Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Michael Averill..Whats Life All About?

I had the honor of attending Michael Averill's album release fundraiser birthday party, I knew I had to meet him after the event. The event blew me away, and brought many emotions to my attention. The event represented a entire community and what they had to share.

Living your life to it's full potential, meeting a greater cause to leave your foot print, talent to share, and support as one large community.

The album is a collection of puzzle pieces, the pieces were an array of artist's coming together with a snit bit of there character, a word, a beat, a musical voice a rant or a speech on who they are. Michael describes how he came about this album in the YouTube video below.

 Michael also wanted to give back for his birthday, and had a array of his belongings on stage, items that have helped him grow and learn.

The speakers, artists, friend's and associates were all beautiful talent on stage. I was able to capture a bit of the talent on my little Nikon camera which I will try to place into the article later. I was very moved by the event, like none I had been to before. The community that came together to help Michael raise funds for his trek to Nepal, made me look at the great support groups we can have as a community and one person can make a difference.

Michael talked about his journey a little on how he came to be where he is today, and this was not a easy transition, it never is, when you start working for yourself. When you finally have such a huge accomplishment, its like why was I ever worried!

Michael is co-owner of simply organic studios.  Michael describes his work in his own words below;


Clarify my work

simplyorganicstudios.com



My “work,” is a mixed bag of activities, but it all centers around some key concepts.  I used to be a trainer/exercise physiologist where I did life coaching and counseling as part of my role, but I have never been an “official,” life coach, as people like to label it.

I left because I had been ignoring giving my truest passion the full attention it deserved, and it was starting to eat away at my soul, and I was withering away.  Again, there is much to say as far as what led to where I am now, but I don’t think there is enough room in your blog for all of it, so to summarize, this is what I do now:

-Active/Performing Singer/Songwriter (1 solo project, 1 band I write mostly for, and 2 other female led bands I play back up instruments for)

-Business Owner – Simply Organic Studios, partnered with Tim Weaver
There are 3 divisions of this business (Recording, Live Video Production, and Artist Development), but the goal is primarily to work with folk artists, and/or any artist really wanting a means of showcasing themselves in forms truest to who they really are.  Although I do little bits of recording and video production, my baby is in Artist Development, which is basically all the life coaching skills I gained in my other career applied to music.  Through this I run events that help singer/songwriters grow on and off stage, I work with artists one on one, I give educational seminars, and ultimately work to enhance the music community in Vancouver and beyond.  Everything I do here revolves around helping artists figure out who they are, why they are in music, and what it is they are actually trying to say, and then working on how best to deliver that to their audiences so that it is an unforgettable experience.  Through all of this, I have become a solid event planner/facilitator, and a specialist in community building and networking.  All in all, keeps me pretty busy, but it all centers around helping change peoples lives for the better, and I get more out of that than money could ever buy.


I met Michael again on a more intimate level, the earth day event at UBC in biology research building, a structure that is sustainable. Michael was there with two other artists and a hand full of performers.
We chatted afterward over cake and drink at capers in kits.

I had so many questions, but not enough time. Michael is only 29, known for these incredible hugs-
his soul is wise, its like he has already lived 60 yrs, and has been reinvented and thrown back down to the earth to start all over again.


Travel seems to be important to Michael on many levels, like most artist's, to travel is to add learning, so off he will go to learn traditions and cultures in Nepal. I have a feeling that Michael is an extremist, this is a person that will find the extreme ultimate challenge.

So my questions were, why are you doing this trek? tell me a little about what happened for you to change your life so drastically? Tell me about the cancer? In my mind I am also thinking..and are you single!

So this is what Michael had to share:



Why am I going on this trip? Where is it? Mission?

The trip – 1 month trekking in Nepal
The mission – A cultural observation of ancient mountain communities that live completely sustainable lives, and have done so for over 700 years.  Tourism has yet to touch these regions where a handful of westerners have traveled, but it is approaching and will probably hit within the next few years.

I was invited to join a mixed team of artists (photographer, painter, musician, videographer, etc.) to hike to these special areas in order to observe and learn about the values of life these people hold.  The idea is to note their state of happiness living with the bare basics we need as human beings, and be able to relate that  back to the western world in the form of a documentary, music, photos, etc, but mostly through outreaches in schools/universities.

Why I am going on this trip……



If you had asked me this a few months ago, I would have had a completely different answer.  The decision to go on this trip initially came out of pure curiosity and excitement of seeing a very special part of the world, and to interact with the people and cultures through my language of music…seemed no-brainer to me...and I was invited by a very close friend.  However, I couldn’t have imagined how much that choice was about to change my life.

This trip is self funded,  I needed to change the way I lived, the way I ate,  and the way I saw myself in the world.  I also needed to do something enormous in order to raise the money to go on the trip….which is what led to my album release show.  Having had $0 in my bank account, I had to maximize the art of resourcefulness, and worked non-stop from the beginning of December onwards to make it what it was, and to raise the funds to go.  There are a great deal of other stories of craziness that went on during this period, but I will save those details for the book!   Reflecting back on it all now, I feel I decided to go on this trip for what it would make me face in myself to actually make it a reality.  Who knows what the actual trip will bring..haha

As Michael talks about this here, I reflex so much of my own self and I have to add, over eight years ago, I realized I had 30 bags of designer clothing and was broke..lol, I did not even know what was happening in the world. I lost everything. Sometimes people need something to happen in life as a wake up call-cause life is lessons..right?

 I started to network, and write and I changed careers.  I was invited to work with the river kids along the amazon, and study in a research lab in Peru, for health reasons and money, I did not go. I think to be a artist it is important to have worldly knowledge-I do know as a writer this has to happen. Meeting Michael and many other people through Michael, I can say I am building my own support group, with people who live healthy, try to be sustainable and live and be in there passion of work.

So Michael achieved what I truly thought impossible, and friends and family and huge supporters and artist's all came together at the Denmen Theater to show support and help Michael on his way- So everything we think we cant do, Is doable!

So on a personal level with Michael, cause to find truth in everything, usually-something has happened as a wake up call, I knew the loss of his father was hard, but there is so much more.  Michael had cancer, I heard this mentioned here and there and was scared to ask a little, but I asked and this is Michael's explanation:

Overcoming cancer surgery:

Cancer surgery for me was a temporary admittance into a dark world.  I have had surgeries before under anesthetic, but this one took me somewhere else.  It felt like it reprogrammed my natural human system responses in that it refused to accept things like water, vegetables, general foods you would think the body needs to recover.  They actually made me sick to be in contact with….One of the most shocking experiences for me in this was the lack of desire to play music….I just couldn’t, and had no intent of doing anything.  This frightened me, as music has always been a symbol of expression.  Funny thing is I still went and played my regular gig at The Vancouver Art Gallery CafĂ© 2 days after my surgery, even though I couldn’t lift my right arm about nipple height.  The true feeling of it all didn’t hit until a day or two after that….

Through some unusually course of actions that I don’t really recall, I found out that my body really responded well to Gatorade and Tim Horton’s chili….so much so that that is the combo I took in non-stop for about 3 days, and it made me feel re-energized like you wouldn’t believe.

After a few weeks, I decided to go for a walk.  It was a beautiful day in late September, and I wandered up to Capers for a smoothie.  I had never bought one from there before, but I was drawn to it for some reason.  They had one that combined banana, blueberries, apple juice (my favourite smoothie combo) and greens.  Rather than sipping it right away, I took it with me on my walk until I reached a bench to sit on.  As I sat there, just observing life, I started to feel, or at least notice again, the heat of the sun.  It felt like I had lost the sense that it was even there until that moment.  I closed my eyes to take it in, and then took a sip of that drink…….That sip….felt like a shock with paddles these use in an emergency room to bring people back to life.  A complete explosion of flavour and energy in my body again, and it was magic.  So much so that I went directly into my apartment, picked up my guitar, and wrote the song “Simple Sensations,” which is on this album.  http:/michaelaverill.bandcamp.com/

From there on it was pretty much just plugging along, working on getting my range of motion back in my arm, but the whole thing was a big vision into the world of those who are on drugs or health care full time, and to get a glimpse of what they must feel all the time was very humbling.  Made me really appreciate the simple things around, but on a bigger scale, it made me look at what I had done in my life.  Although my cancer was minor, it put me in a contemplative place with regards to the potential it had to be much worse, and it made me think about how I would feel if my life was done.  Interesting thing was, I noticed that if I died the next day, I would have been satisfied with what I had accomplished, and all that I learned, and from this came a great sense of pressure release.  It changed how I have lived every day since, because as far as I am concerned, the rest is just bonus!


How could you not fall in love with this voice??...It all really makes you think...You may think you are just someone in the rush in Vancouver, Everyone is someone, and one can make a difference.

Michael is an example of bringing community together..and finding your dreams can become a reality..My original blog is called...Just A Girl. The title was because I was just venting and writing and really thinking, who the heck wants to hear my ramblings. Well my little blog reached over 100K in the first year.
I am not just a girl, I am a very funny girl, who gives you a hard real take on situations people and things, I do find people also, good people and now I want to show the world, Amazing people, that really will change your life when you meet them.

 Its up to you to let them in, or take a bold step and walk into the unknown. See what our city has to offer in events, you never know who you'll meet!

After this event, I had 8 more events to go to! One event which I hope will become larger in the future is yoga with music by Michael. The yoga is Haitha and Yin, I could not make this private event in Michael s home this time, however it is amazing what you can do when you have a network. I have a huge creative pool of idea's in my mind now and to be quite frank, I am excited!

When you meet new people, you never know what they may bring into your life. It can be a second, a moment, a hour, a season, or it may just be a lifetime. Take Chance's, and say Yes.

Lastly, Is Michael Single? Well Yes, I believe he is, However Michael is currently in Monk Mode-
This means, re frane from all outside sources that may pose threat to mission..lol..I am sure he has allot of love to give! However this is not on his immediate agenda:) See ya when you get back Michael!!

Its was a pleasure meeting you Michael!
Happy Birthday

GVixen
Laura Gold



Saturday, March 10, 2012

Erin & Solah- The Chain Reaction

Erin  & Solah

Chain Reaction is the words I have when I met this amazing couple.

I decided to write about this couple for many reasons and emotions that have come to light in my life after meeting the two.

Real love, well here it is. In your face.

 The amount of projects and accomplishments both as a team have committed themselves to doing is so vast, I would really have to write a book, and quite honestly I still have more research to add to this write up.


Erin and Solah met in Whistler where they started doing projects together such as facilitating a community drum circle and doing an artist in residency for a local elementary school. In this project they helped nearly 300 children create dream flags depicting their hopes, wishes and dreams for the future of planet Earth, and took them all to the World Peace Forum in Vancouver.

The couple moved to the ARC in East Vancouver. The Artist Resource Center is a building with 80 live/work art studios with shared facilities such as dance room, soundproof music rooms, kilns, darkroom and woodshop, and at the same time a housing unit that helps artists live and sustain creative outlet, all in one place. I have not been there myself however the work accomplished I have heard is amazing.

Solah has created many companies, one of her favorites being a little dreadlock creation and maintenance business called Blessed Locks.

Erin started a screenprinting business creating merchandise - shirts, stickers, posters, bags and art prints – for festivals, touring and recording musicians, and exhibiting artists. http://www.sagescreenprinting.com/
And together, Erin and Solah started a small sticker catalogue, based on erin's art, humour, positivity and social change. They sell these at festivals in the summer




The couple then purchased a travel home, The Dream Machine!

Dream Machine was actually created by someone else and they found it purchased the little home and did a little more to the inside and had a roof rack made from an old bed which we had put on the top. Erin and Solah bought the Dream Machine for the summer that Erin was throwing Towards Eden so that we could live out on the land where the festival was and float around for the summer.

The updated picture of the dream machine!










I have realised that I have had quite a blind eye to our world, even my own city, and what is happening for the last 3 years, I have been rushing and rushing to provide for people in my field and my own life, I have missed what is going on and most importantly I have not even stopped to take a breath. In the last two weeks I have been researching the world and my environment  and my community and I understand..why persons feel so strongly in doing thing's differently.

Erin and Solah are the extreme example of living differently.

I have somewhere, just turned a blind eye to what is important, have you thought about how you want to be remembered? Are you worried about the issues that are almost unknown that we will face with our planet? Government? All I have ever thought about before, were the small stuff, such as;

I mean I recycle, I do community gardens, volunteer, massive charity work, help the less fortunate.
How am I helping myself? How am I helping the greater picture? I mean I don't even have a community to run to if the world ended, would I run? to a church? The point is how are we helping each other? and ourselves and living life to the fullest everyday. How are we protecting our nature our oceans?
Are our relationships with people Honorable? Are "we " with each other? Ask yourself. I did.

First-Simplify your life. This couple clearly spent real time talking about their dreams. Working together as a team. This makes me look at my picture. How could I possible connect with anyone doing what I am doing-
This is the start of a very long process. Sometimes you have to lose everything- to see the larger picture.

This couple brings people and ideas into the making.

One of the greatest memories that I had forgotten, until a few weeks ago,  was when I lived in Bell 2, this is up by Alaska, I lived in a metal airstream moter home with my semi dreaded hair and my hippy boyfriend for 3 years off and on-I remember my kids playing with no shoes in the mud and woods, with a large group of french Canadians. I remember getting up at 3am as camp cook and screaming I was scared cause there was a bear outside..I remember tree planting, slashing staking..feeling like I wanted to die from being sore. I remember now how happy I was. I remember, I had nothing really. I had allot of love, a huge community.

So when I met Erin, well..it all came back. The amount of emotions I had..I could only take home. The way he spoke, his belief system.  Like wow, I knew I needed to immediately change my coarse of action, and I think this started before I met Erin. I know this, because slowly I have been simplifying my life for 3 years.

Erin Sage now has  larger projects, Sage Illustration and Towards Eden Project. These projects are huge.
The screen printing is Erin's baseline work, creating Shirts, stickers, bags basically anything with his art. Erin is also a musician and plays locally in various events. Towards Eden is a massive project. This project is basically, festivals and concerts that are completely powered by natural power, the natural sources, wind, solar, soil water. The only way I can describe this festival is from the writer himself written below:

The Towards Eden Festival was a fantastic Sustainability Festival, featuring live and electronic World Music and practical, hands-on sustainability workshops and more. It was truly unique as it was 100% powered by energies that are renewable, sustainable and regenerated right there on the land!! All solar, wind and pedal power. Find more about how they do this by visiting their website: http://www.towardseden.com/


http://www.towardseden.com/home

  • Owner-Operator · Vancouver, British Columbia
    Full design and print services for gigging musicians, performers of all types, exhibiting artists and independent clothing designers. Eco-friendly merchandise, high-end art reproduction and economical, eco-friendly marketing materials.

We now have to get back to Solah! I recently recorded Solah at an event talking about what her passion is, and how she can help others in finding their passion and being in the place they want to be in, as a first time speaker to a large audience I was quite moved.

I decided to take Solah up on her almost free coaching session, in my mind I thought"Well she's not going to tell me anything I already don't know" I mean I counsel all the time, I'm in Mental Health...blah blah,  well....

I was a crying fool by the end of the call. Maybe you have in the past,  been to a shrink, or another life coach that was based on career. The coaching that Solah teaches, first deals with the immediate. In coaching like myself, this may be hard, the immediate block. I know my work, but taking accountability of my own words and having my words repeated back, and the message I am unwilling to hear to move forward-WOW.

Powerful point, we create our own lives and whatever or whoever we bring into our lives could be for a lesson, or a reason, or as I said in past, a season. Most times these are lessons. I then went to her website and I have to say, the website alone has so much information, you feel better just by looking at it.

I highly recommend a session or a group function, Solah is starting her own workshops- I will be attending one in late March. Check for updates on Solah's website below. I also hope to incorporate Solah at some of my workshops into the future and this can be a direct contact as well.

http://positivelypurposeful.com/

After my session, I really had a clear concise idea of what I needed to do- I know what has to happen in the next month, and I feel better. Sometimes we work and work and are thankful we have a job and are earning money, but are just not happy. The idea for some people, like myself , to just quit what they are doing and say, hey I'm just gonna..go paint..lol is crazy, people would think I am crazy.

As Solah said in a recent speech, "what if you were doing the things you love before and after your work, so that you could be present in your work".  So saying the example is painting, you might think, ok..this is just painting I like to do, what if you had a schedule of say 6 paintings by end of summer and 10 artsy coffee shops you would try to hang your art? This is what I am talking about!! So now you are making a small step to work at something you love. This is very small example, I would also have to write a book on Solah to explain all that she does. I know Solah will have her own series of books in her workshops one day.

When I talk to Solah, I think of warm tea and her braiding my hair and the smell of sandalwood.
I have no idea if she makes tea and smells of sandalwood- but sometimes meeting people brings a memory-
a connection.

All the people I write about will have some type of connection. These two created a chain reaction for me, I now have 5 more people to write about. I do see Erin and Solah making community change whenever they are present.

This is important to me, and it should be important to Vancouver to know people are changing, this change is great.

Drum Photo: By Wendy D Photography

"The Beat to your own drum"
To know what you prefer, instead of humbly saying amen to what the world tells you you ought to prefer
is to have kept your soul alive

Robert Louis Stevenson

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Michael Averill Happy Birthday!!

My Next Greatest Interview...A Walk N talk...Interview..In the meantime....If I could all get you to take a listen to his new release..wonderful.


http://michaelaverill.bandcamp.com/


Wanderer….Philosopher….Fun Doctor…..This tradesman of sound was born to bring people together, to make light of a troubled day, and to administer a steady I.V. of positivity to the world. Emerging in Vancouver as an intriguing Folk artist and community builder, his magnetic melodies and warm demeanor unite for an experience that dissolves woes and change perspectives.less


See ya Friday Michael!
GVix

Sunday, March 4, 2012

UKub


League of Extraordinary men, Are there such, in Vancouver?



In the small community of Commercial Drive I had recently learned about a group of men.
This gathering of men is called a Ukub. Look at this as global trade.

 On Every 15th of the month the men meet on commercial drive, typically at a Italian coffee house to watch soccer. Every month everyone puts aside 250 dollars.

Each month a person’s name is pulled. On the give day of the meeting, the person’s name who was pulled receives 1000, or more depending on how many men are in the group. In this case there are 5 men.

The person gets 1000 dollars, then they choose a place for them all to go eat, they all split the bill-but not with the 1000 dollars.  At dessert time everyone pitches in their 5 dollars for the lotto choice of the month.

The gentlemen I spoke to, says his mother started this in Africa and his culture has been doing this for years. 

The person that got the 1000 dollars pays one member at a time on the 15th of every month, therefore the money is paid back slowly.- 5 months typically, with no interest on a credit card or bank fees. If a person has something coming up, like snow tires or a vacation, they can request that there name is pulled. If none of the members have a problem with it-they help that person out.

That person is pulled out from the names and the next four go in and so on.

Not only is this a bonding of gentlemen to talk about, sports and financial purchases this is a way to always feel you have a community of help in economically frustrating times.

It is defiantly not about the money.  Sometimes like Christmas, the pot will increase to 500. This type of network helps make vacations possible and other things in life that a person may request credit for-

This is the old barter system to avoid debt and credit interest. I am sure to become a part of this group there is a code of ethics and you only go in with the intention of being able to afford to do so, and if you do not pay, you will have 5 men after you in your group.
I recently went for coffee with my friend, and realized in little Italy, he had a few friends there,
Secret hand shake, and the men kiss, yes they do! I realize that these men all are catholic as well, all pray before dinner, are thankful for what they have now, and live a lifestyle that may look extravagant from the outside, but is quite simple.

My friend drives a 40K BMW and lives in a brand new loft-I remember how excited he was when he was installing Bamboo flooring-for centering balance in his chakras..I laughed actually when he was getting the floors done. Until I saw his home.  This man lived on a school board wage, and casual work.

I would ask, how do you do it?? Mainly his focus would be work, yoga, the gym..dining out..reading..learning, then 2 months of the year world travel. The group of men would gather for pot luck dinners, things that were always kept at low cost-help each other out , to create a foundation. Investment discussions and so forth. I know this sounds like a bunch of old fogies!

These are a young generation of men, typically you can find them at places like The Libra Room, the belly dancing place with kabuki pipes, the Spanish dancing on Broadway, Kino. Some of the higher end restaurants on commercial drive.

I have been invited out a few times with my friend, who has big dimples a white smile, his favorite line is "Lara, Love Peace Happiness..my girl, that's all ya gotta worry bout!"
And hes right!

I am very interested in the Ukub, I think this is something I can add to my list for 2012 for a group of women. I have some great financial meet up coordinators to add to the group. This will be on the Lifestyles blog at a later date.


Signing off..
Buzy Day
GVixen

Wendy D




Wendy D is a well known Photographer in Vancouver who create's works of art on human nature, at least this was my interpretation, and real life experience.  Wendy's work of art is not only interesting and fascinating, you instantly have a smile to your face, a step to your day, a enlightenment, a thought of wonder..You can only know from seeing her work yourself.  I have no idea what she is like live shooting a person, but I would imagine similar to a medium, someone who sees beyond the lens.

I was greeted at the event at MainSpace with warm big blue eyes, and a true hug. I feel this women captures not only the shot, but the soul and the true expression of a person, as when she greeted me, I felt she knew me, but that's just silly-I have never met her before!

All her ideas should be in a large picture book on every persons coffee table as far as I am concerned. A better description is the one from herself:


twitter.com/wendydphoto
Vancouver, BC – Capturing moments in life, who we are, what we do and showing it to the world through the visual image. In other words Photographer

Every year Wendy holds a milkshake party with her latest projects displaced and fabulous desserts and a special bartender, that makes these divine milkshakes!
This year her work exceeded herself! One book I was emotionally drawn to was on cancer.
Black and white photos of people who show the scars of cancer in their most intimate setting of nudes.

I was invited personally to attend this event and I was happy to meet some local film and event crew from Vancouver
One whole wall was of Erin Sage Sharp, Artist, Musician, Activist, Business Owner. Beautiful.


Sage Screenprinting : Owner / Operator · Vancouver, British Columbia
Full design and print services for gigging musicians, performers of all types, exhibiting artists and independent clothing designers. Eco-friendly merchandise, high-end art reproduction and economical, eco-friendly marketing materials.
Towards Eden Festivalwith Ash Bigdeli
A huge step in the right direction....towards a future of incorporating nature back into the way we live and design. Lots to do, lots to learn.....come join us!





The other project was truly amazing that Wendy is currently working on. The underwear project.
Wendy captures conversations with people about their underwear.  I have some pictures below here;
On the wall was a more descriptive information sheet on this project, however the picture I took, did not turn out that well, I will add more information on this project after Wendy reviews my blog today. The pictures truly explain them selves, downright funny! 


I remember a underwear story of my own-which should be included! One Valentines day, I bought my finance a hip pair of hot pink American Apparel Ginch-Boyz Ginch, he said-I'm not wearing those? Those are ridiculous! After he left me, I had a photo shoot.
A revenge shoot more like it-Look closely......I had to tuck the Ginch in due to the bulge-I sent him a copy of the picture of coarse. I then went out and bought seven pairs-These are my signature undies, and I take them very seriously. If I were to pick new underwear, I would defiantly go with"Dora The Explorer"





I laughed so hard, was so much fun to see a wall such as this and if you ever make a coffee table book Wendy, I will be the first to buy a copy!


Scream, A invite to scream at the camera! What a great idea!
The end result of the event that took place back in May, displayed
over 100 shots on a huge wall-Love it!




The other project was Bald, had I known this event took place I would have invited some absolutely beautiful Bald men I know-one in particular.










If you are looking for a fun project to join in, proffessional photos, this is the women who will capture the true you, the raw you..and isnt this what we really want to see??
Love you Wendy! Love your Work!
The Two photo's I added of you are my favorite!

To check out Wendy Dphoto's projects visit: http://wendyd.ca/
You can also see more at: http://followgram.me/u/9888017

Gvix Signing off...
xox