Personal writings, recordings, events, news, updates, and inspiring content. You may find articles exploring life’s eddies and currents, sound art meditations, creative ‘sparks!’, prompting questions and meanderings through Nature and the Elements. Come join me…
As a Western consumerist culture, we are often asked to avoid our grief – this seems unfortunate, unhelpful and unhealthy. Today is about being with our grief, fear, and feelings of deep loss.*
If Consciousness were a software programme, we humans seem to be running an archaically old version of it. It has bugs, requires malware that we can’t seem to find and run, and looks set to ultimately render the whole hard drive (us within an interdependent system) inoperable.
How often do you think about why you are here… why humans are here on the most creative planet imaginable – capable of generating life… and transforming it? It doesn’t get much more meaningful than that, right?! One of the ways humans become ‘expressers’ of that creative energy, help reveal it, is through art. And we have discovered two things: a) That art transforms – literally changes us – and b) That, in turn, we – through art and creativity – can change life.
One day I was taking a walk, a walk I do often, along the water’s edge between Richmond, CA, and El Cerrito. It’s a beautiful walk.
As I continued on my way, I happened to reach some stairs that led down to a tiny beach. I noticed a man walking up the stairs. He seemed kind, and happy… quite at peace. We nodded to one another, and I carried on my way. Not many paces later, something told me to stop and look back at the water. I saw him doing the same.
Recently I gave a talk at Foundation for Mind-Being Research. It was called ‘Consciousness, from an Artist’s Perspective’. It feels important to share with you the aspect where I really dial in to what Artists actually do for our collective consciousness. Further down the article you will see the particular slides that relate to this subject. I start by sharing my own background and influences. I grew up in a family of engineers, sports, lots of reading, my dog William (!), TV (like so many others), healthy family meals, school and, perhaps most importantly, the influence of hours spent roaming in Epping Forest, Essex (‘Epping Forest’ song included below), and contemplating on the stony beach of Aldeburgh, Suffolk: Two landscapes, portals from the known to the unknown, that shaped my soul in the most precious of ways.
Please find below a slideshow highlighting the Artist’s perspective, with some individually commented on, below:
Copyright © 2021 · Clare Hedin
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