Molly Childers : Creative Careers : SARK (Susan Kennedy) Interview

Creating a Fun, Fabulous Career in the Arts

An Interview with SARK

By Molly Anderson-Childers

Greetings, fabulous readers and fellow creative souls! I’ve long anticipated the day I would finally speak to a woman who has inspired me for years with her words and artwork. The Goddess of Glitter, The Princess of Procrastination — the woman who taught us to eat mangoes naked and explore our darkest places with a flashlight — Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy, better known as SARK to her millions of devoted fans worldwide (www.planetsark.com). As I write this, I’m so excited I’m practically hyperventilating. Time to calm down, take a deep breath, and dive deep into the world of SARK! Susan, thanks for joining us today.

Molly: I’ve been so excited about this, I’m practically hyperventilating.

SARK: Let’s talk about some of the things you’ve been thinking about the interview.

M: Just… why would you want to talk to me? (Laughing) Is that pathetic?

SARK: (Laughing wildly — she has a great laugh!)

M: And more than that — it’s somewhat like interviewing Superwoman. I really feel like you’ve pulled me out of some dark places and saved me a few times with the words and your artwork, and I really appreciate the chance to talk to you like a live person, not just someone in a book.

SARK: Yes. First, I want to honor and acknowledge you for what you said because it was brave and good, and you’re speaking for all of us, and everyone who’s ever felt that way. You know, we all have our version of that, and we all somehow think we’re the only one, but we’re not.

M: So you get nervous, too? Even after all this time?

SARK: Oh my God yes! Oh, yes!

M: Even after all the fabulous fans, and the events all over the place, you still get stage-fright?

SARK: I get so shy I’m struck speechless with shyness, sometimes. I get into places like that. I just spoke to one of my heroes today, and while I was talking, I thought, “I can’t believe she’s even taking my call!”

M: Yes, that’s how I feel. (We’re both laughing now) So you can relate.

SARK: The thing we forget in those exchanges is that everything is always transpersonal. Already, during this call, you have nourished my spirit.

M: That’s amazing.

SARK: If you didn’t request this time to talk together, you would have denied me your energy. Isn’t that a good thing to remember?

M: It is.

SARK: We always do these projections. Obviously, Superwoman is a projection, but we all do them. And we really think they’re real. It’s so funny, and it’s so good to talk about it.

M: It brings it out in the open. Makes it less scary, I think. Which is actually something I learned from you — all the dark explorations with a flashlight.

SARK: Yes, yes. I love how many times people talk to me about that, and how well it works. It’s true. We all know we need to go into the dark places, and it’s so much more cheerful and doable if we have a little bit of light in there.

M: Definitely. I think that mostly, we’re not taught that. Put it away, shut the door on it, lock it up in a little box, and it’ll go away.

SARK: I grew up in a family where, if you had a feeling — first of all, nobody could have more than one feeling, and if you had one, you’d better go to your room and be there with it. You couldn’t display it.

M: Go cry by yourself.

SARK: Right, go cry by yourself and come out when you’re ready to be civilized, or something.

M: As if it’s uncivilized to feel.

SARK: I still have it. We’re all such marvelous, darling, splendid imperfections filled with everything.

Continue to SARK interview page 2 »

© 2008 Molly J. Anderson-Childers

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About the Author | More by Molly Anderson-Childers
Molly J. Anderson-Childers is a wildly creative soul living in Durango, CO. She is a writer, artist, and creative arts instructor. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Fort Lewis College with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, and successfully completed their Elementary Teacher Education Program. Her work has appeared in various publications, including The Durango Telegraph, Southwest Colorado Arts Perspective, Images, Voice Be Heard, The Four Corners Business Journal and On the Wings of Poetry. To contact Ms. Childers, please email her at: stealingplums@yahoo.com or send a snail mail to P.O. Box 4281, Durango, CO 81302-4281.

03/06/08