August 17, 2020

Script and Paintings  Blog #6

by Paula Kramer

Time is something I’m not part of, anymore.
It’s a rushing river, sputtering and splashing past me.
I feel these prickly seconds, spiky minutes pounding past my face.
And I’m stuck on the shore.

Where did Wednesday go?

Probably the same place 3 o’clock this afternoon did.

I tell time – by poetry.

That’s better than a watch.

– From Three Dancers, Three Visual Artists, Two Filmmakers and One Composer

It’s all about time, as we see it, feel it, use it and dismiss it as it suits us at any time.

Dr Seuss said:

How did it get so late so soon?
It’s night before it’s afternoon.
December is here before it’s June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?

But with a deadline of August 27, our artists have been time conscious and are completing their dance solos, visual artwork and work-in-progress home videos.  Director Jim Rayfield has fashioned our storyboard for Sheila Cowley’s script and a video and still photography session is set for August 30 at Soft Water Studios, thanks to Carrie Jadus.

Of course, observance of all safety and social distancing rules will be of the utmost concern. 

The integrating of the written word, dance, visual art, original music, video and still photography has been, in these vexing times, challenging and often disheartening. We have always depended on the stimulating give and take from colleagues, audiences and friends – and of course, from the remarkable arts atmosphere of our community.

But we have jumped in with both feet and are moving on and on and on.

Below is a partial pairing of the works of Ana Maria Vasquez, Tony Palms and Carrie Jadus with excerpts of our script, Three Dancers, Three Visual Artists, Two Filmmakers and One Composer. Imagine dancers being inspired as they dance over, under, around and through the images.

The plan is to make public the completed video in November which will be shown at the Creative Pinellas Fundraiser Gala, at The Studio@620 and other sites to be announced. An exhibit of the artwork will also take place at The Studio@620 with an audience invited by appointment.

Of course, how fabulous it would be if, eventually, we could present this work live with the performers and the audiences enjoying each other!!

Every way I turn’s the wrong direction.  Like I’m in a maze.

I am amazed.  But that may be sheer confusion.

It’s dead-ends and misdirections.  And if you manage to get to the middle – you just
have to turn around and go back backwards, back to where you started.

When this started I was peeling onions.

You remember that?

I can’t stop thinking ‘bout that.  I was peeling garlic, onions.
I was making peanut stew and I was listening to the news and I kept peeling, peeling, peeling.

All those layers.

Until there was just the center.  Tiny.  In my fingers. Then I chopped it up, and ate it.

Peanut stew, huh?

I’ll send you a recipe on the back of a map of the Moon.