Arts Cochrane Discovery Journal

One of the things that I am finding as I get into this Arts Cochrane project, is that I am on a journey of discovery. As I’ve been mulling over ideas for how to get word out about the arts here in Cochrane, the idea came to do a journal about my own journey of discovery. That in itself could be a way to let you in on what is going on here. I decided to do this as a blog so that you can interact with me and each other as we go along.

So this is a personal journal in a way - mine and yours – about the artists I/we meet (and the folks who enjoy and want to support the arts), the events that happen, the ideas that are shared, the things we struggle with, where we need help and encouragement, our thoughts and musings along the way.

Just a note here – while this is a journal, I am not just going to blab about everything and everyone. When I write about people in this journal, if it is in any way private or personal, it will not go public until and unless I have that person’s permission. If it’s about something that is public knowledge, then I consider that public and open to being written about. But when I meet with you personally, or hear from you personally, (and I very much hope you will feel free to do that), I want to be very careful to share anything that comes out of that in a way that is safe and encouraging. And I would ask that you also show care for others in what you share here. If there are people you want to tell me about, perhaps the better route to go would be to first e-mail or call me (403-981-5910).

So I am inviting you to join me on this journey of discovery about the arts and artists in Cochrane. I hope you’ll be as amazed and encouraged as I’ve already become, with what we have here to celebrate and enjoy.


Summer 1983
I have a dream. That’s where it begins. And for me it began in the summer of 1983 – one of the darkest times of my life. I won’t get into details here right now – there are other places I tell that story - other than to say it was a time when I felt like an utter failure in my life. But out of that awful time, a dream was born.

That dream has been back of pretty much everything I have done in the years since. When I began I had no clue how or where that dream could ever become a reality, but I started toward it anyway, one step at a time, the best I knew how. I’ll probably share bits and pieces of that journey as we go along here.

Fast forward a whole lot of years to Fall 2007
My husband and I traveled to Europe for a month. Maybe it was the time away, seeing things from a new perspective, or whatever, but one of the things we discussed was how we have had dreams and keep nibbling away at bits and pieces of them, but we have never really gone after the big one, the one we really want. Somehow that always seemed too big to do now.

But that discussion got me thinking ...and thinking ...and thinking.

Christmas 2007
Yup, it was at Christmas when I finally came to the place of saying "YES, NOW" to my dream. The dream of creating an arts and business village.

And so the journey has begun. From January to the end of April, I began work on the website that would be the beginning of this dream - Willowrose Village. At the beginning of May I began with that full time.

Mid-June 2008 - The Start of Arts Cochrane
As I began to get back into the world of the arts, I began thinking again about what a great arts community we have here in Cochrane. I had been given the opportunity (in writing an Arts & Crafts column) to explore that when I first came to Cochrane over 20 years ago, and it was amazing then. So I began to take another good look now.

And that's when I felt that there was something here I could do. Both as part of my business and also as a gift to this community. One of my business services is to design websites, so I decided to start a website to feature the arts in Cochrane. I also decided to see about writing a column, and my thanks to Jack and Ian Tennant for giving me that opportunity again.

So now here you are on the Arts Cochrane blog & website, and here we are - beginning the journey together.

July 30,2008
I've spent the past week getting the website basics in place in time for the launch of the Arts Cochrane column in The Cochrane Eagle. I was able to contact a fair number of the arts groups and businesses I had found, as well as some artists, and at least got some of them on the website. It was great to get back in touch with a number of them that I had known from years ago.

I caught the tail end of an interview on CBC with the Alberta Minister of Culture and Community Spirit. Apparently they have initiated an annual Alberta Arts Day to celebrate the arts in Alberta. Sounds like a great idea. I'll be looking into that in more detail!

August 1, 2008
I'm the kind of person who likes to see stuff get done, not just talked about. So today I registered an Arts Cochrane entry for our Labor Day Parade on September 1. I'll invite the arts community to come and get involved. Hopefully for next year, there will be a team that will help to organize this ahead of time, but I want to see something get started this year.

August 4, 2008
Part of promoting the arts in Cochrane is to get word out to our local community, but part of it is also going to be about promoting the arts as a tourist destination or attraction. So today I added the first of the Arts Cochrane for Tourists section on the website. I'm hoping if people have ideas or details to add to that, that they will let me know.

August 5, 2008
I spoke to Terrance Haxton, Program Coordinator, at the library today. I was looking for information on writers and discovered that our Nan Boothby Memorial Library has a Writer-in-residence program. The writer for this fall session is Peter Norman, and I will be getting more information from him about what he has in store. So if you are a local writer, you'll want to check that out.