Three Years Have Flown

I'm sitting here browsing through my blog and am amazed at how fast three years have passed since I've returned to the Bay Area. Actually, it is closer to 3.5 years. Living in England feels like a different lifetime, and yet recent as well. Currently I'm reading Ian Mcewan's book Saturday, set in my old neighborhood in London. Flashbacks.

Plus, noticing I lost a lot of weight, although I never thought I was heavy. A happier life means better health. 42.5 is treating me very well. There is nothing I would change about who I am or what I am doing.

My life has landmarks and one is Before London and After London. There are many before-and-afters, which I'll tuck away for a while.

Sons of Anarchy

Okay, so I enjoy Mafia dramas. Wanna make somethin' of it?

First Goodfellas, then The Sopranos and now Sons of Anarchy on FX This one is Mafia on wheels, a motorcycle club based in Northern California running the town of Charming, which is anything but delightful. I suppose what I enjoy best about these shows are the conflicts between values, beliefs and behaviors. Family values overlap at "work" and "home"and play out in the intense, conflicting drama of good and evil where loyalty begins and ends. Suddenly it all makes sense, and then not.

Some of the acting is superb. Katey Segal, formerly of Married with Children is a knock out. Her fictional son Jax, played by British actor, Charlie Hunnam, carries the show with his humor, energy and strength of character (good looks too).

Living in the urban Bay Area you forget that just a few miles away life is quite different from the rainbow of people and beliefs we're submerged in every day. Reminds me of when I lived in Salinas.

Warning: Violence in this video:

Holiday Photo Expedition

Three years ago I started the tradition of taking a photo expedition to get a beautiful shot for my holiday card. Last year I took a ferry ride from Alameda to Oakland. The previous year it was the London Eye. This year I ventured up to the Oakland Hills for some breathtaking vistas and also Baker Beach for the beauty of the ocean. Living in such a beautiful area, so close to the ocean and mountains, I often take for granted the majesty of the Bay Area. Looking at some of these photos reminds me of how fortunate I am to be here.

Community of Practice - Idea Realized

Over the past week I have been working with ten arts management consultants and coaches to launch our Community of Practice. What a tremendous group of folks. So positive and solution-focused. Today we launch our new site www.consultantsforthearts.com and behind the scenes we are launching a Wiki through which we will share best practices.

I'm blown away by our eagerness to collaborate, cooperate and create!

202 to 415

Finally, after a year of living in the Bay Area (officially one year next week) I have changed my cell phone number back to 415 from 202 in DC. The reaction from family, friends and clients, "so, you're going to stay!" I guess everyone got my message for the past year that I was uncommitted. Well, I've committed.

Establishing an Arts Management Consulting Community of Practice

For the past several months I have been considering the possibility of creating a formalized connection amongst independent arts management consultants. Following Michael Kaiser's discussion at the Commonwealth Club I am now inspired to make this happen.

Recently an IT consultant friend of mine told me about a "Community of Practice" she established with several fellow consultants. Members are able to tap into these benefits:

* Develop new capabilities and knowledge across the sector
* Advance and standardize best practices
* Collaborate on consulting engagements
* Create a pipeline of clients
* Establish a "brand value" and qualification for members
* Influence public policy and funding priorities within the sector
* Publish best practice articles and guides

I believe that establishing a community of practice amongst independent arts management consultants, beginning with those serving the Bay Area, is a powerful opportunity to pursue the above-mentioned benefits. Each of us has our own subject matter expertise and collectively we touch nearly every arts and culture organization in the Bay Area. In coming together as a community of practice we can establish an influential voice in the field – locally, nationally and internationally.

To begin I suggest a meeting to discuss this opportunity. Please let me know by June 1st if you are interested in getting involved. The next step will be creating a face-to-face meeting at which we can explore this concept and begin moving forward. Also, please pass this email along to other consultants who you believe should be involved.

Heart Artist at Oakland Airport

The artworks of the Hearts in San Francisco project heart artists are in every corner of the Bay Area. Here is the work of Hung Liu in the Oakland airport. Her beautiful and compelling gold Heart was placed in front of the Asian Art Museum during the installation and then I believe it was senator Dianne Feinstein who purchased it at the auction.

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