Engage in your community, prosper a future

I am living in a special place, in a special time; the city of Calgary is growing its public participation in all things Calgary. If you want your city to be a better place to live in, work in and play in, you can help make it happen by getting involved in your community or by reaching one person at a time.

Personally, I am doing a bit of everything. I participate with community art groups.  I teach art at Studio C and the Calgary School of Arts. I show my work in grass root fundraisers like Community Cultivated (June 15 @ #1LegionHall).

And so it goes, you get immersed in a subject and you start recognizing it's presence in every morsel of your life. At a recent Calgary Arts Development (CADA) gathering I listened as Dr. Terry Rock, outgoing founding President & CEO of CADA, as he was giving his last Report to Community.

My takeaway from this presentation, if you want the arts to be a part of your city's future, get involved with children and the arts now.

Dr. Terry Rock
Outgoing founding President & CEO of CADA

This idea truly resonates with me. What I have always known and now bear witness to is just how important the arts are to a child's growth, maturity, creativity and spirit.  Case in point, my eldest niece, a lovely spirit, quiet, whimsical, creative and smart. She would never admit to wanting more attention or more of anything outside of a book. Until now. 

An amazing thing happened to this young lady - her high school drama class. She found herself within this group of unsuspecting friends; she found her voice, and she found she wanted more. After her second year in drama and the debut of a recent play, she posted the following message and with her permission I share with you, her story:

Liz Penner and fellow actor Ariel Lavallee
John Maland High School, Alberta

"You are the most amazing people I have ever met. Every play was different but means so much, and I could never have done anything like this without you.

Mama Mia, was my first play. It was terrifying and I thought of not coming back. But the twelves, then elevens, showed me how wonderful drama could be.
 West Side Story, second play. I gained more confidence than I thought I could ever have. Our class was HUGE! And our performances were amazing.
 Shaken not Speared, most recent play. I have changed so much; every single person I have met has changed me for the better. I can go on stage and I am my character, 'Liz' stays off stage. I have so much confidence now; I'm surprised I don't burst. And I got it all from the Twelves, our teacher, and everyone I know.
 I have made so many friends and I'm so close to them, I don't know what to do. I consider you all family. I love you all!"

How much more proof do we need that the arts are integral for the development of our children's confidence, social skills, and their budding identity? This child might have been a tragedy, without the skills to overcome bullies and social pressures; this child might never have wanted to share. And that is the tragedy of cutting funding to the arts.

Like I say, if you want to get involved in making the arts a part of your culture, you can help make it happen by getting involved in your community or by reaching one person at a time.

The Next Gig..weird or what?

This entire journey of being open to opportunities has been a practice of being open to possibility. So I muster up my courage and I tweet my experience, I post my intentions, and I blog my desire! and in turn doors and windows are exposed. I love it. So simple.

As serendipity works, you just never know how and why things come together as they do, but they do. I literally stumbled on my first and recent exhibit with Studio C, by stumbling into their space and having a conversation with Facilitator, Wilmer Aburto, which ensued further conversations with Studio C's manager, Colin Menzies.

Opening night of Layer Cake Dreams, Characters, & Scenes
Featuring Antonio Vazquez-MacKay, first public paid performance!

The latest serendipitous moment is a relationship that was founded by the twittesphere, I saw a Call for Artists by 'Community Cultivated'. I did a quick google, loved what I saw, wrote an email and voila! I am officially announced on their bill. 

The 411 on 'Community Cultivated': two artist gals, busy at day jobs/artists by night, noticed that it's a hard knock life for artists, created an event to promote artists and give back proceeds to the community. All silent auction funds raised are divided as follows: 80% to the artist 20% to the charity of their choosing. Which happens to be Studio C's ArtRecruits program, which I happened to facilitate a class in February of this year.

I make it sound simple, but there is a lot of research, tweetsearch, and planning..but it's been fun and it is working for me. I have read online articles teaching how to's: artist branding, writing an artist's cv, and plain old noticing 'what everyone else doing, that works'...

Whether you are staying open to possibility in human to human conversation or tweeting your heart out. My advice is to be in the moment, pay attention, and be ready for opportunity. 

So my next art gig is June 15, one night affair, bands, raffles and ten artists showcasing their works to be sold via silent auction.

Stay tuned for more information on how to get involved with this event or contact these awesome grass root gals at:

• Community Cultivated Blog
• Community Cultivated Facebook
• Community Cultivated Twitter

Classes & Workshops

Classes & Workshops

Fantastical Portraits @ Studio C

July 5 - September 24


Tuesdays 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

Discover your inner portrait artist! Students will practice the basic principles of drawing and learn how to apply fantastical elements using colored pencil, wax crayon, felt marker, and acrylic paint. On surfaces such as paper, canvas board and wood panel, students will create projects a based in themes of realism and whimsy to create beautiful fantastical portraits.

Fee $139.50 includes art supplies and GST

Download registration form and submit by mail or in person:

9, 100 7 Ave. SW  Calgary, AB   T2P 0W4 

403 269 1838

What did I tell ya?

I am back, a little later than promised.. but I am here. I am sharing my dream as I build it.

What's new? I have adjusted to my new body, healing still from surgery and the chronic body issues..but I have started to dream again.

What have I done since I been absent? I set up an artist website, an artist facebook page and a twitter identity. I am totally enjoying the life of an artist, creating and sharing 'globally' my passion for life.

I even got asked to participate in an art exhibit. wow. Layer Cake Dreams, Characters & Scenes at Studio C. It ran the month of April and received so many positive wonderful comments. I am nearly speechless. nearly.

stay tuned for more rambles, crafty ideas and my art@!

Healing and not quite wheelin'

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It has been so long since posting that I practically got kicked out of blogville. I've been through the ringer on high cycle, but hopefully we nearing the end. If you hadn't heard, I went to hospital on February 7th for treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis. We, as in my husband and I, had made the decision to have surgery. There were no more drugs available, I had either tried them all and reacted or they were only quasi working.

Surgery was meant to be relatively simple and non invasive...however my surgery was complicated by the surgeons cutting my aorta during laporscopy. So they had to open me up from the bottom to the top. They thought the worst was over but the aorta patch didnt hold and all hell or heaven broke loose. They opened me up a second time but couldn't control the bleeding. Countless hours, five liters of blood, and a few electric paddywacks later, I came through it visiting the pearly gates. I brought no enlightenment, no visions, with the exception of one lucid memory of fighting the surgical team as they were trying to anthetize me a second time.

I awoke in ICU and there I lived for a few days with hoses, valves, and drains attached. I guess I even had my arms strapped down! I guess I had a reputation? But I was later told I was an amazing healer, go figure? It was nice to hear, but I still felt beat up or did I? I was and am feeling little pain.

So I spent a total of three weeks in hospital and now at home. I am on near bed rest, no lifting, no driving, just resting. I have been surrounded by loving friends and family and I will be forever gratfulmfor their sacrifices in seeing me to wellness.

More on the creative stuff when my superwoman status improves. Xo

saskatchewan prairie

Muffin Recipe - Gluten Free Goodness

Here is a simple recipe for a small batch of gluten free muffins...customizable to your temptations.

1 egg
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup liquid (water, fruit juice, milk, cream)

2 tbsp sugar (I use brown, white is fine too)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup brown rice flour (white rice flour is not as good for you and not as good to use a flour on its own)

2 tbsp pecans (or other nuts or no nuts!)
1/4 cup blueberries (or no fruit or more fruit)
I added a half of banana too (in chunks)

Preheat oven to 425F. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately, fold together and mix well. Pour in prepared muffin tin. Bake for 15 minutes or until done.

Makes 6 medium muffins. Recipe doubles well.