Connecting with Like Minds

Art-making in public is a great way to meet people of like minds who value creativity.

Every time I take my portable studio out into the world and paint, knit, or do beadwork in public spaces I meet someone who teaches me something new or shares a story.

Sometimes those chance meetings are truly serendipitous and I connect with someone who not only values creativity and knows the joys of a productive life, but also shares my belief that healthy communities depend on the wholistic integration of the arts into every aspect of daily life and culture.

This morning was beautiful with blue skies and a clear view of the snowcapped Sangre de Cristos Mountains beyond the Santa Fe Rail Stations. The light was glorious and made the New Mexico Rail Runner shine and everyone remark how beautiful the day was. After setting out my paintings and paints and brushes and painting for a few hours, I took a break outside on the concrete benches outside in the sun and worked on fixing the mistake in the Beaded Bag visiting with people going into The Station for coffee or pastry or passing to and from the train.

A group of ladies a decade or so older than me stopped for awhile and talked about their Monday night knitting group and beading with beads. A young grad student and her articulate beautiful children paused to talk about knitting and we chatted for awhile about how the family had lived in Brazil last year while she did field work for her degree and how struck she was with the integration of art into every aspect of life in the Afro-centric community on the northeast coast of Brazil geographically opposite Sierra Leone in Africa.

She said the people in the community didn’t have a word for art because it was seamlessly integrated into every aspect of their lives and I shared that there is no one word for art in any American Indian languages for the same reason.

Turned out we had lots to talk about. She brought up bell hooks who I was lucky to meet and hear give the keynote address at the WCA Conference in NYC. I shared that one of my most precious memories is spending time sharing food, stories and laughter with Audre Lorde and a few of the other presenters at the National Women Studies Conference at U of M in Minneapolis in the late 1980s after Audre gave the most inspiring keynote speech at the plenary session. It was great to share that memory with someone who knows how important Audre Lorde and her writing and activism are.

We agreed to meet next week to knit and her nearly 6 year old daughter promised to bring her yarn and needles too. The Station is a nice place to work and I never fail to meet someone who broadens my understanding of the world. The owners and staff are urbane, former art museum workers who attract a diverse crowd from locals to train riders. Weldon and Penny are excellent hosts and make a great cup of coffee or tea. The pastries are delivered daily from Zodiac on Old Santa Fe Trail and the puff pastry is authentic. Take it from a former pastry line croissant and brioche assembler at Voila Bakery in New York City. The only place that makes a better croissant is Clafoutis on Guadalupe near Paseo de Peralta. Pastry aside, the light and energy at The Station makes it a great place to make art in public and meet interesting creative people.

Charleen Touchette
www.TouchArt.net
www.OneEarthBlog.blogspot.com
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Photos by Charleen Touchette 2009