Leave No Plastic Behind Project Update

International Plastic Quilt Project Progress Report From the field in Merida, Mexico:
We have finished up our time with a small community, located on the Gulf of Mexico, where we have been very well received by the media (http://tinyurl.com/yaz7vmz) and those who have participated in our educational and craft workshops to create more squares for the quilt. We divided the workshop so that it evenly presented the problems and solutions associated with the issue of so much plastic accumulating in our shared earth. In his artistic statement one participant said, " I used to throw my plastic onto the ground because I didn't understand that there was a problem with doing it. Now that I understand, I won't do it anymore."

In the United Kingdom, a teacher is organizing her art students to make at least 30 squares and to organize exhibits locally.

In the United States, the quilt will be on display at the Chessman Gallery in Lincoln City, OR “Turning Recycled Trash . . . Into Art Treasures” Gallery Show: Saturday, April 3rd thru Friday, April 30th

Earth Day Artists Reception: Saturday, April 24, 2pm-4pm , @Lincoln City Cultural Center www.lincolncityculturalcenter.com 540 N# Hwy 101, Lincoln City, OR. 

The quilt has also been accepted into the Maker Faire in San Francisco this May. It will finally be more quilt-like for this event, since segments of the piece will be permanently sewn together.

The Chair Affair Opening Reception

                                             SOLD
Well despite the rain,(like that ever keeps Portlanders from going out and about!), the opening reception for The Chair Affair at the Galleria was attended in a lively way with a delightful outpouring of supporters and art lovers. I was so happy to see so many of my friends come out to support us. People crawled through the window displays to get upclose and personal with all the exciting creations, as well as strolled by Mario's and PH Reed, to see the chairs on display in their windows. I am happy to say, there were quite a few chair sales during the evening! I was also so pleasantly surprised to find out the next day, that my lovely dance community friend Claire will be the proud owner of "Finding Home". I can't think of a better person for the piece to find it's way home to! I am honored that she sees the value and heart and soul I put into creating the piece and hope she continues to enjoy it as it reveals itself to her in the time to come. I can't wait to see how many wonderful creations find their new homes the evening of the auction on April 8th! I know it will be a fabulous evening filled with fun, friends and surprises.

Easier Said Than Done But I am Trying

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."

- John Wooden

Free Opening Reception Tomorrow for The Chair Affair!

Tomorrow is the  Last Thursday opening reception for The Chair Affair from 5-8 pm at The Galleria SW 11th and Alder, with other chairs on display at Mario'sat SW Broadway and Taylor (one of my chairs is at Mario's and the other at The Galleria) and PH Reed on NW 11th & Glisan in The Pearl. It is a great opportunity to see all the chairs that will be auctioned off at The Chair Affair and have the opportunity to then purchase them on the website if you were not one of the lucky ones to get a ticket to the sold out event on April 8th. By the way some of the chairs have already been sold!! It's a great cause so come out and support the Community Warehouse!

What Does the Future Hold???

"The world was made round so that we would never be able to see too far down the road."

- Isak Dinesen

I guess I have to stop fighting this and be content with being in the moment. Not easy but a practice that I want to try to begin. I would also like to give myself permission to not be too hard on myself if I take a step backward trying to use binoculars!

Sit quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself. —Zen saying

Yesterday, the first day of Spring, we took a road trip to Astoria for the day. As we drove, the view along the river was lovely, the crisp view of Mt. St. Helens beckoned us like a luscious vanilla ice cream cone in the distance. The journey through the pass of evergreens enveloped us in their arms. We browsed shops, I looking for inspiration and treasures for my hopefully soon to come next art piece that is waiting in the wings. I peeked into the County Jail where volunteers young and old, painted the jail cells an oddly cheerful yellow, readying it for the soon to be Goonie museum celebration. Lunch with a view of the Columbia, fog rolling in, barges and colorful tug boats afloat, enhanced the quiet simplicity of a slower town, with the feel of an era gone by. We drove home listening to some of my favorite music, home to begin this new season of greatly anticipated growth.

Welcoming the Spring Equinox with Reflective Dance Practice

I went to dance with feelings of hesitation, fear, trepidation, and ambivalence.  How could I lose myself in the dance and meditation, yet stay present in my body and protect my healing wrist from injury? Frustrated and confined by my splint and sling I did only what I could. I  was restless during the  sitting meditations, wrestling with my mind. The circle of 13 women holding space for the absent, yet forever present Jen, was palpable. I began to feel safe, respected, honored  and protected, and I was able to let go into the dance, engage and trust. We spoke about the idea of this larger, cultural space of Nepantla rooted in the creation of a new middle. The two bodies of movement, the water, the dance with the resting space of land in between the two. Sometimes, it is a reference to living in the borderlands or crossroads, and the process of creating alternative spaces in which to live, function or create.The idea of The New Normal, is a concept that resonated for me. Change is inevitable. The Question that remains is how do I practice non-resistence? 

"One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice --
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do --
determined to save
the only life you could save" 

~~Mary Oliver~~

Visiting The Windows

I strolled downtown to enjoy people watching on the square, taking pictures of  The Chair Affair Windows (you can see the pictures by clicking on the link),  stopping into a few galleries in the Pearl, and napping on a bench in the sun at Jamison Park. It felt good to get out, move, engage in the world instead of being a self imposed injured hermit). I had an inspiring conversation at the Blackfish Gallery with the featured artist Paul Missal.  One of his paintings especially intrigued me. It depicted Han Xiang one of the Eight Taoist Immortals who demonstrated the power of the Tao by pouring out cup after cup of wine from the gourd without end. The phrase Paul Missal had in the description with the title resonated within me. It was "What can I bring forth in you"? I am meditating on this notion of what I can bring forth in myself regardless of my limitations as I perceive them, and with that change the way I feel.

Reflective Practice

"Dance, when you’re broken open. 
Dance, if you’ve torn the bandage off. 
Dance in the middle of the fighting. 
Dance in your blood. 
Dance, when you’re perfectly free."

~~Rumi 

 Tomorrow night I look forward to attending the

 Reflective Dance Practice with Winky

 I desperately need to MOVE both inside and out 

 A creative expression through and in my body

 to be in touch with myself inside and out

 a moving meditation 

 that will hopefully bring me

 a sense of peace, calm

 present and accepting my body

 at this moment in this place,

 not being able to change what is

 physically limiting with my wrist

 but how I can be with it,

 and begin to accept what is~~~~~~~~ 

I am looking hard to find the blessing and can't quite see it yet

"I've never felt a pain that didn't bear a blessing."

Gene Knudsen Hoffman

A Day of Mourning, Community and Celebration of the Incredible Life of Jen Warnock

"Daylight, full of small dancing particles
and the one great turning, our souls
are dancing with you, without feet, they dance.
Can you see them when I whisper in your ear?"

~~Rumi

We Join Together In Celebration of the Life of Jen Warnock

Join us as we remember and celebrate the life of Jen Warnock March 16, 2010 With love in our hearts and tears in our eyes, we extend an invitation to you to join us in celebration of Jen Warnock. We'll gather together in community to honor, grieve and pay tribute to this magnificent woman. Tuesday March 16, 2010 Unitarian Universalist Church Corner of SW 12th and  Main

Creative Chair Filled Windows!

I have 2 chairs in 2 different locations that I created for The Chair Affair auction. The preview reception is at the Galleria SW 10th & ALDER from 5-8pm on March 25th . My small mixed media "chair" piece "Finding Home" is in the window where the reception will be. My second large actual chair "Pieces of the Past" is on display in the window of Mario's located at 833 Southwest Broadway. Please swing by Mario's that night as well to see my creation for the auction.Mario's is on the corner of SW Broadway and Taylor. Although Mario's closes around 6pm the chair is already in the window so please check it out on the way to the reception if you can or afterwards. The displays look great. If you are not able to be at the Community Warehouse Chair Affair reception, I hope you will visit The Galleria and Mario's, and PH Reed windows to see all the wonderful chairs that will be on view until the auction, that were created by artists for the Chair Affair annual Auction taking place on April 8th. For those of you interested in supporting the Community Warehouse but can't make it to the auction, the chairs are available for purchase directly on the Community Warehouse website.

The Chair Affair Invitation!

community warehouse

Wise advice from my very wise daughter! slow dance poem by david l weatherford

Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,
or listened to rain slapping the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight,
or gazed at the sun fading into the night?

You better slow down, don't dance so fast,
time is short, the music won't last.


Do you run through each day on the fly,
when you ask "How are you?", do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed,
with the next hundred chores running through your head?

You better slow down, don't dance so fast,
time is short, the music won't last.


Ever told your child, we'll do it tomorrow,
and in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch, let a friendship die,
'cause you never had time to call and say hi?

You better slow down, don't dance so fast,
time is short, the music won't last.


When you run so fast to get somewhere,
you miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,
it's like an unopened gift thrown away.

Life isn't a race, so take it slower,
hear the music before your song is over.

Today's inspiration- hopefulness

"Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is a beauty, admire it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is life, fight for it!"
- Mother Teresa

 Well the cast came off, the splint is on and tomorrow begins the long road back as I begin occupational therapy. The worst is over, there is a light at the end of this 3 year long tunnel and I will soon begin to create again........beginning very slowly but beginning none the less. I am frustrated that I cannot begin to dance again yet and the prospect of merely "witnessing" is too difficult and painful for me right now. I am tired of being on the outside spectating so time and patience will have to be my guide. I have come too far to turn back now.