Interview with Joseph Kuczkowski (Uncle Joe) Owner of Collins Woodwork

My Uncle Joe has always been a carpenter for as long as I have known him. I have seen him build beautiful, extraordinary things from wood. He actually began his interest in carpentry when he started working for his neighbor Mr. Collins at 12 years old. Starting pay was $1 an hour in 1973, and he quickly received a raise to $2 after his first week. I never knew this information about Uncle Joe until this interview, and I find it very interesting that at a young age he knew who he wanted to be. I suppose I was the same way when I was younger, except, I wanted to be a star on Broadway! Little differences...

Image taken from Collins Woodwork Website

Over the years of working at Collins Woodwork, Uncle Joe took over the business, and now is the business owner. I think it must have been challenging, but my uncle has learned how to balance his personal and professional life well. He told me his biggest confrontation was that he forgot how to smile, and had to relearn over the first 5 years that he owned the business how to smile again. With fears of the economy and being true to oneself, I can empathize with that sentiment because I know that I can become a little caught up in my own fears. Specifically, I fear failure. To control one's fear is a huge step in owning a business. I hope that I make many mistakes, and face failure with the successes.

Another lesson I learned from our interview was to leave problems that are work related at work, and not carry them home. We all have to take some "Me Time", and for my Uncle that has always been reading a book in the bathtub. I don't know if he really wanted me to write about his bathing habits, but I thought it was important! I have so many ways to take "Me Time" whether it be watching TV, stalking people on facebook, or going out to eat by myself with a good book. It is great to just enjoy in simple activities. What do you do to escape the everyday obstacles? I'm sure we all have our place for "Me Time". It makes for a healthier individual.

Now. Collins Woodwork is a small business with a big impact. It is just different from a bigger hardware store that deals in bulk rather than keeping close with customers. My Uncle made sure to tell me that the customers and coworkers are what make a difference, and we are nothing without other people. I find this so true in what I do with my dancing, and I feel like it would be a loss if I couldn't share my love with the people around me.

Joe Kuczkowski is most definitely an artist with wood and business. He creates life experiences out of his business, and his business thrives because of his life experiences. Collin's Woodwork Cabinetry could be better called Collin's Woodwork Artistry!

Thank you Uncle Joe for always being so loving and caring, and allowing me to take up some of your time for an interview.

Image taken from Collins Woodwork on Facebook

Photoshoot with Ernesto Villarreal

Pilgrimage Dance on Facebook

Really quick! I wanted to promote a photographer, Ernesto Villarreal, who recently helped me out tons with some movement shots for my website. He did an excellent job; was profession, prepared! I was able to be laid back around him, and we got just tons of wonderful photos from an afternoon of dance.

You can view more photos at Ernesto's website http://www.pbase.com/firenight/pilgrimage_dance__sandy_beneke

and learn more about this skilled photographer!

Big Thank You to Ernesto Villarreal!

Observation at St. John's on the Lake

As I have an upcoming workshop at St. John's on the Lake, I made a visit to observe one of their regularly scheduled events. It was a movement/art class instructed by Kelly Anderson who is a dancer & choreographer in the Milwaukee area. You may remember I blogged about working with her in my Missed Connections post.

In the group, Anderson worked with some TimeSlips concepts where she presented them with a photo and they came up with some really creative responses. We went on a wild adventure with ideas such as a war over a mysterious empire waged by a 600 year old princess to a ragtime piano played by a couple of long-necked critters. TimeSlips is a great way for people to initiate sharing of experiences and creativity. The model is to take a photo and find a story -- any story. I had forgotten how wonderful it was to work with pictures to generate thoughts and ideas which could create movement.

Picture taken from Time Slips Website

Though the group was small in size with 8 participants including myself and Anderson, it gave a nice level of intimacy. I think the group contributed more possibly because of the sense of safety within the group along with the comforting confidence within Anderson. The challenge with less people in a group comes when the participants are more on the spot to perform. Anderson's overall approach to the individuals at St. John's was relaxed, informative, and open. There was a level of connection that she had with the clients that she had a laid back demeanor, but all the while still sharing information and open to new thoughts.

I am even more excited now for my own event coming up involving traditions and culture. It would be beneficial if I could use some of the storytelling philosophies from TimeSlips with my own special twist. I hope I can have a similar effect working with memories and movement. Confidently, I am always thrilled to work with the St. John's participants because they all offer so much!

Election Day!!!!

OK... It has been way to long since I last posted so I thought I would use this blog to mention a little politics.

As an artist, I am made very aware of the lack of support arts receive. "Why would I pursue something that has little support within the community and for which is often overlooked?", you might ask.

Well to be quite frank, I love it (dance, music, film, visual art, theater, poetry, fashion, and any form of expression). My forté is in dance, but I appreciate them all. They also all interrelate at some point or another. Dancing to music; creating music through dance. Filming dance; dancing to a film.... so on and so on! There are endless possibilities.

Not only do I love art at surface value for the end product, but I also benefit from the process of creating art. It is sometimes really hard and frustrating at times, but it makes me even more aware of my own voice and opinion because it is constantly being challenged and changed. It is exciting!

Now, you're maybe wondering, "OK, that's great! What does any of this have to do with Election Day?"

I thought about not voting today. No... last week, I decided I wasn't going to vote today. Between all the propaganda seen on TV and heard on the radio, I was at a standstill. Why on Earth would I vote for anybody they way the tear each other apart? Then I realized or rather was told by a number of people in my life that it is important to vote.



Napoleon Dynamite



If I chose to not make myself knowledgeable about the candidates and not vote today, how could I take myself seriously as an artist. If I didn't even make an effort to participate, I would be devaluing myself and my voice. I don't pay too much attention to politics on a regular basis because I would probably shoot myself in the face out of frustration, but it's not because I am incapable of comprehending the candidates and the debates. I found a really wonderful website called Project Vote Smart that helped me in looking through all the candidates and rating them according to how alike their positions were to my own.



Use it! It takes only a few minutes depending on your Internet connection... 

Please care! 

I didn't care, but then I thought about what would happen or not happen because of my silence.



Even though change isn't going to happen over night, I must make a stand to express what I want for the future of my government. Even though I am not well represented within government, it is a right to represent one's individual self; it's the only platform I have that connects me to the government. Even though I don't care about either party in particular, I want a balanced government that works together to make decisions that impact ME! (It's all, pretty much about me)

For all of you that vote today, Happy Election Day regardless of if you identify as a Republican or Democrat. For those who are making a choice not to vote, recognize that there isn't even a small percentage of your voice being heard and your opinion being important!