On Becoming a Poet

When I opened Artful : The Gallery the intention was to create a multi-use space: for the exhibition of Vancouver Island artists, a studio space for the creation of my own art, and a cozy gathering space for the small groups of people I wanted to facilitate personal growth workshops for.

Six years later, I recognize I have created that, and more than a few unimagined things as well. Due to the financial curve balls launched by Covid, and the resultant general fear of gathering in small groups, I completed my Masters in Counselling Psychology. Now, as a Registered Clinical Counsellor, I see individuals and couples for counselling in this warm and welcoming space. 

Artful : The Gallery has also become a community hub for small venue performances: music, poetry, book launches, author readings, celebrations of life, performance art, art performance, and creativity facilitating workshops. I created what I was longing for, and it turned out that the community was also eagerly craving the same.

Attending to my own art making has become my main challenge as I navigate my Artful Existence. In between all of the other, often urgent feeling requirements and responsibilities, I seek the scraps of time remaining for my own creative expression; they often feel too few.

One adaptation has to been to fully embrace my “baby steps” mantra, and another has been to challenge my core beliefs about the ingredients required for my own artistic production: space, stillness, silence, solitude, serenity…shhhh! Artist at work. Over the years, I have fully bought into the romantic fantasy of the sequestered artist in their studio, uninterrupted by the practicalities of daily life: food, sleep, work, banking, errands and frustrating ‘conversations’ with bots.

In the 3+ years that Artful : The Poets has run, I have participated in the open mic perhaps 25% of the time, and these spots are 5 minutes each. The wonderful curiousity of those accumulated small efforts (5 mins X 3 times a year X 3 years = 45 minutes) is that now I am debating what not to include for a 20 minute set on Nov 7. That is the power of baby steps!

This event is one of three poetry readings over 10 days in November at Artful. On Nov 3rd, Artful : The Poets hosted by Natalie Nickerson, with Toni Dunne as the feature poet, includes the monthly open mic. On Nov 7th, I will be one of three poets featured at a reading hosted by Sue Muirhead. The backdrop for our poetry reading is her exhibition: Spirits of the Forest ~ Stumps and Stitches. I am the opening act, Kelly Madden will follow, and Damian John, Sue’s son, is the headliner for the evening. On Nov 13, Arleen Paré and Wendy Donawa, both from Victoria, are hosting a poetry reading as they launch their recently published poetry collections Encrypted (published by Caitlin Press) and The Time of Falling Apart (Harbour Publishing) respectively.

As I was organizing my calendar for these events, I was struck by the recognition that I had created something - a poetry salon - entirely without intention, and I am once again reminded of this quote:

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative and creation. There is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” 

William H. Murray (often misattributed to Goethe)

This painting commission was completed in August 2025. The runic inscription reads: "Put pen to paper, there is ink in the well, between all the cracks, there are stories to tell." (L. Farley)

My poetry and my paintings come, in small stolen snatches of time, sometimes effortlessly, sometimes excruciatingly. I am still waiting for the feelings of boldness, power and magic. But what I do know is this: when I attend to the moments, regardless of their size, art gets created.

My muse knows where to find me.