Cultural Affirmations

This is my final blog as an Artist Animateur for SaskCulture and I want to close by discussing something that might be useful to artists at every level of development.

One of the reasons poets don’t stick with their craft even though they possess considerable skill is damaging self-talk. This can be debilitating in any activity but since writing is such a solitary endeavor all writers are vulnerable to old tapes we play in heads that tell us we can’t do this, is we can’t create. Many damaging self-talk tapes are recorded in childhood. In grade five I had a wonderful teacher who loved poetry and had her students memorize and recite Frost, Wordsworth and Blake. In many ways I was hooked on poetry at a very young age.

 In grade six my teacher had no interest in writing or poetry and I was labeled by her as a “dreamer”, “lazy” and “inattentive”. I hadn’t changed but the tapes in my head had been rewritten. 

As a writer I wasn’t really aware of damaging self-talk, until after my first book was published. A year after the book came out my father became very ill and they found an inoperable brain tumor. In many ways my father was my life compass, I was devastated. In writing and in life all those self-damaging tapes arose and I became fearful, untrusting and unable to write.

 It wasn’t until a year after my father’s death that I recognized that it was me, my mind that was preventing me from doing something I loved. With that awareness I could counteract it. One of the methods I used to write about my relationship with my father, his illness and his death, was to speak/compose into a tape recorder.  I think of it as “voice freefall”. The words I wanted to write were so deep within my body that this seemed to be the only way to access them and counteract the self damaging voices in my mind. The result was a book I am still very proud of “Dreaming my Father’s Body”.

 I still have to be vigilant because these old tapes play quickly, and often below the level of your conscious awareness. One of the things I do daily even when I know I won’t have time to write is to repeat affirmations. This may at first seem uncomfortable but I can assure you from personal experience you will feel more latitude and freedom as a writer or artist if you practice this.  Find one or two affirmations that speak to you and then place them somewhere in your environment that will allow you to see and read them many times every day: above your writing desk, on the mirror in your bathroom, above your telephone. If you feel stuck at the writing desk write out an affirmation several times until your mind begins clicking and you begin writing. Here are affirmations I have used but as you discover about your blocks or damaging self talk you will come up with your own affirmations to counteract them.

Engaging with people in the Artist Animateur program I met many people who felt that they just weren’t creative. As if they missed the day in grade school where all the other children were given their “creativity shots”. The truth is that everyone has creative capacity, but we must make time in our lives to explore our own creative outlets.

I will leave you with four effective affirmations for writers but artists from other disciplines need only substitute words from their discipline.

The Artist Animateur program has been a wonderful journey for me and I’m very grateful to SaskCulture for the opportunity to awaken creativity in others.  

Affirmations:

If I listen I will be lead to what I need to write

Writing is now fun and easy for me

Today I will write with full confidence in my skills

I write easily and effortlessly, I'm an excellent writer

Paul Wilson

Artist Animateur, SaskCulture

The Pandemonium Box: A Culture Days Fable

The kingdom of Erutluc was flat but not so flat that people could see all the way to next week.  Every day was a day to bow a fiddle, pen a poem, dance a jig, practice a play, or sing a song.

The Rankle King ruled over Erutluc with what the people often called “frustrated desperation”. While the people did not fear the Rankle King they knew that he had mastery over all of the elements of the universe and would often manipulate them to his whims.

The Rankle King had grown weary of the sounds that his subjects made. It seemed to him that his kingdom was a symphonic caterwaul of catastrophic proportions from the first light of morning until the stars appeared in night sky. 

He heard the vivvy –vrrivy-vim-vip, as a flock of fiddlers learned a new tune.

He heard the thromp, tomp, tap pick, as a troupe of dancers learned a new dance.

He heard the scattle-skittle-scratch of a coterie of poets penned new poems.

He heard the laa-lee-lap-louree of a soiree of singers, sounding a song.

He heard the tattle-tru-truu-tittle, of a company of players practicing a play.

The Rankle King heard Shhhffff of a fast running stream by his window, he heard the EEEEk of his table scraping the floor when he got up to close the window.

 The Rankle King, had had enough of the sounds of his kingdom, he locked himself into the Rankle Room determined to find a solution to the constant racket that was driving him to distraction. 

When the Rankle King emerged days later he commanded his people to gather and he appeared before them carrying a box of black stone.

He said, “In this, The Pandemonium Box, I will enslaved the abomination of alarm…the cacophony of chaos…the voices that stun and crush the ear…from this day forward we will become the placid stillness of our kingdom…Let us make silence a ceaseless balm for every brow every ear…beware any hearing soul who would loosen this din of dread on the unwary world.”

The people were stunned by what their king said but as he closed the box, his edict became their reality.

No one heard the vivvy –vrrivy-vim-vip, as a flock of fiddlers learned a new tune.

No one heard the  thromp, tomp, tap pick, as a troupe of dancers learned a new dance.

No one heard the scattle-skittle-scratch of a coterie of poets penned new poems.

No one  heard the laa-lee-lap-louree of a soiree of singers, sounding a song.

No one heard the tattle-tittle-truu-tale, of a company of players practicing a play.

For one year the Rankle King ruled his kingdom in complete silence, and each day the mood of his people became darker and more forlorn. The king understood because he found himself missing the many amazing sounds his people made each day.

One bright spring morning the king went to the Rankle Room and retrieved the Pandemonium Box, and he went into the square and waited as the people slowly and silently gathered around him.

The people opened their mouths to ask what the Rankle King was up to now, but they could not make a sound.

After a long time the Rankle King opened his mouth and miraculously began to speak.

The people marveled at the sound of his voice after so many years. Still they could scarcely believe what the Rankle King was saying:

“The sounds of the people are an unwavering gift that unveils the many layers of silence.

The sounds of the people are an exotic promise, a finger poking, no jabbing out the future.

These sounds have the power to explode lies. These sounds are the pulse, the weight of each and every heart.

The sounds of the people are a map, a path for the mind that must unhinge. These sounds are a perfect and unwieldy time-piece that bangs out eternity.

Let the pandemonium begin!”
 

In that instant sounds leapt from the Pandemonium Box:

The vivvy –vrrivy-vim-vip, as a flock of fiddlers learned a new tune.

The  thromp, tomp, tap pick, as a troupe of dancers learned a new dance.

The scattle-skittle-scratch of a coterie of poets penned new poems.

The laa-lee-lap-louree of a soiree of singers, sounding a song.

The tattle-tittle-truu-tale, of a company of players practicing a play.

The sounds leapt into the air until the kingdom was full once more all the loud lavishness of living in the world.

All that night no one in the kingdom could sleep not even the Rankle King, for the croack-reed-it, of the frogs and the chit-t chit-t of the crickets sounded like the most beautiful music they had ever heard.

The End

An Inspiration Tune-up

Some writers will tell you that inspiration is for whimps, or that it doesn't really exist and the only way to produce as a writer is to put your butt in a chair until the ideas come. I take a different approach with inspiration, I want to be inspiration's friend and I want to know all I can about our on-again, off-again relationship.

When I feel inspired to write a poem, I’m usually so pleased to have creativity on my side again I rarely stop to notice where and when I was given the impetus to write. However when I’ve hit a dry spot in my creativity and nothing seems to inspire me I spend a good deal of time pondering this mysterious process.

I would like to suggest that there are two distinct kinds of inspiration. The first is Primary Inspiration; of course each of us has our own distinct sources of this form of inspiration. For me these sources  include  solitary sojourns into nature, walks in the city which involve people watching, relationships with people I love and people I barely know,  also collect small snippets of conversation I hear in cafes and other public places. Then of course I have to mention my senses which are arbiters of primary inspiration. 

Often a phrase or poetic line has arisen from a particular fragrance or an unexpected sound. Suddenly I'm transported to a heightened sense of awareness or become aware of a potent memory which in turn leads to a poem.  Touch and taste play less of a role with my creative process yet I am aware that images involving touch reoccur regularly in my writing. Visual artists, dancers, actors, musicians would likely share some of the same sources of inspiration but may also contrast sharply in other areas.

Secondary Inspiration arises when we are moved by the creative intent within a work of art, not our own. We may be in an art gallery or a library and the instant we see a painting or read a particular story or poem we feel we have been given something that we must in turn share with the world. Writers read, painters look at paintings, dancers study choreography and so on. While artists are compelled to learn more about their art form, it is also natural to be inspired by other artists. As a writer I am inspired by writers in all genras and  I am equally inspired by the works of painters, musicians, dancers, in fact most art forms. If we want to understand the the transformative nature inspiration plays in our lives we must live by the declaration: I will take inspiration from where I find it.

 What is an inspiration tune-up?

Does inspiration just happen, do we have any control at all over how, when and where it arrives? Perhaps not but we can become more sensitive to what specific conditions bring our inspired impulses to the forefront.

Try this: for one week keep a small notepad with you at all times. Make a running list of inspired ideas as they arise as well as the time, location and experience that triggered the ideas. Were you in the shower, on a walk, waking up or falling to sleep, waiting in line a Tim Horton’s? At the end of each day review the list looking for connections between the experience and the ideas themselves. Do you always get an idea for a painting or a poem when you get up early and eat breakfast alone? Maybe this is because as a child this alone-time allowed you to write and illustrate your own stories. Over the course of your tune up week you will find that certain experiences fall into the category of "primary inspiration". As you become more attuned to these experiences take time each day to cherish these moments. Don't be discouraged when ideas don't come, just relax in the knowledge that inspiration is on the way and you will be ready to act when the time comes.

A Good Question

"Why is it important that I engage in a cultural activity?”

"Let me ask you this, have ever given yourself permission to explore your own inventiveness?"

 "What do I mean by 'inventiveness'?"

"I mean, the power of your own creativity. Can you remember a time when you created something  entirely your own: drawing a landscape you loved, a performance of a dance from your culture, speaking your grandfather's language,  writing a story, telling the story, composing on your guitar, making a quilt for a grandchild, can you remember what your 'inventiveness' felt like?"

"Yes I can, it felt as if creativity was flowing out of me, as if I was bringing forth this wonderful thing from deep inside of me."

"That's why."

"That's why what?"

"That's why it's important for you to engage in a cultural activity, so you can experience the power of your own creativity and then share it with others."

"Will anyone even be interested in what I have to share?"

"Yes, by engaging in cultural activities, you and others are enriching your community. Soon more people will give themselves permission  to express their inventiveness."

"That would be a very good thing, wouldn't it?"

"It sure would."

---

This invented conversation isn’t as Utopian as it might first appear

I recently read about a cultural research paper* that defined the term “Inventive Mode of Cultural Participation” as referring to “activity that engages the persons mind and body in an activity in artistic creation, regardless of his or her talent and real talent of the discipline undertaken.”

This term really resonated with me. Every artist from the amateur to the highly accomplished professional has passed through this “inventive” stage phase. Many never transcend it but I believe many do and go on to develop broader interests in the arts. This threshold of engagement in cultural activity can be powerful as it is a holistic experience that involves both the body and the mind.

Once someone engages in “inventive” participation in culture and the arts and stays engaged, the participant can soon associate certain personal and external benefits to this activity. Soon they see a shift in their awareness and perception as the imagination is engaged and the brain stimulated. The whole concept of self-expression is broadened and feelings and opinions that may not have had an outlet are manifested through inventive practices. This new form of expression may also allow for the integration the participant’s inner life and world view.

Cultural engagement allows people to develop and appreciate important personal values such as a sense of identity, self-esteem, pride and dignity. I’m not saying that everyone is an artist and can achieve great things through participation in cultural activity or an art form. Yet it seems clear to me that engagement in culture and the arts builds understanding on both the personal level and the societal level.

I have had opportunities as a writer, editor, mentor and now as an Artist Animateur to bring people along this path, and it is gratifying work. Programs such as Culture Days are very successful in encouraging engagement in the arts and culture and have had a positive impact on many, many people, yet there is always more to be done in regards to expanding and diversifying cultural participation within Saskatchewan and across Canada

* The Values Study, Connecticut Council on Tourism and Culture (2004), quoted in No Culture, No Future (2010) by Simon Brault.

The Poetry Game

Culture Days 2011 is on its way, celebrating arts and culture from coast to coast to coast in Canada. This is a game for anyone who reads or writes poetry and knows what they like. This game was passed on to me by Barry Dempster at Sage Hill Writing Experience and is perhaps the most fun you can have reading and talking about poetry. There are no winners or losers in this game, in the end poetry wins and everyone involved increases their knowledge or what makes a good poem, good! Of course I recommend choosing poems by Canadian poets for the game, before or during Culture Days.

Here are the rules of the Poetry Game:

1. The Poem Master, picks four different poems (from four different authors)

2. He gathers a group of six to ten “Listeners” who are readers of poetry, (with eight to ten Listeners form teams of two or four people per team)

3. The Poem Master reads the first poem without revealing the authors name, and each Listener writes notes and impressions on the poem while it is being read.

4. After the reading the poem, the Poet Master gives the Listeners three minutes to write notes on the poem they have just heard..

5. The Poem Master repeats steps three and four with each of the remaining three poems.

6. When the poems have been read and notes taken the Poem Master asks the Listeners to rate each poem from 1 as the poem they like most to 4 as the poem they like the least based on poetic craft and the impact of the poem on the Listener. (Time will have to be given for discussion if team play is employed).

7. The Poet Master asks for scores on poem one and welcomes discussion between Listeners who have divergent views on the same poem. This isn't in order to change someone's scoring of a poem but merely to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the poem.

8. Repeat step seven for each of the four poems. The Poem Master facilitates discussions, trying to draw all of the listeners into the discussion. The Poem Master also tabulates the scores for each poem with poems earning four points for first choices, three points for second choices, two points for third choices and one point for forth choices.

9. When discussion winds up on the forth poem the Poem Master reveals the placing of the poems based on the scores of the Listeners. The Poem Master may also ask if anyone wants to guess the names of the poets who wrote the poems. He entertains these and finally reveals the names of the poets. The game is complete.

This game is a lot of fun and it’s an easy way to learn more about poetry craft and the kind of poetry that has an impact on you. If you don’t own many poetry books look for anthologies or Canadian poetry for many wonderful poems to choose for the game.

 Enjoy!

My Invisible Library

 

I have prefered to write notes upon imaginary books
Jeorge Luis Borges

Invisible Library: a collection of books that only appear as titles in published books, txhat is to say all manner of books unwritten, unread, unpublished, and unfound.

 

These words have guided me for the last three years as I have worked on a poetry manuscript titled "The Invisible Library"  Invisible books have no substance beyond the context given in the books where they are mentioned. They are fragments of the imagination of the author, but yet somehow they light a flame in the imagination of the reader. What would that book be like?  


Once aware of the invisible library I began to notice entries in books I was reading. It seemed a short leap from these discoveries to wanting to create entries in the invisible library myself. In this writing process I have been inspired by the invisible library but all the titles used in my poems are original and not borrowed from other sources. Soon the poems I was writing took on more imagistic and metaphoric weight. I found that the concept was leading me into fascinating thematic and psychological territory.


In June I began a term position as an Artist Animateur for SaskCulture in aid of supporting and promoting Culture Days, Canada's celebration of arts and culture from coast to coast to coast. This summer I have acted as Poet in Residence (at the Invisible Library) at several events in southern Saskatchewan, where I have read poems from my book and engaged people in the creative act of writing their own "invisible"titles into a book I've carried with me. The response when I ask someone to participate is usually a smile or even a chuckle at the thought of them becoming an instant author. While the writer may want to pause and think it over, I encourage them to use the first good thought they have. Many of the participants use their own name but they are also allowed to sign a pseudonym that plays off the title.


Here are a few samples of the anonymous entries I've collected:
The Sun Doesn't Forgive by Prudence Burns (Saskatchewan Festival of Words, Moose Jaw)
What the Butler Told the Cook: Poems by Francessca Canneline-Jones (Festival of Words)
The Private Life of a Pumpkin by Ivy Vine (Cannington Manor Heritage Park Fair)
How Do You Like Them Apples? by Granny Smith (Cannington Manor Fair)


The creation of a book title, imaginary or real requires a creative leap and writing the title of an invisible book one that resonates, requires employing one's intuition. It's fascinating to watch participants as they contemplate and then write their invisible book title. While many have not written a book, they all have read books and have perhaps entertained thoughts of writing one day. They may tap into a humorous idea or one that speaks to them personally and as they do they are also thinking about the the importance of books in their lives.

So far I have collected over seventy book titles in my Invisible Library, and welcome more via e-mail: wilsonhpaul@gmail.com At the end of my term I will post the complete list of titles here on my blog and the "library" will be archived with SaskCulture. I look forward to seeing your entry into the world of invisible books.