AN INVITATION TO THE AZORES 2005       by Maria Miranda Lawrence           

One early morning I was woken up by a call from someone claiming to be from the Azores government, asking to confirm if I was the artist Maria Miranda Lawrence.  He went on the explain they would like to invite me to attend a conference in the Azores all expenses paid, and for now all they needed to know was how my name read on the passport. I didn't even have a chance to put on my glasses, and  felt a bit disoriented, could this be true, so random! I rummaged through my desk, and luckily my passport was there. He gave me the dates, and I explained I would be up north in Kitimat, at an opening of my first exhibition at the Kitimat Museum Art Gallery. The timing worked out perfectly, and I could fly directly from Kitimat, on route to the Azores.

The artist conference "Construir Cultura -Building Culture" held in S. Miguel, Azores on (July 6-11, 2005) brought several artists together from Brazil, the USA and Canada. There were poets, musicians, photographers and media and visual artists of Azorean descent.  I was greeted at the airport, and before I was allowed to settle in my hotel room, I was taken to an art shop for to pick out the oil paints, canvas I needed to work on. All I was expected to bring was my own brushes. My five day nonstop adventure was soon to begin!      

This event was hosted by the Azores "Comunidades" government.   We were offered a tour of the island, were musically entertained, viewed film, art exhibitions and museums - all in the company of several talented participants -which was truly an unforgettable experience!

The participating artists were asked to each contribute artworks to be published. My contribution was the painting of two Azorean girls in the window, entitled "Um barco na linha do teus olhos" The original painting is now property of the government department. In 2008 - A limited edition book of collected works was released in hardcover, including an original collaboration of music on a CD. The painting is included in the book in a section with write up about my artwork.                    

The week at "Construir Cultura - Building Culture" cultural inspired me to create a unique project and book publication of my own  " À JANELA - THE POETIC SOUL".  I wanted to expand on the theme of the window and began communicating with the poets and singers I admired. I was delighted when so many talented individuals were onboard with the idea of my wanting to paint images and correspond it with their poetry. I applied for a grant, outlining the whole project, with the names of the singers, musicians and writers that would be collaborating with.  The concept was awarded the top Azores government grant in 2011. My project included contributions of poetry and lyrics from celebrated writers and portraits of singers to illustrate the classical window theme. The Grant enabled my husband and I to travel and bring two crates of paintings with us to show the originals in Rosario, Lagoa for its first exhibition. Later I realized it had a profound personal meaning to me. It was the same place I took the photo of the two girls two years previously when I was also feeling emotional about not being able to return to the island for many years, and how I felt so connected to the island of my birth. When I looked at the image I had taken in my digital camera, I felt it was going to be a painting!  It was the following year that I received the government invitation and celebrated as an artist and this was the image I painted for them.