Artwala Road

This morning on the front page of The Boston Globe there was an article about Leonard Cohen’s song, Hallelujah. There’s a buzz about the song at the moment started by a kid who sang it on American Idol. After that people started looking it up on YouTube and seeing incredible versions by Jeff Buckley and John Cale. And Leonard has just been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This song, true poetry that evokes worlds of sublime feeling, has become a living and growing thing. It didn’t make a splash when it was first released and I don’t think it’s an accident that, in this time of sorrow and challenge for the planet, it opens up those feelings which we need to take radical good action. It’s also a fine thing that Leonard, who I read had lost a great deal of money to an unscrupulous manager, will reap bountiful and deserved rewards.

So, I wanted to write that this morning here. Then I went to google to fetch a photo of Leonard to adorn this post only to discover that he is doing a world tour starting in May! I saw Montreal on the list and without a moment’s hesitation snatched two tickets for his last show at Place des Arts. Five minutes later it was sold out! It’s beyond a dream. I’ve never seen him sing and to see him in his city and mine will be so, so poignant.

I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was eight years old and I can say I’ve been writing seriously now for twenty years. I’ve not tried very hard to publish, that is coming—it’s important too, but most important is the journey words take us on and what discipline and the practice yields. And Leonard has been an inspiration since I was seventeen years old.

In my last year of high school I had a brilliant, literate English teacher, Doc Smith, who took us through a four inch thick text from Chaucer to T. S. Eliot. We memorized and wrote poetry, we wrote satires, short stories, essays. We had debates. And we walked around saying —

“I grow old, I grow old, I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled. Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?

I shall wear white flannel trousers and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing each to each.”

One day my friend Lindley Shantz and I went to a café on Rue de la Montagne in Montreal. We both wanted to write ‘the great Canadian novel,’ which was a joke because at that time Canadian novels were not considered great. (Times change and thanks to the Canadian government for its support of the arts!) Canadians back then had a bit of an inferiority complex—our neighbors to the south were so glitzy, so it. We two girls were trying to hold our heads high and Rue de la Montagne, then called Mountain Street, was the place to be. When we exited the café that day Leonard Cohen was coming out of the bar next door, a place we were too young to get into. He was in a black leather coat and we trailed him for a block or so, clinging onto each other, our hearts flipping like fish.

Later, at McGill, I got to study English with the incomparable Louis Dudek who got us to read the world into a text. He was Leonard’s teacher too. All these years I’ve loved Leonard’s words and his music and loved his devotion to art.  That man has been an inspiration.  I feel so lucky that I now get to see him in the city where it all started.

That’s Leonard’s own design of the interlinked hearts, by the way, and his drawing too.

March 14th, 2008 | Category: Spotted / Art on the Planet | Comments (3)

An opening tonight at The Arsenal Center for the Arts, home of The Ladies Drawing Club. Fun to see the work of the other teachers. That’s me with Deb Putnoi in front of her amazing drawings and seated together on her painted chairs. Her grandmother gave her the chairs and they needed a little freshening up. She found upholstering too expensive so painted them with portraits of her family. I think we’re actually sitting on her children.

It’s such a privilege to be in a show with Deb and Kaetlyn Wilcox, both very interesting, evolved artists. (Photos of Kartlyn’s amazing work to come.) I couldn’t help but notice they were selling their work for real money and rightly so. I priced mine more in the flea-market range but then they are small. That’s me in front of my work with a frozen smile waiting for Dear A to frame things up. He takes an excellent shot but it can take time. The light was not good for photography but when I put my new site up (coming soon) a lot of these pieces will be there.

I feel awfully lucky to be given exhibition opportunities as I don’t consider myself to be a ‘fine artist’ and haven’t sought them out. So much for goal setting etc. I’ve sold a few things at the center but I think that on the whole people are unaccustomed to spending money on art, even when it’s relatively cheap. BUY!! Now’s your chance! I really think we should all be changing our homes around on a regular basis—changing the art around, buying new pieces, selling stuff that no longer lights us up, trading, keeping the energy bright, stirring it up. When I change things up it reminds me that we’re creating our lives here on the planet! Truly revitalizing. Plus, art is there to take us to higher places, one way or another.
One of the great things about an art center like this, which is large and intended as a regional site for artists of all disciplines, is that you get to meet other artists and share the journey. Artists (I use the term in a general way here) usually just cut to the chase when it comes to chat—we talk about art first and we talk about making a living as artists. When the humor count is there it’s brilliant. We’re stepping into the unknown every single time we create so it’s great to have company at the end of the day. So, many thanks to the art center for providing a convivial place to meet and for hosting this show.

And good news—turns out Deb and Kaetlyn have just launched blogs. I’ll be getting their web addresses and we’ll be starting conversations here sometime in April as Deb has a big show coming up. That’ll be fun.
Meanwhile, if you’re in the Boston area, check out the show. And don’t forget your purse!

March 7th, 2008 | Category: Spotted / Art on the Planet | Comments (2)

We were walking back from the library this morning when Dear A shouted, ‘Look!’ He’s not a shouting man and I confess I jumped out of my shoes. Thought I was about to step into dog do or something. But there they were in full sunshine up against the foundation of a house not far from the road—a brave little cluster of crocuses! What a thrill! It truly makes living in this climate worthwhile when spring arrives with all its great upward energy. This long winter hibernation left us under-exercised and faintly edgy, for sure. The snow melted two days ago, the sun shines and now we’re going on long walks again. So great.

Have to say, despite the hibernation and the snow, this winter has just breezed by for me. It’s serves a purpose—keeps us indoors with hands on keyboard.  I’ve been so busy with work, so engrossed in it that I hardly noticed what was going on outside.  I’m typing, typing, typing, like mad.  It’s good.  Much progress despite moments of doubt which must be put in their proper place.  Winter is good for steady work and our little house is cosy and warm. When spring comes I’ll doubtless want to be outside and there will be other things to do. I see there are still a lot of dank old leaves to be raked away but for now they can wait.

Meanwhile I’m waiting and waiting for the Democratic nominee to be chosen. Please let it be Obama. I didn’t always wish this. I waffled back and forth. But I believe now we need an outsider, someone who won’t play the same old game. It’s good he doesn’t have experience. He’s coming in with the possibility of new thinking. The old thinking got us into this mess—all that fear-based horrific blustery aggression, all the greed and looking out for only one. I’m feeling that again as this campaign gets tough. Enough. Something new is being born! Spring is here.

March 6th, 2008 | Category: Spotted / Art on the Planet | Comments (6)

We just caught just a glimpse of Oprah and Eckhart Tolle online last night because after ten minutes the screen froze and that was that. This morning an email from the Oprah people saying that 500,000 people logged on worldwide and many had the same experience we did. It’s still early days for this sort of thing and they’re going to try to work out the bugs before next week. Who knows if they can be worked out but you can download the podcast today. Still, it’s a brilliant idea. Just think—500,000 people around the world hearing a very positive message all at the same time! And it’s an empowering message especially for those who are unhappy or downtrodden—it points the way forward. So, again—this is art on the planet! Meanwhile, here’s to making  art that resonates with good healing energy so that we can create a good earth.

March 4th, 2008 | Category: Spotted / Art on the Planet | Leave a comment