Art of connection

Patrick Ledwell is a creator from a creative family: “Creativity was encouraged and was just a part of our life. It wasn’t questioned, it was just practiced.”  Watching his dad write poetry in the moment, demonstrating both a presence with his family and a dedication to his craft, Patrick grew up learning how to engage himself and the world through creativity. “We are given a creative life within us, and then we get to give it to the world.”

Seamlessly weaving eloquent reflections with witty banter and anecdotes about his creative family, Patrick graciously shared his experiences and insights. One of the things his father would often say was, “I act the way I want to feel and wait for the feeling to follow.” Patrick said he has taken those words to heart and practices their meaning in his life. “Be fully who you are and amplify what makes you, you.” Though it can be easy to fall away from this, Patrick was adamant that we “turn up what we are, not what we think others want us to be.”

With a daily writing practice and a habit of traveling through his inner world, Patrick often explores connection in all its forms. “I write as it comes to me.” Both the practice of writing on the page and performing on the stage are acts of connection for him. “It’s important to give the inner life enough value to explore it with curiosity.”

For those of us who explore and express ourselves creatively, we often ask, “how can I make it make sense for others?” For Patrick, he encourages and embraces the playful confusions, allowing them to fuel his exploration and expression. “It’s about finding ways to stretch a verbal picture for others to see and experience.”

He started comedy in his 30s, noting, “it started out as hobby that got out of hand.” Given his aptitude for observation and integration, it isn’t surprising that Patrick found his footing in stand-up comedy. “Stand-up comes from listening and observing.” He explores both his inner worlds and outer worlds through his creative wonders. “Staying healthy means connecting with both my inner and outer worlds.”

Constantly growing and observing, Patrick’s comedy is often a re-telling of stories that happen in everyday life. “A lot of life on PEI lives on the sidewalks.” These observations and explorations turn into stand-up comedy sets, musical acts, or in published books. Patrick has many contributions in the arts, including recurring roles on CBC programming, countless comedy shows, and a live comedy album coming in 2025. “Laughter isn’t everything, but you’ll know when it has left.”

“I write, but there is no guarantee that it will land midair.” As a storyteller, Patrick connects to his audience through his entertaining and relatable content. “One of the freest ways to express is through stand-up comedy because we get to rearrange in real time.” With many years of storytelling behind him, he continuously learns how to connect with people through his creative experiences. “The stage has a lot of sides, and it embodies the art of possibility.”

While on stage, Patrick notes that a lot of learning happens in the in-between spaces. “The between space is essentially a portal and you get to feel and encourage the shape come into being.” With a wide range of experiences, Patrick knows that nothing is lost, and little bits of previous universes will show up in his work, even decades later. “Nothing is wasted, even when we may not immediately see their connection.”

With an education background in literature and technology, and a teaching career, Patrick brings all his experiences into his creative practice. “A surprising aspect of performing is that I use everything I have, including technology.”

Being true to himself and his inner world, Patrick says yes to things that connect. “Whether it’s connecting to a person, place, or moment, the connection is integral.” When preparing for an audience, whether as a host or performer, he draws on all his experiences. “There is a universe of material to choose from.”

Patrick is generous with his time and talents, and can be found hosting events throughout the province and across the country. He has too many upcoming appearances to list but we can eagerly anticipate some seasonal holiday shows, including Kings Christmas with Patrick Ledwell and Mark Haines at the Kings Playhouse in Georgetown. “One really great thing about creating here is that so many PEI friends and neighbours become collaborators.”