Category Archives: patrons in the Arts

Gem Stone Village Discovered

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“I’m also looking for gems that the average reader might have missed.” ~ Terry Windling

“My, oh, my, isn’t it gorgeous?” I said to my husband and son, as we drove into Ouray, Colorado on Saturday. “Didn’t I tell you, Mom?” my son said “that’s why I said you have to come see it.”

Ouray, nestled between high, high peaks in the San Juan Mountains is called “Switzerland of America©.” The “alpine-like” village is a gem. Outstanding ice climbing and summer rock climbing and the healing hot springs are just a few reasons that this little town is so busy with tourist activity.

On Saturday morning the center of town was the starting place for the Imogene Pass half marathon. Fifteen hundred runners faced a challenging course that climbed from altitudes of 7,700 elevation to 13,000, over an unpaved mountain pass from Ouray to Telluride.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the relief and pride I felt as my saw my son cross the finish line after running seventeen grueling miles. It takes guts and grit to tackle it. He did well for himself, finishing 14th in his age group. But, he said many of his competitors were “seniors who looked older than the mountains and really put him and the younger people to shame.” I noticed that as I watched.

Ouray has so much going for it! Well cared for Victorian buildings, art galleries and quaint little shops, the Ouray Hot Springs, and charming bed and breakfasts, historic hotels.

It was second Saturday Art Walk, and we made the rounds. We stopped into Buckskin Booksellers. They have a large and outstanding collection of books of regional interest on Colorado, Western history and of geological subjects such as mineralogy, mining, fossils, rock hounding and the like.

I also noticed some outstanding art books scattered in different retail establishments throughout town. You could not help but notice them because some were like tomes – oversized, beautifully crafted, filled with magnificent images. I spied John Fielder’s Ranches of Colorado http://www.johnfielder.com and books on the Art of Howard Terpning. 

Many notable movies were filmed in Ouray County. My son Marc’s interest in visiting Ouray was more than just to run in a footrace. As a filmmaker, he was interested in seeing the settings of these movies:

Our visit to Ouray was a perfect stop along the way of a fun and fulfilling weekend. I’d like to return some day to further explore this area. It is located near where four states – Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah come together. There is a lot more to see such as Twin Peak Falls, and more to do than I ever realized.  For more information, visit this website http://www.ouraycolorado.com/.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Screening Half the Sky

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“No woman is required to build the world by destroying herself.”        ~Rabbi Sofer

Economic empowerment, education and good healthcare for women are solutions that make a difference between opportunity and oppression. The film , Half the Sky: Turning Opression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, is an adaptation of the book by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. It  focuses on six celebrity activists and their work to rebuild lives after a women’s integrity and self-esteem has been taken away by violence and brutality. Click for info & ordering Half the Sky

On Wednesday, September 12th at 6:30 pm Half the Sky will be screened at the Bud Werner Memorial Library in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The film is  part of the Women & Girls Lead program for Independent Lens through PBS. It will be followed by a discussion of the issues that are highlighted in this movie. Anyone is invited to join in the screening and the dialogue afterward.

 

This film is being sponsored by the Bud Werner Memorial Library, the Yampa Valley University Women and Tasaru Girls School Fund, a non-profit that works to help educate Masai girls and women.

If you do not live in the vicinity of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, you will still have a chance to see it. It will be broadcast on October 1st and 2nd, 2012 on PBS channels. Look for the air times in your local TV program schedule.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Headed Between the Covers

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“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” ~ St. Augustine

 I am ready for a little traveling. Where am I headed? To Between the Covers Bookstore. http://bit.ly/NaKzRg. Where is that? In a “box canyon” in a place called Telluride, Colorado; where the mountains soar to altitudes of almost 13,000. According to Wikipedia, “a box canyon is a small ravine or canyon with steep walls on three sides, allowing access and egress only through the mouth of the canyon.” The bookstore co-owner is like me, a Baltimore transplant, who has ended up in the West. 

I suspect at certain times of the year, when large shipments of publications are delivered, Between the Covers Bookstore, feels as if it is a box canyon, until all the books are shelved. There is a certain book that I will be searching for at this bookstore that would come in handy on days when I struggle to put down my digital devices and stop working. This two minute video, shot last February, gives a quick glimpse into the book I am looking for.  http://vimeo.com/37703165.  

The video is courtesy of film editor, visual effects artist, independent filmmaker Marc R. Leonard. http://marcrleonard.com/editing.  Thank you, Marc, for a little insight into Telluride in the other season, winter.

Telluride is, from what I understand, a neat little “artistic town” and very scenic! It is home of the Telluride Film Festival.  http://www.telluridefilmfestival.org/. 

Our trip to Telluride will be timely. My husband and I will watch our son run in his first half-marathon, which goes over Imogene Pass – seventeen miles of climbing and running, traveling from 8,000 ft in altitude to 13,000. The boy has energy, I tell you! It’s time to play catch up and see what else he has been doing.

Come on back next week. On Film Friday, we will be featuring a new Disney movie that both adults and children, who enjoy Celtic legend, may enjoy seeing. Have a good weekend, everybody.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Creative Bookselling

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“The ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity.” ~Ayn Rand

On Friday evening at the Bookworm of Edwards, I and two others presented an evening writer’s workshop on marketing books. We focused mainly on e-marketing/social media marketing, selling books through public speaking and placing books in retail and bookstore environments. The discussion led to other ideas for creatively finding potential book buyers.

The morning after the event I visited the Minturn Market, a fresh-air shopping experience . I noticed a booth filled with children’s books from Osborne Publishing, a U.K. company. Must be a local distributor is in the area. I tried to approach the vendor, but, the booth was too crowded.

Just as I was ready to leave the market area, I noticed a woman folding tee-shirts. As I walked by she asked me “Whether I was familiar with the Burrow Race?” I admitted that I wasn’t; I was a visitor to the area from Steamboat. She said the tee-shirts were being sold in conjunction with the annual Burrow Race that goes up the mountain and the sales of the shirts were to support literacy; a program of the Avon-Vail Libraries. http://bit.ly/Rbl52C. That explained my sightings of borrows  with packs on their backs wandering around about town.

Literacy and books surround us in our daily lives, and we never know where we will find opportunities to sell books of regional interest. There is a book that has created “buzz” in the Vail, Colorado area. It is called Women of Vail – Those Who Walked This Bridge 1962 – 1970  Click on the title for more information and ordering.

Where is the book being sold? According to the Vail Daily, it is available at the Minturn Market, however, this seasonal market is coming to an end in two more  Saturdays.

“Women of Vail” would make an excellent Christmas present for those who know and love Eagle County, Colorado.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

The Power of Words and Images

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“Art is not in some far-off place. A work of Art is the expression of a man’s whole personality, sensibility and ability.” ~ Japanese Proverb by Shinichi Suzuki

Last week I received quite a number of birthday greetings – all from people using different types of electronic communication. Some “Good Wishes” came from as far away as: 

  • Finland
  • Macedonia
  • France
  • Bangkok
  • Africa
  • Belgium 
  • Argentina

Not looking for accolades or congratulations, just trying to make a point in today’s blog posting. Other people who use social media probably get the same kind of attention from their on-line networks of people.

Many “hellos” were from individuals I have been building community with in one way or another through this blog site All Things Fulfilling or by other on-line communication. 

For some reason, people have been touched by words I have written, information I have shared or  by images I have put out there into cyberspace and it has traveled. I am not sure why people latch onto it and like it but I am delighted and humbled. 

The point is – never underestimate the power of words and images and how they can travel. Be careful and be sensitive – they may end up in places you never expected. 

What does that mean for those who publish electronically? The e-book industry is just beginning to show us the possibilities. 

For those who think that internet marketing is ineffective and a big time waster, it can be. But, learning how to use digital content effectively to reach people with like interests is important. 

I used to share my birthdays with my twin sister, but through social media, I have found others who celebrate their day of birth on the same day as we do. HAPPY  BIRTHDAY TO ALL AUGUST BIRTHDAY BABIES.

This wonderful art work is by Kagaya. Here is the website so you can see more. http://bit.ly/5YcO3f

 This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

 

 

Inspirational Film Shorts

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 “A film is a petrified fountain of thought.”~ Jean Cocteau

It’s been a reflective week, I guess because of my birthday. I’ve had some meaningful discussions with my mother and I guess that has led to introspection.

While in the mood for “self-examination,” I’ve tracked down some new inspirational films, all “shorts” for this Film Friday. Have you seen them?

    • Signs

Click for Info & Ordering

    • Marry Me

Click for info & ordering

    • Clocktower
    • Wrong Side of the Bed

Click for info & ordering

    • Validation

Click for info & ordering

Stay tuned! Next week I will be featuring a book, a new release, that I really enjoyed. It sent me on a journey remembering back to an unforgetable and controversial era in my life.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Local Authors in the Limelight

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“If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.” ~ Edward Hopper

Saturday was a day of great fun for me as a person who works in the independent publishing industry. The literary community of Steamboat Springs, Colorado came  out from behind their computers and into the limelight at the Written Arts Festival. I am aware of the fact that we do, indeed, have a growing population of independent publishers in this community. Nearly thirty were gathered; some having just published their debut novels, while others have more than one book published.

Panel discussions added interest to the event. “How should history be portrayed in writing?” was a subject that drew differing opinions from the authors. In the opinions of some, there is an obligation to write stories true to history; while others contend that history can be written from different perspectives.

Other authors specialize in fiction writing. The panelists in this genre seemed to agree that authors draw, to a certain extent, from personal experience and background which often gives them the basis of the story. Then the storyline “is pushed in different directions,” sometimes ending in a total surprise, even for the author. One panelist mentioned how her deeply felt spiritual beliefs influences her writing and a prolific romance writer admitted that individuals she encounters inspires her characters.

Sites, smells and visual landscapes also influence writing. A third group of panelists discussed how stories are crafted from experience in travel as well as from their rootedness in community. Place plays great significance in our identity as people and as writers. Local issues are often brought into books of regional interest.

The event culminated with an interview of a very talented poet and the Home Ranch owner, Ann Anderson Stranahan. Words, when used with the right cadence and meter makes music, she said. When Stranahan was asked  if “her poetic images come to her in black and white or in color?”

“Vividly and suddenly, perhaps as in a photographic image, rather than an oil or watercolor,” was her answer.

The Bud Werner Memorial Library http://www.steamboatlibrary.org/ and the efforts of their staff made this inspiring event possible. Also, the support of the Steamboat Arts Council http://steamboatspringsarts.com/and Off the Beaten Path Bookstore’s  http://www.steamboatbooks.com/ handling of the bookselling allowed the authors to visit with potential book buyers and answer questions.

I would have liked to have mentioned each of the authors individually, in this blog writing, but there were too many. I did get around the room to talk to each of them briefly. Thanks to all who participated and coordinated the Written Arts Festival. It was encouraging for anyone who is contemplating writing and publishing a story.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

Community of Writers in Steamboat

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“Writers will happen in the best of families.”  ~ Rita Mae Brown

This week is the All Arts Festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Art, in all kinds of mediums, will be represented. Performance artists, visual artists and culinary artists will be involved in this five day event that runs from August 14 to August 19th. For more information, please visit this link http://bit.ly/QsiJPR.

In 2012, the literary arts have been added to the annual event with A Festival of Local Authors. Stop by the Bud Werner Memorial Library on Saturday, August 18th from 10am to 2pm in Library Hall. Book signings along with panel discussions on writing history, writing the outdoors, telling stories in novel form, poetry reading and conversation is on the agenda. Book selections from the local writers will be on sale ranging from poetry, to publications of regional interest, to non-fiction to fictional stories – something for everyone.

The Steamboat Springs Art Council, Steamboat Writers Group, Off the Beaten Path Bookstore & the Bud Werner Memorial Library have teamed up to bring together 27 Yampa Valley authors and  publishers.

Indeed, there is a growing population of writers in Steamboat and the surrounding county. Some have been traditionally published while others have jumped on the Fast Track with Independent Publishing.

To learn more about how you can turn your dreams of becoming a published author into reality, there is a 18 minute webinar available through the Colorado Independent Publishers Association that will give you insight and perhaps pique your interest in going forward with your aspirations. http://bit.ly/oIkV2g.

Keep your eye on this website, All Things Fulfilling. We will continue to feature a growing number of authors who come to the Steamboat area seeking inspiration for their writing. Click here if you want to know more about Steamboat and the surrounding area.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Blessings Rain Down

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“A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world. “ ~ Joseph Addison

I had a busy and fun-filled weekend. I feel the pressure to fit in all of the summertime  activities that bring me personal fulfillment before the arrival of cool weather in NW Colorado.

Yesterday, my husband and I went paddle boarding on Steamboat Lake in north Routt County. It was fun and much easier than I would have expected. The board was big, wide and easy to balance. As I paddled out to the center of the lake, I purposely propelled myself around in a circle to take in the 360 degree views of the 10,000 ft. mountain peak surroundings. A small colony of artists have settled in the area of Hahn’s Peak, where the landscape is indeed inspiring, in its natural beauty. In a recent article, the Steamboat Pilot interviewed some of the artists living in the area and they spoke of what the area brings to their art. http://bit.ly/TwfrM0. 

Saturday evening, my husband and I went to a B a B y Q – a rancher’s version of a baby shower. I am so happy for the parents-to-be who are in for the gift of a lifetime in about four weeks. Parenting will change their lives in more ways than I could ever tell them.

Babies and the blessing of rain that has come, toward the end of summer, were topics  of conversation throughout the evening. As we looked out over the 200+ acres of the ranch landowner’s property, it was good to see that they are haying. Pastures, all summer, have suffered the effects of drought conditions – not good for the agricultural industry.

On Friday evening, I ushered at my last Strings Musical Festival assignment for the season. The 25th Anniversary year is almost behind us. Johnny Clegg, a musician from South Africa was terrific. The music his band played was different and multi-cultural, as was the commentary between each number. This Grammy-award nominee has spoken out against apartheid, and he considers himself a cultural ambassador which has earned him honorary degrees from Dartmouth, CUNY and the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. To read more about his accomplishments, and his music, Click here

The seasons of our lives and the seasons throughout the year come with their own pleasures. An extended fall for me would be most welcomed. I find all kinds of fulfilling things in the harvest season.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected andwww.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Novelists Benefit from Movies

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I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained.  ~ Walt Disney

On this Film Friday, we will share an article for the benefit of novelists. Going to the movies and watching TV has added value other than just entertainment- it can help with story writing.

If writers are attentive when watching movies and TV, there are numerous tips that can be picked up. Learn about how to draw an audience into the story from the off-set, the importance of having “meat in the story” and then how to bring the story to a fulfilling conclusion. 

From the context of the dialog in the movie, characters and their development, as well as ideas for creating mood with words can be learned . Thinking about how much detail or how too little detail grabs us or loses us, as an audience is helpful, too. 

Learn something about pacing of a story. What is important to moving a story forward? How essential is the timing of significant peaks and valleys in the narrative for the audience? 

This article  more fully describes the benefits for novelists of watching movies . http://bit.ly/KcckW7. 

 I am eagerly anticipating the release of The Odd Life of Timothy Green. It is a film that I think will demonstrate some of what this article talks about. http://bit.ly/KlSrK9. Disney has a way of drawing people of all ages into their creative story telling for good reason.  Happy Film Friday, everybody!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.