The Cyber World

Several weeks ago I wrote about the amazing power of the Internet, blogging in particular. It is really the truth. I wrote about looking for the website of Waterstones, a bookshop in Birmingham. I wrote on my blog. I received the website from a reader! How utterly remarkable. How helpful! I didn't even know that the store is a chain! How small a world is it that another mother in another state can send me information because her daughter once studied flute in Great Britain. She read my entry. She sent the information! Thank you!

I posted the mini-video of "Man's Fate" and a few still images on the altered book site and received several nice compliments--from people all over the world! Amazing!

I heard from a man who has followed Mathias' journey. He asked about experiences with European companies and a supposed "ban" on hiring Americans! It reminded me why I don't go to Ballet Talk for Dancers and why I sort of miss being part of Ballet Talk (they've evidently banned me from posting and being part of their little, special "in" crowd mostly on the basis that I'm a mother of a dancer!). Still, the Internet world is remarkable.I correspond with many people I'll never meet coming from places I'll never visit. Hopefully, the coming week will broaden the horizon.

I'll be a workshop presenter for the South Carolina Art Educator's Association in Greenville on Thursday and their keynote speaker on Friday.It is strange being asked to address such a group. I have no art degree or teaching certificate. What could I honestly say to these people? A few teachers under whom I've conducted "artist-in-residence" week-long classes have volunteered to help me. I accepted to offer from Harriet Nix who teaches in the Aiken County school system. Then I had to try figure out how I could use her as a classroom aide. I guess she'll pass out my biography and my bibliography. It is sort of cool having an aide with decades of teaching experience and nearly my mother's age.

I've selected slides of my work. The keynote address is to be only one hour. I've got more slides than I thought. Orginally, I thought I'd just try to inspire teachers to hvae a hand at art by showing the chronology of my personal artistic path. Then I had to admit that there is no straight time line. Like all artist, I jump around from one technique to another, from one theme to another, from one spiritual focus to a completely differently inspired idea. It is impossible, after just six years, to categorize anything into concrete sections. I've just adopted a way to speak about one topic and a transition into the next. Nothing is really in "order". There are no "periods" or "stages" of development. It is all on-going and related to every other aspect of my artwork and life.