Guerilla Arts Ink

How Author Ananda Leeke Became An Artist - A Media Blast from the Past - Nov. 2001 Heart and Soul Magazine

Click here to read a copy of the article: http://kiamshacom.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-i-became-artist-media-blast-from.html




Seven years ago I was featured in an article entitled Magic Hands that was published in the November 2001 issue of Heart and Soul Magazine. I co-wrote the article with Juvita Layne Abrams. It discussed how I became an artist and the source of inspiration for my artwork. When the article hit the newsstands several weeks after September 11th, my sistalove/legal counsel Lauren (http://www.taxconcepts.net/) and I decided to visit New York City to honor the spirits of those impacted by the terrorist attacks and celebrate the publication of the article. It was a bittersweet trip that filled us with so many mixed emotions. After visiting the offices of Heart and Soul to pick up copies of the article and witnessing the staff move through their day with creative energy, I realized how powerful and strong the human spirit is. We are so much more than what we think we are!

Marriage of Intuition and Creativity: Removing Writer's Block

Marriage of Intuition and Creativity #1

Marriage of Intuition and Creativity #2




Marriage of Intuition and Creativity: Removing Writer's Block, an excerpt from That Which Awakens Me by Ananda Leeke

Copyright 2008 by Madelyn C. Leeke.

This month I have been actively engaged in removing the creative blocks that I have allowed to dominate my memoir writing journey. I have discovered that the Internet and technology offer endless opportunities to create art and poetry, and connect to communities of like-minded folks including:

1) Jennifer Moore, Yogini/Yoga Studio Owner/Author/Coach/Consultant
http://pink-heels.blogspot.com/

2) Jennifer Lee, Yogini/Artist/Author/Coach
http://www.artizencoaching.com/

3) Kimberly Wilson, Yogini/Yoga Studio Owner/Clothing Designer/Author/Entrepreneur/Nonprofit Founder
www.kimberelywilson.com

4) Leah Piken Kolidas, Artist
www.creativeeveryday.com

These dynamic ladies are some of my creative blogging angels. Through their blogs, my imagination has been sparked. My breathing has deepened. My spine has been stretched. My body's chakras have been encouraged to cleanse and open. My energy has been revitalized. The words, art, yoga advice, and coaching guidance that appears on their blogs are gifts that bless me with an overflowing cup of inspiration and a treasure chest of tools that I am using to move beyond my memoir writing obstacles. They are social media sanctuary builders for creative souls. Gratitude is the best word that captures how I feel each time I log onto their blogs and read excerpts from their life work and personal journeys. May they continue to live out loud and share what they have learned along the way!

Today I decided to practice an intuitive art exercise that Leah posted on her Creative Every Day blog on October 22. Her blog post, What Do You See?, gave instructions for creating art in the present moment by closing one's eyes and tapping into the power of intuition as uncontrolled hand movement made art for a few seconds. I modified the exercise by including some of yogic breathing exercises, using a computer mouse instead of a pen to make intuitive digital art. When I opened my eyes and looked at my computer screen at the two pieces of colorful art, words about walking through lines of time came tumbling out in the form of a six-word memoir poem. See below. What a fun process!

Poem

Intuition walks through lines of time

I see lots of busy lines.
I see journeys. Straight. Crooked. Curvy.
I see space to just be.
I see pauses. Surprises. Adventures. Escapes.
I see geometric shapes. Squares. Triangles.
I see art from my childhood.
I see endless cycles of creation.
Alpha and Omega. Omega and Alpha.
I see freedom of expression. Liberation.
It brings me back to myself.
It opens my heart to write.

What Are Six-Word Memoirs? (writing exercises included)

What Are Six-Word Memoirs? (writing exercises included)

Excerpt from That Which Awakens Me by Ananda Leeke (iUniverse, Inc. - Winter 2009)

Copyright 2008 by Madelyn C. Leeke

A six-word memoir is a statement that tells a story about who you are and how you live your life. It expresses your identity, personality, emotions, family connections, personal interests, favorite things, wisdom, life philosophy/motto, beliefs, professions, and/or experiences. The rules that govern the six-word memoir writing process are very relaxed. You only need to use six words! They can come from any language you choose. Six-word memoirs are revolutionary because they don’t require you to follow English grammar rules. What a relief! You are free to write fragmented sentences, one word descriptions followed by a period or dash, six words that mirror a grocery list, or six words that no one can understand or relate to but yourself. Your six-word memoir is your gift to yourself. It can address one or more of the following areas (and other areas not mentioned below):

1) State of Being and Personal Reflection

Example: Woman seeking to understand inner self.


2) Ancestral Origins

Example: Descendant of Africans, Native Americans, Europeans


3) Family Connections

Examples:

Granddaughter of women with breast cancer.

Daughter of two educators and entrepreneurs.

Sister to three creatively expressive brothers.


4) Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation, Age, and Gender

Example: African American. Heterosexual. Fortysomething Female. Womanist.


5) Professions

Example: Artist. Writer. Yoga Teacher. Creativity Coach.


6) Spirituality and Healing

Examples:

A spiritual being having human experiences

Reiki Master Practitioner. Unitarian. Buddhist Meditator.

Refuge3/People of Color Sangha Member.


7) Popular Culture Labels

Example: Go Green BoHo BAP. Urban Debutante.


8) School Affiliations

Example: Setonite. Morganite. Howardite. Georgetown Law Grad.


9) Organizational Memberships

Example: Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Member.


10) Socioeconomic Status and Residence

Example: Middle Class. U Street DC Homeowner.


11) Political Affiliation

Example: Independent Registered Voter. Barack Obama Supporter.




Discovering Self Through Writing Practice Exercises

The following six-word memoir exercises are based on the book, Not Quite What I Was Planning – Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure edited by SMITH Magazine (available on Amazon.com). Visit www.smithmag.net/sixwords.

Part A: Select five areas below. Write two six-word memoirs for each area. Take two minutes to write each six-word memoir.

1) State of Being and Personal Reflection
2) Ancestral Origins
3) Family Connections
4) Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation, Age, and Gender
5) Professions
6) Spirituality and Healing
7) Popular Culture Labels
8) School Affiliations
9) Organizational Memberships
10) Socioeconomic Status and Residence
11) Political Affiliation


Part B: Select one of the six-word-memoirs and begin writing a response to the following statement: what I really want to say about this six-word memoir is (fill in the blank with your own words). Don't censure your words. Don't read them. Just keep writing without stopping your pen for ten minutes.


Part C: Take five minutes to read over your writing and circle any words or phrases that you feel a strong attraction to.


Part D: Take five minutes to examine the words or phrases. Write down how three of the words or phrases reflect your personality, choices, or life experiences.


Part E: Take five minutes to write nonstop about how these writing practices affected you.


Part F: Take three minutes to read your writing.


Part G: Take five minutes to write about any new discoveries that you made about yourself through writing.