Creative Arts Residency Journal

Day 1 - July 5

Multi-colored of purple, pink, red, yellow and white wild flowers with the chirping of the birds welcome me yesterday in this very beautiful farm of Eliza and Todd Woloson here in Boulder, Colorado. Today, is my 1st day of creative arts residency together with a woman visual artist based in California, Micol Hebron.

My recent Women Have Wings Award brought me in this tranquil moment from my high pressured activism work in the Philippines. Yes, I wanted to take these precious moments to write, think about my activism work back in the Philippines, and think about myself while enjoying the ambiance of tranquility. I felt so peaceful and so calm here.

I really loved it here. My tiny house where I was staying was beside the creek, just below my cabin. I can hear the rushing sound of the crystal water flowing and such wonderful sound felt like washing me over. Washing over all the stress and the pain in me and giving me the fresh air to breath in and out. It’s like a lullaby music bringing me to sleep so deep that in the morning I woke up so fresh and vibrant.

I woke up early today around 5 am and I got up 6am. I started the day with an early morning walk around, exploring the place surrounded by trees and beautiful flowers. I walked the street outside Eliza’s place along narrow pavement road with big neighboring houses. I’m the only person walking early this morning, feeling so strange with no people in sight only big houses with their cars parked outside their homes.

In the Philippines, people are all around even in rural areas such as this. In the morning, you can see rural folks having coffee with their neighbors, going to the farm with their carabaos, children walking going to schools, mother sweeping their yards and greeting everyone passing by their houses good morning. Such a big difference! My feet led me to different directions until decided to went back home in my tiny place.

1st day Conversation: July 6

I had this beautiful mid- morning conversation with Micol, Eliza and Catherine. Catherine is the student intern working with Eliza for this program. We were having a conversation just outside Micol’s small place newly built by Eliza and Todd for her and for their future guests.

We talked about our residency program over a cup of coffee and a slice of toasted bagel coated with cheese and jam. We were having two handsome dogs Marlow and Klaus playing around. Marlow is a resident brown puppy and Klaus is a black and white fox looking dog owned by Micol who traveled with her long drive from Utah.

The residency is all about providing space for us, no expectations, and no pressures of what we are going to do for the whole week of staying here. We could sleep all day long, go around and do whatever we feel like doing. Though, we discussed some topics or themes to work on - like women’s leadership, social injustices, loss and departure, women and activism, motherhood, strategies of collaboration and organizing women and other groups, arts and activism, etc.

We ended up in the afternoon after a lunch of fried rice and vegetable salads from Eliza’s garden. I took a nap the whole afternoon. Wow! This was such an experience - which I don’t have the luxury of sleeping this long and deep back there in the Philippines. Thank you World Pulse and Women Have Wings Award for this wonderful gift !