We all battle our own darkness, life challenges and illnesses. Many of us have turned to arts and music as a healing path. We create, record, and perform our music; write our stories; make and share our art to express. But we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. When we share our stories, music, and art, we help others who may be battling something similar. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, it opens the door for others to share their stories, which can continue to promote healing. We are lights in the darkness. My vision is to share how we've become lights for others through our stories, music and art and the connections between our art/creativity and our healing. I created an online Facebook community that includes 200 artists creating to heal and have collaborated with more than 50 artists and produced two events in December 2018: an online video showcase featuring 45 artists and a live/streamed webcast.
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"Lights in the Darkness-Artists Creating to Heal!"
"Lights in the Darkness: Conversations on Creating to Heal" features video conversations recorded with 45 artists, musicians and authors from around the world who are creating to heal. WATCH BY CLICKING LINKS BELOW:
--Sunday December 9th: Healing Through Children's Music:
Katherine Dines, Joanie Calem, Valerie Leonhart Smalkin, Vivi Melody
--Monday December 10th: Healing Through Music:
Dennis Sy, Fran Carbonaro, Texastilly Sue Ireland, Anne Leighton, Vincent James, Greggory Hammond
--Tuesday December 11th: Healing Through Music, Art, Film and Dance: Mark Romero, Shashika Mooruth, Guzin Kurun, Irma Velasquez, Sylvia Brallier, Michelle Jericho Poppler
--Wednesday December 12th: Healing Through Writing, Helping Others: Tony J Selimi, Deborah Denham Johnson, Megan R. Fenyoe, Emily Ann Peterson
--Thursday December 13th: Healing While Living With Cancer/DM:
Chris Hennessy, Tom Willner, Cindy Alexander, Erin Mae Lewis, Noah Dundas, Shawna Westly Nielsen
--Friday December 14th: Healing While Living With DM/Chronic Illness: Teresa Marks, Angela/Maddie Dean, Sue Carpenter, Suzanne E. Edison, Monica Michelle
--Saturday December 15th: Healing While Living With Chronic Illness/From Attacks on the Body: Allie Cashel, Erica Lupinacci, Ariela Paulsen, Corrina Thurston, Brandur Karlsson, Valerie Giglio, Brian Bourgault, Essence Goldman
--Sunday December 16th: Healing While Living With Depression/After Sexual Abuse: Angel Joy, Joel Knopf, Jody Quine, Asha Lightbearer, Brianna Jordan
CREDITS:
Lights in the Darkness-Conversations on Creating to Heal
Producer: Lisa Sniderman/Aoede
Video Editing: Mike Kerhin
Animation: Ryan Pfeifer
“This activity was supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Arts and Disability Center at the University of California Los Angeles. Any findings, opinions, or conclusions contained herein are not necessarily those of the California Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Arts and Disability Center."
Live and Streaming Online Multi-Media Performances Featuring More than 50 Artists Creating to Heal and Shining Their Lights!
On December 16th, passionate authors, artists and musicians who use creativity to heal spoke from the heart and shone their lights, sharing personal stories, songs, and art at a special live, and streaming online, multi-media event. Featured live performances by nine artists (primarily from the San Francisco Bay Area) and included an hour of video highlights from conversations recorded with 45 artists, musicians, and authors from around the world who are creating to heal.
Keep Shining is a new song I wrote for the "Lights in the Darkness-Creating to Heal" December events, an expressive anthem inspired by stories of artists creating to heal and intended to be a reminder to never give up. While I voiced my inner fears, doubts, questions and insecurities, our live performers kept repeating the chorus to "Keep Shining" as a powerful, uplifting counterpoint. I recorded this song in 2019 in collaboration with more than 20 artists from the 'Lights in the Darkness' community and also created a new video for the recording that shares my story and struggle with rare illness, disability and recovery.
Lisa Sniderman/Aoede performing her original song "Keep Shining," with live performers for the December 16th, 2018 'Lights in the Darkness-Creating to Heal' live/streaming event at Dragon Theatre in Redwood City, CA. Featuring Amie Penwell on piano/vocals, Steve Eulberg on guitar/vocals, David Sands on bass/vocals, with Francesca, Frances Ancheta, Deborah J. Hamouris and Emilia Russo on vocals). Video credit: Event Compression Group