SICA’s Fulfillment at the 2026 National Gathering

Assembled by Fayra Teeters

This year’s National Gathering in Portland, Oregon was a cornucopia of blessings for SICA-USA.

On Friday afternoon I was overwhelmed with gratitude at the insights gained from SICA Testing led by Alexandra Boyer. When we tested, “What are my blockages to fully realizing my cultural flow?” I received the very humorous image of having a mini-Gollum buried deep in my solar plexus, all snarled up into a Gordion knot. When we tested “How can I release this blockage?” my release consisted of patting this baby Gollum on his backside and sending him out into the sun to play. We also tested, “How can I support and encourage creativity in others?” which was the most powerful receiving of the session. By encouraging creative growth in others, that joyful outreach doubles back exponentially into our own creative coffers.

Later that afternoon when exhaustion took hold, I made my way into the rehearsal space for a final dress rehearsal with my partner, Jim O’Halloran, for that night’s SICA Cultural Evening. I found at that time that my voice was shot. No amount of warm-ups nor working with the various modulations from the microphone, could vanquish my very obvious “croak”. The piece I had chosen – Carl Sandburg’s Meditation on the Many Faces of Love – requires a strong speaking-voice range, which I simply could not physically deliver. I certainly couldn’t rise to Jim’s so very compassionate and professional support on his flute. So, I stopped trying, because trying so hard was the very source and cause of my vocal breakdown. I simply left the rehearsal and joined my husband to go out for a quiet dinner together away from the Maddening Crowd. Without fully realizing it at the time, I was following the very receiving I’d had during the SICA Testing: Allow my inner demons their moment of play and they’ll give me the space to effectively channel my creativity.

When we returned to the performance hall, a very brief warm-up proved to me that my voice had returned, so I decided to “go for it”, to pour it on, and let the vocal chips fall where they may. I rode the wave of love and support I felt emanating from Jim O’Halloran’s flute and from our audience of Brothers and Sisters – because performing never happens in a vacuum – it always takes the support and feedback from the audience to complete the creation.

Lawrence Pevec on 2026 Congress

Here is my take on the results of the SICA-USA activities at the gathering:
1. Since there were few exhibitors preregistered, I brought SICA-USA easels and my printer/computer so I could display whatever art work came in at the last minute and make tags and signs. I also brought the SICA-USA floor-stand banner.

I brought two works by Rachael Amos (SRMR) that I own, in order to flesh out the exhibit. Anna Schroeder (2), Helena Owens (1), Rachael Amos (2), Lawrence Pevec (4), and Camille Hoffendhal (3) showed work. Jim purchased two bouquets of flowers to dress up the display.

We didn’t sell any of the exhibited work. We displayed the Anna Schroeder / SICA-USA mugs but got no response as a premium for donating $50. We displayed the 2027 SICA-USA Art Calendar and received five orders. We have three of the Underground Mouse tote bags. I have pictures of the exhibit on display below this article.

2. The Friday night SICA-USA entertainment night was a great hit. I felt like we made a breakthrough in our quest for visibility at these gatherings. We need to prepare elevator speeches in the future and make verbal pitches between acts. I video recorded the performances for the archives and will post a link to this video once SICA establishes a YouTube site. About twenty-five people stayed to watch the Hamilton Pevec documentary (2025) “Gone Good”.

From Michael Barber, Pianist Performing during Friday Night’s Cultural Event

More than anything else, I’ve been a songwriter, so I created a website as an Autobiography – in song. Like the air, it’s free. Like the beautiful autumn foliage in the Hudson valley, it won’t always be there.

Who would like this? People who like music – especially songs, songwriters, creatives, people interested in the popular culture of the 1960s – 80s (when I wrote most of these) or people who just like improbable things.

There are 4 pages of songs: Home, an overview or sampler, bit of everything, easier to like. Strawman, songs from a one-man show I performed in colleges in the 80s, a bit more challenging. Kids: children’s songs, a story and an animation. Early, songs from the 60s early 70s, some live recordings w/ other musicians.
That’s my pitch, you’re invited, the URL is: http://mbbio.net

P.S. The songs are all over the place in terms of style and genre, so don’t give up if you don’t like the first song. Also, it won’t be as much fun if you listen on the scratchy, no-bass-speaker on your cell phone.

Editor’s Note: My favorite of Michael’s tracks is #3: Meet Me Tonight in the Past

Isabel Gates’ Poem: So Many Thoughts in the Quiet

I had a different poem in mind to open this Congress,
I wanted to inspire people to join our new board
I thought I’d make it funny
Gently prodding and lighthearted
But for weeks on end
In the early morning darkness
Tangled up in my bed sheets
A different poem waited for me

I turned away at first
Does anything good come from 4 am worries?
It’s been an exhausting decade
To have a human nervous system in.
When I lay still and tried to clear my mind
All I wanted to do was scream.
The mosquito whining beside my ear
Was the only one who seemed to understand

We are in a time of cataclysmic change
We are losing familiar ground
Crossing swords sometimes even with friends.
Many of us feel like we are on this strange path alone.
Trusting ourselves, God, and each other
Feels like a snake-ridden path.
Our human hearts are no longer
Defining sanity the same way.

How long is the night supposed to last?
Morning, whenever it might come,
Seems too far away each night
Why was my favorite robin always sleeping in?
“God,” I begged, “won’t you pull me aside
And explain the mysteries of the lower forces properly?”
Silence was always my answer
Even the sounds of forest rain were drowned out by that

What is there to say
When there’s so much to say
Last night, I decided to do some personal testing in the dark.
I was unable to avoid some snark
“You know, God,
An occasional note from management saying,
‘This is what you do when faced with a shit show’ would be really nice.”

To my surprise,
A voice, clear as day, rang out in the dark.
“There’s a town in Norway where nobody has a clock.”
I closed my eyes and took that in.
At the same moment, several robins began to chirp outside my window.

My face broke into an unexpected smile.
I didn’t know exactly what that meant
But I somehow understood
We don’t need certainty or for things to fit
We need resilience and the latihan
We have what we need to carve something new
Out of the mosaic of our broken hearts
The future will be different
Maybe really so if we remember to listen
To our inner
And fall headfirst into the new
With curiosity
And joy
I have faith we will find our way.