Ellipses Thinking...

53. Dan Riskin - Always Curious

Whether wearing the hat of scientist, educator, journalist, speaker ... or even entertainer, Dan Riskin has always been committed to bringing science and the natural world to life for others and doing so by bringing his wide-open curiosity to the game.  Dan's desire to help people tap into the fact that science is fun and surprising and hilarious and exciting, has helped him to build a multifaceted career whether as a leading expert on all things related to bats, a host of award-winning science-based television programs including the long running Daily Planet on Discovery and Monsters Inside Me on Animal Planet as well as being one of late-night talk show host Craig Fergusen's favorite repeat guests.   And yet, when we were crossed paths recently, and discussed a possible conversation, it was Dan's youth filled adventures in the creative and playful world of theatre that he hoped to revisit being curious about how they had contributed to his life in science.   

52. Anne Wheeler - Just Keep Growing

  While acknowledging that part of being in a stage of life where she is both conscious and intentional about sharing her wisdom, Canadian film icon, Anne Wheeler, joyfully continues to learn every day and in every way; the belief that we keep going when we keep growing. Anne's storytelling palette rich in historical narratives has always been inspired by the lives of everyday people finding their way in life. Reflecting on a career that now reaches back 5 decades, Anne takes well-earned pride in having created strong films, with strong messages and strong points of view. In her early career, as a part of the Edmonton based film collective, FilmWest, she directed documentaries tackling issues of the environment, indigenous rights, women's rights and Western politics. Later on with the more expansive frame a feature provided, she courageously brought the pain and intimacy of the trauma experienced through the horrors of war, sexual abuse or racism to light in her award-winning and deeply empathetic features, Loyalties and POW.  Her reputation as a powerhouse Canadian film artist was further cemented with the release of Bye, Bye Blues, an appealing musical drama inspired by her mother's experience as a musician in a small dance band during WWII.  She has continued to write and direct both film and TV and in 2020 published Taken By The Muse, a delightful collection of stories of her path to becoming a filmmaker. Along with the Order of Canada, Anne is the recipient of 7 honorary doctorates and every time she steps up to address a group of young students she does so in the hope that they will allow themselves to, in her words, "go out and get lost" in the next chapter of their learning and growing. 

51. Hannah Beach - Play is Where We Discover Ourselves

In her daily life and professional path, Hannah Beach has always been drawn towards the bubble of play. She is deeply committed to the idea that "play is where we discover ourselves".   Travelling the country, as educator, author, emotional health consultant or keynote speaker, Hannah channels her heart's wisdom to share the power of relationship and play in children of all ages. Her best-selling book Reclaiming Our Students: Why Children Are More Anxious, Aggressive, and Shut-Down than Ever—and What We Can Do About It, co-authored with Tamara Neufeld Strijack, has been adopted by school boards across Canada.  Hannah was recognized by the Canadian Human Rights Commission in 2017 as one of five featured changemakers in Canada. Her bestselling I Can Dance book series, supporting the emotional health of children through movement, play, and expression, won a 2017 Gold International Moonbeam Children's Book Award.  

50. Cosette Justo-Valdéz - To Inspire

Whether from the podium surrounded by the swell of musical notes brought to life by an ensemble of artists in front of her or in the rehearsal hall exploring and honing possibilities fully alongside an ensemble of musicians or kneeling in conversation with a young audience member who sees in her, the possibility of a future as a musician, even a conductor, Cosette Justo-Valdéz inspires. My recent conversation with her was nothing short of joy, because joy is the language Cosette speaks; and perhaps it is through joy that she inspires most powerfully.  Born and raised in Cuba, the daughter of amateur musicians, Maestra Valdéz has been surrounded by music all her life. After witnessing a symphony orchestra for the first time at the age of 18, she knew immediately that she was born to conduct. She picked up the baton as a student in 2003 and her journey began, eventually leading her away from her homeland to pursue a Master's degree in Mannheim, Germany.  From there, a career has opened doors for her to lead and inspire orchestras across the globe. She currently serves as the Resident Conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Artistic Director of the Vancouver Island Symphony in Nanaimo, where I was fortunate to have her join me in conversation.  

49. Rachelle Krieger - A Child's Sense of Wonder

Joyful, curious and optimistic by nature? Absolutely! New York based artist Rachelle Krieger firmly believes that there is something to learn in all situations and through her bold and vibrant, colour-filled and playful visual art she expresses her ever present wonder with the world unfurling all around us.   Her work recently exhibited in a collection described by curator Charles A. Ridley II as "devoted to the theme of making the invisible energy of nature visible", was in Krieger's words, a "form of meditation". Whether capturing singular moments of life in her plein art studies, inviting her wildly imaginative night dreams to splash magically across a canvas, or reflecting biodiversity and vitality through capturing natural elements in various stages of life in her newest medium of ceramics, one thing is undeniable.  Rachelle Krieger's art is boundless!   Please visit rachellekrieger.com