A brave(r) new (y)ear?

With my two darling daughters, Christmas Day, 2020 (photo: Kathryn O’Brien) As I considered the title for this final blog post of 2020 (good riddance, right?) I thought of “Brave New Year” (because, my goodness! Didn’t we all have to be braver...

First light

As we approach the winter solstice (which just so happens to be my birthday!), I’m in a contemplative mood. Last year at this time, I was planning an epic party with many of the most important women in my life to celebrate my first 60 years. I was living large...

Thin Ice

I’ve often felt like I was skating on thin ice these past weeks. So many things are new. Uncharted territory. In environments where I normally would feel sovereign and experienced, I feel like a novice. Now the term has come to a close, my students have...

Standing my ground (such as it is)

Snowman Sentinel, November 2020 (photographed in Kitchener, ON) I look for metaphors everywhere, seeking meaning, context. And this snowman spoke to me the other day. It seemed to represent everything and nothing at the same time. Some days I feel like him: a unique...

Direction unknown

A few weeks ago I saw this weathervane on the roof of a house at sunrise. It made me think of the number of times it feels like I have had to shift direction in the last eight months or so–just like everyone else. I’ve noticed how unsettling this all is,...

State of Play

Empty playground, November 12, 2020 “Playful” has been a keyword this week. As artists, accessing the playful, childlike centre in ourselves is crucial and too often ignored, particularly in these strange times. It doesn’t feel “serious”...