Tag: David Pearl

Tel Avivid

Posted on by David Pearl

We started in Tel Aviv’s groovily grungy Carmel Market.  First, discovery?  Nine o’clock in the morning is an unusually early start for this laid back town.  But after half an hour of coffees and introductions, a band of artists, seekers, old friends, new acquaintances and even a surprise bystander – were off.   It’s hard to imagine a better town for Street Wisdom.  Strangers stop and talk to each other, often offering advice whether you ask for it or not.   Every road and alley seems to reveal another curiosity, character or riddle.  We ended up in the wonderfully funky Sonia cafe  hidden away in – I kid you not – Anonymous Alley.   Perfect end to a perfect Street Wisdom.  Here’s to many more!

 

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Covent Garden, 6th May, ‘Train or Try?’

Posted on by David Pearl

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How about both?

With hundreds of people wanting to either attend or lead events up and down the country, we came up with a day when people could do either – or both. 30 or so would-be Street Wizards gathered in the Covent Garden piazza – braving the horizontal rain – to learn about how to run a Street Wisdom by experiencing it, under the guidance of David Pearl, Chris Barez-Brown and the Upping Your Elvis gang.

But that wasn’t all.

After lunch 12 ‘newbies’ stayed on to lead their own Street Wisdoms with a new set of participants who arrived in the afternoon. From fledgling to facilitator in a few hours. Amazing. It’s a format we intend to run again. And not just in London.

We’re working to feed all the sparks of inspiration around the country. So do keep in contact.

David

Training the Street Wizards

‘Art Market’ with Jersey Arts Trust, May 2015

Posted on by David Pearl

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Jersey’s first Street Wisdom was also the first one we know of anywhere in the world where all the participants were artists thanks to the Jersey Arts Trust who hosted the event as part of the Skipton Arts Series

Most people associate Jersey with bankers and potatoes. But the arts are increasingly prominent. And the artists are clearly plucky, turning up to Street Wisdom despite threats of torrential rain. There were painters, ceramicists, designers, musicians – even a fire artist. The hub of the event was the beautiful, bustling and – thankfully covered – market. We did out tune-ups under the eyes of the increasingly curious stall holders. And the quests ended at the very welcoming CCA Galleries International surrounded by diamond-dusted prints by Damian Hurst. It was a great place to reflect on the day’s experiences and hear extraordinary stories like Susan’s here –

Susan

New Taste for Life

Susan is an artist who has just completed a bout of chemo therapy which has been medically successful but affected her taste an interest in food. So the impact of Street Wisdom took her by surprise.

I wandered into an Italian deli I used to love. Nothing particularly grabbed me until I looked up and saw all these parma hams hanging there. I was fascinated by these and I was thinking about some drawings I made of parma hams a few years back when suddenly the smell from the spice shop hits me. It was a smell like ayurvedic tea. Soothing. It made me feel ‘mmmm’. It drew me to the shop and I went in. I inhaled the coriander and cumin. Sprayed myself with some lavender. Then the owner and I started swapping favourite smells. She told me about Les Landes (on the North West Coast on the island) where she lived as a child and how much she loved Gorse. I said yellow is such a wonderful cheerful colour. She wasn’t trying to sell me anything, just enjoying the dialogue. At the end she said ‘please come back any time’. And I will. This experience has reawakened my taste buds and interest in cooking and food again.

Soho London April 23rd

Posted on by Gavin Presman

Saw things about this street (Greek St) that I hadn’t seen before. Opened up very quickly to the innate beauty that is always present but often hidden. Amazing to see myself and others “slow down” so quickly amongst the bustle of Soho and begin to tap into our own wisdom.

For me I was suprised that as soon as I started asking my question answers appeared from everywhere. Sometime quite directly (Be at One – Open Till 3AM) told me I need to make it easier for people to contact each other outside of normal hours, a beautifully crafted conductors baton opened up a meaningful analogy about conducting an orchestra and the art of direction.

I noticed things I hadn’t seen were here before, and that in itself told me that there was more to this street than often meets the eye. Open to that truth, I was quickly able to get answers to my questions. The process was not only eye opening, but satisfying and enjoyable.

Thank you David for opening me up to the Wisdom of the Street, I look forward to sharing this with others.

Gavin Presman    inspire-ing.co.uk

Gavin Presman

Piccadilly Circuitous…

Posted on by David Pearl

Bet you thought the statue in Piccadilly Circus was called Eros.  But you’d be wrong.

That’s just one of the many, many surprises uncovered when a group from the nearby St James’ Chuch set out for some serious wandering on their first Street Wisdom.   I understand most churches celebrate Lent in a traditional, rather sombre way.  But St James isn’t most churches.  And this is clear the moment you arrive to find the courtyard bustling with market traders, an espresso bar buzzing with customers and a pews dotted with snoozing rough sleepers comfortably catching up on missed sleep.  And Lucy Winkett, who organised the Street Wisdom, isn’t the normal vicar.   Her approach to Lent – and life – is anything but trad.  Which is how she and her colleagues came up with the idea of  “Loitering within Lent”, a series of experiences designed to make people reflect on life from different perspectives.   When she heard about Street Wisdom, she felt iy would fit in perfectly – and she was right.

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I didnt notice till half way through the Tune Your Senses phase, what the sign next to us was saying…

With someone ‘up there’ providing gorgeous pre-spring weather and a post-card perfect setting,  the event was a rich and rewarding experience not just for the participants but also for Jo and I.   We learned about how even an ugly strip of torn black plastic, or the scent of lavender or some gently moving planks of wood can spark off a revelatory insight.   We were touched the youthful appetite to learn within some more ‘senior citizens’ and by the age-old wisdom in some Generation Y-ers.  Our erudite participants introduced us to a great quote by Rilke and we heard the word ‘panoply’ used in ordinary conversation.   We met Joey the dog.  And learned the real name of that statue we thought we knew so well.     Turns out it’s not Eros but the Angel of Christian Charity.   Amazing what you learn when you really look!

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Judging by this plaque on St James’ back door,
we are not the first people to have had the idea that
wisdom is everywhere when you really look around you

If you took part and want to add your own comments, please do so below.   Thanks for inviting us!

Street Wisdøm!

Posted on by David Pearl

Friday dawned ominously cloudy and cold in Stockholm.  We thought we were in for Sleet Wisdom.  But by the time we gathered at the ultra hip Urban Deli at 1330 the sun was pushing through the clouds and as we started the Tune Up, church bells (synchronistically) started ringing.

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It was a wonderful way to kick off the city’s first (but surely not last) Street Wisdom.   People were asking questions about personal life, career, new work directions, next steps.   And answers – as ever – were in rich supply.  Two participants even bumped into Sweden’s leading actor.  So it was a celebrity event too!

If you were one of those taking part, please add your comments below.   Tack!

I have pretzels and box wine. Take me to your artistic leader.

 

Messages from aliens spotted on by Thomas:   I have pretzels and box wine. Take me to your artistic leader.

Turkish Delights Jan15

Posted on by David Pearl

When most of us hear the name Gezi Park we think back to the Occupy-style protests of 2013 when Istanbul’s citizens took to the streets to defend threatened aspects of their life – including freedom of the press, secularism and the green spaces of the park itself.

On Thursday tear gas had given way to tourists but quality of life was still the theme when Istanbul’s first ever Street Wisdom took to the streets. It was a bright but chilly afternoon when Fulya and her friends (therapists and coaches) experienced their first street wisdom starting in the square and then exploring up and down Istanbul’s bustling shopping artery – the aptly named Independence Street.

They each knew the street well. Or thought they did. Until Street Wisdom turned it into a learning zone full of perspectives, answers and delights.

Windy City Wisdom

Posted on by David Pearl

What is the future of the workplace? What does it need to be? Does work even have a future?

These are the sort of questions The Workplace Conversation #TWPC is asking and on 21st November they mounted a Street Wisdom in Chicago to get fresh inspiration.

It was the first SW in the city, And the first ever Street Wisdom, as far as we know, to be held INSIDE. It was freezing in the city, so we took to the Merchandise Mart, a vast 1930’s industrial temple that was, when it opened the largest building in the world.

Today it’s a fascinating warren of art deco interior streets, home to – among thousands of other companies – Google, Motorola, Discover and the bustling digital start up hub 1871.

It turned out to be the perfect environment to hold a Street Wisdom. And this kicked off a really inspiring conversation about the road ahead for our workplaces and the work we do in them.