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<\/a>The premise of the Alchemy of Chance is quite unique. Six different kinds of artists will each be paired with a creative professional and then have only two short weeks to create a 10-minute performance. With possible combinations, such as a chef and a puppeteer, a carpenter and a dancer, or a musician and a chemist, there\u2019s no telling what the outcome will be.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal is to stretch the artist by pairing them up with someone who has a different set of skills and completely different practices than them,\u201d says McMurray-Ives, \u201cas well as to stretch the creative professionals by bringing their skills onto a stage, making it a performance, and kind of going beyond what their comfort zone might be. We\u2019re really trying to break down the word \u2018artist\u2019 and the idea of performance so that it belongs to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hairdresser Jen Li says that although she\u2019s participated on stage in hair shows before, this will be a completely new experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s unique because though I don\u2019t really know what to expect, that\u2019s also why I\u2019m excited,\u201d says Li. \u201cI\u2019m excited about just challenging myself artistically. Doing hair, you can be an artist with it, but at the same time usually you have to keep in mind that it\u2019s somebody\u2019s head of hair you\u2019re doing, and I think it\u2019s going to be so creative and so different, and I\u2019m just excited to be on stage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though Li admits that she\u2019s a bit nervous, she has thrown herself wholeheartedly into the project and says it\u2019s a great opportunity to create something special.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole purpose behind it is connecting artists and creative professionals, and bridging that gap. We just have to have fun with it and be open,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m just going to go with the flow. I\u2019m just going to wing it, and I think it\u2019s all going to depend on my partner\u2019s personality and what our chemistry creates.\u201d<\/p>\n
This experience will be unique to both halves of the partnership and organizers and participants are interested to see how the two different types of people work together.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s easier for me being an artist than it is from the other side,\u201d says Tim Gosley, a local puppeteer who has appeared on television programs such as Sesame Street<\/i> and Fraggle Rock<\/i>. \u201cI have facilitated non-puppeteers creating giant puppets and that was interesting because the designs were a lot more original than if I was working with a professional designer. They weren\u2019t as professional looking, but since the people didn\u2019t have the same design vocabulary some totally original things were able to come out of it. So with these guys I\u2019m hoping they can guide the design process so some totally original things can happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is precisely the idea that the show was brought about to inspire. Each and every person, performer or professional, will contribute their own special brand of creativity.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe, and Ambiguous Arts believes, and our mandate is that everyone is an artist and creativity flows in the blood,\u201d says McMurray-Ives. \u201cIt belongs to every single person and I\u2019m so excited about the fact that there are 12 creative brains churning to create this piece, and I have no idea what\u2019s going to happen!\u201d<\/p>\n