#849 + 12 February 2019 + Abraham Lincoln ENTERED the world + ELEgancE #12 2019 Catherine L. Johnson + Henry Threadgill’s “CELEBRATION”

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ELEgancE #12                                                                                              Catherine L. Johnson 2019

An improvisational performance of gold pencil on black paper.

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HENRY THREADGILL

https://www.henrythreadgill.com/

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Celebrating Henry:

A Threadgill Festival

https://walkerart.org/calendar/2019/celebrating-henry-a-threadgill-festival

15 February + 16 February 2019

@

WALKER ART CENTER

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Walker Art Center  McGuire Theater 

15 February 2019

Henry Threadgill’s birthday

 

Philip Bither / Henry Threadgill / Michelle Kinney   (CLJ)

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Henry Threadgill / CLJ / Anthony Cox  

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Anthony Cox honoring Henry Threadgill on his birthday

acknowledging Threadgill’s improvisational gifts, inspiration and his legacy.

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Anthony’s arrangement of Threadgill’s  ‘Paper Toilet’.

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My maternal Grandfather,

Emil Cottor,

gifted me

Abraham Lincoln

bookends

when I was 7 years old.

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A gift before my next scheduled

reconstructive orthopedic surgery.

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My

beloved

Dr. Mark B. Coventry,

Mayo Clinic,

provided me

the life template of Abraham Lincoln

as a blueprint of living

a life of honor, respect, grace and vision

navigating

a life of adversity.

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The evening before surgery was always a time of me entering a sacred space.

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Grandpa Cottor,

after THE ceremonious “pre-surgery” dinner

my Mother prepared

attended by my sister and brothers,

Lynne, Bill Blake,

presented me

a wrapped box with satin ribbons.

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I was a wide-eyed child:

everything was wonder and awe and fear and courage.

The box was very, very, very heavy.

I opened it slowly and carefully,

rapt with anticipation,

and

when I saw

the busts of Abraham Lincoln,

I was overwhelmed with joy.

I burst out crying an ocean of joy!

Crying was not easy for me – living in body casts stifled crying.

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Grandpa Cottor KNEW Abraham Lincoln

was a signal,

a  secret code,

a dynamic symbol to me.

The fact of my Grandpa’s knowing

rushed

the feelings of being seen and loved

throughout

my body.

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On 12th February,

  when I was home from the hospital,

my Mother,  Doris Cottor Johnson Omlie,

always had a birthday cake

celebrating

the life of my childhood hero.

 

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GRACE LOVE.

AWE LOVE.

WONDER LOVE.

DIGNITY.

RADICAL HOPE.

VISIONARY.

INTEGRITY.

COMPASSION.

COURAGE.

Cœur.

 

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Catherine Louise Johnson

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Catherine –  meaning “pure, clear”. 

I was named in honor of my maternal grandmother:

Edna Catherine Strand Cottor.

My Grandma Cottor was an elegant and extraordinary force of life.

  She was confined to bed at 53 y/o with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Her body was frozen in the space of her bed.

Grandma Cottor’s remarkable creative intelligence

explored/ traveled the world and beyond.

Her body was frail and her presence radiated colossal. 

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Louise – meaning “famous warrior, renowned fighter”.

I was named in honor of my paternal grandmother:

Florence Louise Knoblach Johnson.

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Johnson – I kept my Daddy’s last name in honor of him,

Richard Harold Johnson,

who fought for me and my rights to thrive while living in hospitals

My Daddy was killed in a car accident when he was 32.

I kept the last name Johnson in honor of my Daddy’s brother,

William Henry Johnson,

a WWII pilot, who was killed at 23 y/o in his B-17

– safely returning his crew in his heavily damaged plane,

flying over the cliffs of Dover from a bombing mission.

He ordered his remarkable crew to bail out.

Uncle Bill’s faltering plane was heading toward a farmhouse

with a family waving their arms.

Uncle Bill, at 23 years old. made the decision to avert the farmhouse

and

he went down with his plane.

 

I was told, multiple times, 

by my Daddy’s family how they were 

PROUD

that I kept the name

JOHNSON

with fortitude, grace, honor and respect

of those before me

who lived their lives known

by the name

JOHNSON.

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My beloved

– Johnson side –

cousin “sister”

and

niece to my Daddy,

Connie Cates Shella,

lived, persevered and endured

with

grace, love and valor.

https://catherineljohnson.wordpress.com/2019/01/27/847-she-in-the-dark-found-light-brighter-than-many-ever-see-connie-cates-shella-5-september-1954-23-january-2019/

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I am aware,

at my age now,

I could be my Daddy’s parent

and

I could be my Uncle Bill’s aunt.

Yet, they are forever monumental to me.

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I can only hope

I live the life

that echoes the names I was given

and

amplify the templates

I was provided as a blueprint,

a vision,

to rise

in my own life.

 

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NAMING

“Words are things.

You must be careful, careful about calling people

out of their names,

using racial pejoratives and sexual pejoratives and all that ignorance.

Don’t do that.

Some day we’ll be able to measure the power of words.

I think they are things.

They get on the walls.

They get in your wallpaper.

They get in your rugs,

in your upholstery,

and

your clothes,

and

finally in to

you.”

 Maya Angelou

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WEARELOVEAWCCLJROLLEDDINMUDROLLEDINGOLDOVERANDOVERBEAUTIFUL

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#848 + ELEgancE #10/ #11 2019 Catherine L. Johnson + Fantastic Negrito – Plastic Hamburgers + Stacey Abrams says ‘We do NOT succeed alone’

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ELEgancE #10                                                                                           Catherine L. Johnson 2019

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ELEgancE #10 (detail *)                                                                        Catherine L. Johnson 2019
*The iridescence in the graphite/black lead reflects the light and presents a luminous silver.

Graphite pencils – HB/ 2B/ 4B on black paper.

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ELEgancE #11                                                                                           Catherine L. Johnson 2019

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Fantastic Negrito – Plastic Hamburgers

https://genius.com/Fantastic-negrito-plastic-hamburgers-lyrics

Fantastic Negrito says

‘I am Fantastic Negrito, but I did NOT get here alone…’

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Stacey Abrams says ‘We do NOT succeed alone’

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=RAFNEGOTIATORNEWBREEDLEADER=AWC=SONICGENIUSAWEMANRRMANWONDERCOLLABORATOR

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#846 + ELEgancE #9 2019 Catherine L. Johnson + DARE to MOVE FORWARD + “…by ALL means KEEP MOVING.” Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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ELEgancE #9  

Graphite pencil on Kraft paper.

An improvisation.

The drawn graphite lines

shift

from rich black lead color

to

luminous silver

with the interplay

of

 the ambient light

and

the position of the viewer

– all in relation

to the contemporaneous variables.

Dynamic.

Intimate.

Dialectical.

Performance.

Attending.

Change is constant.

Movement in stillness.

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Life is not static nor fixed.

HABITS of perception / REACTING.

Conditioned optics shaped by arbitrary convention

and

hard-wired by continuous, repetitive practice

without questioning or awareness.

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A/LIVE

VISION/ary.

RADICAL hope.

SACRED listening.

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DARE to DREAM.

DARE to ACT.

DARE to MOVE FORWARD.

 

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ELEgancE #9                                                                                           Catherine L. Johnson 2019

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ELEgancE #9    (detail *)                                                                     Catherine L. Johnson 2019

*The iridescence in the graphite/black lead reflects the light and presents a luminous silver.

 

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NEW BREED LEADERS keep MOVING FORWARD!

They MUST –

for it is the responsibility / meaning / life force

of their

DIVINE gifts.

Red Sea crossings.

EXODUS.

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EXODUSIMFREEATLASTIAINTGOINGBACKIMFREE                  CATHERINE L. JOHNSON 2013

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THE HUMANITY PORTFOLIO 2013

https://catherineljohnson.wordpress.com/2013/08/29/fifteen-paintings-28-august-2013-the-humanity-portfolio-28-august-2013-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-march-on-washington-for-freedom-jobs-rev-dr-martin-luther-kings-i-have-a-dream-s/

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Harris L. Wofford

9 April 1926 – 21 January 2019

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  Blessings of luminous grace and love to our cousins:

his daughter, Susanne Wofford;

his son, Dan Wofford; 

his son, David Wofford;

his husband, Matthew Charlton;

his beloved family;

to

ALL

social justice / civil rights

visionaries / activists

and

to his dedicated colleagues / collaborators,

past and present,

who

RISE FOR HUMANITY.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/

http://www.philly.com/opinion/commentary/harris-wofford-obituary-us-senate-20190128.html

http://www.startribune.com/harris-wofford-activist-who-served-in-senate-dies-at-92/504698852/

https://catherineljohnson.wordpress.com/2015/03/09/selma-bloody-sunday-50th-anniversary-2015-rev-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-s-speech-how-long-not-long-harris-wofford-what-i-saw-at-selma-today-my-dear-friends-presence-as-a-fami/

https://www.npr.org/2019/01/22/687373085/harris-wofford-former-senator-civil-rights-activist-dies-at-92

http://www.philly.com/news/obituaries-harris-wofford-pennsylvania-civil-rights-martin-luther-king-jfk-bryn-mawr-college-20190122.html

https://www.nationalservice.gov/newsroom/other-news/2019/remembering-harris-wofford

https://charlierose.com/videos/13481

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NEWBREEDLEADERAWCYOUMOVEFORWARDBECAUSEYOUMUSTYOURLIFEISTORISEANDTOBESEENLOVED

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#843 + 29 DECEMBER + ELEgancE #6 2018 Catherine L. Johnson + BORN/NEW/BORN + “FOREVER YOUNG”

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ELEgancE #6                                                                                         Catherine L. Johnson 2018

 

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“FOREVER YOUNG” will be MY birthday song on 29 December!

May God’s bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay
May you stay forever young
Forever young
Forever young
May you stay
Stay forever young
May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay
May you stay forever young
Forever young
Forever young
May you stay
Stay forever young
May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
And may you stay
May you stay forever young

Forever young
Forever young
May you stay
May you stay forever young

 Bob Dylan

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BIRTHday GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRL! 29 December!

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My Mom, an artist, created my birth announcement – all by her hand.

My Mom was my mentor.

She shaped/trained/ refined my eye, sensibilities and hand into creative WINGS!

I am so GR8ful and appreciative to FLY/SOAR in the skies my Mom opened to/for me!

 

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AWCU/MEAREFOREVERYOUNGYESABSOLUTELYLOVE

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#841 + Winter SOL(soul) STICE + ELEgancE #3/ #4/ #5 2018 Catherine L. Johnson + Dedicated to the bountiful GRACE LUMINOSITY of HOLLY COTTOR on her birthday

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ELEgancE #3                                                                                                 Catherine L. Johnson  2018

 

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ELEgancE #4                                                                                                 Catherine L. Johnson  2018

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ELEgancE #5                                                                                                 Catherine L. Johnson  2018

 

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Dedicated

to the 

bountiful LIVING loving

GRACE

+

LUMINOSITY

of my

beloved and cherished and beautiful cousin

HOLLY COTTOR

on her birthday,

the Winter Solstice.

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PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGE + VIDEO BELOW

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RYAN WILLIAM COTTOR

22 April 2000 – 7 December 2018

 

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TOLIFERESURGENCEAWCYOUARECHERISHEDRISERISEINRADIANCEWELOVE

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#840 + ELEgancE #1 / #2 2018 Catherine L. Johnson + INFInity / ETERnity + Y/OUR brEath

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PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE + FOR DETAIL

YES, thE ELEgancE sEriEs is vEry subtlE / vEry sEnsitivE / vEry alivE as is Y/OUR brEath.

 

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ELEgancE #1                                                                                                  Catherine L. Johnson  2018

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ELEgancE #2                                                                                                 Catherine L. Johnson  2018

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The present was an egg

laid by the past

that had the future

inside its shell.

Zora Neale Hurston

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Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind.
William Shakespeare

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Just because an animal is large,

it doesn’t mean he doesn’t want kindness;

however big Tigger seems to be,

remember that he wants as much kindness as Roo.
A A Milne

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What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other.

Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another.
George Eliot

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THANKYOUAWCFORTHESWEETBALMOFYOURTENDERKINDNESSMYHEARTBREATHESLOVE

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