Words From Liz Kalloch . . .

I had the incredible honor of collaborating with artist and designer, Liz Kalloch last week at the latest installment of BraveGirlsArt With A Twist. These words, her words, say it best... Collaborating Amongst Friends Some things have just gone by, more things are coming very soon, and there are still further things out on the horizon. But the things that are tying all these "things" together for me are: Friends and Collaboration. While planning a trip back east for mid-May, I was lining up places to stay, and friends that I wanted to see, and my friend Amy Williamson asked if I'd like to co-teach a class with her and Maya Stein while I was there.  My friend Grace has a saying that I love, she says something like: if it's not a resounding YES, then it's a no. I use this all the time when I need to make a decision about anything, and so when Amy asked, the answer was YES. Even not knowing initially what we would do together, the answer was still yes. Since Maya was involved we knew there would be a writing aspect, and since we were going to be teaching in Amy's studio there was a strong chance that paint would be involved, and since my big pull these days is crochet hooks, beads, and charms that's what I wanted to do. So, how to put it all together? Just one conversation. That's all it took. We started with Words. We talked about "where are our words?" and the concept of walk your talk, then "wearing our words", and finally speaking up. And the Talisman Necklace class was born. It was one of the best classes that I've ever been a part of. The give and take between Amy, Maya and I brought a joy to the room {for me} that was palpable. The women that came showed up in a way that was true to their words, their experiences and their souls, and we created and talked and wrote and strung beads, and most everyone that was at first hesitant, did indeed string some beads and pick up crochet hooks, and tie together some coloured glass, and some stones and some talismans that they made with their words and some paint.  Creating together. Collaboration. Sharing the moment with other creators. These are the things that my life is full of right now, and I'd want it no other way. When we share a love for ideas, and for creating, and for sharing these two things with others; when we hitch our wagon onto someone elses and they hitch their wagon to yet anothers and we make a wagon train of sorts, when we bring our best and add it our co-conspirators best and lay our treasures on the table to look at, there is a magic that is born. As painters, as writers, as songwriters, as photographers as anyone who creates for a living, we travel a lot of the road of our lives alone. It's just the nature of the beast. Solitude is needed to create. But solitude needs to be put aside sometimes to kindle the creative flame, to remember we are not alone, and to celebrate what we bring to the world and to each other. More times than not, all it takes is the Ask, and something new is born. Are you feeling the urge to open your studio doors to new possibilities? Do you have an idea for a project that you need help with, or that needs another skill that you don't possess? Are you awakening to the springtime air and realizing that you want to dream up a project just so that you can work with some other creatives? Ask. Call someone, e-mail someone else, message some people and see what kind of a wagon train you can put together. See who might say YES to your idea, and then see what can happen from there. Amy asked, and I said YES, and as my 9-year-old nephew would say: "It was the best day of my whole life". Thank you, Liz, for saying YES.  Let's do it again SOON.  To find out more about Liz and her work, go here.