Three days ago you met artist Mardy, “It’s Scary, It’s Uncomfortable, But It Keeps Me Alive.” It that discussion we talked about the Canoga Park Art Walk.
The next day I said hello to my new neighbor, Rachel, who stirred us to have a conversation on the idiom of water seeking it’s own level, as it applies to human attraction; a topic that in a way, is being proven true with today’s 365 experiment.
And then there is the lovely Nicole, friend of day 251 / “Let The Talks Begin”, who graciously answers our questions in her own words, and void of my influence, gallantly takes the time to self reflect in sending us a personal email releasing her deeply thought out responses.
All three friends uniquely different… all three experiences wholly unlinked… yet in all I am inspired as if smacked clearly in the brain with one, two, thee punch of motivation to link the three lessons learned; lessons that have directed me to a last-minute decision that has led us to today’s entry.
That decision… a cultural outreach to a mass crowd.
The crowd in focus… The Art Walk Mardy has brought to our attention.
The water seeking the same level… Myly, Director of the Art Walk, who by the way is our friend of day fifty-one “Leader Of The Community Brigade”. And even though my request is last-minute, she generously donates a 10×10 foot space to our 365 movement.
The self-reflection… Nicole’s self motivated writing of her own words and her willingness to share them with us.
Today is Art Walk day, and I wake with an empty pallet, other than the premise of a goal to meet as many people as I can in talking of the 365 mission, “We are all in this thing together,” my exact approach is undefined.
Then it hits me…! A word challenge…!
To the garage I go to build a booth with whatever scraps I can find, and with the help of the talents of my creative director wife and personal friend Kim, we all roll up our sleeves to pool our efforts in constructing our mobile meeting place.
The day flies by and after about ten hours of design work, sign printing and booth building, we find ourselves standing in front of the first physical meeting hub for 365, readying for the fives hours of Art Walk visitors we will be commingling with.
The only regret I have at the writing of this entry is that I did not get a photograph of the booth or the event. However, what I can say is this, the people are fantastic, and the diversity is marvelous. At no point do I have any remorse for the day of prep we have sacrificed in order to be here. It’s all worth the sweat, time and expense, and as the community forms, I know that we have made the right decision in setting the theme as a word challenge.
We find ourselves situated directly across from the bandstand, and because of this, the mass of bodies surrounding the booth is overwhelming. So many that at that at times, our signage is hidden all together.
And per not posting a photo of the booth or event, I promise we will get snap shots for you next month, the adventure was so cool that we are committing to do it every third Thursday of the month until the event closes the 2012 season on September 20th.
Our next visit is in June, we may do a word challenge again, or some other kind of social experiment. I’m thinking it could be different to let our new friends hold a camera release and allowing them the opportunity to take they’re own self-portrait, that might be very interesting. But I’m open to any fresh idea, so if you have thoughts, please pass them on.
I wont over talk with a moment by moment accounting of the evening, I’ll just give you a few bullet points in releasing you to enjoy the words of the many who collaborated with us this night.
Bullets:
Great People
Good Food
Loud Music
Perfect Weather
Meaningful Conversation
Loud Music
More Good Food
Endless Talented Artists
More Meaningful Conversation
Much Laughter
Loud Music
New Friends
Running Into Old Friends (Some of whom are past 365 contributors)
Fun Photo Moments
Loud Music
And Best of all, a majority who are all on the same page with us in respecting one another.
Oh yeah… “Did I mention loud music?
Without further adieu, sixty new friends… sixty words…
Talk tomorrow, my friends.
