Despite seemingly overwhelming forces, I do occasionally wiggle free of the comfortable cocoon of procrastination that has a way of filtering the absolutely necessary from the stuff we never get around to doing.

Exhibit A is I have joined an arts organization called the English Language Arts Network (ELAN) that is unique to Montreal and Quebec. Because Quebec is the only place in North America where French is the majority language, the need to nurture French culture here is understandably given high priority. The flip side of this equation, unfortunately, has sometimes been that elements of English or non-French culture have been overlooked.

One of my murals in progress in downtown Montreal a number of years ago, ...a huge mural but just a small taste of the cultural contributions of the ELAN community!

Partly as a way to counter balance this effect, ELAN was founded in 2005, amid what has been called "a new sense of optimism" in the world of Quebec culture.

ELAN's mission in short can be summarized in three simple words: "support, connect, create". But the simplicity can be misleading, as ELAN initiates or joins in a diverse range of projects and events. One such initiative is the "Made au Quebec" project, a platform for introducing our cultural community to the French speaking milieu, as well as to the wider world beyond.

One of the features of being an online artist, as I have become in recent years, is reduced opportunities for personal contact with other artists and the local community. I'm hoping that joining ELAN will help me cross these barriers and continue to grow as an artist!