Book #67

Tim to Barbara Beckmann (who has a wonderful art gift project of her own in Switzerland), writes us:

Hello Tim, Hi Garret,

Tim gave me the book to read it and to pass it on. Although I heard
before some of the stories: I loved it. It’s for laughing and thinking,
for wondering and being touched. Thank you Garret and Tim for it.
I carried the book for some weeks in my bag and could not give it away.
I now see how difficult this must have been for Garret. Then I got an
invitation of a friend, Sabine Ziegler, to her 50th birthday-party. The
title was “I will be shaked”. She did not want to have any birthday
presents except: a) something what is shaking her or b) a  spoonerism.
We had a lovely party in a little hotel high in the mountain. Most of
her friends really did create a spoonerism. I failed in that ( my poetry
was far away from a spoonerism) but my present for her was the Random
Gifts of Art book. Because it’s a gift to read it but not a gift to
keep. Because she is a lovely woman interested in sustainability (that’s
where we met) and art (that’s what we joined in the “traveling picture
exhibition”). At her party I told the audience of the Random Gifts of
Art project while giving her the book. She was very touched. And we had
an lively and interesting discussion with some of the guests about the
project later.”

After this I had some long rides on the train and had some nice contacts
with people. It was a pitty I gave the book away before! There would
have been one or two opportunities! So I realized it’s easier to do
something unespected if you are quit sure you do not see the person
again anymore. But with people I see everyday in the tram it is much
harder. Why is it so difficult to make a statement? Why do I care so
much what they are thinking of me? How they see me?

You see you took me to some intersting thoughts and it did change my
point of view a bit. I hope Sabine will do it better then me and give
the book to some random stranger.

All the best.
Barbara

Sabine Ziegler writes:

Nov. 23, 2015   As you were able to read from Barbara I was given the book Random Gifts of Art while celebrating my 50th birthday high up in the Alps. The party was very moving as I am an ex-pat kid and suddenly I was able to connect with people I haven’t seen for 20 – 30 year even 43 years. What was so special weren’t the gifts, as I wanted my friends to donate for the Syrian refugees, but the gifts I received by poems some stand up some well reflected, but all coming from the heart.

I regularly go to arts school in Zurich and am planning a ceramics show in early summer 2015. In conjunction with the great arts professor Ursula Guhl’s retirement. While sitting together with my fellow artists I had the urge of giving another expat – a South African design and stlying lady your book. I know she now is in the middle of a personal transformation. She is pretty hesitant to her personal artistic future and sometimes a nudge from outside can help. She was very pleased about the book. Last week I met her again and she told me she will go for a collective project on “your personal shadow“. She needs to hand in by 1.12. so wish her all the best.

I am sure your book gave her some courage as well. We are all on our personal trip. Spontaneous support can help a lot.

Thank you so much for your book initiative!