Willow Arts Day One

Today was the first day of the Willow Arts Conference. As expected, it was an unbelievably refreshing and inspiring day. The conference started out in a characteristically big way. Worshiping along side a drum line, flamenco dancers to rock, rap, latin, & jazz.

Nancy Beach was the first speaker and focused on Psalm 40:1-10. She talked a lot about being stuck and being pulled out from whatever it is that is holding us - lifted from the miry clay. I've never thought of "miry clay" like that. Actually, I've never given much thought at all to it. It's always sounded like a weird word - like one of those words you get embarrassed about when someone uses it around a non churched friend...like tribulation or narthex or singspiration. But to think about it in terms of a place you are stuck in - makes it come alive with images for me.

Next session was an interview with Gilles Ste-Croix. There are a few reasons why I believe he was the coolest person in the room. The list is as follows:

• He's got a French ascent, which as everybody knows, makes you SO much cooler in the artistic world.
• He has a hyphen in his name.
  (really wanted to do something like this with one of my children, but I was vetoed)
  (also tried starting their names with a silent letter - like "Ngrady")
  (also vetoed)
  
• And arguably most impressive - He is the Sr VP of Creative Content and a founding member of Cirque du Soleil

Being a Cirque fan - I found this ridiculously cool! He gave great insight to the creative process in general. He talked about how a few weeks out from the dress rehearsal he has a "Lion's Den Performance" where they invite a group of people in to watch the show and are in essence "thrown to the Lions". They intentionally invite non-artist to watch and give honest feedback about the show. From there they make necessary changes and roll.

Also talked about why we need, crave art. About how, when we experience great art it changes us. Like when you look at the Wheat Field painting by Van Gogh and really experience it - you never look at a wheat field the same way again. Nancy talked about never listening to Beatles music the same way after having seen the Cirque show "Love" in Vegas.

The last session of the day was Brian McLaren - he was brilliant. Talked about heavy things - the great crisises of our generation. Unfortunately, the combination of (1) it being the end of a very full day, (2) it being a very intellectual talk, and (3) his bright shinny head - made for a very difficult listening experience. But really...it was good.

Great first day - I'll be posting and twittering tomorrow.