An Abundant Life - Inspiring Connecting

A little over a week ago I had the beautiful opportunity and blessing to attend a lunch at the wonderful Astek that I have written about in these pages before. Every event and gathering I attend there is always inspiring and beautiful and so enjoyable, and this lunch was all of those things combined with wonderful tapas and sangria and conversations and connections that continued afterward as we walked out of the space and continued onto other destinations.

Everyone who I met there that day added their own sparkle to the afternoon, and one of the Designers and I continued our conversation as we went to visit with one of the showrooms where she had planned to visit and look at items for a project she is working on, and then we spoke about all kinds of things as we walked outside into the city streets.

After we parted I had another event to attend and she did as well in another area, and then a bit later she sent me a message to invite me to an event a friend of hers was part of in a panel for that evening. My schedule was so busy that day, but it just seemed like a good thing to try to get to, and though I was at another event that coincided with it, I left a bit earlier than I'd planned and was able to get there a bit later.

It turned out that her friend, the Artist and Designer on the panel, is someone I had met before at another wonderful Design event in another place, and so the connection and meetings and inspiration seemed somehow to make a perfectly divine sense. On days like this when I allow myself to get into the flow of things without trying to make my own logic make sense of things, truly miraculous things can happen and I find the beautiful reminder that I need to allow the unexpected beauty of things to go their own way without wondering why or how or if or when. 

At Astek

In New York City

For A Beautiful Lunch

That Continued To Inspire

Into The After, Evening, And Beyond

200 Lexington Avenue

New York City

https://www.astek.com

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Art And Wellness

For a number of years now I've been developing community based projects and programs that bring Art and Health and Wellness together. It was something that just seemed to flow naturally together in so many ways, and over the years even when I didn't quite understand how it was going to work, I felt that God would keep opening doors and introducing me to people to keep me going in that direction.

When I received information a few months ago about and Arts and Well-Being Convening in Newark, New Jersey, it was so exciting to see that there were actually people around the country and on very high levels in their fields who saw the value in bringing these topics together. The cost of the three day convening and events and workshops, though well worth it, was higher than I could afford, though, and when I saw that there were scholarships that were being made available through partnering organizations, I decided to apply and see what might be possible.

I was so very greatly blessed to be awarded a scholarship to attend, and it made me feel so affirmed in my own professional life. It was so exciting to receive the news and it felt like a beautiful gift was being bestowed on me. I knew it would be an experience that would be a beautiful and inspiring one.

From the moment I arrived at NJPAC where it was being held, wonderful things began happening. I met someone as I was walking in the door who recognized me from YES Gallery, and she and I began speaking immediately about a project that I am just in the beginning stages of developing around this topic. Over the next days and hours so many wonderful people spoke on panels and shared inspiration in conversations, and the meetings that I had were filled with wonderful people sharing knowledge and resources and insights. Bringing people together in this way brought so many ideas and so much exciting inspiration all together, helping each one of us to share and expand our own vision of what healthy communities filled with art and design and beauty, healthy food, well being and sustainability can look like, and how we can come together to share our own journeys of creating spaces and places and projects overflowing with wellness and art.

At Nico At NJPAC

For The Opening Night Celebration

Of The Arts And Well-Being Convening

https://www.njpac.org/nico-kitchen-bar

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Neighborhood Makers

A number of years ago when I lived in New York City's SoHo, I met a beautiful creative woman, Danielle Nazinitsky, who put together fun community events in the area, in a similar but different way than I was at the time. I had been creating collaborative events with Artists, Designers, small business owners, restaurants, galleries, performers, Filmmakers, Writers and Actors, and she was bringing people around to different events on tours and meetings at galleries and in creative spaces. We connected on so many creative levels and one of the ways that I remember her the most was the fun and joy and generosity of spirit that she brought into every place she was.

A few weeks ago I received an email from her that she was hosting a luncheon and panel for creatives at what was described as a Design-rich loft in Dumbo, featuring women in a variety of different fields who were all juggling families and careers, motherhood and their creative lives. She titled it along the lines of having it all, and when I saw the description and name of this event and that she was hosting it, I knew I had to go. With everything that's been happening and so many things going on, an afternoon like this seemed like just the kind of joy filled time of inspiration and togetherness that I needed.

When wonderful spirits like Danielle bring people together, the combination of beautiful environments, creative inspiration, fun, and very heart felt, meaningful conversation make what could be just a nice time together into something memorable and life affirming. I'm so grateful to have known Danielle all these years and to have the opportunity to attend an event like this one that brought us together in community and reminded us that our neighborhoods are special because of the people around us who create and make times like this possible for all of us to enjoy.

A Gorgeous Afternoon

Lunch And Panel

Hosted By The Gorgeous

Danielle Nazinitsky

https://decodenyc.com/danielle-nazinitsky

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Encouraging Design

This past week I was blessed to attend an event at Lixil Water Experience Center in Manhattan celebrating the group of Designers who had been invited to join the ICFF Launch Pad. As described on the ICFF website, Launch Pad is "Where emerging designers shape their future, spark meaningful connections, and set the foundation for lasting careers". I had known the evening would be a lovely and inspiring one, but it was even more than that. The environment of the Lixil Water Experience Center is gorgeous and inspiring all on its own, filled with wonderful design and ideas from a variety of manufacturers, and the focus of the evening being on these wonderful emerging Designers and this wonderful program brought a feeling into the room of the promise of so much possibility and joy.

There was a baby in the room, a very young child who was with one of the attendees, and in at least one of the videos I created that evening in that beautiful space, the child's laughter and calls can be heard in playful sounds that somehow fit into this exuberant and fun filled evening. As I walked around within the space and later listened to the panelists as they discussed their work and the program, I found myself feeling congratulatory towards everyone in the room. It seemed as if we were all their together celebrating something so special, the history of creativity and design and innovation that leads each one of us forward in our own projects to create and learn and share and collaborate as we envision the way that we want to make things that are beautiful and inspiring for others and to share inspiring art and design in collaborations and individual works that illuminate and uplift and grow each one of us into a healthy and holistic community, knitting together our shared history, vision and inspiration for the future.

It's with so much gratitude to Lixil Water Experience Center, ICFF and Dwell Magazine that I thank you for including me in this truly special event, and I extend that gratitude to everyone who gave their time and gifts to us all that evening. Bravo to all of the emerging Designers and to all of the wonderful people involved in this beautiful program and heart felt thanks for this beautiful event that brought so much encouragement to the design world on every level.

ICFF Launch Pad

A Celebration

At Lixil Water Experience Center

155 Fifth Avenue

New York City

https://lixilwaterxnyc.com

https://icff.com/launch-pad

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Community Culture

I've know the Artist Mustart for some time now, and have posted photographs of his and sometimes written about him and the beautiful murals and artwork he creates. This past week I saw that he was curating an art show clear across the other side of Jersey City that would also have a hip hop dance battle with youth and adults that was part of it, and I made sure to make my way over to see him and enjoy what he was creating in the community on a beautiful still very warm fall afternoon.

The area where he was holding the show and events around it is near where I have visited other Artists in the past who I have written about in these pages before, and this space was new to me so it was an adventure that was filled with memories of when I had first met Artists whose studios and spaces were part of that community, and also some of the long walks I'd taken at different times over the years just for the fun and adventure of exploring.

The Artists who contributed their work to the show were all wonderful, and the dancing battles were impressive. There was beautiful artwork of all kinds all over the walls surrounding the area and t-shirts and jewelry and other designer pieces that added to the inspiration of the beautiful day.

Jersey City is such a gorgeous place, filled with communities like this that know so much that is so uniquely their own. During the day's highlights I kept hearing the Announcer and MC talking about Culture, and how this day's celebration was so beautifully representative of it. I'm so filled with admiration and gratitude and so honored that I know Artists like this who welcome me into their worlds. Being there was a gift and one that I will treasure in memory and reflection always.

JC Walls

Off Da Hook Jam

Curated By Mustart

Jersey City, New Jersey

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Art Walking

Almost ten years ago around this time of the year I was invited to a wonderful art show at the Cast Iron Lofts in New Jersey and I met an Artist there who took me on many adventures after that, around that place and also in other areas of New Jersey. One of the places where he showed me was right around the corner on Coles Street where there were murals painted all over the walls and structures near the embankment and the overpass, and I remember thinking every time he showed me some new place or space how awesome Jersey City is because of the wealth of art that is there to enjoy.

Yesterday when I was on a long walk to the other side of Jersey City to go to a favorite grocery store I don't often take the time to go to, I walked back on Brunswick Street and realized I was going to be walking right through another area filled with murals and graffiti art that I'd found near that first area I'd been shown on Coles Street. This other place is underneath the overpass, and I'd stumbled into it one day a number of years ago. I walk everywhere that I can and when I'm walking and I have the time, I just walk wherever the Spirit leads. On the day that I'd found this section under the overpass filled with murals and graffiti art I was in awe, and then later some of the Artists who I've met over the years started posting about their own visits to that place and the work that they and their friends were creating there.

On a beautiful September day when the weather still feels like summer is with us but the fall has begun with its golden light, walking with Art all around just feels right. Living and walking with Art all around always feels right to me actually, and taking this walk on this beautiful day to see what was new in this beautiful place hidden away where Artists meet and work together and alone, creating and inspiring and being inspired and making an outdoor place under the overpass that would usually seem dark be filled with light, is one of the things that makes me so excited about Jersey City and so happy that this is a place where I've come to know so well. With so much gratitude to the Artists I've met who have invited me into their worlds and have shown me the places to go, and to those who create in these places and spaces and bring so much unexpected and breathtaking, transporting beauty to us all.

Under The Overpass

For An Art Filled Walk

In Jersey City

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Gently Down The Stream

This past week I heard that Veuve Cliquot was celebrating the launch of a new vintage by making it possible for visitors to go rowing in Central Park at the Boat House for several days for free. I always love the Boat House, and Veuve Cliquot has long been a favorite, and the idea of having an afternoon row sounded like something that I'd at least like to see other people do if not do it myself. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it because, though I love sailing and used to sail often, it had been a while and I hadn't been rowing in many years.

When I arrived at the Boat House I saw that the line was long but not that long, so I decided to get into it and see what else was a part of the celebration. It turned out that free row boats was what they had planned, and the line was going very quickly, so I went ahead and stayed in line, and found myself getting into a row boat. I had thought I'd feel strange being by myself, but there were a few other solo rowers also, and after it was all done and even during it, I found myself grateful for the time to get my rowing skills back up to speed on my own. In retrospect, rowing can really only be done by one person, unless you've practiced as a team or a duo, and even if there is more than one person in a rowboat, it's often easier if each one takes their own turn.

Being on my own was a bit daunting at first because I had to remember and get used to the way the boat moves with the oars, but being on my own was also freeing because I could sit and experiment and glide and get my bearings, trying out different things to see what worked and what didn't work as well, and to take the time to be peaceful as I figured it all out. Rowing is somewhat like riding a bicycle I think, in that it all came back to me as I started. It didn't take very long for me to remember in my sense memory the different ways the oars helped move the rowboat and in what direction and way to use them to get to where I wanted to be.

It's really a wonderful thing to know that the body and mind can remember physics in this way, that we can remember how to do something that is actually very complicated if you try to explain it in words. Learning by doing is sometimes the best way for some things, and rowing was that way for me. As I found myself on the water in Central Park in New York City, I reflected on the extraordinary circumstances that had brought me to that place on that day. All the years of history, all the times in my life from summer camps up to the present, all the different ways that I had gotten to where I was just then to be able to go ahead and say yes to getting into a row boat in Central Park because why not? And then finding myself remembering after all how to row gently and surely out into the center, and then turn around and find my way back to shore.

An Afternoon In Central Park

Rowing At The Boathouse

With So Much Gratitude

To Veuve Cliquot

Blessings,

Jannie Susan