I've been back from France for two weeks as of Monday. It's been an incredible return. When I was on retreat I was without internet access and had only a change of clothes, my easel, canvas paints and a sketchbook. It was great! I started a new body of work and returned with solid conviction at my core. I am returning to a very traditional medium of oil painting yet I love exploring new media work too.
Since I have been back I have mucking about in the realm of the creative economy, and how to make change in the face of failing corporate capitalism. I'm investigating how an anarchist business principle fits in with this new economy. For me it's all about community development and community participation. It's also about turning the norm on its head, bottom-up, not top down. My two weeks back have been rich with meetings about how different facets of this new economy; Providence is re-defining itself in the 21st century in the arts (Creative Providence); New Englanders are thinking about this creative economy (NEFA idea swap), the RI Arts and Business Council is up to something, and RISCA is too; there are workshops in how to be a leader in the arts (Artist Foundation); meanwhile I am honing my entrepreneurial skills at the Women and Entrapreneurship office. Today I'm off to the Alliance of Artists Communities annual conference in seattle (this years theme is arts and civic engagement).
In between I was lucky to be able to reconnect with my friends, share photos of my travels and new artwork, eat drink and be merry.
