Living Appreciatively

Inquiries that Matter

Artists & Illustrators Wanted!

We need artists to help take our book to the next step. Is that you? Do you know that person? We are on a tight schedule and we have no budget to pay but we’ll make sure you’re given credit and you can use it in your portfolio.

Summary of book: 

This is a book that invites and encourages introspective and connective inquiry. It is part journal, part guestbook, part tool for social change.  It is a book of questions that someone would ask themselves or a friend when they wanted to go deeper -- into making a transition, into working on a relationship, into starting something new, into dealing with life's challenges. Some questions arise from curiosity, wanting to know someone better. Others are related to issues at the core of creation of a world that works for all.

Why Generative Questions?

Robert Bystrom wrote in his comment on the "Connectivity ramp, CI, and Jaron Lanier" blog entry.

A lot of research has been conducted recently that demonstrates that more progress is made by focusing on the future and creating options than on focusing on what needs to be fixed or is a problem. Fields of positive psychology, organizational development, neuroscience, and even medicine are all beginning to focus on what works and possibilities.

Appreciative Inquiry (AI):

The book is based on Appreciative Inquiry (or AI).  AI is an organizational development process or philosophy that is now being applied to relationships and was developed by David Cooperrider of Case Western Reserve University. Appreciative Inquiry is a particular way of asking questions and envisioning the future that fosters generative relationships and builds on the basic goodness in a person, a situation, or an organization. In so doing, it enhances a system's capacity for collaboration and change.

The basic idea is to do what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't. It is the opposite of problem solving. Instead of focusing your energy on fixing the 0.0001% that's wrong, AI focuses on how to create more of what's already working. The approach acknowledges the contribution of individuals, in order to increase trust and alignment. The method aims to create meaning by drawing from stories of concrete successes and lends itself to social activities.  AI has been used extensively to foster change in businesses (a variety of sectors), health care systems, social profit organizations, educational institutions, communities, local governments, and religious institutions. [Edited From Wikipedia]

Authors:

J. Kim Wright, J.D. is at work on creating a new paradigm of law that is based on peacemaking, problem-solving, and healing conflict.  A practicing lawyer, she is also a workshop leader, conference planner, coach, teacher, mother, step-mother, partner, speaker, writer, and social constructionist.  She lives in North Carolina.

Mary Sue Foster, M.Ed. is a founder of Imagine Dallas and consults with nonprofits in the areas of fundraising and board development. She has been conducting workshops, classes and in-service programs for individuals in corporations, non-profit organizations, government associations and professional groups for more than 20 years. She has designed and delivered programs in the areas of management and supervisory training, effective communication and leadership skills, career change and many aspects of Equal Employment Opportunity. Currently in Berkeley, California, she generally makes her home in Texas.

Deborah London Baker is President of London Baker Group a 20+ year-old coaching and consulting business in Tampa, Florida.  Her corporate clients include for-profit and not-for-profit organizations that are interested in creating results using the collective capacities of their people – intelligence, imagination and spirit. She is #1 of 76 million in the Elderboomer Project, devoted to creating communities that honor and empower all generations. She was co-founder of The Honoring Institute and Institute for World Courage.

Art Director:

Carol Hidinger has been an art teacher and designer for x# years. She lives in Texas.

Sample Questions:

     These are some examples of questions that will give you a flavor of the book. Does one question inspire you to create a two-dimensional piece of art? That may be your question. Let us know!

• Your destiny: What do you think you are in this world to do?
   

• What is the biggest talent you bring to the table – always?
   

• What is your spirit calling you to do next?
   

• What have you prepared your whole life so that you can do that next?
   

• Imagine you have been asked to be on Oprah (or you won the Nobel prize or were named as distinguished alumni) –
      -What did you do?
      -What are you being acknowledged for?
      -What do you say in your acceptance speech?
   

• If you were writing your own obituary, what do you want remembered?
   

• What are the greatest talents and gifts you bring to any situation?
   

• If I could give you a pill that would guarantee you success, what big thing would you think or dream if you knew you could not fail?
   

• What good deeds have you done?
   

• Tell about a nice thing someone has done for you.
   

• What made you made you smile today?
   

• Who do you know with a great smile?
   

• What is your proudest  accomplishment?

• One of the things people want the most is to be heard. What would you like to be heard about now?
   

• Six degrees of separation: How do you think we might be connected?
   

• I think there are no accidents – why do you think we’re sitting/standing next to each other?
  Let’s explore.
   

• What are the signs of hope on the planet?

•  If you didn’t have to earn a living, what would you do with your time?

• What is a non-profit that you support? What kind of work do they do? Why do you support them? How does their work contribute to you?

• What are you grateful for now?
   

• Where is a favorite place you’ve lived? How was it? What did you like about it?
   

• If you could be a mythical hero from legend, who would you choose?
   

• What if you could pass on 3 of your qualities to your descendants in perpetuity, what would you pick? why?
   

• If you were to draw images to represent your life, what would you draw?
   

• Make a list of what you think the necessary 10 things that any adult needs to learn as a youngster.
   

•  When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? What called to you about that?

• Tell about a tradition you have that brings your family together. What is it celebrating? When does it happen?

  • What kind of special occasions do you celebrate in your family?

  • What are the most important holidays in your family’s traditions?

  • What do you miss the most about your home culture? How many generations are you removed from the beginning of this practice?
     

• How do you see yourself as part of that human family?

• Tell a story about a stranger who appeared in your life at just the right moment. What happened? Have you “paid this forward” to someone else in need?

• (For someone who is moving): If there were some underlying reason for your move (a spiritual path, a higher power, a life purpose, destiny), what would that be? How could you see that expressed? How could you honor that?

• What's something you can remember being afraid of that now occurs to you as a great accomplishment?

• For older people: What was important to you when you were 20 that now seems insignificant? How have insignificant issues at 20 become more important?
   

• If you could write a letter to your parents thanking them for their contribution to your life today, what would you say? Which qualities would you want to make sure to include?

• For someone in conflict with another: “If there were a lesson in this situation, what would it be?”

Ways the Book Will be Used by Readers

Some of the questions in this book are designed to help you get to know yourself better. Some are designed to help you get to know others, to connect more deeply with them. Some of the questions for getting to know others will make good journal inquiries. Some of the more introspective questions can be shared and can deepen your connection with others. We're beginning to keep a list of ways that people might want to use the book. Here's a start:

• Open the book to any page or do it in the order we’ve presented it here.

• Write the questions on cards and pass them out as icebreakers in meetings.

• Write a question on each page of your guestbook and have your guests write about each one.

• Use the questions for activities such as family reunions.

• Some of the questions are good for starting conversations on airplanes and in long lines.
   

Artistic Concept and Energy:

We want a friendly, beautiful, inviting book that is fun to play with. We are planning to coordinate the work of several artists. While we haven't decided how many illustrations we will have, we have decided on a look or tone. You can go to planetsark.com or  storypeople.com and see the kind of spirit we think we'd like in the book.  Here are some of our design ideas:   here      here         here   We need the actual artwork to put in the samples but hopefully you can get the idea.
 

Our Marketing Ideas

In addition to creating an appealing book, we’re working on ideas for a line of related products: greeting cards, divination cards, posters, a transformational game, etc. We are going to a trade show and marketing conference this summer and plan to take our ideas there and develop them further. 

Answering the call to Artists & Illustrators:

We must hear from you by reply email no later than March 26 if you are interested. [If you have replied before, please confirm your interest as we know that schedules and interests change over time and we won’t assume that you are still wanting to be involved.]

In your reply, please include your name, email address, telephone number, city and state.  If you have a website, or samples of work you can email, please do so at this time.  Send this information to Carol Hidinger at carolhidinger@yahoo.com

For more information or to respond, reply to the email sent to you or email us at artists@imaginenationconference.org.