“‘Business!’ cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. ‘Mankind was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The deals of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!'” -Charles Dickens
Take time as winter closes its hand around us, as we scramble ever forward toward the gaping unknown before us, reaching and striving to become what? We do not know. Take time to witness the world around you. Drink in the day, accept the gifts laid daily at your feet. The air in your lungs, the sky above your head, your singular vision that informs the world through the art you create and share. Remember as you climb that there are things far more important than a sale or a schedule.
Jill Freidberg is a documentary filmmaker who lives and works in Seattle. At the moment she is busy with an oral history project called Shelf Life which seeks to disrupt narratives of erasure accompanying the gentrification and displacement of Seattle’s Central District. Jill receives periodic funding including three public grants as well as collaboration with the city’s Office of Arts and Culture. Jill also freelances in film editing as well as teaching part time at University of Washington. To hear more from Jill Freidberg, listen to the complete interview.
Shawn Shafner is the founder of P.O.O.P Project. The People’s Own Organic Power Project began in 2010 when Shafner was on tour with a children’s show. Like many people, Shafner grew up with toilet shame which led to withholding and ultimately self-inflicted constipation. Flash forward, as an adult Shafner got over this and became a proud pooper and was even able to advocate for himself while on tour with an ensemble cast with whom he had to live in very close quarters. His many projects center on diverse topics but poop takes precedence as a theme including how lack of sanitary facilities endanger a large portion of the world. To hear more about his thoughts on this universal human need as well as his life and work, listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in your Pocket:
At this time of transition, as season blends into season remember to give of yourself and receive of others.
Interviews are available on iTunes as podcasts, and for Android please click here. All weekly essay pieces in a shareable format are here. The full archive of interviews here.
Books to Read
What are you reading? Add your titles to our reading list here. Jill Freidberg is reading The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein. Shawn Shafner has a suitcase full of books about poop while on tour at the moment but has in fact been reading Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.
Opportunities
2018 is drawing to a close and 2019 nearly upon us. Fresh opportunities about with the change of year. One such opportunity is the Harpo Grant which will begin accepting applications in February of 2019. Deadline for submissions is in April. It is never too soon to start preparing.
Weekly Edited Grant and Residency Deadlines – review the list here.