ago I posted about an event I attended called Baked Ham in Sackville New Brunswick.

While I was firin' up the old wood stove this morning and grabbed some papers to start my fire I found this article in the Chronicle Herald that I'd missed reading because I'd picked up these old papers from our local store for my wood fire. It was a great read about Julia Feltham. She was one of the story tellers at Baked Ham I had the pleasure of listening to. She's a wonderful personality and I'm so happy I got the opportunity to meet her. You can visit her web page here. http://juliafeltham.com/

Julia told her story through her song and her cello " Conduit. "

Mavis Gallant- Writing, Aging and Spirit

 
I had written this post earlier once today, and am writing it again because the cyber fairies got hold of it, and suddenly I found it gone, sucked into the vacuous black hole of cyber space. So I resigned myself to the fact it was gone and that I would have to write it again if I could remember what I had  written initially.
I then forced myself outside to shovel snow which I had been dreading for the past few days. After hours of shoveling and exhaustion set in, I just wanted to go to bed. But when I came in had my supper and got my second wind, I was wanting to get this posted tonight.

I know I am in the Winter doldrums, and experience SAD. Especially this year it seems I can't get out of my own way some days, having difficulty getting enough motivation to do the simple necessary things or least to get them started. If I can't get any thing done I write anyway, and it always makes me feel at least I've got something accomplished, and I have my journal entries, or my blog.

Speaking of sad, I felt this way to hear that Canadian writer Mavis Gallant had died today.
As I sit here writing, it is somehow fitting that I do so, while listening again to the Four Seasons of Mavis that is being re-broadcast. I had first heard it in 2012 and I was charmed, moved, listening to her speak about her life, and was a very rich one, sometimes sad, but in spite of her difficulties she had a very strong sense of who she was, and lived a full happy life. Her charm, sweet gentle voice, sense of compassion, and dark humour made me feel very drawn to her personality, and made me laugh out loud. She must have had so many wonderful memories of her days in Paris, a free and independent spirit, ahead of her time.
I think the stories Mavis Gallant told where the stories of life, and of the complexities of being human. She was the writer's writer in the truest sense.

I found this wonderful old photo below of Mavis and article in the New Yorker.

I heard a program yesterday about writing, aging and spirit , another CBC Radio program that was on  I listened too. It was about a woman, Ellen Ryan who facilitates a group of older adults to write and tell their life stories.

Mavis Gallant wrote down her soul I think, and she will be never be forgotten in seasons to come.
Rest in Peace dear lady, and may you fifth season be the very best.

A Lil' Bit Of Spring!

Bird Songs

                        This is beautiful. Click on Bird Songs and it will take you to the interactive link.

Women's Body Wisdom Retreat

My lovely and talented artist friend Julia Speer, is giving a Women's Body Wisdom Retreat, and has an Indiegogo fundraiser campaign to enable women of limited income to attend this retreat. If I didn't live so far away, I would certainly attend!