I’ve been rummaging through memories and memorabilia in preparation for my Focus on the Masters interview.
One of my earliest creative endeavors: my friend Sue and I made puppets from paper bags and invited the neighborhood kids to watch the shows we wrote, directed, and performed (circa 1966)
FOTM is a nonprofit art appreciation program that documents, preserves, and presents the works and lives of contemporary artists in southern California.
Early visual art… My abstract period đ
Was I a bit of a drama queen back then?
The FOTM archive includes oral histories, videotaped interviews, photographic portraits, and examples of artists’ work. I’m extremely honored to have been selected for inclusion.
My first travel abroad: two months in Europe with the family. I kept an illustrated journal with reminders of funny moments. We arrived in London too early to check in to our apartment and were welcomed in the park by a pooping pigeon who had no respect for our map. Got me started off well on “rough travel” đ
Founded in 1994 (while I was living in Dharamsala learning Tibetan appliqué as an apprentice), FOTM is the only biographical resource project of its kind in the country.
My first glimpse of Tibetan applique at the Norbulingka Institute in 1992. The buildings were still under construction at that time, but beautiful creations were already forming inside. I’m so grateful for that day and for that excursion as an economic development volunteer…
With my precious teacher, Dorje Wangdu, and fellow apprentices in Dharamsala. We’re all dressed up traditionally (not an everyday occurrence) so it was probably Losar (Tibetan New Year), 1993 or 1994.
Part of the FOTM documentation process is a taped interview with founder Donna Granata in front of a live studio audience. Let me know if you’d like to be in that audience on March 28!
Stitching a Buddha while my neighbor Pooja knits. In Dharamsala, circa 1996.
How wonderful, Leslie! Congratulations on the inclusion and thanks for sharing some of your memories. What a cutie patootie! We’re both lucky to have had parents who encouraged our artistic curiosity and empathy for others.
Thanks, Rachel! Yes, very lucky to have been encouraged and given freedom to explore.