Lat night I saw something wonderful. I have told about the special event planned with the writers group as an out reach project. Guest speaker CD. Mitchell came to the Art@311 in Jonesboro, Ar. It was a wonderful evening in so many ways.
TheArts@311 is a place for artists and those who appreciate and want to support the arts to be able to meet locally. Jonesboro and Northeast Arkansas has an incredible amount of talent in so many fields such as music, fine arts, visual arts, writing, and even the art of story telling. TheArts@311 hosts these local professional and semi-professional artists for performances and exhibitions providing a friendly and interesting place for people to share with others the things of their passions. The stage is equipment for music performance and perfect for exhibitions of visual and fine arts, reading or other performance art in many forms.
Their goal is to promote the artist and they do provide and promote such a wonderful venue for that, but they do so much more. The atmosphere and the people there encourage even by the friendly and appreciative attitudes. What they are doing and developing is more than a place to go with things to see and hear. By being there you are a part of something special and having a wonderful time with art in so many forms by so many people. The Arts @311 is something wonderful.
The NEA Writer's Group felt honored that CD Mitchell would be guest speaker for a special program we wanted to offer. Who and what are we....
We hope that by gathering together and sharing, we might offer and receive encouragement, support, information and individual growth assisting us to accomplish our goals and make dreams come true. It is my desire that each person find something of interest and benefit from these meetings of friends reaching out to one another sharing a common interest and goals. If you love to write, want to write, are published or write for your own pleasure or just have an interest or want to share with others, we hope to form an interesting group to grow, share, learn, and reach out.
That’s it. I had an idea and hoped it would work out to be something that might really help others. I hope that is exactly what it is doing because those in this group have helped me so much. There is such an abundance of talent but there is so much more. The enthusiasm, support, encouragement and attitudes are fodder for the soul to me. Each and everyone who comes is special.
When we think of something special I have to say the experience of listening to CD Mitchell would have to go on the list of Something Wonderful. He would have to sit at the top of the list. I have listened to many speakers on many topics,but this man has the magic of a story teller, the expertise allowing for in depth and insightful discussion and the creativity that works magic to bring a story to life. When he read his stories you could see it, feel it and know the characters. The crowd sat motionless mesmerized with his presentation.
When CD had concluded speaking on stage he visited with everyone answering questions and speaking on many topics to the delight of all. This man has a gift in not only his creativity but in his attitudes and compassion to inspire and help others to do and be more in the projects and their creations. This is an individual of such talent we felt honored he shared the evening with us and hope to see him again.
Before it started I was so nervous. I was going to speak explaining who and what the writer's group is and introduce CD. As the moment neared my apprehension and I guess you could call it stage freight mounted and my hands actually trembled. When I stepped up to speak I can not say I am the most professional speaker or experienced but I was looking out at faces. There were not the faces of the crowd. They were faces of some wonderful people who took the time to come and share the evening together listening to a wonderful speaker and story teller.
I have to say the evening was indeed.....something wonderful.
