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.
In Products and Events you'll see the body of paintings that I've been working on for the past year. As a result of some very moving experiences that I'm having, as a buyer, you have the option of donating 50% of the proceeds from these paintings to an important social cause. (Please note that before December 9, 2007 that I originally wanted to donate 100% of the proceeds. I have changed from 100% to 50% because of some valuable advice that I received.) Some of the causes that I recommend considering are listed below. If you are interested in any of the paintings, please contact mark@pathscrossing.com.
1) To help raise awareness of the water crisis, as I experienced in the movie "Running Dry." The purchase of my painting will go towards the organization Running Dry to The Chronicles Group to provide sustainable water to millions of global families. You see, in the movie, I learned about the startling fact that one child dies every 15 seconds from a water infectious disease. In addition, I learned how so many countries, including the U.S. are impacted by the lack of clean water. (posted 10/29/07)
2) To help promote peace, as I experienced by helping to setup the "Eyes Wide Open" exhibit at the October 27 march and rally to end the war. The purchase of my painting will go towards an emerging organization that will promote the travel of this exhibit within the state of Washington. On Saturday, October 27, I volunteered to set-up the exhibit, almost 200 shoes of soldiers in Oregon and Washington who had lost their lives. The names, photos, and letters that were attached to each pair of boots moved me and so many hundreds of others to feel the loss. The exhibit reaches our hearts in ways that the news and media are unable. If you are from outside the state of Washington, the purchase of my painting could also go towards your state's American Friends Service Committee to bring it to your state. (posted 10/27/07)
3) To raise awareness of the Deep Hope Institute's mission and agenda to renew and attract individuals to the call of social activism. This is an organization that I am personally involved in with Bill Grace, former Executive Director of the Center for Ethical Leadership. The Institute currently promotes a Fellowship program (a series of four, three-day events, of immersion and discovery that bridge leadership, spirituality and community), a social action think tank (specifically focused social activism effort), and a sojourn (cultural immersion that seeks wisdom at the margins). (posted 10/27/07)
