About my path

a bit of back story

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"Look, I did it!"

 

My parents sure did peg me well when they finally chose a name for me sometime between 6 weeks & 3 months old (I'll save the full story for a blog post).  I was born in Washington, DC on a Thursday evening, and until I was four, raised literally above and in a legendary DC jazz bar called One Step Down. My first name means 'of art' in Latin. My middle name, Marie, has as one of its definitions 'rebellion'. And my given last name, Mooney, essentially means 'wealth' in Gaelic. Wealth of Artistic Rebellion. They nailed it.  

 

I have been into all of the arts for as long as I can remember.  I was raised by a single father who always supported my interests with enthusiasm, and even though we were scraping by, he would make it happen.  If I wanted dance lessons, or piano, vocals, special art workshops, to join a play, etc., he was in full support & facilitated in any way he could.  Much of who I am now has grown from that.

 

I grew up for the bulk of my childhood in Arlington County Schools in Northern Virginia (we moved there when I was 7), where the arts were highly valued, with comprehensive offerings.  I ate it up, making art, singing, playing music, joining school plays, trying different instruments, and after school, going to a local dance studio 3 to 5 days a week. This went on from 2nd grade through high school.    

 

So... we all have those moments we will remember forever, and that somehow shape who we are...  In my senior year, I was talking with one of my favorite teachers, my Musical Director/vocal coach, Mr. G.  He was helping me talk through a bit of an 'identity crisis,' so to speak, as everyone was going off to college, and I was trying to distill what I was going to focus on...

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I was trying to find my path, and he said...    

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"You know, Artis... Jack of all trades, Master of none."  

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Protest came forth

in some silent & wordless rebuttal

from the depths of my soul,

and a seed was planted

in my heart & mind.

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Something was stirred in me, and I knew that yes, I would indeed prove him wrong, and that I could do any & every thing I put my mind to...

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I loved all of the arts and knew I could not completely give any of them up, so I made it work for me!  They have served me well and influenced one another as I've moved between them with an ebb & flow, successfully mastering & building a career around whichever one(s) was/were my focus at the time...  and eventually incorporating the healing arts as well.  This is what gave birth to the idea of 'Boundless' for me a long time ago - the idea that I can do anything I want to do.

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And here I am....  

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So my "ta-da!" - my "Look, I did it!" is a nod to my sweet father, who transitioned out of this world this past fall - who is and always has been one of my best friends and biggest supporters; my Mama with whom I could speak the language of all things metaphysical spirituality and karma, quirky art, dream interpretation, and astrology; and my Vocal Director, teacher, and friend, Mr. Greennagle - who I adored for many reasons, in part for the ways like this in which he challenged me and my desire to 'do it all'.  They all impacted my life immeasurably as I struggled to understand who I was & what I was here for.

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