One of my dream ideas is launching today! Today!
For maybe the past three years, whenever I sat down to write what my heart really wanted, I found myself writing about a place where adults come to play, using theater, visual art, storytelling, and movement to impact a personal or professional challenge or opportunity. The result of that dream writing now has a name, it is called The Art of Illumination.
Happy New Year! It is a year full of surprises and wondrous moments. Let us throw the doors open and welcome all the great opportunities we have to share, to give, and to collaborate, to exchange joy and love in all it's wondrous forms.
"Each of us has much more hidden inside us than we have had a chance to explore. Unless we create an environment that enables us to discover the limits of our potential, we will never know what we have inside of us." --Muhammad Yunus
Pursuing a Dream
As I began trying to create a new performance this year, every time I sat down to write, I would often reveal the same idea: about a place where individuals could go and tackle real-life personal and professional challenges using arts-based processes like writing, painting, performing, and movement.
This idea has taken more shape. Towards this dream, I have created a new five-piece performance (total time: 75 minutes) called Second Sight, about finding what is common with others amidst the differences. Each piece is being launched in a 5-part event called The Art of Illumination with the City of Olympia from January 17- February 28. After that, both will be scheduled for the public and interested organizations.
To know when and where the shows and events will be, stay connected (see below).
A Luminary in the Discovery DVD series!
This last year I was invited to share my story and advice as a luminary on the Discovery DVD series by LifePathUnlimited.com. The opportunity to share "the screen" with 14 other courageous and open-hearted individuals was a huge gift. Life Path Unlimited has created an amaaaaazing spectrum of products and supporting experiences designed to take people beyond the popular DVD called "The Secret."
To get notices and stories about LifePathUnlimited, stay connected (see below).
An Explosion of New Work and Social Consciousness
As I entered 2007, I personalized an art technique of painting on the floor that I had learned in late 2006. What resulted in the following months was an explosion of paintings. For the first time, my art inspired me. Pursuing that feeling again and again with every canvas has resulted in a body of work ready for galleries, cafes, and a forthcoming book.
As so many social issues wrested with my conscience this year, you can check out the post on my website's home page to find out where the proceeds of Mark's paintings go.
See my paintings by going to the Products and Events page listed on the left side of my website, and stay connected (see below).
Stay Connected
To stay connected to my work and the opportunities it may bring to you for your personal and/or professional life, please consider subscribing: find the title Mailing List in the right column. Click on subscribe and type in your email address. You can unsubscribe anytime you want.
My first run! Wow! It was so great. When I decided to do four shows last year, I had no idea what I was really in for. I only knew that I loved sharing my story and connecting with the people who it mattered to. Little did I know what would happen.
I got to see my posters around the city. I'd walk into a coffee shop, or walk by a window of posters, and I'd glance to see if I was there. And, I was! I had to chuckle. Hey, that's me. I didn't want to be too obvious, standing and staring at myself, so I would just keep walking.
I had an opportunity to put into practice what I had been learning through my Voice for Actors class being taught by Gin Hammond, whose performance last year of Syringa Tree inspired me to go deeper with my characters.
I experienced the feeling of opening night. All the wondering about how many would come, and to accept that whoever was there was good enough.
I learned what it is like to loose an entire section of text, and to find a way from within myself to move right through it, to not get caught up in the judgements. An audience member commented later that night in the talk back, that they learned something from that moment.
I had my first critic review, which wasn't glowing, by the way. But, it taught me about who my audience is. I know more than ever before, that I do my show for the people who talk to me afterwords and for the ones who are inspired and send me an email. Sure, I can always improve my craft, and I will. Next time, when I invite the press, I'll make sure to let them know that I do this to inspire and give courage.
I had my first interview for a story and more importantly, had the story released on the front page of the Northwest Times section in the Seattle Times. Wow! As soon as the story broke, emails began flying in to my inbox at 7am and my phone started ringing. I couldn't believe it. When I read the article, I just said Wow. Then, when I got the paper, and saw that the article was really big, I just said Wow.
I shared the stage with two great people in my life. Jan, my partner, and Patrick Combs, who has been part of the inspiration for doing a solo performance. In the talk backs on two nights, audience members leaned forward, laughed, and nodded their heads as the three of us wove our stories and ideas about individual expression, confidence, vision, and fear.
I had my best show ever on the last night. The audience was amaaaaaaaaaazing!!! They really brought something to the theater that had me bringing my best performance to the stage. I felt the characters more deeply, I felt myself communicating with more depth on words.
I got an invitation to do my show in Denmark and to meet others in Copenhagen who are at the intersection of art, business, and innovation.
I had a chance to guide 15 people who attended my workshop, The Pursuit of Possibilities, in to finding new, unexpected visions for themselves, based on the ideas in my show.
Wow, huh? This week goes down as one of the top five in my entire life! Every small step that I've taken has led me to this moment for myself. I'm happier than I used to be. I know where I want to contribute. I'm grateful for every person and event that has brought me this far, especially to Jan Stary, my partner, who has supported me as I've explored this adventure and Marya Sea Kaminski who has been more than an acting coach and Director over this last year. I look forward to even more possibilities and opportunities.
November 16, Unimaginable!
I just did my show last night for my VP and her Directors and Managers in the training organization where I work. Going in to the show, I had my reservations. I was putting my life out there for everyone to see a part of me that they might usually not. I am so grateful to my VP for giving me the opportunity. It was an expression of trust that I am privileged to have. To not have seen my show in person, and to give me an invitation to present it to her larger leadership team, what an honor.
So, how did the show go? Well, let me first say that it was at the new Future of Flight museum in Mukilteo, Washington, right on the border of the air field where Boeing produces the 747, 757, 767, 777, and the new airplane, the 787. I think's it's in Guiness as the largest building in the world. Being there at the Future of Flight had it's own excitement. As a metaphor, for me, it really captured how I'm looking towards the future of my show and keynotes. Even if the facilitty wasn't entirely finished, it opens on December 15, provided a great context for a career in transition -- having a main structure, framework and architecture completed and working on the finishing touches, just like me. I've got the content and the form, I'm just working the details on the performance.
The show? Wow! My first standing ovation. I couldn't believe it! So many came up to me afterwords and thanked me. It was a bit overwhelming to receive so much. But, it's also the only reason why I do it, because when they come up, I feel like I've reached them in some way that meant something. I know that moments like that can be part of something much bigger.
One person in the audience, had a direct experience with one of the artifacts (don't want to give it away). Afterwords, he shared with me that the words and the artifact happened for a reason with him.
There were so many others who were so gracious with their encouragement and words of appreciation.
I even got another invitation to do the performance for one of the Manager's upcoming off-site next month. Can't wait! Another performance and another chance to be part of their story, it doesn't get any better than this.
In my last post, I wrote about preparing to have a meeting with my VP, the day after my performance of "One Arrow, One Heart" for a class of incoming Seattle University graduate candidates, to see what I wanted to do in the near future. Now, let me tell you what happened.
In the first few minutes of the meeting, she asked about my one-man show. I later came to believe that she probably heard about it through my boss, a Director, or one of her peers whom I also have worked for in the past. As I told her about my performance fo rseattle University's masters graduate candidates, she offered me an opportunity to do the show for her all-manager's meeting in November. I said "Yes!"
As soon as I did, underneath it all, I felt a scrambling of ideas and questions about whter o r not hte content was appropriate. After all, I did write it about my struggle between the work I was doing and my interests outside of the Company.
Later, we began discussing more specifics about my next position. i shared with her wahat and why i was interested in being a speaker and lecturer/instructor. I could not have asked for a better reception. All of the opportunities she offered me seemed to be right in line with what I had hoped. We discussed the possibility of being involved with career management somehow. I could definitely see how I could share my story and help and shape how other leaders would consider their futures. She mentioned the idea of being an Executive Coach and also encouraging me to consider creating a keynote based on the book The World is Flat, a national bestseller written by Thomas Friedman. One other that I remember is to express my interest in being adjunct faculty to the leadership programs that were currently being offered to the Company's leaders. No matter what happens, I appreciated having her interest in my career.
In the meantime, we agreed that I would write a job description for someone to step into my job in the near term. This will create "the space" that I need to really be available for a new opportunity. The combination of this meeting, my interviewto be the Director of Training for a non-profit two weeks earlier, and having done my show the night before, all have me feeling that change is in the air. I just need to stay true to what I want, to be open, and to be vigil for what may come.
Before I gave my performance One Arrow, One Heart Wednesday at the Seattle University's graduate cohort gathering, I had some concerns about what I would take into my meeting with my VP at work.
You see, recently, I was invited to apply for a job as the Director of Training for a non-profit, one whose mission is about values, vision and voice was very near and dear to what matttered to me - about people living and acting out of their own sense of personal values and leadership principles.
I felt that if someone was writing me to apply for a job, that I should also be asking mself if there was anything that I wanted to do at the company where I currently work.
A little background about the work that I am currently doing. I've been working on this project for the last year and a half. it's beeen an amazing opportunity to flex my creative visioning with stakeholdersa nd interested spartners about the way managers can learn and support each other in the workplace.
So, my boss felt that it was time for me to have a one-on-one with my VP. I thought the timing couldn't have been better. As the days have approached this meeting, my thoughts have wandered about what the conversation would be about, what I would say, and more importantly, about what I really wanted.
At the end of my performance on Wednesday, there were many questions from the graduate candidates. I am so grateful to each person who asked me a question because they helped me voice what mattered to me. Not tthhat my answers answered my question about "what" I wanted, but it got me in touch with my heart. And, I think that's just what I needed before this meeting.
The morning after my show, I woke up at 4am to catch a 6:30 am flight. As I was getting ready, I heard a voice say "what do you really want?" And, I silently answered -- I want to speak and teach. I want the flexiblity to work from any city, so that if I have a keynote in the evening, I can still do that. I want to teach inside of the company so that I become more confident leading group discussions. I want to see my current project through because I belive that there is much that can still be accomplished to make it really meaningful.
As I boarded the airplane and sat in seat 20 F, a window seat in an exit row because I had arrived early enough, I made the following notes:
This is what I wrote before I met with my VP yesterday (Thursday), only a few hours before the plane landed. Tomorrow, I'll write what happened.
