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EESTI ELU reedel, 3. juulil 2020 — Friday, July 3, 2020
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Excelling in the Midst of Adversity (part four): Interview with Margi Taylor Self A collaboration between Chaordic Design and Estonian Life
for solutions that make sense and work. The creative process, while sometimes whimsical and spontaneous, also needs to make sense and work (e.g. com In connection with our last position and balance). article about thriving as a Creative Events Manage means to excel in times of ment Ltd. and your print adversity, we spoke with making studio are both based Margi Taylor Self, to dis at Alton Mill Arts Centre; so cover how creative Estonian- in a way, your work supports Canadian leaders apply this and is supported by this strategy. space. How does supporting Margi is the owner of other organizations and indi Creative Events Management viduals play a part in the life Ltd., a company that oversees of an artist and entrepreneur? large events for corporate Supporting the Alton Mill clients and associations. Margi Arts Centre and Headwaters is also an active exhibiting Arts provides a certain amount artist, having shown her work of gratification and a sense of across Canada, the US, and contributing to a greater good. Europe. In her printmaking It also provides an environment studio at Alton Mill Arts for being creative and a perma Centre, she makes monotype nent home for making art. prints, which combine illustra Alton Mill Arts Centre is a tion and painting to make what vibrant creative centre with she refers to as a “printed paint artists’ working studios and ing.” She is the President of galleries. We are always striving Headwaters Arts and a member to enhance the visitor ex of Eesti Kunstnike Koondis perience. After all, the more Torontos (EKKT – the Society visitors it attracts, the more of Estonian Artists in Toronto). opportunity there is for selling Do you think your art art. Not all artists want this career has given you unique kind of environment and prefer knowledge in managing quiet contemplation. But every events? body loves visiting the mill. My arts education has With your business, do you allowed me to problem solve find that your public relations creatively. And my work ex and communications strate perience has allowed me to gies differ with corporate approach art systematically, clients as opposed to, for without losing creativity. example, artist groups? How Managing events is a logisti can creative individuals effec cal endeavour, always looking tively thrive in diverse busi
ness environments? The reasons for PR and com munications rarely differ, but the strategies do, which always comes down to finances. Cor porations have deeper pockets and the success of their projects is not always based on generat ing revenue. Arts organizations tend to be not-for-profit and their events must generate the revenue to pay for the event as well as additional income. Arts organizations’ strategies tend to be less risky with “tried and true” activities, while corpora tions want to offer their guests a unique and memorable experi ence. The goal is the same for both: leave the guest with a positive impression and wanting more. How does community and collaboration allow you to thrive personally and profes sionally? Collaboration is like a breath of fresh air. Working with a group or alongside a colleague presents opportunities that you would not have considered alone. It broadens your outlook and gives you a sense of accom plishment on a whole other level. What can the process of printmaking teach us about overcoming difficulties and achieving goals? Acceptance and flexibility. While most printmaking is very precise and planned, the
process for mono-prints is at first thoughtful planning, fol lowed by quick execution, which means the outcome isn’t fully realized until you pull the paper off the surface. It’s quite serendipitous, which leaves you open to immediate successes or to an immediate learning oppor tunity. How can a leader, maker, and organizer successfully juggle involvement in several endeavours at once? I used to say multitasking, but now I say “one thing at time” and I keep all three hats close by. Being in charge of the Headwaters Arts’ Youth Programming and Scholar
ships, how would you encour age girls to take on leadership roles and grow leadership skills? They need to be exposed to good examples as well as good mentoring. Good examples in clude women in politics, profes sionals and historical figures. Not all young women who have an interest in the arts are in terested in leadership roles, but those who are will be drawn to women in these positions and be inspired by them. Visit the links below to learn more about Margi’s latest activity and some of the orga nizations mentioned above: www.headwatersarts.com www.altonmill.ca
From sea to tarnished sea
not yet led to violence and loot ing, such as seen elsewhere. One of the most distasteful words utilized as a result of protest is conversation. Political leaders and commentators seem to believe that just talking about concerns will lead to change. Change also has become a meme – as if an element of a culture or system of behaviour, which is how the concept is de fined, has value during trying times. Perhaps for some it does – for a meme behaviourally is reinforced by imitation. Not genetically, not through educa tion, not through introspection. It is that imitation aspect that is troublesome, especially when it is not accompanied by any degree of common sense. To call modern Canadians colonizers is an insult. What happened in the past was cer tainly colonization. But among the explores, fur-traders, cou reurs de bois were many, many individuals who genuinely re spected indigenous cultures, sought to learn their language an culture, and intermarriage was not always for the sake of convenience, but as any human union should be, because of what the two brought to the re lationship. It is a common trait among Europeans to if not to speak the language of others, neighbour ing people, then to at least be able to greet and thank them in
their tongue. I can do that in Anishinaabemowin. And more. Can you? Greet my Cantonese neighbours (even if I am a gwailou, a white devil – ethnic slang and slurs exist every where, alas). Efforts to commu nicate are always appreciated. It is not a “conversation”, but a sign of respect to do so. A quantum shift as demand ed by those calling for change, while suggesting that some lives are not to be honoured, is flawed from the onset. Decades ago an anthropology professor uttered at the start of the inau gural lecture a phrase that, for some reason struck home deeply. For that perspective had certain ly not yet been considered by many of the students, judging by discussions later. Those simple words were there is but one human race. Not many, but one. By falling to psychologi cally understandable divisions according to pigmentation of the skin or any other historical difference almost demands that obvious point. It is akin to Jesus’ asking an angry mob the above question. The time for conversation among the elite is past. The mindless chants for change from protesters are being heard but the divisions are not of any value. The time is for action of a positive nature, not exhorta tions that cleave our polity even further, reduce years and years
Over 20 countries…
Some hundred or so people gathered in the early hours of July 1, 2017 in Wells Hill Park, at St. Clair and Bathurst, to mark Canada’s sesquicenten nial with a sunrise ceremony. Organized by the area’s Member of Parliament Hon. Carolyn Bennett (Lib. Toron to-St. Paul’s), also Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, a circle was formed around an Anishinaabe elder, who pro ceeded to greet the sun, the day and the anniversary with traditional rites. Drum ming, chanting, wafting smoke from sweetgrass on those who so wished the experience was meaningful for many. Certainly for first-timers at such an event, including the un dersigned, it was a marriage of the past with the hope of a peaceful, blessed future. It must be noted that other than the elder and his crew, the vast majority of those present were, judging by pigmentation, of European extraction, although the multiculturalness of Toronto was certainly visible. Later that day three wise indigenous women led a water ceremony on a walk through urban, once forested, unsettled lands. This gained prominent attendance as well and evening television news coverage.
Positive and affirming, once again. No divisive remarks heard, no negative commentary. What has happened in the last three years? Surely, the vast majority of those proud to call Canada home – either as newcomers, descendants of war refugees, those able to trace their lineage back here for generations have not changed their respectful, accepting ways? But thanks to what can only be called a culture of division, not unity, negativity is poison ing the airwaves and social me dia. The multitudes using hate ful language, not accepting that humanity, at least in some parts of the globe has made tremen dous strides in attempting to rectify – and avoid – the sins of the past. History is what happened. The present needs to draw from it in order to ensure a fairer future. Not always the case. But consider John 8:7. “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Said by Jesus to an angry mob wish ing to rain rocks on an alleged miscreant, an ancient death penalty. Mobs certainly have not disappeared since Biblical times – in fact in this calendar year they define public gather ings. Thankfully, in Canada the mass-psychosis mentality has
Photo used with permission from Margi Taylor Self.
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work of all those in government and outside who seek to ensure human rights for LGBTI per sons and end discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expres sion, or sex characteristics. LGBTI rights are human rights, which everyone should support and respect,” it is said in the declaration. The common declaration was signed by the Embassy of Austria, Embassy of Australia, Embassy of Belgium, Embassy of Brazil, Embassy of Canada, Embassy of Denmark, Embassy of Finland, Embassy of France, Embassy of Germany, Embassy of Greece, Embassy of Iceland, Embassy of Ireland, Embassy of Latvia, Embassy of Mexico, Embassy of the Netherlands, Embassy of New Zealand, Embassy of Norway, Embassy of Spain, Embassy of Sweden, Embassy of the United King dom, Embassy of the United States and the Nordic Council of Ministers in Estonia.
of efforts to understand others. Respectfully and acknowledg ing our differences. All of them, by all of us. TÕNU NAELAPEA
