I tell wonder-filled stories about hope and healing
This is a snapshot of my newest paper collage. It’s a re-creation of the D.C. Cool logo composed of small bits of paper that were part of advertisements for other cities.
Washington, D.C. has a bit of everywhere packed into a big city that feels like a small town. I moved here about 9 months ago and it’s really beginning to feel like home to me. I’ve still got a lot of exploring to do, and this collage is a reflection of my journey in this shining city so far.
Last night I saw the Neofuturists perform 30 plays in 60 minutes at Woolly Mammoth Theatre here in D.C. Some made me laugh. Some made my eyes tear up. Some made me angry. And they all made me very happy that I spent the night with this talented group of 5 artists giving their hearts and minds to an audience that was both receptive to the work and more than willing to participate.
Their inventive style of storytelling is something I’ve admired from afar for many years, and I’m so glad that I got a chance to experience their work first-hand. A must see in D.C. this season, the show runs through January 3rd at Woolly. More details here: http://www.woollymammoth.net/
This weekend, I had the great privilege to work with a team on Innovation Station, a design for a new middle school design that marries storytelling and the product development process to teach core subjects and career-based skills.
The startup competition was sponsored by 4.0 schools and CityBridge Foundation in Washington D.C. I had the seed of this idea in 2007 and I’ve left it untouched in a file on my computer for many years. It was really an honor to be able to devote a weekend to it with a talented group of people, and see what we could craft together.
Though my team didn’t win, the experience was invaluable and I met a number of wonderful and passionate people who care as much about education as I do. And it’s got the wheels turning in my head. Maybe this is a new beginning…
“What you seek is seeking you.” ~Rumi
A few months ago I mentioned that I was interested in building out opportunities to bring D.C. residents together in comfortable settings to do interesting things like artist salons and discovering forgotten and hidden stories. For a hot second, I thought about starting something myself but instead decided to look around to see if something similar existed in Washington that I could join and support. I found two interesting opportunities: Little Salon and Obscura Society’s D.C. chapter.
I learned two important things in this search: 1.) to be a discoverer, you have to begin as a seeker and 2.) the best way to discover is to search together with others. And these are lessons I will continue to carry with me at the top of my mind and at the center of my heart. More details soon!
Christa Avampato 