Conversations
Join us for conversations that engage writers and seekers in meaningful discussions about creative practice and transformation.
In person and over Zoom.
Voice and Belonging: An Immersive Film and Conversation
August 24, 2024
4-6 p.m., in person
Cost: $25
Conn Theater, Plymouth Congregational Church, 1900 Nicollet Ave Minneapolis, MN 55403. Park in the lot at Franklin between LaSalle and Nicollet; the entrance is off of Nicollet Ave marked Door 3.
Your voice reveals your identity, lends you self-worth, and connects you with others. What if you were to lose it? How might you find your true voice? Join film-maker Lucy Mathews Heegaard for an immersive film and conversation experience centered around her documentary, Diplophonia: A Diary of Voice Loss. Recently premiered at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, Diplophonia narrates Lucy’s year of vocal cord paralysis in her own words and voice. Her experience of suddenly being unable to speak beyond a hoarse whisper led her on a circuitous path from the physical to the metaphysical, the anatomical to the philosophical. This event is a mindful gathering to reflect on the significance of voice in our lives. After the screening, we will engage in facilitated small-group discussion and Lucy will engage with audience responses. We invite you to join us for this unique, participatory art experience.
Lucy Mathews Heegaard is is an interdisciplinary artist and filmmaker who combines writing, visual imagery, sound, and video tell stories that are an invitation to self-reflection. A graduate of the California Institute of Integral Studies’ Master of Fine Arts program, Lucy served for two years as Artist in Residence for a program providing support to women with cancer. She’s also produced a series of short, meditative films for Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. For more about Lucy’s work, visit: studiolustories.org. For more information about the file, see diplophonia.org.
Here’s the trailer for the film:
Past Conversations
These conversations often leave us in awe of the creative capacity we humans are gifted with.
We record the conversations every chance we can get, but only leave them up for 30-days publicly. After that, we shift them into our online writing community, which we host on Mighty Networks. More info to come!
The Poetics of Rage & Reverence
This conversation with Charity E. Yoro left us wondering about how poetry can help us channel our rage and reverence both in a world that is falling apart at the seams, or at the very least, seems to be. Listen and be inspired by her poetic voice and learn about how writing can be a transformative practice—for all of us.!
Find Charity’s new poetry collection here: ten cent flower & other territories.
Heeding Spirit Voices: Intuition & Healing in A Council of Dolls
Long-time writer friends Mona Susan Power and Elizabeth Fletcher discuss the part intuition plays in their writing practices. Readers often imagine that creative writing is a wholly cerebral enterprise where each step of the way authors make conscious choices regarding craft, character, and plot. In reality, some writers surrender to the mystery of a process that can never be controlled, but rather is accessed by an open-hearted trust in the deep intelligence of our connection to all beings, past and present. Part of the conversation will focus on Power's recently published novel, A Council of Dolls, which felt like a gift from her ancestors rather than a project she chose to write. This event co-sponsored by Literary Witnesses.