by Laurie Wagner | Apr 27, 2015 | Blog
One of the things I’ve been lucky enough to do over here at 27 Powers is to bring gifted writers and teachers from all over the country to the house to teach. Over the years I’ve had writers such as Marie Howe, Ellen Bass, Tony Hoagland, Stephen Dunn, Deena Metzger, actress Ann Randolph, Dorianne Lux, Joe Millar and Philip Gerard. I bring them so that my community of writers can study with these remarkable people
by Laurie Wagner | Oct 5, 2014 | Blog
This is one of my favorite blog posts from last year and the impetus for Opening The Creative Channel, my weekend workshop with Andrea Scher of Superhero Life. Last year David Bowie put out a new record, which is a big deal in the music industry. The man is 67-years-old, a legend, a huge rock star. I’d heard an interview with a member of his band a few days before the record launched, and the interviewer asked, “What earlier record is this new one like?” I found myself hoping he’d say The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust or Hunky Dory – two of my favorite Bowie records from the 70’s. But this band member only said that it was the best record Bowie had ever made. So when the album came out on iTunes, I checked it out, hoping to hear songs that would take me back to 1976 and tanning by the pool in Palm Springs with my friend Marcie. Those were some days. I was 16 years old, had long brown hair, and wore bikinis. Boys liked me and I loved music, a doorway into a rich place full of feelings that I couldn’t yet articulate, but which I knew promised me access to a deeper part of myself. But when I listened to this new album, I didn’t hear anything resembling the Bowie I had loved. Instead I heard the crooning stuff he’s been putting out in the last few years – not my cup of tea. Here’s the thing: I don’t know what Bowie was thinking when he put out the...
by Laurie Wagner | Sep 15, 2014 | Blog
I’m starting a new section of my blog called The True Stories Series where I’ll be interviewing artists + writers + hard working creative types – people I admire and respect and who I’d like you to know about. Today I’d like to introduce you to Andrea Scher of Superhero Life. Artist + teacher, Andrea Scher was born under a lucky star. She might not agree with me because there are plenty of days she probably wishes — as do you and I — that the stars were shining a little more brightly on her. But then, one of her many super powers is an ability to create extraordinary things from the everyday ordinary aspects of her life. Andrea is the maker of incredible things — jewelry — photographs — stories and online classes. She’s an artist and a human being who I have tremendous respect for and I wanted to share her with you. Andrea, sometimes when I describe you to friends I say, “everything she touches turns to gold,” because you’ve been so incredibly successful with your e-courses Mondo Beyondo and Superhero Photo. When I say that what do you think? The first thing I think is, I’m so honored that Laurie sees me this way! Then I think, Is that true? And then I think of something that an astrologer told me recently when analyzing my chart. She said, “Do you know that Chinese proverb? Luck favors the prepared? Well that’s the kind of luck you have. You make your own luck because you are at the dock when your ship comes in. You’re ready to say yes.” And I think that’s true for all of us. We can make our luck by getting clear about what we...
by Laurie Wagner | May 27, 2014 | Blog
“Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little. The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark.” – Agnes De Mille If you’re a woman, you’ll understand when I tell you that writing this blog post has been exactly like changing your clothes 17 times before you leave the house. Not pretty. Not easy. You upend your closet looking for something comfortable that also makes you look good, that hides the parts of you that you’re less in awe of. No. This hasn’t been one of your throw-down-some-thoughts-and-post-it kind of blogs. It’s been more like, Does this blog post make me look fat? Does this blog post reveal the part of me that waits for the sun to go down so I can watch another episode of Scandal? Does this blog post pull the curtains back on the part of me that feels flat, dull and without inspiration? The part of me that wanders around my house doing laundry, washing dishes and surfing the internet because I’m not inspired to do anything else? The part of me that wants people to see my “good side” so they’ll want to work with me? Because if it does, I’m in trouble. That’s why I find this Agnes De Mille quote so beautiful and so troubling. I mean, it’s one thing to do this marvelous work of not knowing, of leaping into the dark on the...
by Laurie Wagner | Dec 30, 2013 | Blog
The other day on a walk, my friend told me that all of the big parts of his life were in flux; housing, work, money, love. None of them felt firmly planted, nothing was certain. And yet with all that uncertainty, he felt really solid. Meditation, walks with his dog in nature, art – – these were the consistents in his life, the things that he could rest in and which sustained him when all about him swirled in change. I’ve been thinking about my friend as I take a look at the year ahead and the expectations that I have for myself. There’s a tendency for me to plan ahead, to already have 2014 envisioned and ready to roll out; new business ideas, new classes, exciting new projects. Big plans fueled by big ambition – that’s where I’m comfortable – when I’m sinking my teeth into things and making them happen. But try as I might, that’s not where I am right now. I’m breathing, that’s for certain, and there are some wonderful small projects I’m offering in the New Year, but I’m moving more slowly. The big ideas, the flashy offerings, they’re not crystalized yet – they’re still fuzzy, still being fleshed out. And some of them may never happen. If I sound relaxed about this it’s only because this is what’s been working me for weeks, so I’m getting used to being in this foggy place where I can’t see past my own feet. I have tried to catapult myself to a “better” place for sure. In the last three weeks I...
