Take a Chance!

I just returned from a mountain "retreat" where my friend Fay, a poet, and I worked for 2 weeks on an upcoming show.  It was spring and along with the beautiful buds we had quite the mix of weather: great for keeping us inside and on task!

However, we did put our work up long enough to entertain a "salon" table full of "strangers" and this is what I share today.  We had the crazy notion that it would inspire our work if we could "commune" with some artists and poets who lived in the area...only we did not personally know any. 


God bless the internet because with a little work and a lot of persistence we assembled a group
of fascinating individuals who were game enough to join a table where they also might not know anyone.  The bait was lasagna and the gambit a pithy question about art.  It didn't take much to get the ball rolling: a little wine, a lot of curiosity and a wide variety of creators sharing ideas.  The most amazing energy suddenly began to flow and anyone joining half way into the evening would never have guessed that the gathered 10 were mostly strangers.  What bound us together was a love of creating and a respect for fellow creators.  Incredible!

I share this because I know that too many of us are afraid to initiate such dialogues for fear of what others will think.  We'd like to network but we're nervous.  Well, I'll also share that we invited some folks that we never heard from and we realized later what a wonderful vetting procedure that turned out to be: we did not want the uncurious or the anti-social...we got exactly who we needed!  Destiny, fate, karma, the universe, or whatever term you wish to use, sent us the perfect "round table" and we benefitted greatly.

So take a chance.  If the New York Times had covered our evening they would have found: Patti-the-potter, vibrant, energetic, living her dream after retiring as a professor, Sharon-the-bookmaker-poet, incredibly thoughtful and generous in her sharing of information, Caitlin-in-transistion, the gorgeous manager of the local arts council, full of ideas and contacts, Kathryn-the-prof-poet-environmentalist, living her beliefs and dedicated to change, Byron-the-abstract-artist-gallery-manager, beginning a new venture with excitment and enthusiasm, Krisann-the-collector-consultant, sharing her valuable observations,Kevin-the-artist, comfortably discussing why and what he paints, and Judi-the-author-consultant, articulating the value of truth in all communication.  And of course, Fay-the-poet and I-the-painter, sitting in awe of the wonderful group we had gathered and hoping we would see each one of them again and again.

So, take a chance.