Eleanor Claire Johnson

The Work

Projects

  1. Film

    In production · targeted for completion in 2028

    SHE WENT IN SEARCH OF A NEW AMERICA

    A Poetic Visionary film in 3 Parts.

    An elegiac true story set against the backdrop of patriarchal history that continues silencing the wisdom and voice of the conscious feminine in the world.

    The long-form film project. The Heartsong Prayer Film project is Part 3, worked on over the last decade.

    In her words, this brave visionary film explores tolerance in an age of terror, peace in a time of war; facing the darkness in order to find our way back towards the Light. It is a new story for our time, wrestling meaning out of the depths of human suffering, and making the global personal.

    Eleanor believes stories can be rituals of renewal and allow us to enter into the sacred work of Grief.

    HEARTSONG: Part 3 is a meditative prayer in remembrance of the best of our Democracy. A poetic story that bears witness as we awaken to our moral and ethical responsibility in the face of the rising tides of hatred, violence, and intolerance towards each other in the world today. 'In our own diminished age even faith has gone dark'.

    Johnson believes art can be a bridge across difference, and that art can be an enlightening beacon of hope in dark times. This poetic film explores the human heart of compassion as we seek the true meaning of Peace while transforming our consciousness from War to Wisdom.

  2. Documentary

    Begun 2018

    EMMA

    Tells the story of the film project SHE WENT IN SEARCH OF A NEW AMERICA, and the story of the Waverly Place years, 1976 to 1999.

    It details the creative process and methodology of Johnson and her interdisciplinary theatre laboratory, interweaving archival footage from Emmatroupe's early public productions of their original theatre pieces, performed in the Waverly Place Theatre.

  3. An original creative process

    Developed in the early 1990s

    Video Self-Portraits, Poetics of Self

    Over the last three decades she has documented on video hundreds of stories of people's authentic lives.

    She continues making Video Self-Portraits with individual clients.

    Eleanor Claire Johnson with her camera.
  4. Podcast

    50 episodes · 2018–2022

    Enemies: From War to Wisdom

    Created with the psychologist and Buddhist scholar and practitioner Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath. The podcast has reached over a million listeners.

    Eleanor continues her participation with the Center for Real Dialogue in Vermont.

    Enemies: From War to Wisdom podcast artwork

  5. Book

    In progress · begun 2017

    Spiritual memoir

    An artist's account of transformation, rigorously documenting her personal unfoldment.

Partnerships and affiliations

  • International Center of Photography NYC
  • New York Foundation on the Arts NYC
  • Downtown Community T.V. NYC
  • Globetree Foundation Stockholm
  • The Center for Real Dialogue Vermont
  • The Annie Tinker Foundation
  • The International Women's Writing Guild
  • Miriam's Well
  • The Temple of Understanding
  • Terra Incognito Theatre
  • Amitabha Foundation
  • Tara Mandala
  • Tergar Meditation Community
  • Karma Triyana Dharmachakra Monastery Woodstock NY