Creatively Independent

THIS INTERACTIVE MANIFESTO IS A CALL TO ACTION: to creatively sculpt the world around us through play, community and awareness; to stop giving weight to life-limiting fears that keep us from taking life-enriching risks; and to start embracing that which makes each of us unique and invaluable. At any stage in your life or creative process, Creatively Independent will help you invigorate your art - - the art of being you.

THIS INTERACTIVE MANIFESTO IS A CALL TO ACTION: to creatively sculpt the world around us through play, community and awareness; to stop giving weight to life-limiting fears that keep us from taking life-enriching risks; and to start embracing that which makes each of us unique and invaluable. At any stage in your life or creative process, Creatively Independent will help you invigorate your art - - the art of being you. Take hold of your art and life with the Rhythms of this Revolution: Vulnerability, Ownership, Divergent Thinking, Collaborative Leadership, As One, Failing Gloriously, High-Stakes, Risk-Taking, Intention and Connection. Learn how to not only actively form your ensemble but how to encourage trust, creative intimacy and honesty. Most claim it takes years to bond a group but our revolutionary arts education company has proven otherwise. Explore for yourself how to spark the individual inside a dynamic ensemble and live a Creatively Independent life! Creatively Independent is a playful and provoking workshop in book form, with exercises and creative prompts to help strengthen your ability to expand your life and art with the support of your ensemble. Grab hold of this unique process of art, self-actualization and community building. Perfect for an ensemble (business, art, school, community, family, friends).

Jess Pillmore is a revolutionary arts educator, co-founder of arts education company Creatively Independent, national director/choreographer, recording singer/songwriter and published writer. She has spent the past fifteen years exploring the common threads within the performing arts that link humanity together. Those fundamental threads make it possible for her company to teach and create with artists of all ages and skill levels since 2001. Jess’s artistic explorations include three nationally released folk rock albums (I Am Because We Are, Reveal, and Slightly Skewed), a short collaborative film with HitRECord screened at Sundance Festival 2012, an upcycled knitwear line, A Second Chance , featured in two national magazines and an upcoming book on ensemble driven Shakespeare for arts education. As a life-long student, Jess has had the honor of training with cutting edge artists in their fields: Seth Godin, Kathleen Marshall, Susan Schulman, Gregory Hines, k. Jenny Jones, Kira Obolensky and Devora Neumark. She's earned degrees from Goddard College (MFA Interdisciplinary Arts) and Florida State University (BA Theatre). As Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director, Jess has helped Creatively Independent touring 250+ days/year reaching over 3,000 students/year of all levels. Combined, the Co‐Artistic Directors, Chris Beaulieu and Jess Pillmore, have directed/choreographed 60+ shows (Off‐Broadway, Fringe, International, Regional & Educational). We have presented at multiple national/international festivals and companies: Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (SE Region), Performing the World (NYC), Int’l Schools Theatre Assoc., Williamstown Theatre Festival's Greylock Project, Circus Smirkus and Dell' Arte International Co. CI's Artistic Directors have trained and worked with Dell' Arte, Shakespeare & Co., Tony Award winning artists (Ann Reinking, Susan Schulman and Kathleen Marshall), and the Society of American Fight Directors. Jess received Best Female Combatant and Best Unarmed at the National Workshop and Chris received the high honor of the Paddy Crean Award. Our at‐risk community work, Living Inside/Art in Jail, was recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts. CI focuses on new works including folk rock musical, “It’s All Right Now”, Commedia piece,“The Greatest Story Never Told” and “Self-Observation” a performative lecture on presence and awareness. In 2011, CI created an artist retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. This retreat offers summer intensives in creativity, teacher-training on expanding progressive education utilizing the arts. There are facilities for ensembles to rent in which to create in the beauty and quiet of SW Virginia. In the midst of all this, the best part is Jess gets to live her creatively independent life with her husband and partner, Chris, her son, Griffin, and her ensemble of inspiring, cutting-edge individuals she has the honor of calling friends.