Photo
I am so fortunate to have been chosen as part of Lisa MacIntosh’s photography series ASK which features women she finds inspiring. I had a glorious sparkly morning posing for photos, and the shot chosen was just a casual moment we shared laughing. Brilliant!
In Lisa’s own words…
“Each and every day I see women – mothers, daughters, sisters and aunts without fame or fortune, commit acts of strength and love that impact people’s lives; unseen and with quiet courage.
Every mother is a working-woman, every daughter a caregiver to someone, every sister a friend, and every grandmother a mentor. With small gestures and sometimes Herculean efforts they change, for the better, the lives around them.
Both the women in the limelight and the women whose names I do not know are the ‘keel’ in the ship of humanity.
My portraits salute those female warriors who went before, are working for the cause of equality and love of community now, and the ‘ordinary’ woman who quietly inspires, engages and is a trailblazer.
And to those they may call ‘ordinary’ as they have neither accolades, medals, or recognition, I say you are: extraordinary!
This is my journey through Asking.”
*************
You can see Lisa’s ASK gallery of inspiring women here!
http://www.lisamacintoshphotography.ca/ASK
Podcast chatter: I’m on!
Just for your weekend I wanted to share this fantastic interview I recently gave on the Speaking For Profit Podcast.
I share:
- The energy of live events and the importance of improvisation.
- Creating connection with an audience and taking them through a shared experience.
- Wordsmithing your talk to match your audience and maximizing humour.
- Dealing with speaker groupies
- And much more…
The show is hosted by award-winning TV producer and ‘speak to sell’ expert Jason Reid and world-class national TV host, performer and presentation trainer Cindy Ashton. You can expect nothing less than an extremely entertaining podcast that delivers high-impact strategy to rock the stage.
The podcast features world-class speakers, performers and business superstars as they share their untold stories from stage and beyond – and that includes me!
You can listen into my episode and gain insights by clicking here:
http://speakingforprofitpodcast.com/ep-26-kat-leonard/
Hope you have a wonderful weeeeekend!
Lots of love, everybuddy!
🙂 xoxoxo
KATNIP: Life Tips by Kat!
Sometimes I get fan mail and advice requests. It warms my heart like a soft flame on the underside of a roasting marshmallow, turning it softer and sweeter by the succulent second. I am extremely flattered and motivated to help. So I strip down, tilt my glass(es), and get down to straight talk.
Here is a question I received this week.
QUESTION:
My daughter is going into high school and really interested in the arts. Do you have any advice for her?
KATNIP:
I think there are three important pieces of advice I would stress to anyone hoping to make art for a living:
1) DO YOUR ART and never stop, explore all kinds, be open and free. Say yes to many things until you learn what you absolutely want to say no to. Then say no to those things that don’t serve you so that you have the time and energy to spend on those things that do serve you best. Spend time with yourself so you are available to allow inspiration to come in and fill your well through “the channel”. Be aware of how your art affects others but do not do it merely to please others. Your art is a unique expression of you, and only your voice can hold the true tune. FAIL as often as you can because it strengthens your resolve, and many mistakes are gifts. Don’t overanalyze. Feel and do.
2) LEARN THE BUSINESS if you want to do art for a living. You must believe that art can be a lucrative career as much as accounting, law, medicine and most other dang thing can be. You must take it seriously and know the business side to either manage yourself or ensure that you’re not taken advantage of by someone managing you. Know how to make money in your field.
3) SHARE YOUR ART, your skills and inspiration with others, because art is above all an important form of communication and a calling not to be kept quiet. If you can inspire someone else to create art and encourage them to follow their own path, to shine their light upon the world, then the world becomes brighter, bolder, more beautifuller. That is in itself a form of art and a source of immeasurable pleasure!
Hope this helps!
Anyone have something to add?
🙂
P.S. Please send all requests for Katnip: Life Tips by Kat to me directly because my assssistant is a little off.
WonderFest Report Day 5: Wonder Women magic!
From moment 1 to moment infinity, carried in a sweet memory, the final hurrah of WonderFest (Wonder Women in Concert) was pure magic! There was raucous laughter, sweet sobbing, and moments of crowd connection not experienced every day. It will live in my heart forever.
We heard accounts of how the week of WonderFest had changed peoples lives for the better: people writing music again, people leasing a bar to start their own business, people quitting jobs they didn’t belong in. There was generosity in spirit and applause both onstage and off.
Magic hovers over the crowd! (Photo by Arlene Paculan!)
For fuller details and photos, please see the post at Wonder Women World. More photos can be seen here courtesy of Raymond Photography.
If you are interested in becoming involved in next year’s WonderFest, please contact us through WonderWomenWorld.tumblr.com or @LMGProductions or email us at ImWorthItInfo@yahoo.ca.
Spreading empowerment through art never felt so good!
WonderFest Report Day 4: Wowza!
Oh, man!!! There is so much of the spreading of empowerment through art happening during WonderFest that I feel I can’t do it justice in prose!
For fuller details on our experience, see our WonderWomenWorld blog!
In a nutshell, Day 4 brought us:
Workshop: Turning Wounds Into Wisdom lead by Nova Browning Rutherford.
The group learned to accept the discomfort of change, to focus on actions that lead toward our goals and values, and that life is in fact long and not short therefore we have plenty of time to figure things out and follow our path!
The Workshop group!
Super Men Concert! Wowza Wowza what a lineup of talent to digest! The evening was jampacked with music and words to move the soul, friendship to fill the heart, and laughter to jiggle the belly!
Arlene and I with the wonderful Super Men!
Which brings us to tonight! Tonight is the WonderFest finale: Wonder Women in Concert! Gladstone Hotel 7pm (doors) 8pm (show) with art displays, videos, vendors, a special comic book photo booth for all, and of course the lineup of Wonder Women! I’ll be performing my new song Love Mania! Wakawakawakawaka! We hope to see you there spreading empowerment through art!
The foundation of friendships is a force for mountain moving! (Arlene Paculan and I, WonderFest co-conspirators!)
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
WonderFest is a week away!!! We kick off Monday March 4th 7pm at The Central in Toronto with Heather Hill‘s free workshop Business Planning For Artists.
Tuesday March 5th 7pm at The Central join us for an open mic/collaboration night of music adventure!
Lisa Anita Wegner’s free session “How Art Saved My Life” happens March 6th 7pm at Fringe Creation Lab (720 Bathurst Street). It promises to be astounding and inspiring. This is Lisa’s recent blog, where she addresses technology, exhaustion and her brain injury, telling them what she really feels about them!
Thursday March 7th 7pm at Fringe Creation Lab (720 Bathurst Street) Nova Browning Rutherford leads a free workshop on Turning Wounds Into Wisdom, nurturing positive self-esteem.
Full workshop information and WonderFest schedule including Super Men Concert March 7th at The Central and Wonder Women VI concert March 8th at The Gladstone here:
http://www.WonderWomenWorld.tumblr.com
dear exhaustion: you can be a bit overbearing, like a parent grounding me when i have to rehearse and perform the lead in the school play. i appreciate the message but sometimes i have deadlines. but you know what exhaustion? i appreciate you telling me to ease off. even though it took about ten people’s help and you didn’t go easy on me, i managed to get everything done, with one day to spare. by next week the reno on my space should be finished and that will be like heaven on wheels. greased lighting wheels. right now i am living in a cloud of construction dust, workman, cables, floor glue, and fumes. unable to locate anything and dogs barking at every workman move. that’s exhausting on it’s own.
dear ice: please cut me some slack especially when there is water on top. you’re slippery and i’m tired. i can’t…
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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!
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
KAT LEONARD 