1. In September of 2018, I made one of the most important decisions of not only my career, but my life. I joined a team of passionate creatives to bring together monthly breakfast lectures headlined by both prominent and upcoming creative local talents. This series is CreativeMornings/Vancouver. This series had been running for many years prior and will almost certainly continue for decades to come. These kind of groups of volunteers grow, evolve, wax and wane, but there has always been a special element to that CreativeMornings space, specifically, that keeps people there and continually wanting to stay involved. The group of volunteers that welcomed me that September made me feel not only included, but important - a strange sensation for a bright-eyed university student. At CreativeMornings, in any city chapter, you will always be welcomed with high fives and hugs. It is a beautiful energy and that welcoming hug was my first of many very special encounters with my good friend, Christine Bissonnette.
2. After a few months of welcoming guests, checking them in, and directing them to the name tag station, I was feeling a desire to bring more of my skillset to the CreativeMornings/Vancouver team. Initially, I wanted to help the group of volunteers who coordinated and nominated speakers. I knew I had a lot of people to call on from all the portraits I had done the previous years. Though I did have something to offer, I didn’t yet have the confidence to let my voice occupy that space. That was when Christine generously invited me to come co-host the off-site, in-person FieldTrips where individuals on the waitlist for breakfast lecture tickets could still have a fun, engaging time with the creative community. It was really generous of her to share that responsibility with me. Over time and trips to locations such as ArtStarts and The Soap Dispensary, we truly got to see how we spoke such similar creative, emotional, and community-driven languages. Above all else, Christine shared the safest space for me to come into my own and find comfort in my voice in a community leadership context.
3. It turned out that FieldTrips weren’t the only unique context in which Christine and I were going to share CreativeMornings space. In December of 2019, after being nominated by the rest of our fellow volunteers, the two of us joined another friend and volunteer, Annelies Tjebbes (portrait to come) for a special “Volunteers Take the Stage” (watch here) edition of the morning talk. For this event, we all shared our creative stories in ways that related to the theme of the month, Silence. It is truly a perfect memory. Christine shared such wonderful, emotionally provocative details of her experience working on her collaboration with CreativeMornings speaker alumni, Craig Addy, and CreativeMornings/Vancouver volunteer Rick Etkin. The project was named Left Opened, focussing on Christine’s childhood feelings of anxiety and being “trapped in a box.” In her talk, Christine highlighted how the “very private and succinct act of writing was the very first way she learned to express herself.” I deeply relate to that sense of power in written word as I often find I can express my feelings, communicate with others, and connect to people on a deeper level through my writing as opposed to my awkward, anxious, verbal self. There is precious irony in the fact that Christine had been there to comfort, encourage, and empower my voice through our time volunteering together on the FeildTrips, for us to then fully use those voices to talk about… silence. Something that really stuck with me that day was the bravery Christine displayed in openly integrating her mental health and its influences on her creativity into her talk. That is something that I truly craved to share at the time, but didn’t have the courage to explore just yet (or have the full context for that matter, being undiagnosed at the time). Experiencing her vulnerability propelled me forward in finding comfort discussing my own.
4. I’ve never had the best immune system. If there is a bug going around, there is a fair chance I will catch it. In the early winter of 2020, I got it real bad. There was not much that could keep me away from CreativeMornings/Vancouver at the time, but that February, I needed a solid time-out. I was really struggling both with my health and financially and all that had me feeling low. I was away from family and living in a pretty isolated situation. When I didn’t come to the event that month, Christine checked in to make sure I was okay. In typical Alex “the emotional levy has broken” fashion, I let it all out and told her what a tough time I was having. It wasn’t long before her and her partner, Michael, were over with a big tupperware full of homemade soup. I had been gifted this sort of kindness from family before, but never by a close friend or colleague. I proudly consider Christine both those things and a precious moment like this had me deeply thinking about that close community we call our “chosen family” and those friends we keep for life. I could not imagine my life today without the kindnesses Christine brings to it and I truly do my best to bring the same warmth and support to her and to others. I try to be more like Christine; those are the kind of friends to keep: friends who help you grow and heal.
5. On September 5th of 2023, Christine’s healing energy would again find its way into my life. I attended a 4 episode premier of Garima Soni’s Healing Through Poetry documentary series at The Cinematheque in Vancouver with my partner, Faune. Not only was Christine the subject of the first episode, but she also facilitated the panel discussion which followed. Christine’s brave vulnerability around the relationship between her anxiety and creativity deeply allowed me to consider the power of creative self expression and mental health’s motivating factor in that. Christine made me ask myself the important question “does my creativity and process take influence from my mental health?” I would later come to a BPD diagnosis and a wonderful understanding of my desire to connect through gratitude. I consider Christine to play a large role in that wonderful phase of self understanding and discovery.
6. In October of 2022, Christine shared a video on YouTube that made a big impact on me. It was titled “Then and Now: A Reflection on HATING my Voice.” This video cross compares Christine’s voice before and after years of vocal training while she shares personal reflections on said changes. I have long struggled with my own voice—often cringing when I hear videos or audio recordings. My inner dialogue has always been far more feminine and soft. I tend to experience a disconnect when I hear myself—even if just calling across a room. I think that loud, projecting voice of mine has been a defence mechanism in the past because I didn’t feel safe or accepted being my soft self. Christine, in the video, told her 24 year old self, “You don’t need to scream in order for your voice or your dreams to matter.” In days past when I was wearing masculinity like a misfitting glove, I often felt I had to be loud in a sea of other loud men. These days I know myself so much better and in that recognize that my softness and ability to listen are some of my greatest assets. I don’t need to be loud to be heard and I can certainly get my point across better when I process my words into written format. My voice has a place and that is in creating welcoming space for others to feel safe sharing their perspectives and experiences. Through another vulnerable share, Christine connected me closer to myself and my own personal growth.
7. In the late winter of 2024, I attended an incredible workshop series focussed on “Developing a Writing Ritual.” It was hosted and facilitated by Christine through her company, 9 Creative Lives. I was joined by a few familiar faces from the CreativeMornings/Vancouver crowd including our co-volunteer, Gary Jones (another portrait to come). This was such an amazing space to focus on writing my first Drawing Thanks book. Christine brought a deep level of mindfulness by beginning the sessions with breathing exercises and maintained a level of welcomeness and inclusivity that I dream to emulate, myself. Not only did I do some of my best writing in that space, but I also developed healthy practices and mindfulness which I continue beyond that. Christine’s work and way of being reveals that there are many avenues of learning that can come from spending time in someone else’s developmental/creative space; With 9 Creative Lives I learned about developing writing rituals, being present, and holding safe space for myself and others.
8. In January of 2024, I had my 30th birthday and a very special Side Door show to celebrate it. I was so grateful to have Christine and Michael there as we celebrated all night with live performances from Rand Messmer, Patrick Spencer, and Francis Baptiste. So many folks Christine and I knew from CreativeMornings/Vancouver came to the event that night too—both volunteers and regulars alike. Mark Busse, the chapter lead and host, even hosted it in his apartment’s amenities room. When it comes to event hosting, I can often get lost in the hustle and bustle and forget to take pauses; My first priority is always everyone else’s experience. I was very grateful for the way Christine’s energy reminded me to be present and in the moment. Her gentle way of slowing me down and savouring an experience is always so welcome, whether in a writing context, a public speaking context, or even hosting a group of creative folks for a fun night of music. At that celebration, it was incredibly special to be able to share all the writing and illustration work I had done on my first book during my time in Christine’s workshop. It felt amazing to have that work shared publicly with her in attendance as her inclusive, engaging writing space was so conducive to the results.
9. These days, though I am no longer on the CreativeMornings/Vancouver team as I settle into my new roles in Maple Ridge, Christine and I are still very keen on sharing creative space. As I develop my Drawing Thanks Gratitude Workshops for my Maple Ridge Artist Residency, I am very excited to be inviting her into the action to co-facilitate and share an impactful experience together for the local community. It will be a very cherishable moment for me to witness the folks in Maple Ridge sharing in Christine’s welcoming and inclusive energy. I cannot wait to share with her the space that her kindness, empathy, and encouragement helped build.