Anna Redsand

At the end of a major creative project, including the work of getting it seen by hundreds, I think (without anxiety for once) that perhaps I am at the end of my writing career. Or I feel it will, it must, now take a different direction. I am in transition. And transition is a space I love. Maybe it’s why I’ve moved so often—65 times now. I love it because everything is in free-flow. Anything is possible. I am the one to give it form. I know I will continue to create, but what? How?

I have used The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron at least three times, and it was a wonderful guide into freeing and opening the mind. But I need something different. Oh, I will always practice Morning Pages, and I want to be better about Artist Dates, but I need something new to jiggle me loose. I remembered Read More

Tina on the Danish island of Bjørnø

SPIRITUALITY AND CREATIVITY
Part I

In September, 2015, I interviewed my friend Tina Kragh Rusfort in the village of Vester Skerninge, Denmark. I posted the interview in four parts in May, 2016, followed by a piece on a painting of hers that hangs in my living room. I'm reposting my interview with her because it will be followed by a new interview that represents a companion piece to this one. And because what Tina has to say about spirituality and creativity is of value.

I have known Tina Kragh Rusfort since the first time I lived in the Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School’s Copenhagen ashram in 1991. In fact, that first time, I sublet her room for part of the time. Since I was only in Denmark for the summer then, I’d get shunted around from room to room, but I was glad to have a place to stay. I was there so Cheyenne could spend time with her other mom and her dad’s family, both of whom are Danish.

Most of the folks in the ashram were Read More

Comments

May 22, 2018 9:17 PM EDT

I'm so glad that book was useful to you. I almost feel like I should go through it again, but my head is so full of projects already. Maybe later in the summer. And I love how you spin your quest for a glue stick into epic journey narrative right after saying you're done with writing. Maybe only done with certain types of writing? When you get back to civilization, maybe you can get the matte medium Bantock keeps mentioning. I resisted it for 1/2 the book but It's really great for those types of projects.

- Monica

May 22, 2018 10:27 PM EDT

Of course, I understand this! I don't do collage anymore except for making cards, but still gotta have glue sticks!
Sounds like so much fun.
Also, when I lived in Missouri, my friend and I went to that Danish area of Iowa. I don't remember much, but the windmill!
Blessing on your new projects!

- Love, Lis

May 23, 2018 5:39 AM EDT

Monica, I love the book. I don't know if writing will ever let me go, but I think I want to have more fun with it. Different, yes. I do plan to get the matte medium when I get back to the Q, but gel stick was actually the thing for this mini stamp collage. The next collage is to be black and white, but that may also prove to be a challenge in a town of 662. Improvise, adapt, overcome. Back to the Egg Krate. As for epic journey, I know a journey to be sacred when there are obstacles. Of course that can be said for all of the life journey.

- Anna Redsand

May 23, 2018 5:41 AM EDT

Lis, it is fun. I always enjoy the challenge of meeting certain requirements--in writing as well as in visual art. I find that it stimulates my creativity in different ways to be give certain parameters. Fun to hear that you've been to Elk Horn!

Memoirist & Essayist

WORDS FROM FRIENDS

THE DISTANCE WE GO FOR OUR ART OR 86 MILES FOR A GLUE STICK

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