SPRING 2011

Cilla Vee Life Arts

NEWSLETTER – Spring 2011

Dear friends of Cilla Vee Life Arts,

Aaron Copeland’s music for Martha Graham’s “Appalachian Spring” comes to mind amidst the fresh green buds, pink blooms & bird-song here in the land where the Blue Ridge and the Smoky Mountains meet.

Likewise, Cilla Vee Life Arts is opening up to fresh new horizons as well as revisiting and deepening familiar projects and partnerships.

This is CVLA director Claire Elizabeth Barratt, I’d like to share with you some of the highlights of the past season and reveal up-coming plans for the future.

2010

SPLAT!

We caused quite a scene this summer in the heat of July, right in the middle of downtown Asheville on a Sunday afternoon at Pritchard Park.

As part of the Pritchard Park Cultural Arts Program sponsored by Arts 2 People with the City of Asheville, CVLA presented “Splat!”, an interactive live-action-paint piece.

Renowned local guitarist Shane Perlowin rocked the center of town with some highly amplified virtuosic riffs as I created colour and shape on canvas through dance and the help of a few recruits from the audience!

Please follow this link for a lovely review in Mountain Xpress by Jaye Bartell
http://www.mountainx.com/ae/2010/splat_at_pritchard_park

LUNA

To counter-balance the sunshine of “Splat!”, July’s other highlight was “LUNA”, a cool and mysterious sound and movement installation created in collaboration with electronic soundscape artist Kimathi Moore.

Originally designed for the Spring 2010 {Re}Happening on the old Black Mountain College campus, we presented the work as it’s own show at Flood Gallery in the Phil Mechanic building – a place which propels the pulse of Asheville’s RiverArts District.

THE IMPROVISOR FESTIVAL

For the month of August I had the privilege of being an artist-in-residence at the 30-year anniversary of The Improvisor Festival.

Originally founded by LaDonna Smith and Davey Williams to establish an improvised music and performance scene in the South, it is still going strong.

I was fortunate enough to have the experience of working with such inspiring great musicians as Gino Robair, Chris Cochrane, Andrea Cenzzano and Jill Burton.

Venues included Sloss Furnaces, Moundville (sacred Native American site) as well as a tour through Chattanooga, Athens and Atlanta.

http://steeltoereview.com/?s=improvisor+festival

NORTH EAST TOUR

In September CVLA presented a variety of collaborations in conjunction with artists and organizations throughout the North East USA.

These included “Line Breakers”, an evening of dance, music and poetry with poet John Roche and guitarist Steve Greene in Rochester NY, the creation of “Ode To Ohno” experimental sound and movement video with Walter Wright at Gallery 119 in Lowell MA, a Motion Sculpture Movement Installation in the Chrysler Center at a reception for Mark Lamb Dance NYC and “Ghost Dancers” with steel pedal guitarist Susan Alcorn at the High Zero Festival in Baltimore MD.

Returning from this to hit the streets with Shane Perlowin again! This time in the piece “Titled”. Based on the Cage / Cunningham concept of “chance composition”, the performance was part of an opening event for a large Black Mountain College conference to be held at UNCA.

2011

DANCE IS THE NEW VISUAL ART

This year really started off with a bang!

CVLA presented the video installation “Dance is the New Visual Art” at Flood Gallery over the month of January.

This work consisted of six video pieces playing simultaneously on a variety of screens and monitors. The technology was concealed in a sprawling sculptural installation of white and black paper, fabric and wire.

The sound for each individual video could be listened to on headphones, as well as there being an environmental sound installation of manipulated paper recordings by composer Rick Nance.

Each video was a “movement character” created in collaboration with artists from a variety of disciplines.

For a review of the piece by Ursula Gullow for Mountain Xpress, please click on this link …

http://www.mountainx.com/ae/2011/exactly_how_it_ought_to_be_the_final_week_of_dance_is_the_new_visual_art_at

Also in conjunction with this show was an article about me in Verve Magazine …

http://www.vervemag.com/january-2011/2010/12/28/motion-pictures.html

{RE}HAPPENING

A very special event for the Western Carolina arts community is “{Re}Happening”. Now on it’s second year, this extravaganza takes place on the old campus of the famous Black Mountain College.

This year’s {Re}Happening is on April 9^th. Leading up to it, there has been a series of {Pre}Happenings in various locations around Buncombe and Madison Counties.

For more information on this amazing event and it’s host organizations – the “Black Mountain College Museum + Art Center” and “MAP” (Media Arts Project) –

Please follow this link … http://rehappening.com/

FBI

Also over the month of April is a CVLA residency at FBI – the French Broad Institute in Marshall NC.

Named after the river that runs straight through this little town, FBI is located in an old church building now owned by poet Lee Ann Brown and filmmaker Tony Torn.

Throughout the month I will be developing a dance, music and poetry project with musician Steve Davidowski and poet Jeff Davis.

This will culminate in an informal showing of work on May 1^st.

As well as fostering inter-disciplinary collaborations CVLA also serves as a presenting organization for touring artists.

This year we have hosted “Joyful Sonic Wash” from Japan (by way of NYC), “Loup Garou” from Lowell MA – and this April 21st, in conjunction with MAP, we will be presenting “David Linton: Bicameral Sound & Image Projection System” from NY. This will take place at “The Artery”, the Asheville Area Art council’s new venue in the vibrant, up-and-coming RiverArts District.

For the rest of 2011 until November, I will be based in Nottinghamshire, UK.

On the administrative front, CVLA endeavors to move onward and upward! After a year of re-gaining lost ground after hard-drive and mailing-list crashes, we appear to be back on track.

Now with the help of a fabulous new Administrative Assistant, Sarah, we should be able to make some progress.

Sarah Bonner is a recent graduate of Western Carolina University and a talented artist and photographer in her own right.

Thank you for taking the time to share our news and please donate to the annual One Dollar Fundraiser.

Next time you’re on FaceBook stop by and check out the Cilla Vee Life Arts page, where you can find images and video of recent projects.

Blessings & good wishes,

Claire Elizabeth Barratt

Director – Cilla Vee Life Arts

www.cillavee.com

April 2011

PS - Apologies for the variety of fonts in this letter ..... this blogger site is totally incorrigible!

AUTUMN 2009

Claire Elizabeth Barratt / Cilla Vee Life Arts

NEWSLETTER – AUTUMN 2009

photos:
Shrine – photo Marc Dale
Life is Arts is ..... - poster by Mary Ann Kearns
Queens Library gala – photo Dominick Totino
Attack of the Killer Stripy Tubes – photo Janet Barratt

READ ON FOR DETAILS & LINKS TO IMAGES & VIDEOS

Dear friends,
The mountains of Southern Appalachia must be one of the most beautiful places on Earth to spend the Autumn season, so I'm very happy to be here in Asheville to appreciate it.

I've recently returned from three months of living out of a suitcase in a variety of somewhat unusual conditions.
The first being a gorgeous Georgian mansion in Chichester, UK – owned by my uncle “His Honour Judge Robin Barratt”, whose fairytale wedding I attended in Chichester Cathedral early in July.
Then returning to the states for a very intensive and creative period of time from late July through early October.
During August and September, I held two Artist-in-Residence positions at chashama NYC and 119 Gallery, Lowell MA respectively.



SHRINE – chashama NYC

“SHRINE: What Do You Worship?” was a twelve-day living installation. Literally – I was installed and living in a store-front gallery space at Times Square!
The concept was to explore ideas of worship and ritual.
The installation was part living space, part shrine.

The purpose of living in the space was to perform everyday activities as ritual.
Sleeping, Eating, Bathing and the preparation to do each, became embraced as ritual, rather than a necessary chore to be hurried through the motions of.
I built separate “kitchen”, “washroom”, and “bedroom” areas – all visible from the street.

I also built a “Shrine” area, which spread across the inside of the window (including a performance platform) and outside on the sidewalk.
This was constructed mainly out of chicken-wire with materials woven through it.
A variety of random objects were placed on the Shrine (plastic pink flamingo, tailor's dummy, plants, jewelry, crystals, rocks, shells, botanica candles etc.)
Passers-by also placed objects on the Shrine. (The most mysterious being some rather large orange pills!)

There were performances everyday.
I invited guest artists of all genres to participate. Each day, a different musician came to play, as well as dancers, visual and word artists.

In between scheduled events, the installation was open to the public as a place of refuge from the hot and busy streets of the city.
Calming music, incense, art books and seating were provided and many passers-by came inside.
They responded to the installation in various ways – such as doing yoga, meditation, singing and drawing. (There was also the obligatory masturbating homeless man!)

Visitors were presented with cards that posed the questions:
“What Do You Worship?” (gold card)
“What Are Your Rituals?” (pink card)
There was a whole wall dedicated to the replies and, over the days, the gold and pink cards filled that wall.
Please take a look at these beautiful images taken by Marc Dale from chashama.
If you open them in the order below, it will give you an idea of the progression of the installation throughout the twelve days.

1.Basic installation & deep breathing excercises.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chashama/sets/72157622552099183/

2. Fred Hatt drawing & responses to question cards.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chashama/sets/72157622552225031/

3. Sidewalk painting, Nature objects, Book.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chashama/sets/72157622676977630/

4. Nature objects & Time.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chashama/sets/72157622552879545/

5. Mark Lamb Dance – music Dave Ross
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chashama/sets/72157622683331186/

6. Pakistani wedding dress – music Zemi 17
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chashama/sets/72157622564529499/

- For more information about the organization “chashama”, go to: www.chashama.org -

LIFE IS ART IS LIFE IS..... - 119 Gallery Lowell MA

This was an installation created in collaboration with Lowell-based sculptor and poet Patrick Pierce.
The residency lasted for a six-week period. (Which was quite the luxury of time for me.)
The first two weeks were spent constructing the installation.
The show was then up for the month of September, during which performing artists from the Boston area were invited to collaborate with us.

The installation itself consisted of:
A set constructed with cardboard, paper, vines and rushes.
Metal and wood sculptures.
Poetry – stamped with letter-blocks and ink.
Video projection.
Sound.

The performances included:
Music / sound.
Dance / movement.
Poetry / spoken word.
Live video manipulation.

The concept reflected our life and work as artists.
Our quest to create work of beauty and significance, the marrying of art and life, nature and industry, the organic and the fabricated, the workshop and the muse.

The major learning experience for me was to create a thirty-minute sound installation.
I've never worked alone with sound design before – so that was an exciting accomplishment.

Please go to the YouTube links below to see the video & sound components of the installation.
Note that the sound has been abbreviated to fit the length of the video (originally, the separate 20 minute video & 30 minute sound pieces coincided independently – never meeting in the same place twice.)


Life is Art is... part 1 (10 mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMixeqX7zV0

Life is Art is... part 2 (10 mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HESCRmidF2o

- For more information about 119 Gallery, to go: www.119gallery.org -

QUEENS LIBRARY GALA – Waters Edge Restaurant Queens NY

While on my travels, I received an unexpected invitation from the Queens borough library.
Their executive director had seen one of our Motion Sculpture Movement Installations at an event in Manhattan's Morgan Library three years ago. She remembered us and decided that we would be ideal for their annual Gala dinner this year in early October.

Fortunately, I had picked up some gorgeous gold silk fabric from “Materials For the Arts” (look it up) and was able to make costumes from that. I asked two of my NY-based Motion Sculpture dancers to participate.
It was quite the glamorous event. Held at the Waters Edge Restaurant, overlooking the East River from Queens with a view of Midtown Manhattan.
Three elegant figures on pedestals – all draped in gold and decked with fresh Autumn flowers.
(Complete with dinner provided in our dressing room.)




REVEIWING BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE – BMCM+AC and UNCA Asheville NC

On returning to Asheville, I headed straight into this conference produced and hosted by Black Mountain College Museum and Art Center with UNC-Asheville.

I presented the performance installation “Attack Of The Killer Stripy Tubes!” in the window of BMCM+AC for the conference reception, and then again at UNCA in the entrance-way to the keynote speaker Dorothea Rockburne.




UP-COMING....

I'm actually presently trying not to accumulate too many projects, as I need time to organize, edit and file a back-log of documentation.

Having said that, I am embarking on a collaboration with my dear friend – Asheville-based writer and actor John Crutchfield.
I won't give away any secrets about what's brewing – but it promises to be quite absurd!

THANK YOU for your continuing interest and support of CILLA VEE LIFE ARTS.

If you would like to make a donation to CVLA, please go to our website where you will find a direct link to PAYPAL at the bottom of the Home page.

www.cillavee.com


love & best wishes,

Claire Elizabeth Barratt

SPRING / SUMMER 2009

Dear friends,
How time is flying!
We're already into the end of May – didn't 2009 only begin a few weeks ago?

Cilla Vee Events Report – Winter / Spring 09

January: Asheville Fringe Festival
The short music/ art video “Sallimone” premiered at Asheville Fringe Festival & was very well received. This beautiful & surreal video piece, created in collaboration with composer Kimathi Moore & film maker Charles Elmer, will be entered into more festivals before being accessible on the internet. We'll keep you posted.

February: 48 Hour Dance Project
Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre invited five Asheville based choreographers, each from different dance genres; Contemporary dance, Salsa, Hip-Hop, Break dance & Movement Theater (that was me!) to create a piece in only 48 hours.
There was a pool of thirty dancers, also from different dance backgrounds, whose names the choreographers pulled out of a hat to determine their cast of performers.
I was extremely fortunate to end up with six of the most open-minded & ready-for-anything ladies I could've wished for. And that's exactly what they needed to be for the project I had in store for them!
My piece was an exploration of the neurological condition “Synesthesia”. Synesthesiacs experience a “cross-wiring” of sensory input – music can be perceived in colours, as can certain letters or numbers. A word can evoke a taste or smell. Texture can trigger very real emotions.
The piece was entitled “Whenever I Hear The Name Bill, I Taste Burnt Onions” and included video footage of the dancers taking in various sensory stimuli from well known Asheville establishments & translating them into movement, sounds & words.
This, as well as live action painting, live sound, text & movement was incorporated into the piece.
After 48 hours, the resulting pieces were presented to an audience & adjudicated by a panel.

I won first prize!
(See link to You Tube footage below)

February / March: XFest & North East Tour
At the end of February, I was invited to participate in the very first XFest in Lowell, MA (just outside Boston) Curated & produced by Walter Wright at 119 Gallery, this weekend-long festival was an intense orgy of experimental & improvized performing arts.
Walter invited ten guest artists & forty New England regional artists from disciplines of music, dance, performance art & video. He arranged groupings of various combinations of the above & allowed free reign for the artists to improvize together for thirty minute or one hour sets.
The result was a wonderful, inspiring, eclectic mix of exquisitely eccentric individuals in one of the most creative & supportive environments I've ever experienced.
Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to perform three times. In the first piece, I did an action paint dance with music by two local members of Lowell's noise punk scene – it was pure Rock-n-Roll, man ..... wild!
The second was with two extremely accomplished string players; Audrey Chen on cello & voice & Shayna Dulberger on bass.
I created an installation in the space by hanging cocktail dresses & fabrics & placed natural objects – rocks, sticks, rope & feathers around on the floor.
The result was an hour-long journey with a little Butoh flavor to it.
My third performance was with two electronics guys, Kevin Frenette & Mike Fun.
My wacky performance of creating a DaDa beach scene complete with pointe shoes, collapsable beach chair & parasol was an extreme contrast to their stark clicks, buzzes & squeaks – to say the least! Such fun!

(See links for picture & video footage below)

After Xfest, I continued touring – performing with the band Joyful Sonic Wash at a venue in Woodstock, NY called “The Woodstock Mothership” (yes, it was exactly how it sounds like it would be!)
Then going on to perform in The Bronx with saxophonist Bonnie Kane at “Synthetic Zero” art space as part of the Bronx Council on the Arts Culture-Trolley Tour.
And finally, I ended up at Stroudsburg, PA to teach a Motion Sculpture workshop at the Wellspring Holistic Center.


April: Black Whole & Birmingham
In April, I was supposed to be dancing in a very complex project by choreographer Janice Lancaster. She & her husband, who is a media artist, created a dance piece “Black Whole” to be performed in a skate-board park here in Asheville, with live video mix. It was presented through Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center.
Unfortunately, I injured a ligament in my hip (an old injury) whilst running up the inside of the skate board bowl during a long night of rehearsal, so could not perform.

Fortunately, it had recovered sufficiently by the following week for me to participate in an evening of improvization at The Green Cup bookstore in Birmingham, AL.
This event was put together by the very lovely Ms. LaDonna Smith. It was quite an entertaining soiree of music, dance & poetry in the store's huge, raw upstairs performance space.

I then continued my road trip South to New Orleans for some much needed R&R!


One Dollar FundRaiser Report

As many of you know, for the last few years I have been using the month of my birthday – April, as Cilla Vee Life Arts fundraising month.
The “One Dollar Fundraiser” is a favorite of mine, as it is a no-pressure contribution request. I really enjoy receiving everyone's little attached notes & cards & it helps me to stay connected with friends & supporters of Cilla Vee while gradually accumulating donations. Some are incredibly generous & the total amount ends up being quite significant. This year, we raised a total of approximately $400 – Thank you all so much.

There is now a new Pay-Pal donations button on the Cilla Vee website, so contributions can be made conveniently at any time.
WWW.CILLAVEE.COM


Up-Coming Events

This Summer includes two big residency projects, one in New York & one in Massachusetts, plus teaching & performing in Ontario.

“Shrine”
The first will be a huge undertaking & an extreme challenge that I'm very excited about. Through the arts organization “chashama”, I have the use of a store-front space near Manhattan's Theater district on West 44th Street where I will be literally residing for twelve days. (July 29th – August 9th) During that time, I will build & inhabit an installation which I will not leave for at least one week!
The project is entitled “Shrine”. The activities I perform inside the installation will represent acts of ritual. Performance will be influenced by, but not directly reproduce, rituals from cultures & religions all over the world plus every day rituals, such as preparing & eating food, dressing & accessorizing, bathing & sleeping. My own personal rituals of dance, exercise, practicing music & creating art will also be incorporated.
I will build a shrine & passers-by will be encouraged to stop for a moment to place something on the shrine. They will be invited to step inside & rest for a while, relax, meditate & enjoy a peaceful moment. They will be challenged with the questions “What do you worship?' & “What are your rituals?”.
In these current times, I feel that people's values are being challenged as financial stability is shaken. This may not be such a bad thing! The purpose of this project is to put priorities into perspective & question what is really most important.
http://www.chashama.org/home.php


“Life is Art is Life is.....”
Starting August 15th & running through the month of September, I will be an artist-in-residence at 119 Gallery, Lowell MA.
This promises to be a very fun collaboration with sculptor Patrick Pierce, who creates beautiful, fluid metal & wood sculptures – he also writes poetry & plays a little music too.
During the second half of August, we will build an installation of sculpture, video, sound, written-word & other materials. We will also develop a performance that will include movement, music & spoken-word to be presented as an extension of the installation. The title is “Life is Art is Life....” & represents the creative process of the artist in our eternal quest to produce work of beauty & significance.
The installation will run throughout the month of September, during which there will be a series of performances; some by Patrick & myself & others by performing artists in the Boston area who are invited to create their own interactive work & also to collaborate with me, in response to the installation.
http://www.119gallery.org/
http://www.patrickpierce.com/

“From The Soul” plus
Also in September, I will be hopping over the border to teach my annual “From The Soul” workshop (blending the aesthetics of Isadora Duncan, Butoh dance & Motion Sculpture movement) at Ottawa's Dance/Space 637 studio & also to dance with the magical rock sculptures of John Ceprano.
http://www.jfceprano.com/

Keep your eye on the calendar at: http://cillavee-lifeartscalendar.blogspot.com/

In The Works

Currently in the planning stages is a project with a lot of exciting potential.
Some of you may be familiar with the legacy of Bob Moog & Moog electronic music products. Perhaps also with an unusual instrument called a Theremin, which is played literally in thin air, by interrupting radio waves.
Well, fortunately for me, the Moog Foundation & Moog Music manufacturers are based right here in Asheville, NC & my good friend & composer Liz Lang is employed there & has all the latest products at her fingertips!
We are developing a project entitled “Kirlian Harmonics” in which the new Etherwave Plus Theremin will be a conduit for sound produced by the new MiniMoog Voyager Synthesizer & triggered by dancers movement through space. What fun!
More on this as it develops.


New Logo

On a final note – Cilla Vee Life Arts has a new logo. I really love it & feel that it represents Cilla Vee perfectly. I designed the basic idea myself & then turned it over to my friend, Asheville performance artist & graphics designer extrordinaire, Jim Julien.
And here it is......! (See images)

Thank you for sticking with me through another Cilla Vee epistle!
Your continuing support & encouragement is so gratefully appreciated & inspires me to keep pressing forward – forging a new path into the abyss of the unexplored .......
Sounds like Star Trek!

Best wishes to each & every one,
Claire*

Claire Elizabeth Barratt – director Cilla Vee Life Arts – http://www.cillavee.com/

Images:

Cilla Vee logo by Jim Julien

XFest live action paint - photos by Dr. T

*

LINKS to documentation:

*

48 HOUR DANCE
*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V60rbrTQPs

*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocq0zskOP5w

*

XFEST

*

On YOU TUBE - search "XFEST 2009" - check out PARTS 34, 35, 36, 37 also PARTS 6 & 7

*

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22231918@N06/sets/72157614735230204/

*

http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd78/tkonieczny1/?action=view&current=a9f7f561.pbw

WINTER 2008 - 2009

photos:
1. Sacred Dance Guild - Rememberance Day, Ottawa, ON - photo John Morrell
2. That From Which - with SPIRAL7, Gallery 119, Lowell, MA - video clip Angela Lampe
3. Colors Interactive - installation at Haven Arts, Bronx, NY - photo Fred Hatt
4. PUR-I-TE - installation at RiverSculpture, Asheville, NC - photo Michael Tracey
5. Sallimone - video peice, Wu-Media, Asheville, NC - video clip Charles Elmer


Dear friends,
Warm greetings to you this cold Winter (unless, of course, you happen to live “down under” - where Christmas intrudes on Summer!)
I am still residing in the beautiful mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. Plans to return to NYC are still on the horizon, but there has been plenty of creative activity to keep me busy and happy here for TWO YEARS now (time does seem to fly by faster once one hits 40!)


THE SPIRIT OF BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE
One of the highlights of this past Autumn (indeed, of the whole year) was performing at the 75th anniversary celebration of Black Mountain College; “The Spirit Of Black Mountain College”, held at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC in September.
At this weekend-long event, Cilla Vee – Life Arts presented “Modus Operandi”, a spoof scientific experiment conducted by a “professor”, a dancer and a musician who interpret titles created with words given by the audience. (Originally created and performed for Asheville's Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Center, and thus recommended for this anniversary event.)
The cast for our project was myself, Asheville musician / composer Elisa Faires and Knoxville TN actor / poet Greg Congleton.
We were treated like royalty, put up in the Crown Plaza Hotel and ferried around to various receptions and dinners throughout the weekend. It was a wonderful experience to be immersed in an overload of creative stimulation. There was such a variety of artists, poets, musicians, dancers –
I can now say I've kissed a Pulitzer Prize – winning poet, although I'm not sure if Galway Kinell would even remember it!
(http://blackmountaincollegecelebration.com/)

ASHEVILLE
Noteworthy activities here in Asheville over the past season include a sculpture festival and a collaborative video project.
RiverSculpture
RiverSculpture is now in it's third year. My first exposure to it was last year, when I was invited to create a performance piece based on one of the sculptures. The Festival's season continues for about three months, during which there are performance events of dance, theater and music inspired by the sculptures which are spread out over a large park.
This years' contribution was a Motion Sculpture Movement Installation entitled “PUR-I-TE”, wherein I was painted from head to foot in silver and melded myself with a large silver archway. (http://www.riversculpture.com/)
Sallimone
I am very excited about “Sallimone” - a music art video in collaboration with Wu-Media producer Charles Elmer and musician / composer Kima Moore.
Sallimone is an exquisite painted being. A mysterious, alluring yet sometimes almost sinister entity. A kaleidoscopic singularity in the black void of space-time.
Post production will be finished by the end of the year.

NORTH EAST TOUR
In November, I was on the road touring for two weeks (leaving on election day.) My travels took me to Toronto and Ottawa in Ontario, Lowell MA, plus Marlboro and The Bronx NY. (The first leg being a straight eighteen hour drive - hardcore!)
Toronto
In Toronto, I performed with Shakuhachi flute master Debbie Danbrook (www.healingmusic.org) and Celina Carroll on Berimba at the notorious Gladstone Hotel. Originally built in 1889, it is now a hotbed of artistic activity for the local scene. Each room is designed by a different artist (I was fortunate to be staying with the project manager for the Gladstone's artist designed rooms, Suanne McGregor – check out her own designed room at: http://www.gladstonehotel.com/room315.htm)
The same night as our performance in the “Art Bar”, there was also a film festival, a comic strip convention, a textiles exhibition and a jazz band occurring simultaneously in the building! (http://www.gladstonehotel.com/)
Ottawa
The next day, Debbie and I travelled to Ottawa to lead the Sacred Dance Guild in “Phoenix – Rising From The Ashes”, a weekend intensive workshop at Bells Corners United Church culminating in a Motion Sculpture movement meditation for the Remembrance Sunday worship service. This workshop was a very profound experience for all of us (about 30 people); for myself as instructor / facilitator, Debbie as the (literally divine!) music maker and also for each participant who brought their unique responses to my guided imagery. It was a deep intertwining of artistic and spiritual experience – which, in my own heart, are inseparable anyway. (http://www.sacreddanceguild.org/)
Also in Ottawa, I taught my “Intensive Flexibility Program” at Natasha Royka's Dance Space 637 studio. (http://dancespace.blogspot.com)
Lowell
Then onto Lowell, MA for a repeat performance of “That From Which” multi-media project (based on the philosophies of Ernst Bloch) with Spiral7 at Gallery 119. This is the same project I began with them in May and the event served as an opportunity to go deeper into developing aspects of the performance and also to record more video footage to be used in the final video version of the project. Plus – it's always so nice to have an excuse to stay at 119, run by Walter Wright and Mary Ann Kerns. They're willing to take risks to make good art happen! (http://www.119gallery.org/) (http://www.spiral7.com)
Marlboro
After that, my next stop was Marlboro NY – a very small village just off the Hudson. My very dear friends and collaborators Junichi and Megumi Matsuzaki (with baby Chihiro) moved there from the concrete jungle of Bushwick about a year ago.
They discovered “The Man” who is making “It” happen in Marlboro – Tony Falco. Tony took it upon himself to single-handedly create the Arts & Entertainment scene for the whole town! He organizes a music festival there every Summer – but he also runs an Arts Center in a barn that he built in his back yard! It's a very beautiful and sophisticated barn with stained-glass windows and parquet floors too.
I performed with Jun and Megumi's project “Joyful Sonic Wash”. Ambient world and electronic mix. There was quite a good crowd that came out – including locals and other random individuals such as an Australian music professor who is guest teaching at Boston's Berklee School of Music! (http://www.joyfulsonicwash.com/)
Bronx
And for the grande finale of the tour – the Big Crazy Mayhem at Haven Arts Gallery in “SoBro” - South Bronx NYC. (This is my old stomping ground and it was so good to be back there again.) The mayhem consisted of seven dancers, seven musicians, a media artist and various photographers, videographers and visual artists participating in an installation entitled “Colors Interactive”.
......Imagine.......a raw – but hip, concrete gallery space. A long rectangle striped with black support columns next to the walls. Tied to these columns and dispersed throughout the space are long slashes of brightly colored and textured fabrics. Meshed into which, creating landscapes of color and form, are dancers suspended in slow Motion Sculpture movement. Around the edges, lining the walls, are musicians - plus an entanglement of gear; electronic, acoustic, melodic and percussive instruments - creating an ambient soundscape. Visual artists sketch, while photographers and videographers document the scene – live feeding into a digital media projection on the walls. Pretty wild – huh?
(http://www.havenarts.org/)
All of the artists involved in “Colors Interactive” were frequent collaborators of Cilla Vee – Life Arts who I have not seen for about two years now, but everything just fell into place as if it were only yesterday we had been working together. I love it when that happens!


OTHER STUFF
This is a little out of date – But I'm proud to declare that I am an official Twisted Hillbilly “Hill Betty” of the month .... it's just that the month was October!
To see the whole site (which is pretty wild and run by two very dear friends of mine – one of whom I used to be married to!) - go to the home page: (http://www.twistedhillbilly.com/)
If you just want to go straight to pictures of me in leather pants at Asheville's famous Grove Park Inn - then go to this link: (http://www.twistedhillbilly.com/HillbettyClaire.html)
I'm in issue 12.

I believe I've reached the end of my epistle now –
thank you for sticking with me on our journey together through this letter!
And please do get in touch – I would love to hear from you.

For up-coming events – check out: (http://cillavee-lifeartscalendar.blogspot.com/)

Peace and Blessings for the coming year,
Claire Elizabeth Barratt
Cilla Vee – Life Arts
www.cillavee.com

NEWSLETTER - Summer 2008

images:
*ADF - gallery reception for Lara Hanson, Duke University, NC.
*"Tree Spirit" (can you see me?)- random act of Motion Sculpture at the Sacred Dance Guild Festival, Connecticut College. Photo by Anita Bondi.
*"From The Soul - MELT" at Remic Rapids on the Ottawa river with the rock sculptures of John Ceprano. Photos by Lorne Finley, Wendy Stevenson, Frank Martin.
*"Marigold & Butterfly" at HerbFest, Almonte. Photo by Brian Hand.

Dear friends,
I hope the end of Summer is finding you well & in good spirits.
Much of my Spring & Summer has been spent traveling.

“That From Which”
In May, I spent a week in Lowell, Massachusetts (hometown of Jack Kerowack ! – just outside Boston) I was invited to be part of a multi-media project with SPIRAL7, directed by composer & technical designer Philip Lampe. The piece is entitled “That From Which” & is based on the philosophies of Ernst Bloch. The set was an installation of hanging translucent fabric strips, through which video projections hit each layer, creating a perspective of extreme depth. The scenario was of a life journey, a passage through phases of human emotions. Together with percussionist Grant Smith & clarinetist Glenn Dickson, Philip composed a score blending world instruments with electronic sound. My role as movement artist was to portray the human element. The organic – juxtaposed, yet interweaving with technology & texture. The venue was a place close to my heart – Gallery 119, run by the very dear Walter Wright & Mary Ann Kerns. “That From Which” is both a performance & a video piece. The video will be available in the near future.

ADF
In July, I had the opportunity to perform at ADF – the long established mainstay of American modern dance “American Dance Festival” on the Duke University campus in Durham, NC. Artist Lara Hanson, a good friend & collaborator I worked with in New York, was the designer for this years festival T-shirt ! She had an exhibition of her work in one of the campus galleries & asked me to perform at the reception. Lara works within a performance, capturing a dancers gestures with brush & ink. We were joined by local singer Kelly Colbert in a performance where each of us crossed over our boundaries of movement, voice & drawing. (Actually, Kelly & I didn't do any drawing!)

Sacred Dance Guild Festival
I had the privilege of being on the faculty for the Sacred Dance Guild's 50th anniversary festival, held at Connecticut College. I led a workshop entitled “Motion Sculpture: Movement Installation as Divine Meditation”. The participants performed as part of a Labyrinth walk (designed for meditation, prayer & reflection). Many of the Labyrinth walkers began to interact with us & afterwards commented on what a powerful & peaceful presence we brought to their Labyrinth experience. Throughout the festival, I also practiced random acts of Motion Sculpture, appearing in various costumes, times & places around the campus - that was fun!

Canada
After that was a hop across the border to Canada. First stop Ottawa, where I'm adjunct faculty at Dance Space 637, run by Natasha Royka (we met as roommates at Jacobs Pillow dance festival 10 years ago!)
HerbFest
My first event there was my 3rd “HerbFest” at The Herb Garden in Almonte. an annual all day family event including vendors of everything herb, chef demonstrations & entertainment. I re-worked last years “Marigold” character with the addition of “Butterfly”, danced by Madeleine Jullian – and we flowered & flitted our way through the Herb Garden all afternoon!
From The Soul
Next was my fourth annual “From The Soul” project. Workshop sessions at Dance Space 637 culminating in a presentation on the Ottawa river at Remic Rapids Park with the stoic rock sculptures of John Ceprano. John pulls up huge rocks from the river bed & gives them a new life as art! This years “From The Soul” was entitled “MELT” - an exploration of the cycles of construction & deconstruction of the human psyche. In the workshop sessions, we focused on movement portraying concepts of deconstruction; melt, dissolve, disintegrate, crumble, fragment. Then developed ideas of building new structure. Uncannily, John's sculptures seemed aware of the subject theme & some of them decided to dis-assemble themselves during the performance! - This has never happened before!
Toronto
Then I was on to Toronto to perform improvized collaborations with some of the city's leading experimental musicians. At “Somewhere There”, guitarist Ken Aldcroft organized an evening with two other musicians – Allison Cameron, playing objects such as toy instruments, & Jean Martin on percussion. The next day, I went to “the island” (accessible only by ferry) with Shakuhachi flute player Debbie Danbrooke, who had been one of the SDGF musicians. We did some “guerilla performance” in the park there before going on to perform at a lovely event in a private garden, arranged by guitarist Michael Keith.

So often I find that these private “Salon” soirees are the most fascinating occasions, quite intimate gatherings of the most kind, warm-hearted, interesting, intelligent, eccentric folk ! They seem to harken back to the old fashioned “parlour gatherings” & could be the way of the future in this day of artistic budget cuts!

Thank you for reading my newsletter. I would love to hear from YOU.
Please stay in touch & check my calendar for up-coming events.
www.cillavee-lifeartscalendar.blogspot.com


One very exciting event coming up soon is:
The Spirit of Black Mountain College 75th anniversary celebration
More info: www.blackmountaincollegecelebration.com


Happy Autumn,
Claire*



www.cillavee.com