December 01, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
We’re heading home in a few days from a really restful break. It has been needed and difficult at the same time. We love our work so much that a vacation sometimes feels like work, but we’ve gotten the hang of it…
Thank you for your emails with suggestions! Keep them coming as we really value your input. We are looking to add a forum where people can converse a little more easily about creativity and other top of mind topics in a safe environment that supports creative expression. We look forward to your thoughts. Do post here on the Disqus pages so others can join in!
I went for a run this morning, as I mentioned in a post with Kathleen today. To stay focused on the breathing and ease of the run instead of the heat and humidity, I turned my thoughts to…
November 26, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
This has been on exciting autumn. At the moment we are visiting the east coast for Thanksgiving. While on the road we took time for a couple of interviews with icons of our time. Jorma Kaukonen ( Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna and Bill Staines who’s beautiful country folk ballads have been recorded by Nanci Griffith and Jerry Jeff Walker among others. It was a tremendously fruitful and inspiring.
We’re entering 2009 with a great line up for you. At Moab Folk Festival we interviewed John McEuen for a live audience! Photos soon!
Here’s a question for you… Who would you like to hear as a guest on Art of the Song Creativity Radio? We’d love to know…
September 22, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
We are pleased to announce that we have moved our offices to Albuquerque, NM. In addition to producing the radio program from Duke City we are doing an Artist in Residency program with the Cathedral Church of St John exploring the nature of Creativity and its relationship to spirituality and faith. It is an exciting proposition to say the least!
Please tune in to the great programming offered this month in our archives. Kathy Mattea’s honest look at her roots and her profound response through song is inspiring. Si Kahn, community organizer and singer songwriter reminds of some very very important points.
Community organizers are those talented souls who are gifted with the ability to sit in a room of people with differing opinions and bring them to a place of unity. A community organizer does not lead by telling the group what is best for them. A community organizer facilitates, drawing out the best possible result for the community, decided by the community for the good of the community. A community organizer raises awareness, brings out the difficult issues and places them in to the hands of those who should take the final responsibility. A community organizer holds the space for them to make the tough decisions together, regardless of what side of the issue they are on. In doing so they put others first … and I must say, a community organizer is exactly what we need right now to bring unity to our great country.
August 23, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
The Summer is speeding by. Most kids in New Mexico have been back in school for two weeks already. We’re preparing for the Writers TeleSummit featuring 24 industry professionals over four days bringing you valuable information and inspiration on finally sitting down to create the book you have always wanted to write. We invite you to Join us Aug 27 for a FREE Preview Call with Eric Maisel (9 pm EST/6 pm Pacific)
Eric will talk about the Writers TeleSummit and he will leave us with some valuable tips to use right away on living the creative life.
[Free Call Sign Up]
July 07, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
First let me apologize for the tardy update of our website! Between turning 50 (!!), a failed hard drive computer, the holidays and a family reunion I’ve been more than remiss. I hope that you all enjoy these additions. I have to say that the response to Chad & Jeremy has been really uplifting. There is a moment in the interview, when the subject turned to the message of the peace movement in the 60’s. Chad remembers “We almost made it…” Perhaps now at this powerful time in history we will be able to refocus our efforts toward that same goal. Thanks to Tony for getting the word out to all the Chad & Jeremy fans so beautifully.
We are more than proud to have been able to produce the Song of America special that is available for streaming now. Talking with Attorney General Janet Reno and…
June 08, 2008 | Posted by John Dillon
I knew very little about the creative process in August of 1969 when I threw a change of clothes and a few things in a backpack, and jumped into Stan Reed’s 1962 Fairlane. The two of us headed north from Pennsylvania toward some remote farm in upstate New York. I had no idea that what was to transpire over the next few days would change my life… forever.
I was a lonely kid, somewhat of a social outcast, but nonetheless, a budding guitar player whose major fun and social activity was playing in a band with my buddies. We’d even dare an occasional public appearance for the high school dance or church teen social. I thought playing guitar was cool, and that maybe people (especially girls) would like me, if they would just notice my soul-bearing, string-bending talents…
May 26, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
In our small town of Questa, NM there is an annual event on Memorial Day. Hundreds of American Flags are placed in a field for four days. It is such a glorious sight to see acres of them waving. So very beautiful.
I love that we have a national holiday dedicated to the memory of the men and women who served and continue to serve in the Armed Forces, as much as I don’t believe that war is ever the answer. I come from an Army family. The last to serve was my Uncle Bill who now lives in Columbia, SC having survived two tours of Viet Nam. He took all his skill and has dedicated his life to service of others, acting as a disaster relief coordinator for the Red Cross for many many years. He continues to be an inspiration to me, as in the face of so many difficult situations he has kept his focus on the needs of the people…
May 14, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
I was listening to a CD the other day and the subject came around to perfectionism. Hmmm I thought, this is interesting as it is one of my most compelling and fatal flaws… I listened patiently, to all the things I have ever heard before, how “magazine perfection” is not real, that no one is perfect, that it is self destructive to pursue perfection, and guaranteed to be a creativity killer… you doubtless know the rap…
May 05, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
The world beyond trying is doing. We learned that from Yoda. The world beyond doing is freedom and the field of all potential. In Creative Process, we allow ourselves to try new things and find out so very much. Yet I recently realized that, like brainstorming, trying can become a bit of a sand trap…
April 28, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
I used to live in NYC, pursuing an acting career with a modicum of success. When I moved to New Mexico I pretty much gave it up. As luck and good fortune would have it the film and television moved out here to Albuquerque. To sharpen my tools, I have been taking an class with Greg Serano…In class one of our bits of homework was to play with the characters that are polar opposites from ourselves. I have been having a blast playing with the different personalities, and expressed one in a scene that I was given to work on for class. It was a raving boss taking down a worker. Not that I have never expressed anger, displeasure or pure unadulterated rage before, but this was different and in terms of my creative expression, I was traveling in very different territory…
April 21, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
I spent the morning visiting with our neighbor Hattie Stone today. Hattie turned 94 this past St. Patrick’s Day. She is a long time meditator, avid gardener, knower of wildflowers and a monster Scrabble player. I treasure my visits with her on Mondays. Today we went out to the garden to see who might be coming up in the early days of our mountain springtime. I came home from the visit, windblown, a little sunburned and filled up with joy from having had the time today to putter around with my friend in her garden. She was wearing her favorite baseball cap… an Art of the Song hat that she claimed as her own right off my head one day last spring. She complimented me on it, and inquired what color it was… “why, Stone,” I told her. And that was that. Hattie Stone now wears the prototype of the stone colored Art of the Song hats. It is only fitting! They both are one of a kind…
April 14, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
Sometimes it strikes me that Creativity (with a capital C) is so firmly implanted in our minds as an intangible, untraceable concept that we are chasing our tails in the exploration of it. And then we have a chance meeting with a friend on a walk yesterday and we begin discussing the tremendous value that was found in the work of Alfred North Whitehead, a mathematician and philosopher…
April 07, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
What a rewarding weekend. We had a very interesting time at the Higher Truth of Health Conference here in Taos. The talks ranged in topics from nuts and bolts nutritional information on the benefits of gluten free living to the link between reclaiming the divine feminine and health. In our hour on Sunday morning we explored Creativity and Spiritual Health. Members of the audience responded in profound ways …
March 31, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
Greetings from springtime in the Rockies. Our bulbs are pushing through even though its still very cold. My science project of a yard and garden brings a lot of anticipation. I am happy to say that this urban girl is adapting to mountain life and learning about gardening the old fashion way. By asking for advise, doing it my way, and watching the results. Our Himalayan poppies & Irises survived the transplanting last fall, though I am not so sure about the roses.
What does this have to do with creativity you may ask…
March 24, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
Once again, National Folk Alliance in Memphis proved to be an exciting, surprising and inspiring time. John and I conducted six interviews in front of a live audience. It was a great experience to feel the energy of listeners right there in the room. We look forward to sharing these interviews with you…
March 15, 2008 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
We are excited to report that our new website is launching! We will be beta testing new features including an archive of past Art of the Song programs that will have a commenting function for you to post your impressions and dialog with other listeners. Many of the artists we have interviewed have said that they will check in to answer questions about their work …
November 15, 2007 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
Hi friends, Writing to you from upstate NY at my mother’s farm. She’s recovering from shoulder surgery. What a champ she is! The hardest part of tending her is getting her to rest without guilt. I am really enjoying taking care of her menagerie… two horses, three dogs and I’m told six cats but I’ve only met five… Honestly I am itching to be back at work.
We have a summer of travel planned with a couple of gigs in mid July in NH…. til then its helping my mother, then helping John’s folks in PA.
September 25, 2007 | Posted by Vivian Nesbitt
The Art of the Song Darfur Special has been well-received and has aired on 118 broadcast outlets in addition to our 114 affiliates. To purchase the “We Are All Connected CD” click here.
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