When I am asked if I am an artist, I feel much like the caterpillar in pupae – not yet winged and flying. Yes, an artist at heart – mostly because I imagine into being what does not exist. My medium is not a physical thing one must stretch out in various dimensions. It is not a blank sheet of staffs. It is not the slab of clay or an unformed piece of marble. My mode of creation is people, structures, systems, artists asking how can we redesign ourselves so that together we sing MORE and with harmony that includes all the voices?

Today, I say all that I have done prepares me for this crazy time in society. A late bloomer, I did not know exactly what my destiny held. I fell into high tech, mastering all kinds of software, helping an Internet startup organization expand. I then turned to coaching, to help struggling folks with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) navigate life in a way that helped them thrive. I worked to create community by giving artists opportunities to perform, show, or sell locally. Locally for me is Malden, MA. In this process, I have come to value a certain spirit – a spirit of caring, empathy, giving, and sacrifice. So many performers and artists by the nature of what they do are generous. They train and practice for years. They are driven to create not to seek comfort. They may endure pain and uncertainty. And yet they feel called to give this gift  – often personal – to the universe.

Today, working with a community media company, I have more appreciation for media and its role to shape our culture and thinking. Perhaps the next step is to operate at the juncture of media, art, and marketing – giving dignity to the creator – so they in turn can demonstrate to the world how to be together.