Kimberly Bourgeois - Blog: Spray-Paint Impressions

NOVEMBER IS KNOWABLE

If there were no darkness, how would we see the stars? Would we enjoy the morning light if we never kissed the night?

November is Knowable invites you to embrace the deeply intuitive and transformative feminine energies that dwell in the darkness.

Lean into the dark and notice how quickly your eyes adjust to the stark beauty of November.

(Poetry transcript below video)

NOVEMBER IS KNOWABLE

Only by getting naked is November knowable.

As the trees shed the last of their leaves, and daylight hours die, you inch your way towards the darkest night of the year. The clock strikes NOW, and Nature hisses: it’s time to free yourself of familiarity, brave the cave.

Enveloped in the shadows of your subconscious, poisonous posers dance alongside allied balladeers. If life is a show, these are your key players. The producers want to sign off on the score. Your part: already written, unless you re-listen—in the dark.

In the waking world, betrayal won’t return your gaze. It’s all yang in this dazzling daytime rush to crush goals and subdue the much maligned yin. Fear wears fancy cocktails, charms you into taking one more sugary sip. Your vision impaired, you let a thief drive you home.

Yet, in the dream time, Fear won’t fly, his fancy footwear clipped of wingtips. Here, your view is Völva-vivid, sparked in the divine dark with wet wands of lightning. Your foremothers sing through the veil and hand you the seeress staff. Now you can look a lie straight in the eyes and laugh. There is no lack.

Your future, a bejewelled, blood-red refrain coursing through your veins, is open to interpretation.

WHICH SONG WILL YOU SING TONIGHT?

Eight billion of us on Earth, and no two have the same voice. Similar maybe, but not the same. Picture it: your voice a vibrating thread of light in our vastly interdependent web of life. Impossible to emit (or omit) a note without affecting our collective kaleidoscope of sound. Which song will you sing tonight?

MAMA MOUNTAIN

Mama Mountain
Mama Mountain
I sure do love
How your treetops
Hug the sun
Oh yeah, you rock...

Song lyrics excerpt from “Mama Mountain” by Kimberly Bourgeois ©2021.

Photo: Tiohtià:ke/Montréal by Kimberly Bourgeois January 2022.

Hello Friends,

Living in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal, I’ve written a song to honour the magnificent mountain spirit that has nurtured me throughout the pandemic lockdowns. The last song to be recorded on my forthcoming EP, “Mama Mountain” will feature the talents of multi-instrumentalist Scott Diffee. Can’t wait to share it with you, so I look forward to getting back into the studio once restrictions lift!

Much magick in the meantime,

Kimberly

THE TRAVELLER'S SONG AND THE SHA-LA-LA OF LOVE

Photo by: Scott Diffee

Sick of the same-old, same-old? Has routine obscured the hidden alleys in your heart? Is your spirit longing for a breath of fresh air? Sometimes a change of scenery—or soundtrack—is just the ticket.

Where would you go if you had all the time in the world? Are there places you dream of exploring? They could be far away, but they could also be right within your own city or town. How about those neigbourhoods you blast past on your way to work, but never stop to check out? What if you left the car at home today and tried out a new bus route? How about getting out on foot, bike—or even skateboard?

What would happen if you turned off your GPS? True, you might get a little lost... But what if you met new friends in your muddle? Or bumped into old friends under a new light? Would they invite you to lunch? What would you wear to the party? Which songs would you play?

Maybe you don’t even need to leave home. Challenging the tired mental habits that mask life’s magic, The Traveller’s Song invites you on a journey of rediscovery—which sometimes just involves taking the time to better explore your indoors. This new track on my forthcoming EP is all about losing yourself in the music and trying on new dance moves for size. It’s about sitting on the opposite side of the table and colouring outside your comfort zone. And mostly, it’s about the SHA-LA-LA of love.

Click here to preview The Traveller's Song

If you’d like to join me on this journey, start packing your bags. The full version of The Traveller’s Song is coming soon in 2022. In the meantime, I wish you plenty of inspiration and joy over the holidays. It's time to dream up the new year!

Sha-la-la,

Kimberly

TRACK CREDITS:

Lead and backing Vocals: Kimberly Bourgeois

Acoustic Guitars: Scott Diffee and Kimberly Bourgeois

Bass, Keyboards, and Percussion: Scott Diffee

Recorded at Studio 509 Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Engineered, Mixed, and Mastered by Scott Diffee

MARILYN DOWN UNDER

What a trip to hear that my new single, “Marilyn,” is getting airplay in Sydney, Australia!

Like many, I’ve been sticking close to home for a while now, rarely travelling any farther than a bike can take me, yet, lately, I feel like I’m on the move thanks to the international release of my cover of “Marilyn.” The thoughtful lyrics of poet/singer-songwriter Bob Jensen, wrapped in the beautiful musical performances of multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer Réjean Arseneault, have given wings to my voice, allowing me to visit far-away lands, at least in my imagination...

Huge thanks to radio host Ray Hood for spinning "Marilyn" again this Friday, October 22, 2021.

Here’s where you can join Ray this Friday, from 9 to 11pm (Sydney time), for this week's edition of Music Inside Out on Northside Radio 99.3FM: Northside Radio 99.3 FM

P.S. There are many great ways to travel. Some of my personal favourites involve singing and listening to music, which help my spirit soar even when I’ve got both feet firmly planted on the ground. Stay tuned for “The Traveller’s Song” on my forthcoming EP.

About Kimberly Bourgeois

About Bob Jensen

About Ray Hood

Strawberry Storm

9 x 12 on watercolour paper: watercolour paint, coloured pencils, oil pastels, pencil.

My impulse, as an artist, when faced with fear, grief, or any of life’s “uglies,” is to dive into the discomfort headfirst. Only after I’ve spent some time digging in the dirt am I ready to start alchemizing garbage into gold. Whenever I’m tempted to skip the first part, petitioning beauty before bopping with the beast, something about the work rings false.

I made this painting on the eve of the Strawberry Moon, back in early June, when Montreal was cracking out of lockdown, streaked with uncertainty. My mood that day was as erratic and cutting as the zigzags that fired onto the page. Closing my eyes, I let inner vision take my hand and lead me in a stormy jig. (This eyes-closed technique is one I enjoyed exploring years ago while taking expressive art classes at the Saidye Bronfman Centre in Montreal.) Having been given permission to dance, my frustration surprised me with a curtsy and then swung around to open a window—and my eyes. That’s when buttery yellows, hints of mint, and cotton-candy pink crept in like playful pals, calling me home.

While the end product is quite concise (I wasn't tempted to crowd it with details), something about this piece feels honest to me. I’ve framed it and hung it on my wall as a reminder. Whether I’m splashing around with colour, or writing a song, poem, or article, this painting prompts: “Don’t skip the first part. Work from the inside out. Those first lines, even when fitful, are the lightning in your bones. Let your skeleton sing!”

The Curves of Colour

Painting my way through the pandemic.

I return to abstraction when the mind needs a rest, when the day offers no reasonable reassurances. Releasing the reins, I follow the curves of colour, letting tones take the lead. It’s a relief to be taken somewhere, beyond the lasso of fear.

9 x12 on watercolour paper: watercolour paint, coloured pencils, oil pastels, pencil.