Artist GirL

Ya know…I Never understood it, but when Autumn nears, my sensory world escalates to what some would call an acid trip. Everything is brighter and bolder, the wind doesn’t just blow, it actually whispers things…birds don’t Just Fly, they’re preparing for the transition just like most everyone, in some way is.  It’s CRAZY that a large number of people I know, have all gone thru the ‘seasons change’…those with mood disorders are certainly more prone to this, than anyone else I know. I know 4 people, that all in the same 2 week period, that all went back into some rare habit…my ‘recovering’ friends…most have relapsed…and most, do it ABout This Time of the year…..those who quit smoking, start again, for a brief encounter…Hoping it passes SOON for them all…including my own personal struggles with this time of year.

It’s Euphoric when the sun shines at a different angle and the wind blows from a different direction. Everything feels like a beautiful sunburn on the world…the colors get deep and brilliant on the trees, the reds and golds are so astounding, the light scent of earths decay blows thru the screen windows…and no matter HOW many times I’ve seen seasons change, fall Always has the Strongest Impact on my senses!!! My paint brush finds it’s own way to stroke the paper, words find odd places inside phrases running through my head, I’m more accident prone, I’m more distracted, and I’m far more aware of it all, then any other time of the year.

I used to run a support group, many years ago, for those that have been touched with Bipolar, because of the Wicked Beautiful way it works. I remember Every Spring and Every Fall, the massive and obvious changes that took place. Creative souls  are blessed with many gifts, however, the cost of those gifts is steep and the moods that ‘can’ accompany them are sometimes frightening for those who lack the Knowledge of how it all works…it’s different for everyone. To this day I am astounded at the ignorance that surrounds such a ‘disorder’ as some call it…to most of us, it’s a perfect order of thought that gets seriously paved into paper, to words, to music….it’s one of the most glorious things..it’s Built in Therapy! God Knows when our minds are on a journey to do nothing but create, we need all the therapy we can get!!!  I’ve learned..over and over again…many of what ‘others’ might call ‘disorders’ are perfectly organized, because it IS how we see the world.   .  I once wrote…. Just because You see the sky as blue, doesn’t mean I don’t see it red…. it’s the SAME SKY!!! it’s ok that different people see it as a diff. color…it’s just perception. Without the ‘creative souls and the madness of the muse’ you can count on the fact that many coffee shops would be empty of art, radio stations would have less music, the world would still  be flat …. Look at what the “Creative Madness’ has done for the world!!! The greatest writers, artists, mathmaticians and thinkers of our time, were all touched with that Certain Kind of Madness….such a relief to k now…we’re not the ONLY ones who feel crazy..it’s simply because the majority of people see the blue sky….some of us still see it red…no one needs to convince anyone .. differently, but it’s a wonder to see the world through anothers eyes….

Now I have no idea where I was going with this, except I feel compelled, at this time of the year to bring up the ‘order of my thought’….it always puts things into perspective for someone, if not just myself.

You very likely know someone going thru some Head Over Tail Headspin….it’s actually amazing if you get to be a part of it, however it can be pretty bizarre to, if you don’t know what to expect…but the VERY THING you feel compelled to do, is often your built in therapy. I always feel compelled to draw, or create music….if I don’t do this, I will surely have let some part of my soul wither off…and that’s just not going to happen!! Every opportunity to create, has to be taken….it just does. Even if it’s indulging the muse for 5 minutes, when you FEEL her knocking, it means she’s got something for you to present to the world!

I don’t even know where to begin, as once again I realize it’s been a bit of time since I’ve updated my blog. This often happens when life takes over and I get blissfully and wickedly wrapped and caught up inside it. I have spent the past 3 weeks preparing for one of the biggest events in a long time… the Urban Arts Event. http://www.urbanarts-tc.com/ which I was chosen to participate in. 30 Local artists were selected, some had 10 pieces involved, some had one, I had submitted 4 pieces and they chose 3 of them. Pretty great odds, but still, I was blown away and a nervous wreck!!! I had some amazing support from family and friends and people I’ve never even met, until that evening.  I arrived there early and I had asked Joe (one of the coordinators) if I could help and he put my friend and I to work right away. I was more than happy to be helping, as it gave me a first hand look at most All of the art that would be on display. Major amounts of space were used and hundreds of art work hung from various pieces of wood. After about an hour I finally got to my 3 pieces and we set those up as well, directly adjacent to the Jazz Band…which was the best ear candy I’ve had in a long time! The event began at 7PM and went to 1PM. I had come with a friend who offered to join me, however she wanted to leave early and said she would gladly bring me back to her place, and give me directions back so I could just hop in my car. Well, I’m a big hot mess when it comes to driving in unfamiliar territory, so to my major disappointment,  my safest option was to call it a night. Unfortunately I really didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye or thank you to anyone….it was just ‘time to go’….I swallowed my disappointment and decided it’s time to get a GPS, because the only person one can truly count on, is oneself. Lesson 1 was gladly learned and it feels really great to just rely on my own self.

The weekend went by far too quick in the cities, my friend and I spent a lot of time near St. Anthony Main in the cities…she’s a huge history buff and enjoyed filling me in on all the spectacular sights I saw, my camera in hand as I snapped photos, ate amazing food, had some great beers, some great laughs, and really great people watching!!! Being near the water has always been where I feel the most at home, as I was raised in a city that was surrounded by water (Upper Michigan). On Sunday Morning I went to pick up my art, thanked Joe (he and April Erickson..both amazing artists, were the coordinators for the event along with a couple other talented souls who also displayed their art)….I couldn’t thank them enough, and explained to them in so many words my quick departure…gratitude is key in my life, and leaving people without thanking them is not my forte…it’s not what I do.

Coming home was an incredibly welcoming experience, my art in the back of my car, next to my guitar….I had run into my very talented friend MJ Kroll who has a House Party this weekend (see my calendar) and asked if I would like to be a part of it….OH HELL YEAH…this girl knows how to rock the best of them. So a gig on Saturday Aug. 21′st…I hope if you are local, you can make it!! Also on Sept. 16th I will be performing a show at BAR FLY… information here… https://tickets.aftonshows.com/SuzenJueL You may purchase your online tickets there.  And while I’m at it, here are a few BIG DEALS that fans can do … to support an artist. POST the event on your myspace/facebook/twitter. Give people flyers to the event, word of mouth is so necessary. When You purchase the tickets for the show….you will be given fliers to hand out…post one at your job, your apt.building…anywhere. It’s SO Easy and well, I can’t do it all by myself!

This is the time of year, my soul soars and my emotions run strong and steady. I’m so aware of every thing that I see, and the core of my soul, is NEVER wrong. However, I have learned, not everyone is ok with my observations,…sometimes I hit the nail on the head so hard it makes my own head spin, not to mention the head of those around me. Knowledge is power though, and those that truly know me, know my soul. I have sadly learned….not everyone has the compassion to deal with such realities and well, that’s ok, I just don’t have any room for the ignorant of the world…they drain me with their need for constant explanations of themselves and their constant need to for petty attentions. I have also learned…in the most amazing beautiful way, I am CRAZY about the world and even though the people I sometimes surround myself, are often large disappointments, there are so many beautiful things around me…how could I possibly allow the black tar attitude of some, to ever stain my view…No way.  So today, as I’m feeding the birds, a hummingbird lands on my finger….perches there and drinks the  nectar I just poured. The sun rose today and the earth turned golden, the sun is brilliant and warm on my skin, my mother loves me with no conditions, my husband is my best friend ever, and would defend my honor come hell or high water and as each day goes by, I adore him more and more.  NOpe…the world is far from perfect, but it’s perfectly normal to me.

I am still submitting my art to local art shows, and my music to local venue’s. If you are local (FRom the Twin Cities Metro) feel free to pass my links along. But More than ANYTHING ELSE….As a great musician once wrote.. “Don’t let nobody drag your spirit down!!!”  For every one bad egg in your life, there are 11 more that are good, and don’t you ever forget it!!! Sometimes birds can still fly with tattered wings, sometimes babies laugh when we cry, sometimes the sting of the bee is what cures you.

Spread your heart….be compassionate…be loving….and never criticize what you don’t understand, because under that buzzing mound of stingers and bees, is the sweetest honey…and only those that dare prepare themselves for it, will ever know it’s sweetness.

PS . for those wanting Pickles from me….Let me know, I’ve got quite a few jars made!!! Sorry,but it’s not free! All ingredients are from my garden. Dill pickles…garlic, fresh dill…sometimes tumeric and curry…..You pay the shipping and donate what you want to…I’ll mail them to you  (juelresistance@gmail.com  for paypal deposit…put in your note PICKLES)

Work has hit me…the work of passion, of something, anything I can create, I am content with.  Seems I’ve been kind of stuck on a songwriting bender…working with my amazing and talented friend Boris Van Luger is a journey I’m absolutely HIGH on….gotta love that feeling of a great collaboration.  But meanwhile, I’ve had these new songs surface in me, and just  haven’t been able to write them. So my creative soul took to the ink….pressed it on the paper, and started to do what I’ve always done since I can remember, DOODLE.

Doodles have a magical way of turning into things, and more things and more things…..so after a couple days of consulting my imagination, and what is the shape of this word….and more odd questions of this Bipolar mind of mine….I finished with this.

I call it Celebration de la femme, for a few reasons. One, I am french rooted, french blooded crazy american…. I’m also an artist…and i love playing with words, I think we all do on some level….and well, Celebration of women sounds cool, but to me Celebration de la Femme is more fitting. Other reason? I’m refreshing my french….problem is, I should do it over my morning coffee, not my evening beer…..memory, ya know?

Working on some of the recordings for “Garage Tracks”…and processing New Variations of “Lover” with Boris Van Luger, as well as all these odd interpretations that are sprouting up, just because I’ve been doing something different, with someone different….than where I am used to being. I love the challenge of this, and I love what is becoming of it.

If you have no checked out Untitled #13, please do!!!

Much love

-Suzen JueL aka JueL Resistance

Perspective

A Different Kind of Right…I think that is what I’m settling on for the Title of the New Cd.  I was thinking…about perspectives, I believe I probably think about perspectives quite often. Anyway it kinda hits me out of nowhere, you’re not Wrong in how you view the world, you’re a Different Kind of Right.

Ahhhhh Relief hits like a warm blanket, lights erupt…this was a few weeks ago, and I wrote it down right away, of course…one does not want to forget certain kinds of thoughts, eh?  So next came a mini flood of words:

“We are from the same big sky, just a different kind of light

It’s the same song that heals, with a different kind of right.”

Now, after finally finishing the ‘teaser’ of limited editions, my mind is in Record Mode again, songwriting seems to be what my blood exists of right now.  Ironically, during my Facebook Updates, I had stumbled across those wonderful links again, about Creativity and Bipolar, the Link has been established etc…etc….Famous Bipolar Musicians, Bipolar’s Impact on Society, etc… One thing is clear, and that it’s not necessarily a genius or creative person that has bipolar, and not all bipolar people are creative. Many are not. But most creatives, are bipolar.  Perhaps nothing is clear at all, it’s kind of like ‘What came first?’… I do know this though…it doesn’t take just a few things to inspire me, or it doesn’t take a whole world of crisis either, it’s a personal inspiration. Everyone is different, no matter what, but I go more on the lines of thinking….”Take away  bipolar, and how many creative souls would no longer create?” “medicate a creative person, do they become bipolar?’ The Questions are never ending and they shoot out like giant rays of light in every direction, touching every aspect, to every degree there is.  It’s more like….sometimes everything is under a big magnifying glass, it’s not putting things that don’t exist into anyone with a disorder of sorts, per say…it’s only making what is there More evident, sometimes exaggerated, sometimes brilliant beyond what others could ever see…Magnifying glass, bringing everything, closer, stronger, more intense.

I’ve had numerous debates, talks and discussions on the subject, and I can stand my claim on the fact, that creativity runs in my family, THICK…and no one in my family is bipolar. And others do not see things ‘wrong’ compared to how I see things, we just see things differently.

Imagine a Giant circle of people…above them is an enormous spectrum of light. You see nothing but green, the person next to you sees brilliant yellow, someone else sees red, someone else blue….We’re all looking at the SAME LIGHT but we are each seeing it from our Perspective, our point of view. No one is wrong in the color they see…Just a Different Kind of Right.