collage-a-day: November 2012

My creative life has spiraled and unfurled quite a bit since Dec. 1st, 2011, when I began the collage-a-day experiment. I have been a teacher for a long time, but this year I received a Teaching Artist Residency at a prestigious arts organization for the first time. Other teaching firsts since I began this project include public speaking about creative process and creative practice, a quickly growing passion of mine, and teaching private lessons. I have been a singer for a long time, and have performed in the classroom and onstage many times, but during this creative year I was hired not only to sing, but to act, and dance onstage. Who knew? Not me. It just sort of happened. I have been a songwriter for many years, but this year songs that have never seen the light of day found a live audience. I also found the bravery this year to create a very outside the box vocal recording that is debuting at a teaching artist exhibit this very week. The show, by the way, is Nine on the Prairie at Spudnik Press's Annex in Chicago. A reception and live performances will be held there this Sunday from 5-7pm. The thing about all these firsts is that these opportunities came about without a lot of effort, they simply unfurled one from another. I believe this is the magic of the creative practice. Allow yourself to create, and allow your creations to be the magnet for your next step.