First of all, I love love, love my sister — especially after completing this art project in March 2015 and having had a conversation with my sister about the story I told through image and word. Upon conclusion of it, I called her up and asked her forgiveness for being such a "bad" sister, and we had a discussion about our "sistership" that was alchemical for me, and I hope — for both of us.

 

ARTISTIC ATTEMPTS. Before that phone call, however, I struggled with what I would say about my "sistership" in this Little Women project. Then, “magically,” I discovered the chapter, "Artistic Attempts," and found my voice around our relationship.

 

I've learned through my daily creative practice of image making to TRY, so when I discovered the chapter, "Artistic Attempts," in Little Women, I knew I had found my way into this collaborative project. I repeat the mantra, "not good, not bad, just is" as I proceed in my daily creative work. If this methodology works for art making, couldn't it work for relationships? A radical thought for me combining both my sister relationship and creative act in one art project!

 

Being a younger sister was tough on me. In this statement, I don't really want to go into my specific story that I have titled, "ABYSSSSISTER," but I surmised that my experience was not only tough on me but everyone else. Hence, my joy in finally claiming what a disaster it felt like to me.

 

In the improvisational system, InterPlay, we have an "exformation" tool that allows us to move information out of our bodyspirits. In this creative project, I gave myself the alchemical permission to say

 

SSSSSSSSister, and...

ABYSSSSSSister, and 

draw a snake hissssssssssing it!

 

I laughed! Once all of that hissssssing sssssssister and drawing was out, I experienced FREEDOM to move forward....to choose a new way of being in relation to my sister.

 

Jesse’s collaborative project invited me into a new way of being through the act of creativity and being in community.

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