A creative person has to create. It doesn’t really matter what you create. If such a dancer wanted to go out and build the cactus gardens where he could, in Mexico, let him do that, but something that is creative has to go on.
—Katherine Dunham…click here to read her bio in the Black Collegian.
In 2006 after Sightlines: A Poet’s Diary was published, I gave a series of talks in California, Illinois, and New Mexico. In each talk I included stories, commentary, music, and poetry from Sightlines. I have these talks at readings posted on Riehlife, but checking on them now I find that the transcripts are truncated. You…
Visiting with old friends (and all of us are getting older!) is one of life’s greatest pleasures. During my Lake County visit in Northern California I found refreshment and inspiration in over half dozen artists, writers, peace activists, and environmental visionaries. The usual Northern California mix. Lake County is three hours north of San Franciso…
Earth Day seems a fitting time to tell you about this environmental arts initiative in Lake County, Northern California, where I’ve been living for the past nine years. Karen Turcotte-Williams and John Williams started the Sculpture Walk outside Middletown, California in 2003. It’s grown from a brave effort of just a few to a glorious…
Hail, Poets! While we spend our time watching various wana-be-a star-competitions in dance, and song the Arab world has its own TV competition shows for poets! The Million’s Poet is one of the most popular TV shows in the Middle East where poets, male and female, poor Bedouin or university scholar, read their elegant, emotionally…
Persimmon, sasafrass, and ash Reclaim the land that once was theirs. “Submarginal”, the experts say. Once, hillside plows were used to turn The fertile ground. It nurtured, and produced the crops, Sustained, with money crops, and food The pioneers. They didn’t have a guarantee of annual wage. Their maps, drawn out with pointed sticks In…
A gift might be innate, but not inevitable. Many are called; few choose to go.—Eden Maxwell. Are you bringing your gifts to fruition? Clif Johnston hosts Eden Maxwell today on his Zen Junk Tumblelog. Click here to read a comprehensive interview. Eden Maxwell, author of “An Artist Empowered: Define and Establish Your Value as an…
Hello, Mrs. Dunham,
I have admired your dance and would like to place your dance photos on my website Joys of Dance. You inspire me to keep on dancing. They say, the most inspirational dancers are the ones who have been abused. I came from an emotionally abused home, and it was Jesus who gave me peace in the midst of the storm.
God bless you.
Ashira