MY ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM THE OMEGA INSTITUTE

What is your approach to teaching your craft?

Three points: First I give a brief lecture on the material i want to cover, then demonstrate these points for the class. Finally, class members try their hand at doing what has been taught. I use the SOCRATIC METHOD OF EXTRACTING THE BEST FROM STUDENT BY POINTING OUT IN DETAIL WHAT IS WORKING AND ENCOURAGING THEIR DEEPEST WRITING BY SO DOING. GETTING THEM TO PARTICIPATE. EVERYONE READS ALOUD THE WORK THEY WRITE IN CLASS. EVERYONE HAS TO DARE AND JUMP IN. WE LEARN WHAT WE LIKE BY LISTENING TO OTHERS AND SEEING WHERE OUR HEART LEAPS IN THE WORK

What does art or creativity mean to you?

It means everything to me. To look at life, people, situations and settings in a unique way give me great joy. And this joy is magnified exponentially if I can impart this to an audience.  WRITING IS MY LIFE RAFT THROUGH PAIN, WHERE I CAN BE AN OBSERVER AND A PARTICIPANT CRAFTING MY WAY THROUGH AN OCEAN OF PROBLEMS. WHERE I CAN FIND INSIGHT JOY AND GRATITUDE PASS IT ON; CREATIVITY GOT ME THROUGH 2 BROKEN ANKLES. ON MY BACK AND SMILING FOR 3 MONTHS. COURSE IT WAS MY ANKLES NOT MY ARMS THAT WENT. THANK GOD

How important is art in our lives?

Very important. It gives life meaning, happiness and joy when we observe/participate/experience something unique and different and beautiful. ART IS SPIRITUAL: BEAUTY THAT BRINGS US TO GOD.

How do you celebrate art in your own life?

When not researching and writing my own plays or novels, I enjoy an evening of theatre, a beautiful song on the radio or cd player or watching academy award nominated movies. I AM ADDICTED TO LISTENING TO OPERA NOW AS I WRITE MY THIRD NOVEL. IT PUSHES ME INTO EMOTIONAL AND VISUALAWARENESS OF MY CHARACTERS; ART IS FOOD FOR THE SOUL. EVERY NIGHT EVERY MORNING OUR SOUL IS HUNGRY AND WE HAVE TO FEED OUR CHILD SELF AND MAKE IT GROW

Do you have any favorite quotes about art or creativity you would like to share?

There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.

---Sophia Loren

WE WILL EITHER FIND A WAY OR MAKE ONE.

--- HANNIBAL

LIFE IS EITHER A DARING ADVENTURE OF NOTHING

---HELEN KELLER

Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that's easy. What's hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. 

--Charles Mingus

Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.

--Edgar Degas

AND ALSO 

ON HIS DOOR IN LOUISIANA "I AM ALMOST A SON OF LOUISIANA

ON HIS TOMBSTONE "I LOVE TO PAINT".

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

--Dr. Suess