Hello,

Welcome to my website. I created belindamcguire.org as a venue to publish news of my artistic activities in a form that reflects the nature of my work. It warms my heart to be involved in the creation of art that I respect, and to facilitate and broaden its exposure. Below you will find more detailed explanations of what I do and why I do it, and I invite you to read at your leisure, or skip it and let the art speak directly to you (by perusing the site, or taking in one of the productions listed on the “calendar” page). Essentially, my raison d’être at this moment is to sensitize and empower - myself and those I reach through my artistic pursuits - to celebrate the impermanence of things and appreciate what we have when we have it.

How does the content and form of this site relate to those of my artistic work? I take a self-sufficient approach to each (I like to figure things out and make the most of my resources – it’s one of my favorite games), both are a means of expression and aim to be accessible without sacrificing their identities, they have a strong identity and therefore many layers, neither will ever reach a final/finished form (which puts me at ease and on edge)… ah, I can go on and will. Keep scrolling if you care to read. One note: I don’t claim to be the first person to discover these thoughts and philosophies – though perhaps the first to recognize and express my particular point of view. Perhaps that’s what counts… and what the value of art at large. We’re confronted with the same handful of truths as we go through each day, the difference being that some hit home and others don’t, since they all vary in context and form of “presentation” or “apparentness”

Here we go. (scroll further down for more).

To me, self-expression (through art, for example) is an important (and vital?) element of a functioning society: I see that many problems with personal to societal to international relations originate from misunderstanding or fear of the unknown. My theory is that many of these issues could be rectified, if not prevented, by a broader appreciation or an understanding of ourselves and fellow human beings. And the mere opportunity to HAVE a voice can empower a person to develop and share a sense of hope, significance, influence and purpose, preventing the frustration that breeds hostility and isolation. Being exposed to the inspired work of another artist (watching someone else accept, embrace or harness their empowerment) is enough to motivate me, since seeing someone else achieve what they set out to accomplish reveals the likelihood that I could accomplish my ambitions as well. Art seems to be an effective way to share “what we’re about”. It is a most accessible and enjoyable approach, perhaps due to the capacity of art to not only deliver the message, but to disarm and sensitize, so that the “messenger” (artist) is in touch with what they are saying, and the viewer is open to receiving what is expressed. In addition, since each person, society or nation’s character involves elements common to character elements of other people, societies and nations, we don’t need to see everything and hear from everyone in order for life to make sense, since insight relating to one may reflect and illuminate another. That’s why I seek to facilitate the expression of individual voice (beginning with my own): To broaden understanding by widening perspective, widen perspective through deep and diverse exposure, facilitate exposure by finding new angles to create, market and present the art.

Presently, I am taken by the idea of self-sufficiency: What happens when one artist has full artistic reign of their creation? In a sense, even collaborations can qualify as self-influenced and propelled work, since we CHOOSE which influences to incorporate into our artistic activity. I am curious to see what kind of art is bread in such circumstances and imagine the result to be a uniquely potent expression of that person and their compulsions and challenges of the moment. Hence, my current involvement with solo work – from commissions and my own creations (and I am still actively dancing in group form with Doug Varone and Gallim Dance). Both are important and enhance the other – necessary, I could argue, since I feel as equipped to “self-diversify” as I am to “self-levitate”.

I am also fascinated by the impermanence of things (and how that relates to the power of perspective). Art, being the brilliant microcosm of life that it is, reveals the significance of approach (to creation, interpretation and to viewing the work) – a good dance is not always good, and when it is, it can be good in many different ways, depending on so many factors: delivery, venue, programming, audience… So one of my goals is to create, commission or remount work that I believe in, and present it in a form that allows the piece and the artist’s voice to resonate most completely. That’s the exciting part about working in this field – we (the artists) can’t take much for granted (since the variables are always changing we can’t guarantee or depend on a specific outcome), which is unsettling but also a bit of a thrill. By trusting our strength and ability to sense and react, we can take comfort in this uncertainty. That’s why “investigation” and “discovery” are so frequently used to describe artistic process, I’d bet. The sensitivity and resourcefulness of an artist can turn this unsettling reality into a thrill and an opportunity. The sense that outcome is so dependent on the artist’s focus and effort breeds empowerment - the realization that it’s all up to us, that we can make something with what we have… ah, the sheer joy of doing.
That brings me back to the significance of perspective and circumstance. Look at how the same single piece of reality can amuse us one moment and destroy us the next. How one prospect has the potential to invigorate, motivate and excite but at another point, be completely daunting. In the context of dance, this implies that even without physical change, perspective can alter the impact of a work.
Keep scrolling?
Here’s to keeping things real, being aware of what moves me and finding opportunities to share that with others… which leads me to another goal: to expand the scope and accessibility of the work - not by modifying its content, but by providing an appropriate “way in” for the viewer (using the appropriate combination of delivery, venue, programming, audience etc.). Creating and appreciating art are activities of such fine chemistry, but I believe that all the elements and tools are far less elusive than we think, and simple things (i.e. Things that exist in a “simple” state MOST of the time) offer deceivingly broad and significant expressive potential.

This returns us to two concepts that motivate my artistic pursuits and drive my life at present: sensitization and empowerment. The pursuit of sensitivity is why I enjoy these artists, spend time with the people I do, practice yoga and drink coffee in the morning (and sometimes the afternoon). While I continue to enjoy dancing with and for other artists, I find the solo form to be a particularly effective way to approach my curiosities. It allows me to turn on a dime and to take greater risks (since there’s less to manage and fewer interests “on the line”). Additionally, like I said, I enjoy imagining and facing the challenges of discovering and maximizing my own resources. It’s like masterminding a jewel heist – you have to see the action taking place before it does, coordinate the elements that might help you deal with those situations and then be ready to respond to whatever ACTUALLY happens once you’re in the thick of the action… and that spontaneity is the main attraction. Ah, freedom within form, that’s another good theme.

So, without further ado, here, I give you the artists whose art sensitizes me, and the work I am empowered to create.

Copyright Belinda McGuire  2007. All rights reserved