maureen from grenada, caribbean
I was just about to write my friend Lia a long email to justify all the reasons why I have not written for the red tent in the past 2/3 months. And then I thought well rather then write Lia an email full of guilt I could change the guilt into creative musings and share on this courageous powerful feline website. So here I am once again sharing the creative life. My only excuse is one that everyone is familiar with, busyness!
I think to myself, the only way I am going to move into my passion of writing is to write and to take on these new innovative writing projects. I have taken on a writing project here in Grenada that involves writing with a writing partner. Every Monday evening Joachim, my new writing partner, drops by to write. We do timed writing exercises and then write poems from these unedited pieces.
Joachim is one of my neighbours. He is 19 years old and full of the creative. Writing is his passion too, along with acting. He is now in the National College, which is a huge feat for him, as he is coming from a very violent and non-nurturing background. Just last year his mother was accused of murdering another neighbour of ours but nothing has come of that since there was not enough evidence. Joachim spent the night in jail with his mom being questioned over the same death. He has been physically and emotionally abused since he was a small child along with his five other brothers. He is, at the moment, the only one of the brothers who has daringly sprung from the violence and moved in alternative directions. And man can he write!!!!!
So Joachim inspires me to write. Our writing this evening jumpstarted me into once again contributing to this creative website.
The past few months have been busy with a variety of art and community projects. I have been selling my originals at a steady pace enabling me to continue giving life to these powerful vibrant women that dance across the canvas. As soon as I begin one painting, another comes to mind; and I have to sketch it out while in the midst of working on many. My style is to have a lot of canvass started at one time so that I am never without a piece on the move. Keeps me moving across the canvas.
Thus I apply the same method to my writing. I always have a writing project on the go with a next one started and ready to move. I have also learned how to more steadily work in the miles and miles of chores that never seem to cease.
I take a new attitude and incorporate the chores more positively into the day. Piece by Piece. So instead of leaving dinner to be cooked from scratch, I work on it piece by piece while I am painting or writing. Ok, so not every day am I so positive. There are many days when I end up cursing the incessant house hold chores and my house is a living example.
Many times I find myself wanting to blame Theo, my husband for the incessant chores but then I stop myself and watch him also going from chore to chore in between his coaching and farming. So the blame is simply blame and I turn the blame into constructiveness and see the chores as a chance to take a break from the creative work and practice being more present in my body.
I have also been busy in community. We, the members of Harford community, have started a non-government/non-party politics group here in the village. Our first community project is in progress. We are covering the community centre with a tarpaulin that was donated by National Disaster Relief Agency. We have decided to take control of rebuilding the Centre for ourselves. The Community has been waiting for government to rebuild since the passing of both hurricanes Ivan and Emily. Nothing has happened in 2 years.
My vision of building stronger bridges between my art work and community work is unfolding. I am grateful for these opportunities to practice being and becoming.
Sending positive vibes to all.
maureen
I was just about to write my friend Lia a long email to justify all the reasons why I have not written for the red tent in the past 2/3 months. And then I thought well rather then write Lia an email full of guilt I could change the guilt into creative musings and share on this courageous powerful feline website. So here I am once again sharing the creative life. My only excuse is one that everyone is familiar with, busyness!
I think to myself, the only way I am going to move into my passion of writing is to write and to take on these new innovative writing projects. I have taken on a writing project here in Grenada that involves writing with a writing partner. Every Monday evening Joachim, my new writing partner, drops by to write. We do timed writing exercises and then write poems from these unedited pieces.
Joachim is one of my neighbours. He is 19 years old and full of the creative. Writing is his passion too, along with acting. He is now in the National College, which is a huge feat for him, as he is coming from a very violent and non-nurturing background. Just last year his mother was accused of murdering another neighbour of ours but nothing has come of that since there was not enough evidence. Joachim spent the night in jail with his mom being questioned over the same death. He has been physically and emotionally abused since he was a small child along with his five other brothers. He is, at the moment, the only one of the brothers who has daringly sprung from the violence and moved in alternative directions. And man can he write!!!!!
So Joachim inspires me to write. Our writing this evening jumpstarted me into once again contributing to this creative website.
The past few months have been busy with a variety of art and community projects. I have been selling my originals at a steady pace enabling me to continue giving life to these powerful vibrant women that dance across the canvas. As soon as I begin one painting, another comes to mind; and I have to sketch it out while in the midst of working on many. My style is to have a lot of canvass started at one time so that I am never without a piece on the move. Keeps me moving across the canvas.
Thus I apply the same method to my writing. I always have a writing project on the go with a next one started and ready to move. I have also learned how to more steadily work in the miles and miles of chores that never seem to cease.I take a new attitude and incorporate the chores more positively into the day. Piece by Piece. So instead of leaving dinner to be cooked from scratch, I work on it piece by piece while I am painting or writing. Ok, so not every day am I so positive. There are many days when I end up cursing the incessant house hold chores and my house is a living example.
Many times I find myself wanting to blame Theo, my husband for the incessant chores but then I stop myself and watch him also going from chore to chore in between his coaching and farming. So the blame is simply blame and I turn the blame into constructiveness and see the chores as a chance to take a break from the creative work and practice being more present in my body.I have also been busy in community. We, the members of Harford community, have started a non-government/non-party politics group here in the village. Our first community project is in progress. We are covering the community centre with a tarpaulin that was donated by National Disaster Relief Agency. We have decided to take control of rebuilding the Centre for ourselves. The Community has been waiting for government to rebuild since the passing of both hurricanes Ivan and Emily. Nothing has happened in 2 years.
My vision of building stronger bridges between my art work and community work is unfolding. I am grateful for these opportunities to practice being and becoming.Sending positive vibes to all.
maureen
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