S.A.R.K

SARK Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy, says that she 'visits the Soul Food Cafe to revel in language, soak in creative experiments, and marvel at the depth that is there.'

Such praise from the creator of Planet Sark is like music to the ears. Personally I love Sark's Studio but I confess I like to call in and ask Jupiter (Sark's cat) for some advice about how to spend my day.

"I’ve made a lot of my creative dreams REAL" writes Sark. "Publishing 12 books, creating hundreds of products, and owning a company, are a few of these dreams. I’ve learned a lot about struggle and success, and what it takes to turn dreams from a tiny idea into a big, blooming REAL thing. By real, I mean the “real stuff” of life – the changes, disappointments and distractions. I continue to procrastinate, avoid, and allow perfectionism to sometimes slow me down or stop me – but not for too long! I wrote this book as a friendly guide for this process of creative dream-making. This book will assist you if you’re sailing along with your dreams, stuck, quitting, failing or feeling jealous of someone else’s dreams."

Years ago a friend introduced me to the work of SARK when she gave me one of Susan's early books as a present. I was enchanted by this woman who so clearly lived outside the square and encouraged women all over the world to be wild and succulent.

So when Ann Rubin, Susan's business assistant, wrote to tell me that Planet Sark was featuring the Soul Food Cafe I was more than a little stunned. It was one thing for me to admire SARK's work but quite another for Susan to be telling the world that she 'visits the Soul Food Cafe to revel in language, soak in creative experiments, and marvel at the depth that is there.'

Emboldened with courage I wrote back to Ann asking if Susan would do an interview for The Soul Food Cafe.

You could have knocked me over with a gum leaf when the email came back telling me that "SARK would be delighted have an interview with you. We extend our appreciation for your lovely invitation."

Suddenly it was all back to me and I had to compose questions that would challenge SARK. I was more than a little aware that this creative individual has a deep well from which to draw and I wanted to plunder the depths.

I need not have worried for words circled around me, clambering to be heard and lined themselves up on the page like swans in formation. I ran them by people at Soul Food, copied them into an email, added the subject line 'Tapping on Your Chamber Door' and sent them off to Susan.

Susan replied saying that she could not resist a subject line like this.

"Scrumptious questions" she wrote "- i LOVE them! i'll be back later in the month...where are you in australia? i toured in 99,(i think that was the year) sydney, melbourne, adelaide and perth, and absolutely adored your country. would love to come back"

'Scrumptious is good' I told her, relieved that I had indeed provided a challenge.

Perhaps it was the word numinous that captured Sark's imagination. Maybe it was the concept of 'working outside the square' that sowed the seed for her? I like to think so! Maybe it was when I let her know that the site could support substantial images! Whatever, I never expected Susan's responses to come back to me in the form of numinous, luminous pages. I was beyond overjoyed.

Personally this has been one of the most exciting interviews that I have ever conducted.

It has been exciting because Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy exudes warmth and is the numinous, luminous, figure we have come to love.

Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy really is a wild and succulent artist who has won my unreserved respect and admiration.

To read this interview check the questions in the side bar and then read the pages. There are clear strokes separating the questions.

Now Susan! Precisely what do you mean by saying that if you were to invite someone dangerous for tea it would Heather Blakey? Was it one of my questions that revealed my identity? Did you sense that Raven had a hand in the questions you were presented with? Winnie seems to remember that they had live people like Gary Larsen, Tom Stoppard, Dr. Seuss, George Carlin on their list, along with a few dead ones led by Willy Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde.

After much thought I have decided that after I have been to tea with you I will invite Leonardo da Vinci, Joan of Arc and Sean Connery. I never could resist a renaissance man, a spy like James Bond or women in shining armor.

Your armor is shimmering very brightly here at Soul Food Susan. Thank you!

Heather Blakey
Webmaster
Soul Food Cafe