Frockstar™: Kat Leonard of Kat Leonard Music | The Karina Chronicles
Wanna know what my perfect day entails? Read about that and more in my interview for The Karina Chronicles. And check out the awesome dresses!
Frockstar™: Kat Leonard of Kat Leonard Music | The Karina Chronicles.
WonderFest Report-Day 1!
WONDERFEST IS HERE!
What a wonderful kickoff!
WonderFest Day 1 was a huge ball of fun and success! It started out with Arlene and I interviewing and performing on Rogers Daytime Peel! Arlene and I both wore turquoise– and we didn’t even plan it! Sonia our host wore boots to match us– again not even planned! We were meant to be on Daytime on this day to spread empowerment through art as well as hues of blue! 🙂
Yukking it up with Sonia Sache on Daytime Peel!
Yes, that’s empowerment being spread by those gyrations!
Even my socks and the rim on Arlene’s boots matched the Daytime set! I mean, come on! What a wonder! 😀 You can watch our video segment here: Kat & Arlene on DayTime!
In the evening we headed to The Central for the first free workshop of the week: Business Planning for Artists with Heather Hill! We had an intimate group of lovely attendees! Heather Hill is an easygoing and compelling workshop leader with engaging personal anecdotes and effective tangible knowledge to share. The tools and advice shared by Heather is applicable to all business types, and the information was soaked up by the mix of musicians, filmmakers, massage therapists and producers alike!
With our fearless and funny leader Heather Hill!
Alissa Vox Raw (L), Ty Hyland, Lisa Sciannella, Christine Battiston, Angela Saini (centre)
I couldn’t be more proud to be part of such a great evening and start to a wonderful week of wonderment at WonderFest! We still have 3 more free workshops and 2 concerts to celebrate during WonderFest!
Tonight we meet at The Central again for a night of collaboration and open mic performances! Sign up is at 7pm. Hope to see you there!
Happy WonderFesting, everyone! May you always feel empowered to make all your dreams come true!
For full details on WonderFest’s events, visit: www.WonderWomenWorld.tumblr.com
love KAT
What does empowerment mean to you? What word can describe it for you? Freedom? Choice? Doritos?
Help us spread empowerment through art one word at a time!!! Pick a word, and take a picture with it in as creative a manner as you like! Spread your word! Here’s how! xoox
WonderFest – Help Spread Empowerment!
WonderFest – Help Spread Empowerment!.
YOU can help us spread empowerment through art!
How? Like this:
1) Choose ONE WORD of EMPOWERMENT
2) Take a PHOTO with your word
3) Tweet @LMGProductions “I’m spreading empowerment through art! #WonderFest”
or email ImWorthItInfo@yahoo.ca
If you wish, there is also opportunity for you to make it into our next video as well as onto our Wall Of Empowerment at http://www.WonderWomenWorld.tumblr.com!
Life With More Cowbell interviews Lisa Anita Wegner, an amazingly stunning woman who credits art for saving her life after a brain injury! She shares her story during Wonder Fest Wednesday March 6th 7pm-8:30pm at The Fringe Creation Lab. Details here: http://wonderwomenworld.tumblr.com/WorkshopDetails
“Figure out what it is you love doing and never stop… Everyone can do this, and I encourage everyone to find what it is for them and go after it with gusto. Pierce the mundane to find the marvelous inside you. You are worth it!” Lisa Anita Wegner.
Do yourself a favour and check Lisa out! For serious, yo! love KAT xoxox
When Kat Leonard introduced me to multi-talented, muti-faceted, multi-media working artist Lisa Anita Wegner, what struck me the most was that Lisa credits art with saving her life. You can read her story here. And when I visited her blog site, I was blown away by the imagery in her pixel paintings.
I had a chance to interview Lisa over email – here’s what she had to say:
LWMC: Hi, Lisa. I was looking at your WordPress blog site and the Mighty Brave Productions site to get a sense of the work you do – and was amazed at the multi-faceted aspect of your work overall, and how it all boils down to authentic storytelling, and using story to make interior and exterior connections. You’ve worked as an actor, producer, writer, filmmaker and visual artist. What else? What came first for you and how did the media you work…
View original post 1,860 more words
WonderFest: The Workshops!
Announcing details on our wonderful workshops!
Workshop: Monday March 4,2013
Business Planning for Artists with Heather Hill
7:00pm at The Central, 603 Markham Street *FREE
A dream without a plan is just a wish.
It is easy to dream about your career as an artist, but without written goals, priorities and plans, your dream is just a wish. Heather Hill, an independent musician and a high tech product marketer, will guide you through the business planning process for your art. She will detail the areas you need to consider to be focused and successful: your company/artist story, your market, your goals, your strategy to achieve those goals, your customer/audience, your competition, your marketing tools you will need (the 5 Ps of marketing: Product, Promotion, Place, Price, People) and your financial plan. In this interactive workshop, Heather will help you to further define your plans and goals, and you will leave with a framework to help you continue this process.
Heather Hill – MBA, MA, ARCT
Late one night on a business trip in England, an unmistakable voice told Heather she needed to quit her executive career and return to her music. Heather left a successful high-tech marketing job, sold everything, went backpacking, and the songs poured out. She fell in love, had babies, wrote songs, made two albums, created a songwriting guild, and now she wants to bring change and spread hope and love to anyone who will listen. Rooted in piano rock, Heather Hill is currently working on her third release. She launched her second album Leuty Station in May 2012, which features a collection of songs about women’s issues and the courage to face life challenges head on. She quickly followed the success of the launch with a Canadian tour, TV and radio play. Her first album “Listen” was released in NYC in 2005. Her voice is often compared to Kate Bush, her piano style to and Tori Amos and her songwriting to a young Leonard Cohen. She is working with Jan Cooper Publishing in Vancouver.
Workshop: Tuesday March 5,2013
With various local musicians and YOU!
7:00pm at The Central, 603 Markham Street *FREE
The greatest expression and art is motivated by curiosity, creativity and play. It is invaluable for an artist to be able to be spontaneous and creative with themselves and with others. Playing within your art is a magnificent way to be free and let the muse whisk you away; to play without a plan and let spontaneity open the omnipotent channel from the gods; to let a chance surprise become a gift of genius. Have you ever felt the spark and chemistry of creating something with another human being? Have you ever co-written a song? Join us for a night of collaboration exercises and open mic performances. You never know what magic will transpire and inspire!
Workshop: Wednesday March 6,2013
How Art Saved My Life with Lisa Anita Wegner
7:00pm at The Central, 603 Markham Street *FREE
After a trauma, art saved my life. Now I am allowing it to create my life.
Lisa Anita Wegner is an actress and film producer who in 2008 suffered a trauma-related brain injury. The Women’s College Hospital Trauma Therapy Program encouraged her to use visual art for her healing. At that point she began generating creative content, something Lisa had never done in her previous work life. Her first solo video, “So Who Am I Anyway?”, was bought by the Phoenix Art Museum for their video collection and was included in their Selection 2011 screening. Lisa was invited down to Phoenix to speak about her experience and show examples of how the injury has affected her work.
Screening a sample of film clips, personal therapy videos and pixel paintings, Lisa will tell her story for the first time in her hometown of Toronto at WonderFest. By getting to know her authentic self through art therapy, Lisa pierced the mundane to find the marvelous; she unearthed a creative life more fulfilling, rich and wild than she ever expected.
Workshop: Thursday March 7,2013
Turning Wounds Into Wisdom with Nova Browning Rutherford
7:00pm at The Central, 603 Markham Street *FREE
It is a vital process to develop and maintain positive self-esteem.
• Learn to use your past pain to propel your future progress.
• Learn to gain acceptance for what you are and let go of what you are not.
• Gain the skills to recognize and release toxic relationships at work, home or school.
• Take control and discover how challenges can be used as an opportunity to grow.
• Discover the secret to optimism no matter what life throws your way.
• Develop accountability skills – for past successes and for your role in the ‘drama’.
• Learn to use your voice and apply the 3 keys to a successful confrontation.
• See new results by taking action and create a Mastermind list.
Nova B. Rutherford has been helping young women and men develop a thorough understanding of ones own personal values – emotionally and spiritually – by using methods that are crucial to staying mentally connected to those values, which in turn help to create rewarding personal and professional relationships. Nova’s ten years of expertise in the entertainment, music, and marketing industries provides nuance to her programming which help to empower a new generation with these tools for life. Since 2009, Nova has provided her dynamic programming to such organizations in the U.S and Canada such as the United Nations Association, YWCA, NAACP, Youth Mentoring Connection, Voices Of Tomorrow The Remix Project, BlogTalkRadio, the AIDS Project Los
Angeles, Ontario District School Board, StoryCorps, ACT-SO and The Forgiveness Project. Nova has served as the keynote speaker at the “Women Empowering Women Symposium,” and as a featured panelist for the “United Nations Associations 100th Anniversary of Women’s Day” in Los Angeles, California.
And don’t miss…
WonderFest: The Concerts!
Thursday March 7,2013
Show: Super Men in Concert
Doors 9:30pm Show 10:00
The Central, 603 Markham Street
$10 at the door- receive $5 off Wonder Women in Concert
Friday March 8, 2013-International Women’s Day
Show: Wonder Women VI in Concert
Doors 7:00pm Show 8:00pm
The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West
$10 at the door
WONDERFEST IS COMING!!!
MARCH 4-8, 2013 is International Women’s Week, and LMG Productions celebrates by presenting Wonder Women VI: WonderFest, a weeklong series of workshops and concerts to spread empowerment through art. This International Women’s Week edition of Wonder Women will be the largest Wonder Women event yet. With four free workshops and two concerts involving approximately 50 wonder women and super men of varied media, WonderFest is certain to make a positive artistic impact on the community.
At LMG Productions we truly believe that we are in this together, and we would be honoured if you would join us in our passion towards encouraging and empowering individuals through art.
Introducing our new blogsite:
www.WonderWomenWorld.tumblr.com/
WONDERFEST SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Monday March 4, 2013
Workshop: Business Planning for Artists; Heather Hill
7:00pm at The Central, 603 Markham Street
FREE
Tuesday March 5, 2013
Workshop: Playing With Music; Collaboration/Jam/Open Mic
7:00pm at The Central, 603 Markham Street
FREE
Wednesday March 6, 2013
Workshop: Healing Through Art; Lisa Anita Wegner
7:00-8:30pm at Fringe Creation Lab, 720 Bathurst Street
FREE
Thursday March 7, 2013
Workshop: Turning Wounds Into Wisdom; Nova Browning Rutherford
7:00-8:30pm at Fringe Creation Lab, 720 Bathurst Street
FREE
Thursday March 7,2013
Show: Super Men in Concert
Doors 9:30pm Show 10:00
The Central, 603 Markham Street
$10 at the door- receive $5 off Wonder Women VI in Concert
Friday March 8, 2013-International Women’s Day
Show: Wonder Women VI in Concert
Doors 7:00pm Show 8:00pm
The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West
$10 at the door
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! XOX WW XOX
Santa’s Sack!
The Next Big Thing: an online interview with yourself.
(How romantic!)
The effervescent Lizzie Violet tagged me in a blog experiment called The Next Best Thing in which writers answer ten questions about a current project and post them on their blog, tagging other writers who would have interest in doing the same. It started as a bookwriters exercise and Lizzie added the playwright angle. Now I add the songwriters angle!!!!
Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:
(Songwriters version by Kat Leonard)
What is the working title of your song? Santa’s Sack
Where did the idea come from for the song? During a Christmas song brainstorming session with Heather Hill, Aynsley Saxe and Steve Didynuk.
What genre does it fall under? Novelty/comedy
Which performer (if not yourself) would you like to perform the song? Will Ferrell
What is the one-sentence synopsis of what the song is about?
Wanting to help Santa unload his heavy sack by taking your gifts now.
Will your song be self-published or represented by a separate music publisher?
Self-published.
Will it be part of an album or EP? Possibly a festive collection.
How long did it take you to write the first draft? 6 hours
What other music genres/artists would you compare this song to?
Weird Al Yankovic, Bob Rivers, Jack Black & Tenacious D.
Who or what inspired you to write the song? Santa’s huge sack and jingle bells.
What about your song might pique the listeners interest?
The singalongability of “Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho” and the triple entendres.
Bonus: A sample! Here is a smidge of my performing Santa’s Sack at the Music Mentor Productions holiday party this month: http://youtu.be/DJMudNqYdiU
And there are the lyrics:
SANTA’S SACK
by Kat Leonard November 2012
(Spoken) Dear Santa…
You’ve got a big sack– jam-packed
With heavy gifts of joy that could break your back
I can help you… damn straight
I can help release the pressure and reduce the weight
I’ll take my gifts now… and how
You know what I like and I’m willing to be wowed
I’ve been a good girl—giddy up
I saved half of your cookies and egg nog in a cup
Chorus:
Santa, how your sack does bulge
Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho
Bursting with the gifts I love
Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho
What could be inside for me?
Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho
Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho
Bulging sack of festive glee
You’ve got a big sack—paddywack!
The strain must be a constant risk of heart attack
Let me hold it– pick it up
I’ll keep it upright and inspect it close-up
You can trust me—fingers crossed
I’ll handle it with care so nothing gets tossed
Let me touch it—Jingle bells
I see something for me right there where it swells
BRIDGE:
Jolly yuletide clown
Come on down
Loosen your belt, recline by the fire
I’ll roast some nuts and sing like a choir
I’ve been a good girl
I saved you a cookie
I’ve been a good girl
(Spoken): Well, half a cookie.
It’s better than no cookie.
I’ve been waiting a long time, Santa.
They kept getting into my mouth… I couldn’t stop them.
(Repeat chorus and improvise to end)
I do hope you’ve enjoyed Santa’s Sack and benefit it from the real sack this holiday season! Happy Ho Ho Ho! I do believe Heather Hill and Arlene Paculan might be interested in doing The Next Big Thing exercise. If anyone else is, please feel free to use my adapted questions!
Love Kat
Katbaret: Artist Feature Ayumi Iizuka!
Katbaret:
A series of Artist Features
In an effort to recommence my series of feature artists, I begin by highlighting artists I featured in my column East End Artists that existed in the late local paper etc… news.
AYUMI IIZUKA
(Actor, improviser, businesswoman)
Ayumi Iizuka is a magnetic personality as she engages with a stunning smile and electrifying twinkle of the eye. She’s smart, funny, multi-talented and extremely generous in laughter and spirit. In addition to a busy career in the arts, Ayumi also opens her heart and home to dogs waiting for adoption, through a dog-fostering program. She is a true lover of life and an active dream chaser.
She has an Honours Joint Specialist Degree in Political Science and Philosophy, and also a diploma in Computer Graphics. She worked as a 3D computer animator doing special effects for commercials and movies but knew the entire time that she belonged on the other side of the camera.
Since my initial interview with Ayumi in 2008, Ayumi has moved to LA, bought a house, and taken up ownership of Connect Studios LA, casting director workshops studios, while she continues to act, write, improvise and foster dogs.
Live show highlights:
-Second City National Touring Company, Canada
-Teaching at The Second City Toronto and Hollywood
-Topological Theatre and Kageboushi Theatre of Japan’s touring co- production of Lulie The Iceberg
–Inconvenient Musical and SARSical by the Rumoli Brothers
-Numerous nominations and wins for Canadian Comedy Awards
-Winning ‘Best of the Fest’ at the LA Comedy Fest with the Canadian Second City alumni improv troupe ‘The Eh Team’
Television Highlights:
Toronto: Ken Finkelman’s Foreign Objects, Sue Thomas FBEye, Earth Final Conflict, Degrassi TNG, Hollywoodland
LA: 90210, Parenthood, Ben and Kate, Harry’s Law, The Middle, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Mobbed, Destination Fear, Scare Tactics, Extreme Focus (CBC pilot), Office Ninja (feature film), SOLO – web series
Ayumi’s early interview:
KAT: What are some high points in your career?
AYUMI: Playing Bob Hoskins’ mistress in Hollywoodland. The role was small but it was exciting to sit at a table with Bob Hoskins, Ben Affleck and Diane Lane.
KAT: Challenges and rewards of your career?
AYUMI: Rejection and money come to mind immediately to answer the first part of the question. Rejection and money come to mind for the second part of the question.
KAT: Any words of advice to someone embarking on same career?
AYUMI: As everyone in the business told me when I decided to get into it, “If there’s something else you would be just as happy doing, do that instead.” I think that once you decide to do it, though, it’s important to persevere. Stay busy and create your own opportunities if they aren’t finding you.
KAT: In your opinion, what makes a person an artist?
AYUMI: Parental condemnation and a burning desire to do what you want in spite of the odds of success.
KAT: What is your favourite quote?
AYUMI: “What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?”
KAT: What amuses you?
AYUMI: Guitar Hero 3 and cuteoverload.com
KAT: What makes you laugh hysterically?
AYUMI: Doug Morency (Stay tuned for East End Artist Doug Morency edition!)
KAT: What makes you sad?
AYUMI: Homeless or abused animals… actually, that makes me angry. I care about homeless and abused people too, but aren’t we all animals?
KAT: What makes you worry?
AYUMI: The overall state of the planet and the people who are in charge.
KAT: What is your most simple delight?
AYUMI: Hanging out with my man and my dogs.
KAT: What are your pet peeves?
AYUMI: Zero tolerance, tyranny of the majority, and people who don’t signal.
KAT: Would you rather: be too hot or too cold? AYUMI: Too HOT! KAT: Be thirsty or hungry? AYUMI: Thirsty. KAT: Be hungry or stuffed? AYUMI: Stuffed, any day! KAT: Live hectic or bored? AYUMI: That’s a toughy! Probably hectic. KAT: Read or write? AYUMI: This writer says read. KAT: Make dinner or clean up after? AYUMI: Make dinner. KAT: Eat sweet or savoury? AYUMI: Can’t the world have both at once? KAT: Watch sunset or sunrise? AYUMI: Sunset. Do you know what ungodly hour the sunrise happens?! How can you enjoy it if you’re still asleep or still pissed off at someone for making you wake up so early?!
It is a true pleasure to be in the company of Ayumi Iizuka, a successful and enthusiastic artist who is also a big-hearted and inspired person. You can find out more about Ayumi on her website: www.aiizuka.com
KAT LEONARD (Kat & The MP3) 