Kristin Bauer van Straten is interviewed by Maranda Pleasant for “Origin” The Conscious Culture Magazine. Read a portion of the interview below:
Maranda Pleasant: What makes you come alive?
Kristin Bauer: Art and the triumph of the human spirit – the two combined thrill me. It’s the “Braveheart” moment, the stuff Joseph Campbell talks about, “the heroes journey,” a beautiful documentary on a poignant topic, the fireman saving a kitten from a burning building. It’s the combo of heroism and kindness against the odds or even good reason. It implies immortality because it is the domain of the soul. That evidence of the spirit of life is what makes me get out of bed in the morning.
MP: What makes you feel vulnerable?
KB: Loss. I’ve had my share, less than so many though, but enough to feel empathy. It’s tough and I see it so much on Earth, too much suffering. The loss of free will I find unacceptable – what most of us refer to as rights.
MP: If you could say something to everyone on the planet, what would it be?
KB: I can tell you what I am working on, which is being more cognizant of my actions and how they affect others, most I will never meet. I’ve begun with my purchases. I’m focusing on quality versus quantity – a nicer tee-shirt with organic cotton and buying just one or two instead of five that are cheaper but made with GMO cotton, which is hard on Earth, sewn by slave labor, shipped all the way from China on boats that use lots of oil and can kill whales with ship strikes and sold by (some) companies that could treat their employees better. It’s actually just a slight shift of attention. It’s caring a little more beyond myself. And I think it may be our only hope – and it feels much better to my soul, which in the end may be all we have.
MP: How do you handle emotional pain?
KB: I am either blessed or cursed with having little barrier between feeling emotions and displaying them for all to see. My heart is on my sleeve. It’s not comfortable but…I am an artist so it’s useful and my friends are used to me getting teary at any moment. So, it just runs through me and I know it will continue to, but my best source of grounding are animals and nature. Animals live more in the moment and don’t worry so much! And nature is proof of a greater power than myself. Both put things in perspective, or at least gently move us forward.
MP: Tell me about your latest project
KB: Right now I’m directing a documentary on elephant ivory and rhino horn poaching in Africa. Species of Rhinos have already gone extinct in the wild and elephants will be extinct in less than 10 years at this rate of killing. Africa is being raped mainly by Asia, but the second largest market for dead endangered animals is the US. Most don’t know this is happening. I didn’t, but once I found out, I had to try and help. My husband is from Africa and his family is from Kenya. This is very close to home for both of us and Abri will be doing the music for the movie. I’m in editing now…it’s been quite a long intense journey so far and I’m probably only about one third of the way.
Kristin’s Websites:
www.outforafrica.com
www.kristinbauer.com
www.abrivanstraten.com
Go to the source to read the rest of this interview: originmagazine.com
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