Exploration and Discovery

Roots

 Right now I feel very fortunate to have a network of Estonian friends and relatives with whom to speak and write emails in my Mother tongue. This is immensely beneficial for my upcoming trip to the “Estonian Artists in Exile” to which I have the honour of being invited. The exhibition opens in Tallinn, Eesti in September, travelling to Tartu in spring of 2011.

 Since my parents and most of their friends have passed away, it is not easy to find Estonian speaking people in the small Estonian community here in Vancouver. I find that my “kitchen” Estonian is unsophisticated in a more cultured environment.

 The Estonian language is quite poetic. The words can be juxtaposed in almost any order in a sentence and still come out meaning almost the same. 

I have an English version of visual poetry with paintings and letters on www.latatara.org , an online exhibition out of New York. The invitation came from a long time Estonian friend, Helgi Leesmet, who keeps me posted on art events from time to time. I’m also thankful to all the other Estonian connections in Vancouver, Toronto and Estonia for keeping me up to date on current cultural events.