A Visceral, Mystical Painting Experience to Share

Yesterday morning, I was working on the manuscript for my 2nd book in my Trilogy Writing Project called "A Work in Progress: The Life my Brother Saved" and the chapters that described the "Visceral, Mystical Painting Experience" aka "Vision" was in my cross-hairs. The writing projects back to the year 1992.

It is a very emotional chapter, as it describes the hands-on approach that my dearly departed blood-brother Douglas Severight took during the painting process. Not to give too much away, however it can be said that this was an experience like no other in my long painting career!

I felt the powerful energy that Douglas poured into the painting, as he hovered over my hand as I worked, imparting a current of energy into my brushes.

The end result looked like this:

After many joyous days of painting "under the influence" of Medicine Man Douglas Severight, we had created this!

The "Vision" painting went on to earn a fair bit of notoriety, as it was replicated to become a fund-raising mechanism for a "Community-Building" project. This project aimed to bring together the various cultural groups of the area (Eastern Saskatchewan in 1991) with an emphasis on sharing the wisdom of the 1st Nations Elders. By and large it was very successful, as you will read in my upcoming book "A Work in Progress: The Life my Brother Saved" , scheduled to be released in the spring/summer of 2017.


L-R: The late writer Joan Elyofson-Cadham, myself, CTV host Elizabeth Popowich, and Douglas Severight with the "Vision" painting shortly after its completion. (1991)

These images will appear inside the pages of Book 2, just wait and see.

About the author:

To read more about my writing and artwork, please visit www.mrgaudet.com You can purchase Book 1 of my trilogy writing project called "Dancing with Rejection: A Beginner's Guide to Immortality" at this link. Join the worldwide community who have read this book!

Nostalgic Painting (from "down on the farm")

Now, after the brief departure to SHARE some GOOD NEWS for PLANET EARTH, how about getting back to GaudetArt?

Here is a recent painting... created in 2017...that recreates a "nostalgic" image that hearkens back to circa 1950. My wife Sharon showed me this photo that pictures her nervously holding the family rooster, named "Chico", in her outstretched hand.

"Chico" was so heavy that Sharon's grandmother can be seen stage right...helping bear the weight.

"Chico" was too heavy for Sharon to hold up on her own, so her grandmother can be observed helping her. Or at least, her hand protrudes into the picture frame from the right.

I enjoyed painting this whimsical image, based on the vintage black and white photo furnished by Sharon. I think her mom gave this, among others, to her. Or possibly, Sharon raided the family photo album. I'll have to ask her about that.

About the Artist: 

Thrilled to finally hold the 1st Proof Copies of "Dancing comwith Rejection: A Beginner's Guide to Immortality" in my hands. Click on this link to purchase your copy today in your choice of 3 formats.

Brilliant Advances in the Pipeline Industry

Full disclosure: I do not have any financial interest in the Canadian Pipeline Industry but that may very well change after the discussion I had at a social gathering last night. 

Please SHARE 

this Good News for Planet Earth

A few years ago, I imagined a scenario where oil pipelines would have some sort of automatic shut-off valves in small increments (eg: every kilometer or so) along the line, so that in the event of a breach, any spill could be immediately contained within a restricted length. Sounds practical and safe(r), right?

I met a pipeline worker last night at a social event who put it to me like this: he works for Enbridge, which is a major supplier of pipelines. He informed me that they are the proprietary owners of a very innovative new technology that in essence, creates the safeguard described above.

For every kilometer of pipeline that they lay, a system of automatic valves are integrated into the system. Called "Emergency Flow Restrictor Device", or EFRD, the concept is elegant and ingenious. The EFRD is an information-sending apparatus that communicates in real time with an array of computer screens manned by a team of technicians. If there is ever the slightest increase or decrease in the PSI flow of material through the pipeline, (which might indicate a breach aka leak) the valves that were up to that point open to allow the flow of material SNAP SHUT on either end of the one KM length in which they are installed. This effectively isolates the breach from the rest of the line and dramatically minimizes the potential volume of unwanted discharge, thus mitigating environmental damages.





From what I understand, Enbridge has incorporated this technology, and in doing so, has "raised the bar" for the industry world-wide!

Considering the fact that the pipeline industry is currently valued at 17.5 BILLION dollars, in consideration of all the intensive labor and of course, the spin-off benefits to the Canadian economy, this technological breakthrough will no doubt be a powerful rationale to motivate expansion of the industry.

My discussion with the Enbridge professional engineer last night has utterly changed my mindset regarding the safety of the pipeline industry as it lays plans for expansion in the country that I love.

Now, seeing as how Prime Minister Trudeau has approved Trans Mountain and Line 3 pipelines, I, as a layman and Canadian citizen, feel it is absolutely incumbent upon the PMO to assure Canadians that a company like Enbridge has integrated EFRD technology into its mandate, along with other safety measures.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces his government is approving Kinder Morgan's proposal to triple the capacity of its Trans Mountain pipeline from Alberta to Burnaby, B.C. — a $6.8-billion project that has sparked protests by climate change activists. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

Please share this post with your fellow citizens, as I feel it will go a long way to alleviate some of the dire concerns regarding the safety of pipelines in Canada. After my discussion last night, many of my misgivings were addressed, and I can honestly say that I feel much better about the decisions made by our government to proceed with pipeline infrastructure.

About the author:

Michael R. Gaudet has published the 1st book of his memoirs called "Dancing with Rejection: A Beginner's Guide to Immortality" ( a trilogy writing project) and is now planning to release the 2nd book called
"A Work in Progress: The Life my Brother Saved" in the spring of '17.

Beyond Mural-Painting...the Art of Writing

 Even as a painter (of some repute in Canada) of monumental murals... the writing and publication of my first book was a daunting task...perhaps the most challenging project ever!

After a (wildly successful) kidney transplant that sustained me for over 34 years, I arrived full-circle back on dialysis in mid-May of 2014.

One of the 1st things I did after returning to dialysis was to purchase a laptop. I wanted to put my time to good use and this is what I have done. After a long simmering process of writing and thinking, I decided that there was much more urgency to finish and publish my book. After all, if I didn't do it, it would NEVER get done and that was simply not an option!

Within about one year my ambition was honored by the universe and I was treated to the thrill of holding the first "copy proofs" of (what we'll call) Book 1 in my hands. There are a lot of moving parts to a project of this magnitude so I am sure you can imagine what a huge rush it was to finally materialize such an ethereal pursuit! "Dancing with Rejection: A Beginner's Guide to Immortality" was squeezed out of the ether and into the material world.

Now, the 1st book of the trilogy is out and receiving VERY positive reviews from some highly respected sources. Check my website to see for yourself. Point your search engine here for that.

I wish I had boundless energy to convince you to pick up my book...to join the hundreds of readers who are part and parcel of a growing, vibrant world-wide community. Last week, for instance, readers from California, England, Nova Scotia, Ohio and Ottawa acquired a copy! 

Daniel Bushman of the Watrous Manitou Newspaper photographs the artist, standing with the official banner trumpeting www.mrgaudet.com.

Not to put too fine a point on it...however it must be said that certain acts of creativity can be achieved through the "art of writing" that are pretty impossible in any other medium. Even as an accomplished visual artist (of some repute) I can say with all honesty that the nuances, color, contrast and vividness of "magical realism" in writing has the power to evoke subtle changes in the emotional make-up of the reader. I'd even go so far as to suggest, when done extremely well, the impact can be PROFOUND!

Here, I am going to share a link with you...the 1st 90 pages of "Dancing..." This will carry you right into the thick of the story, so hang on for the ride!

Sasktel MaxTV Film on Dialysis, Murals and Memoir

Sasktel Max TV mandates a steady stream of locally-produced short films that feature various characters from all walks of life including, of course, artists and authors. Last month the film crew from Bamboo Shoots created a ten-minute short film that features yours truly.

It was a really interesting experience to work with the professional producer and videographer from Saskatoon-based firm Bamboo Shoots. They were very open to my suggestions about locations and even themes throughout the process. Once I had a chance to think about, I suggested three ideas: 1)  we shoot some footage at my studio, while flipping through a broad selection of some of my favorite easel paintings, 2)  we conduct an interview and book reading from my dialysis unit in Saskatoon, and 3) we spend some quality time at Sacred Heart Chaldean Catholic Church (again in Saskatoon...how convenient!) to feature my most ambitious mural EVER.

I am very grateful to the folks at Bamboo Shoots who were so diligent in their unflagging pursuit of the truth, no matter how challenging and difficult it must have been to unwrap. It could not have been easy for them to witness the trial of dialysis. I've heard it described by the uninitiated as "gory", but let me assure you as a person whose life depends on this thrice-weekly blood-cleaning therapy, that it is my reality.

Gory or not, is for you to decide, dear reader. Let me remind you that millions of people worldwide are sustained by some form of dialysis on a daily basis as they await the "Gift of Life", aka a living or deceased kidney donor. That is, the vast majority of dialysis patients are anxiously awaiting their chance of a better, healthier life with a kidney transplant. In some cases though, this modern technological marvel fails to manifest in a timely fashion for whatever reason and the potential recipient, being sustained (sometimes precariously) on dialysis succumbs to the ravages of kidney failure.

There are certainly no solid guarantees for any of us on the quest for the "Gift of Life". All we can all hope and pray for is a  kidney transplant, executed expeditiously, or else we must languish on the dialysis unit. While this is often a viable option and a way to hopefully buy time, it must be said that a dialysis-dependent life is no fucking picnic.

It was with all of this in mind that I set out to create this Sasktel MaxTV short film. You might say I have a certain sense of dire urgency with this project and life in general. When I read the grim statistics about how many dialysis warriors perish (for whatever reason) while awaiting the intervention of a kidney transplant. 

You may recall that I received a kidney transplant on October 17th, 1979, thanks to the courageous and loving sacrifice of my brother Steven, who donated one of his kidneys to save my life as a 20-year old. His gift allowed me to thrive and prosper for over 34 years. In mid-May of 2014 I was obliged to return once again to the life of a dialysis patient.

So now, everything comes around full-circle, as I stare down the reality of kidney failure. I have to shore up my courage and determination to carry on with a smile and a twinkle in my eye as I once again embark on that quest for the "Gift of Life". A huge part of this "cup half-full" attitude derives from the fact that Book 1 of the "Dancing..." trilogy is about to be launched in the next short while. This writing project has sustained me over the past several years, I think because I am gambling that it will ultimately ensure some small measure of "immortality". After my early brush with death, the idea of immortality coupled in a slow dance with obscurity has haunted my thoughts.

Bamboo Shoots Timeline Screen Shot

The producer of Bamboo Shoots Inc. provided me with a Premiere Pro Time-line Screen Shot for social media, predating next week's release as a sneak preview.

Time-Line of Bamboo Shoots Inc.'s Sasktel Max TV film.

The whole point of this exercise is to shine a light on the everyday people of Saskatchewan for the world to see. Bamboo Shoots In. is a socially savvy firm, that routinely shares its television content with the online community. Readers of this blog will recollect that this is is a film that hops in time and space; capturing the image-rich painter's studio, the poignant setting of the dialysis unit and the "magnificent", soaring mural -a feminist manifesto as it turns out- at Sacred Heart Church in Saskatoon.

I'm especially looking forward to watching the "live" chapter reading from Book 1 of "Dancing with Rejection: A Beginner's Guide to Immortality". It will be very interesting to see how the editors deal with that scene, considering I read two chapters: a very gritty one and another that erupts in a bloody mess.

Filming at Sacred Heart Church

This morning, as promised, the producer and cameraman from Bamboo Shoots Inc. met me at the site of my most ambitious mural to date: the massive "March of Trinity" at Sacred Heart Chaldean Catholic Church in Saskatoon. This mural soars almost 50 feet up into the rarefied atmosphere of the church sanctuary. The prominence of this mural, as the center-piece of  the Sacred Space in this instance, is a far cry from the humble beginnings of my "Trinity" design of 1981.

Firing up my original vision of the "Trinity" at age 21, in the Parish Hall of St. Mary's Basilica in Halifax, 1981. While I was committed to my vision of "three interlocking triangles", the project was relegated to an inferior wall at the time.

Even though my original vision of the "Trinity" was relegated to an inferior setting...on the wall of the Parish Hall rather than in the sanctuary, I was determined that someday this concept would be met with a more favorable reception. I hoped that if I played my cards right, that eventually the "stars would align" to catapult me and my artistic vision to a more exalted space.

The mural "March of Trinity" looms large upon entering Sacred Heart Church.

 While it took a full thirty years for this cherished dream of mine to finally manifest, it was well worth the wait. In all of the intervening passage of time between 1981 and 2011, I honed my mural-painting skills on over 60 large works across Canada. I was ready, willing and able by this time to tackle the prominent mural at Sacred Heart.

Bamboo Shoots producer/editor Amanda and cameraman Brandon getting set up to start filming.

I was only too happy to greet Amanda and Brandon this morning at the main entrance of the church. It is always interesting to watch the reactions of people when they see this piece "live" for the first time. No question, it is a very impressive, monumental work of art. While it faithfully echoes the religiosity of my patron Father Sabah's vision, it also offered me a tremendous opportunity to highlight some of my personal beliefs. Considering the scale and impetus of the piece, I felt obligated to be faithful to my own spirituality in emphasizing the power of the Sacred Feminine, on equal footing with the Sacred Masculine.

Brandon asked me to say a few words while he was filming, so I had to be very selective.

I thought very carefully about the message I wanted to portray in my brief spoken contribution to the filming at Sacred Heart. I decided to emphasize the fact that Chaldean Catholic clergy are permitted to marry and also, that Father Sabah and I originally wished to celebrate the male and female aspects of "God/dess" by showing the "Hands of God" as a male and female hand together. This concept was illustrated in the "mock-up", forwarded via the Archbishop of Saskatoon to the Vatican for approval. This was not to be! The Vatican officials responded by saying that this idea was "heretical" and insisted that we show the "Hands of God" as both male.