Writing these essays would have been much more difficult without the support and indulgence of my family. My studio and writing- activities which led to Encounters, these essays, and 8 Bodies in 12 Years were done in parallel with the studies of my wife—musician, poet, composer, and multidisciplinary theatre creator-performer Lia Pas—as she completed her Master of Arts degree in Devised Theatre at Dartington College of Arts in England. Many of the ideas in my essays—which have developed as a direct result of my studio activities—were thrown into sharp relief by the academic- and theory-centric approaches that I came into contact with as Lia’s studies progressed. This contact with theory-based art practices forced me to take a broader perspective on my work and practice. Meanwhile our son Jarrod had to put up with my frequent demands for quiet during my writing and editing. I would also like to credit Julian and Y√º-lin Pas. My perspective on life, art, and culture would be much different if I had been raised by different parents, and their influence—both cultural and intellectual—has a strong underlying presence in both my art work and these essays.

While I worked independently of any institution, program, or funding agency I would like to thank the Saskatchewan Arts Board for funding my Crossroads project in 2002. That project set in motion many of the ideas that took shape in these essays.

Various friends and acquaintances have read parts of this book, and others have served as sounding boards for some of the ideas which eventually made their way in these essays. I would also like to thank the readers of my blog for encouraging my writing. These people are too numerous to name individually.