Postponement - will the artists voice be heard ?

This will be brief at this point , as is has not all settled in yet - as of thursday we received and another grant bursary non approval. This came at critical stage so following a creative team consultation. A decison has been taken not to compromise the artistic vision and quality of the project and to therefore postpone the forthcoming arts venues dates in our region. The current arts funding situation, within the economic climate will probably only get worse as organizations become more conservative. As they receive an ever increasing number of grant requests, inevitably innovative work will not be supported. We will continue with the project, prioritising seeking and applying to other funding sources. We will focus on the many other postive aspects to the project, as everything is more or less in place. As a creative team our other partners, champions and supporters are agreed, they will continue to support us in bringing this project forward as intended. In the meantime I have been invited to sit on a regional panel for to a network of arts practitioners. To speak about the artists voice within the arts cultural sector - I am now suddenly, very clear on what I may well say.

Drama Director some dialectics and publication !!!

What an incredible week, I have someone on the grant question re- writing, I have doen a project timetable - feeling vey postive about this (I assist). Then I actually gave my back story to a friend ( a former Head of Drama Director, Performer etc) who has taken it a way and make notes on the key themes of the piece, asked the right questions and indicated where more expansion is needed in terms of the structure. What has been brillant is his insightfulness, his whole inituitive and knowledgable feel for the piece - he seems to pull my underpining ideas out from out of my head .e.g. the dialectics within the piece . This is most gratifying and gives me the most incredible 'creative buzz' He is also advising on staging , visuals etc pity he cannot direct he would indeed be the ideal... I am so champing on the bit ready to start with the next stage ......also this week recognition !!!! A really great review and the publication of my poem 'Just Peachey' this week in the esteemed Leicester Poetry Society, my a reading I previously gave for them was a smash ! I will be able to send out that to the regional 'litterati' and include it in my biography etc. Also sessioning with a asian jazz fusion band , working with a classical master and learning about their quawvalli music its structure. So just groovin' it can never be all calm, something of an IT 'event horizon' at work this morning ....oh well onward.

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.'Langston Hughes'

Today I have slashed wantonly my budgets and retained the bare essence of what I require in the budget for a grants application to a particular funding body. However I have kept those things I need in order to create the vision - a stunning spectacle that is truly essential the style of the piece and its artistic and cultural context. This is purely a pragmatic decison and will require an ever greater determination and will to succeed. To realise the vision the dream is all. Despite a lack of undestanding of in some quarters, as to its merits, as it is truly cutting edge , innovative in criss crossing, various arts genres, forms and ways of working. In paticualar being rooted in an Afrocentric tradition in the arts. My inspiration continues , drawn from those that have come before me.

Moves & grooves as I relax into writing

Well making sure progress with two grant applications completed and submitted for people to fulfil roles that the project needs in digital visuals and adminstrative marketing support, communications etc. Now I just need to persuade a certain person to get on aboard tommorow... to help with the ever increasing amout of current paper work. However it must be said that the European Fund will be a key contributor to this project -so it goes with the territory . I really am pacing myself and things are is slowing down on this front, (juggling so much stuff) thank fully I look forward to the luxurious feeling of creating fresh pristine new born narrative verse plucked from the sumptiousness of my rich backstory oh also music too ... I cant wait !

He was the one all along - Innovation & Collaboration

So I am all set, evertyhing in place the Digital Consultant (some development days agreed) the Senior Academic University Creative Digital Innovation and MA Graduate in Music & Technology - it does not escape that they are all men. I have found the one- to work with who has been there all along ,but now I have him on board seriously, patience is something that must be cultivated by all. Thinking now of the wonderful advice on success in entrepreneurial projects of Levi Roots I am so looking forward to working with them to allow my inner techno geek to creatively flower aahh... The prize - stunning innovation and excellence, a great creative collaborative journey, a dream fulfilled ....so I have set my mind to get the inspire trade mark and ge this money via a regional development agency who in turn get it from Europe this is in parrallel with other fundraising work

A Fellow Artist Collaborator , Graduate & Bursary saves

So far I have been able to to get a fantastic fellow artist, friend and collaborator for the project to read through all the stuff so it can be reformatted and re-submitted YAY !!! got to get the moulah ....Also an opportunty has also been sent to me for a bursary to pay a graduate for 20 days work which I could use for the creative digital arts e.g. the performance platform etc. so I have written to my digital consultant to advise me on this before applying or it. So things still going then -but I am overcoming the low level disillusion allied to panic, about timelines that befell me recently . More ideas coming on the story lynch pins, staging and scoring ideas so this is very reassuring. Memory, conversations with peopel on a whole host of topics in bars, cafes etc or on the park enjoying the sun as I did with friends last sunday- an absolute scorcher that was gratefully received by me - was very energising creatively !

All Hung Out with Frida Kahlo

So today several days after the predictable political turmoil England currently faces, of a hung parliament. I effect to be confident and sanguine, as I now know I must definitely get the help I require from some quarter. It starts tommorow I meet a woman skilled, experienced and knowledgeable in these dark arts, of getting money from Arts funding bodies for emerging arts wonderkinds as myself. Just as in the days of patronage I need to get her on my side in my camp so to speak in order to bring forth this work !

Wonderful inspiration I found at the weekend, provided in a incredible performance by Khadijatou Doyneh, a strong confident articulate and eloquent artist, just re - confirm how joyful is it to meet a British Black woman, so able to utilise all her gifts so magnificantly. However this is a rare occurence far too rare today.

We dont see such artists on our arts cultural radar never mind the media etc, I had taken to studying more of women's art feminist art etc over the week end. I just marvelled at how countries like e.g. Germany Europe in general just churn brillant women artists out all the time. Only a couple of Black women artists are listed in the book I read , no other women of colour included , thus surely providing the opportunity for this omission to be addressed more fully by commentators, driven to correct this glaring imbalance .

On the phone I chatted with a male colleague in a similar situation to myself with his arts project , we shared our mutal disappointment in having our ambition, raised only for it to be scaled down by the circumstances, outside of our control that were not divulged at the time we embarked on our respective artistic journeys . We find some comfort in these conversations with each other, i.e. to carry on with the 'struggle', saying with hindsight if we had all the facts - would we have taken on the enterprise ?

Later I noted a frustrated , almost bitter tone on his part, also curiously secretative as if he had information of great import that he could not divulge at this time. As he felt more than slighted by these untoward developments affecting his work, he felt the political uncertainty would only worsen matters, hasten further cuts in arts spending, therefore the end of all our larger hopes. I was more cautiously optimistic, I had a weekend of fun and deep reflection, this has strengthened me and gvien me a certain necessary detachment at times , to be able to see things a little more clearer, rather than through a mist of frustrated anger . I understand though how he feels I guess we have similar problems but have different ways of dealing with it. For me as I said before it is all grist to the mill.

This then follows on as it brings me into some affinity, tenous connection and fascination with the works of Frida Kahlo. European Surrealists, wanted to call her a surrealist, but she said she 'never painted a dream' she painted her lived authentic experience - infused as it was with unimaginable agonies and her passion for Mexcian folklore. Looking at her photos it is her gaze that arrests you and the proudly unplucked dark lush eyebrows, that give her a defiant yet melancholic beauty. It is these qualities that I find most compelling of all.

Fighting Dragons & Turning the Wheel - Inevitably

I am about to do the inevitable,have somebody else work and support me in this production phase. It is a very new development but very much unavoidable given the circumstances as 'the race or game is on'. I have done so much as to be completely 'fagged out' in the process and experiencing something quite foreign to me a 'writers block', as regards my grant application only. Despite having done all the work and got all the information required previously. It all needs to formatted and redone etc.

I cannot see the wood for the trees right now , my head when not 'turning the wheel, keeping the wolf from the door and sword fighting dragons '. Percolates all the while with intriguing words , poems, staging ideas and the such. I am blessed with a lively creativity , however I am resigned to the back up practical support right now. It is new as my journey is a one where duw to a lack of support, based on my particular location on the 'totem pole' I like others like me have done everything often on my own . This case is quite different, I only have to find the artist user friendly person, to basically re -format my own work in the required way. Fundraisers are ubiqutious now in arts organisations, whether freelance or in house. This raises questions to me about what types of art actually gets made and why as such ? Is it the work that can always get the funding and does this aggregate over time ? How is innovation therefore maintained ?

I am strengthened though in my continuing resolve, by artists that read this blog and cite on their own e.g Leanne Stoddart a Poet in Birmingham. I will need to 'pull my finger out ' sharpish and keep on trucking with it all . The author of the 'Sports Writer' Richard Ford on the radio offers a variety of priceless advice on the craft of writing he says it is 'a vocation rather than a profession' he talks interestingly of writing dialogue, character development, locations and not physically describing his characters much and his dyslexia - it makes him a slow reader but he is able to pore over his words and attune more to the musicality of them. I conclude he is very much a poet too.

He also talks of his humble background and crises of confidence, I now so identify and empathise, with why I know artists become disheartened, apathetic or have crippling self confidence in what they do. In my background and also Alan Silitoes and many others, as we come from similar backgrounds - as to class . We definately did know anyone who was a writer or wished to become one. I acknowledge how this has shaped me and gives me my own rich imagination a uniques view on the world. The struggles and the journey that starts from traversing numerous barriers and obstacles can steel such writers and make available to them abundance of wildly orgianal ideas to draw on. I consider myself fortunate to have been largely self educated and to have come as far as I have, enjoying arguing the toss with literature Ph.d's and MA's etc.

Alan Silitoe - RIP Inspirational Literary Iconoclast & Working Class Hero

I sat watching the BBC Big Screen Leicester enjoying the uncommon sunshine, the intriguing short films and of course sports and news. To read 'Alan Silitoe has died' it was a shock, I felt sadness for his family and friends. I thought about his ground breaking and substantial literary legacy. I am part of that legacy this piece, this very project is inspired by his classic - The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. I had fancifully imagined, stirred by certain literature colleagues from Nottingham, who knew him and often invited in to Nottingham. That I might have met him even...I had the details of his literary agency, I had tried to contacting them with no joy so far - as a curtesy..well we will see what happens in time but I know it changes everything somehow.... Just I had read 'belief, courage' on a mural on the street , done by young people celebrating the Special Oypmpics I turned to the attributes my character would need . How writers that come from working class backgrounds require these qualities, to overcome so much to write. How families, loved ones, of of the recently deceased need these qualties too. Yesterday there was walk of fame unveiled in Leicester , Sue Townsend (writer of Adrian Mole ) is celebrated and in between the lines of her brief profile, I felt there would have been so much struggle, for her to be able to write given the many challenges that were part of her everyday life . This can be all to common characteristic for would be writers from a working class backgrounds. That have little or no meaningful support for their literary ambitions. Has much changed today compared to the way Alan Silitoe and others like him, in the 50's stormed the literature world ? What writers are doing something like this in literature now ? Alan Siltoe, through the aforementioned work showed me what could be done , the importance of the authencity of 'voice' and the value of working peoples experience. Something I could deeply relate to and connect to on a number of levels . I do not know what more to say now, except that I did connect to the fact he wrote novels, stories but clearly also he wrote and enjoyed poetry. I will always wonder what he would have made of the work I was doing ? Would he have liked it or not ? I will no doubt look at the Alan Silitoe obituaries, retrospectives etc. etc. I had hoped to meet him one day, but not able to now, but I can be even more inspired - he would probably approved of that.

Why Crtics & Art

After reading a really interesting article about critics and 'verbatim theatre' that David Hare has pioneered, along side a radio Forum discussion about human evoloution and art, its universality and the ubiquitous landscape calenders (grassy meadows and blue vistas water present) research shows, collected across diverse cultures, sited as proof, of our common need for art in all its forms 'high' and 'low' . I particularly like the philosopher of art, ideas around, emotional engagement, pleasure , virtousity, skill, 'the hairs up on the back of the neck' moments that define our experience of art I was convinced even more that the winter of post modern art was slackeninge its grip on us. It is a drive, a faculty, even where there are culturally defined forms of doing soemthing, one piece of work varies widely from another.

Then there is the business of aesthethics, who decides sets them all out. It seems to me that critics should at the very least engage with some artists that interest them over time, rather than just cynically pander to readers, circulation figures , inflate their own egos and casually rubbish the hard earned efforts of said artists . Without at least having the knowledge , the experience of seeing or doing it themselves - where and how can 'critics and artists meet and dialogue, do we really need critics ? How do they add or subtract to our own experiences of a work ? I mean human progress clearly shows we most essentially need artists..so what for the future of art and critics how do engage with art without them. I have reviewed my own role as a 'critic' in the past, in order to write cogently about an artist's work there is a need for my total absorption intheir work , for me to even begin to try and express how you feel about a particular work - this can happen best sequentially and over time.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Diva - Watery Revelations

I had my meeting with my dramaturge, there was much expectation due to me wondering about her reaction to the completed backstory. Anxiety too as we were to discuss my unsuccessful previous G4A arts aplication ... I was relieved that she liked my backstory and she referred to many of her favourite parts , many I myself liked. She is a lovely, very qualified , experienced insightful gifted person, she was able to highlight where I needed to tweak and expand a bit , what she did not believe, the clarity of seeing the narrators voice and the solo characters actual journey through the piece, the idea of these as two separate yet parrallel journeys/paths that meet, understanding more needs and wants better, showing the crisis point ,the actual choice the character makes and why, the different types of truth who is the character actually speaking to this was all great really helpful and took me deeper and happily into re-writing. Also preparing the next process we touched briefly on this next stage and we were both delighted to find we had similar ideas as to how score the piece, how to use music dramatically, the pattern, rhythm and beat of the piece

Her advice and our discussion included acknowledging how hard I had worked and that I had everything I needed in place (bar more money) information other support etc, more importantly how stressful the application and production process had been to date. A big point was the revelation - that I had a real difficulty focusing on myself as an artist of value as opposed to being always the producer (I felt I had to do this to work to gain recogniton and experience ) mentor mode etc for other artists) It made me feell really vulnerable all of a sudden, this induced some spontaneous water works on my part at the newness of of this feeling.

So the arts grant application form advice is sumarised ;-

JUST ANSWER THE QUESTIONS !
BE MORE BRIEF
FOLLOW THEIR NARRATIVE STRUCTURE i.e. FOLLOWNG THEIR QUESTIONS
MAKE IT VERY CLEAR I AM DOING EXCITING INNOVATIVE WORK
MAKE THE PITCH
AM AT A CRITICAL PIVOTAL POINT IN MY ARTS PRACTICE I NEED THEIR SUPPORT IN ORDER TO DO THIS PROJECT TO TAKE ME TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN MY ARTS CAREER,
I AM NOT JUST DEVELOPING MY OWN ARTS PRACTICE BUT ALSO THE OTHER ARTISTS I AM WORKING WITH COLLABORATIVELY,
THIS PROCESS IS BEING DOCUMENTED TO LEAVE A LEGACY FOR OTHER ARTISTS LEARNING

Done - backstory has ending

I have been so busy not much blogging in recent weeks, but I am really feeling good about getting to the end of my backstory - I like it and have really enjoyed writing it . It gives me so much pleasure to know its done and I eagerly await my Dramaturge reaction. For myself, it gives me so much 'on the bone' - for when I look to start writing the poetic language . This next writing stage will delight even more I think, as there will be less words, be more compact and expressive, while still making the narrative arc. Poetry is a passion, ideas come all the time but more at certian periods- I am blessed that way I guess . My recent reading/ performance at Leicester Poetry Society was a total smash- despite some nerves on my part . I look forward to their review in their pamphlet - it all helps. I will become a member now. Getting recognition as a poet for page and stage is vital and it has boosted my confidence immeasurably.Looks like my co-producers did not receive my postal package of the grant application. So I will start all over again copying stuff to give to my Dramaturge who is on board to help - what a relief ! I am getting lots of good support from fellow practitoners on the grant challenge . Looks like devising and piloting digital visual stuff in the Summer months then ! I cannot help feeling frustrated as I just want to get on with what I do best 'make art' rather than all this adminstrative stuff

The Creative Caravan Train

So as of last night I meet a DJ and computer whiz (he has just moved to Leicester and is working for Apple) who is really interested in the project and really keen to get on board. Hm.. I can see that in this respect the planned experimental piloting of the performative platform really needs thinking about from now. If I am successful in getting access to local Universities creative digital and performance facilities over the summer, when the students are away- will be challenging. Because there are a number of creative digital people, alighting this particular creative carvan so to speak - I am playing with the notion of 'auditoning' some of them to get the right balance and mix. As well as seeing how well we all might work together, it is a creative chemistry type of situation. The whole project seems to be firing people up, igniting them so to speak . I cannot wait to see how this is then manifested in the work created.

Adding to the mix

Wow the back story is really moving along i am enjoying writing it just as my dramturge felt , I am so excited as I have met another arts prtactitioner specialising in being a VJ who is very interested in my project I will need to talk with him soon . Lots of distractions but still on track after the disappointment of not geeting funding on first pass at the major grant I needed from a national arts body I' m reliablely told that really excellent projects often get it second time around and I can rely on my co-producers to do the checking this time make sure there are no oversights. The information is to be just so in its formatting ! I concede an oversight on not submitting a financial narrative with my budgets but the other information was all there (in aabundance) but not in their preferred format !!

Backstory takes off

The back story I have now come to realise is a time to enjoy writing - a kind of free writing oh the sparse use of your own stories and others just to spice it enoght to then take flight off on your own imagination, to be taken over by a character or a scene. It may not be like this later on as my dramaturge points out - but for now I write on and I will see where it all leads me ....I was pleased with my first pass, so to speak and pulled off, at a dramatic point ,just as my lead character reaches puberty as to what I had written so far, to discuss with my dramaturge She was vey positve , said it showed I enjoyed the writing, she wanted me to just continue writing, most importantly she really responded to the character in particular the voice and really wanted to know what happened next, she also said something about 'lived experience'.-I said someone else said this about my poetry too - must be some literary hallmark of mine I was pleased with the characters attitude- I had given her a harshness, wry comments but also the pathos - this was crucial to me, for her to speak her own real way in a hybird language all of her own - she begins to have a life of her own - this is very excitng

Will they say yes or no

There are a couple of men and a woman I need to persuade to support this project bigtime. Hmm I do not know them very well although they are all on my radar and I am on theirs. I want to get access to some resources space, kit (equipment etc) and some more creative technical know how. One of them has had an outline already so know what is its about and one of the things he said was it was 'challenging' the other guy is more problematic we have a chequered history due to me fluffing up meetings previously anyway, he is a gatekeeper of a good space and access to digital performance resources and possibly professional development opportunities the other on is an english literature academic I have sent all but of one them the updated information and the updated project summary fingers crossed then I hope they will be interested and want to play ball- if they do things will all go to the next level I cant remember a time when I was like this about a project I am getting very excited as I have actually started the backstory which is so important in that it is is going to lead me to the story proper for the piece heres hoping .....

Getting it right - website debut

So I have now been asked to provide a photo image and some blurb for an initial regional website about my piece - that should be easy methinks as I have written and thought so much about the piece - except this is for a Cultural Olympiad programme website and will carry the ' story' for some time into the future and will be accessed regionally, nationally and internationally too. No pressure then to make sure I get this as right as it can be at this early stage. We do not have our own website as yet for th eproejct but plan to in due course . Providing an image is much more problematic than the text - so far I have a neuman microphone which is used in studios rather than on stage because I thnk it of it as thing of beauty and I like the way it sort of has a cage around it a 'restriction' - it needs to be something symbolic yet flexible as to how the piece develops It feels l already like such a comittment to do this but needs must..

Innovation tribespeople and getting into University

You meet some people to consult with and give them the briefest explanation of what you want to do. They then proceed to pull out strands of thoughts out of your head as if telepathically and make imaginative interesting shapes with them - prempting most of what may want to say further. Because some how they have caught your wavelength and are moving it along in a very exciting way- opening things up you had not thought were feasible for one reason or another. Only to show you that the visons you had -were possible and not as expensive or difficult as you had imagined. It is great to meet these innovative fellow tribes people - that is what I will call them.

There is a spark a recogniton when you meet them and matters proceed smooothly with little sparks of further ideas.The most wonderful collaborations then start to spin into action from these telling first encounters. This all happens so very fast and often it needs to. The project is expanding at present - almost day by day as I discuss with a prospective digital consultant - the initial costings resources (space & equipment) digital technology etc to produce the desired effects that are required A furthe rethink on budget is now required to effect the delicate balancing act to achieve the artistic vision within the budgetary limits.

It will be crucial to gain support from the local University Creative Tecnology Centre and its Performing Arts Lab spaces during the summer 2010 - i.e. when not used by students to pilot the choreograhy and the digital visual interactvity lightng ideas. This could be a support in kind type of a deal for these centres to be linked to such challenging innovation. I therefore seek further contact with innovative tribesfolk within the institutions senior staff. There are 2-3 key supportive ones already (who are invaluable and much appreciated by me ) that I have found - a fantastice start. But at least three more other senior staff are needed get on board.

An early meeting with the Dean to discuss exploring the interface between the university and artists based in the community. Then led the Dean to signpost to me specific staff to approach and in the new year positive efforts will be made to get them on board. from my perspective the benefits to students learning, the enhanced positive profile of the University - afforded to them by being associated with a Cultural Olympiad prgramme project for the city and region - with the 2012 'inspire' brand mark of excellence - is a key point. It is a long while since I have been involved directly with higher learning institutions. Apart from, seminar panels at their major annual cultural festival , a spot of guest lecturering and the odd artist intervention ( recently) Also I do some broadcast work at the community radio station based at the University covering the arts. This however will be very different due to my role as the artist . This is one of the reasons why I do this blog to map the journey an artist can take to do an ambitious peice of work like this and all the obstacles, help hindrances etc encountered on the way. It may well be of some use to others in undertaking a similar task or for those who research it . It is has certainly helped me in being able to see better how everything is taking shape.

Champagne tastes but beer money - arts funding resizing to fit

At is at this point I can truly say I am in the business of resizing this project in the light of where it is to date. A quick look at my early budgets and its clear that some stuff will have to go to make more room for other budget heads to expand because the are so critical - all the artist commissions, digital commissions necessary equipment and materials are sacrosanct ! Eveything else is up for review this due to the nagging feelling that despite the breath of the vision and the most convincing team to deliver it. There is a context of intense competiton for funds (in a credit crunch scenario), an unmistakable feeling of being some what disappointed after the big wind up to create your best stunning work ever and excel.

Only to find money is a bit thin - that what is wanted is all the fanfare and trimmings, but then to only offer meagre resources . Not mention work that seems looks, sounds a bit different or may require further exploration discussion - most certainly by an older black woman who doesn not really so neatly fit in all the 'boxes'. The half glass possee's are on this tip completely. So these projects are almost certain to be under funded, in the hope someone else will share the 'risk' needless to say this consumes estimable amounts of time on the part of the artist. I'm also told this by an artist colleague I met at the Symposia from Portugal - that it is much the same there - is it an EEC thing ? I will be intersted in this type of artist experience elsewhere in the world. In the meantime budgets beckon and documents files gape open. I must press on but however - not for one minute do I not vision it all (the project ) as supremely marvellous . Much positive development has taken place (I have kept the project people in the information loop) the confidence and belief of my champions sustain this conviction. So time to send out a few diary alerts the new year for the completed performances before christmas mayhem to keep me pepped up !

Materiality vs Intangibility Contested Spaces Symposia 'work in progress' - Artist Intervention

The build up meeting Serena, the challlening theme, the site visit and final preparations (shopping props etc.) for my artistic intervention for the first day - of a live performance, with accompanying props, digital visuals and primarily drum music was exciting fun and a bit intimidating but seemed worth the risk. In having an international very informed, creative audience of Phd. museum studies students and early career researchers to pilot my ideas, to discuss the underpining of my work was an opportunity I was keen to take. The was some further thought as to how to do the second day which I felt should be linked but offer a contrast to performance. Having ITC skills is vital - to be able to collate the information for research & development, make links literally with other work etc. but also to be able to select and prepare your own images in the way you wish forthem to be presented is key. Underlying everything in my mind now the moment had come - was the question how would it all be received ?

Jim Tetlow assisting with video and sound recording - a creative artistic colleague of old - helped to steady nerves and allowed me to focus on the performance. There was filming for the symposia archive by some of Serenas Team who I asked to make edited highlights only - as it was a 'work in progress' and a very talented blogger in 'situ' Jenny I had by then decided that the second day would not be another performance but linked. This would provide any opportunity to further explore the ideas in my work with a more relaxed atmosphere. Then finally a short exercise to demonstrate more ideas evolved from the theme but also part of my own work exploring club culture, specific physical movements, music and of course light effects. Read here the feedback blog posted immediately after I had performed - a first in my performing career http://bit.ly/4Tl9bp

The second day was far less intense and more relaxed, playful I would talk and expand on my ideas and hopefully get comments questions and reactions. I had a number of people individually personally give me their comments, the work being rich, layered, fantastic , I loved it etc maybe more would be shared on day two. Day one was priceless in that is offered up being able to run the words, movement images and sounds together. Everything was played outside of my head that had been buzzing with the concepts ideas and information for months from my research - so now it was for real the scond day which posed so much anxiety is here Read here the blog that was posted http://bit.ly/5LmutQ