Art Alchemy Studio


Mixed Media Art by Chaska Peacock

Monday, November 13, 2006

Authenticity


Several "life-times" ago, I wanted to be a successful and well-known photographer. Now I take photos of my cats. Prince Rudy, an Aby, is a work of art.....though created by someone else.
My current theme seems to be authenticity, allowing myself to be what I want. As is often the case, suddenly that subject is placed before me wherever I turn.

This afternoon, coming out of the post office, for no discernible reason, a pretty black woman with corn-braids and I began a conversation. She is a CEO of her own company, a bureau bureau of motivational speakers and coaches on Authenticity for corporate America. She is living proof that anyone can do anything and all they need is to just do it. She grew up in the southern part of Texas, her first grade teacher never called her anything but "nigger girl" and she rode in the back of the bus with all of her "kind". Nevertheless, she went to Harvard, and not liking the stupidity of people "at the top", started her own business. Yessss! My song.....the song which I allow fear to drown out. We exchanged business cards.

Back at home, I checked my messages and there was a newsletter from the writer, Roy Sorrels. Same subject. He writes: "What did you want to be when you grew up, back when people routinely patted you on the head and asked you that question?

I wanted to be Lash LaRue or Hopalong Cassidy, or Red Ryder, or maybe Gene Autry, except that I couldn't sing. (Well, now I live in New York City, and I don't own a six-gun or a horse. I do have a dog and two cats, none named Trigger.) I also dreamed about becoming the world's greatest magician, with real magical powers, or maybe a famous ventriloquist . . . or . . .

After I gave up my goals of being a cowboy, etc., I decided I wanted to be a writer. More practical, right? I must have been about 8 years old, and I wrote aa novel on a Big Chief Pad about explorers in Africa, rolled it up and put it in a bottle, and buried it in the desert near our house. I thought somebody might find it some day and make a book out of it, like the ones in the library.

That was the extent of my understanding of the publishing process then. My book must still be there, under all that sand, and perhaps someday someone will find it and . . . . Or maybe not.

Are you doing what you wanted to do as a kid? Is there any part of that dream in your everyday reality?"


2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

hello mai-liis,
thank you for stopping by my blog. the author of the poem you asked about is Oriah Mountain Dreamer, i listed her name in the paragraph above (I would feel horrible not to give her credit for that lovely piece). it is exactly where i am today too. i enjoyed reading your post - seems we're on the same track :-)

10:14 PM  
Blogger Doe Grozs Art said...

When I was young, in Parsons Elementary school, I wanted to be the art teacher. My clearest memories are being downstairs in the art room. Today I teach art to kids, not in the school system, but better. I teach on my own terms. This is one dream that has come true... now for the others.
Is this search for authenticity a life-long one???
Doreen

7:19 AM  

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