Yeah sic

I haven't been blogging ... Yeah so... Went to Art Downtown tonite n bought this cat ring from Heartside Gallery (where homeless people n others can come create n sell their art).

How do they do it?

I look at street artists work...such as this Flickr photostream of French artist Christian Guémy aka C215 ....

...and I'm blown away by the amount of work they've been able to create in their life time and the amount of traveling they've done to make a presence with their art around the world.  It makes me feel so small, weak, and useless.  It makes me upset that I've been plagued by so many health problems for the majority of my life, and how that takes a toll on my financial stability--how I have to work harder than most to make less to get by.  Maybe I should be upset that I'm not a man?  Because a healthy man can travel the globe and get by without certain accommodations that I wouldn't be able to.  Today, I feel like shit.  Headache and then some.  I napped and I feel nauseous.  My insides are burning.  My mind wants to do so much, my body doesn't always cooperate.  $ is not there and bankruptcy is likely around the corner.  I wish I could lead a life of creativity.  I wish I could live a life of love.  I wish I could make an impact.  I wish I didn't have health problems.  But here I am in my pajamas feeling like shit.  Feeling small.  Feeling powerless.

boo hoo

We all have our days, so I'm not going to apologize for my whining.  I will say...I am not jealous (maybe envious) of C215, in fact I admire him and the many others who do what he does.  I'm grateful for the Internet and photography, so that I can be the arm chair traveler.  But shit damn...I've lived through so much and I just feel like I need to do something HUGE!

Cemetery Angels

I have a passion for cemeteries.  I don't know if it's because I feel connected to some of the lost souls, or if I feel like a ghost, or if they assure me that I'm alive?  An Internet friend pinned this pic on Pinterest:

I love it!  I love how she is reclined...how the mood is melancholy...how she doesn't appear awfully mournful, but almost simply Resting In Peace.


I have 2 angels in GR that I love to photograph--one in particular is my fav, and I feel some sort of spiritual connection to her.  I have used her image in various artworks.

This might be one of the 1st shots I took of her with b&w film:

Here's a painting I did "Resurrection" with color film photography (the feet are from a statue of Jesus in a different cemetery):

Here's pic I took in October, 2011...she has become more tarnished.  :(  I wish I could clean her/revive her/keep her alive.

eventually pretty

I discovered this young girl's blog--eventually pretty--she's a wise little soul!  check it out, esp today's post February, and September's post On Toxic People.

Onto what just happened with me...someone said to me "Isn't that just paint thrown on a canvas?  I mean, couldn't I just do that?"  To all of you who think that way about any abstract art, I say "Prove it!"

Here's the paintings of mine the person was looking at:

Moist & Dry

I'm going to make terrariums to sell!  Some with plants that like a moist environment, and some open with succulents!  Yay!  It's gonna be fun!  I picked up the goods for the soil & drainage, I have some containers & picked up a few more, and I bought some plants--but am looking for sources for more.  This will take a while to evolve, because I will need to have a base of plants that I can take cuttings from to have a ready supply as I create new little environments.  It wouldn't be practical to pay full price for these plants with each project, because I'd have to ask too much money for the designs.  Once I've got a system going, I will attempt to make some living art!  Yep, that's right, using succulents of various colors, I will plant them in a certain pattern and once they are settled cozy in their new home, I will attempt to turn the piece vertical for hanging on a wall!  I love combining my arts!  Painting with plants!  Yay!  Coolness!

Onto do more research.....hasta mañana, buenas noches!

Bikini Lines

I just learned of an amazing art project--that will also help humanity!--through a graffiti/street art blog I follow.  Urban Art Core

It will be the world's largest artwork--and I WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS!!!!  They need artists!  CHECK!  writers!  CHECK!  photographers!  CHECK!  and more!  I'll figure out how I want to go about submitting a proposal later, I'm quite sleepy with my full belly right now.

It was a fun, and creatively productive day!  I shot fashion pix of Chasity & Que--to start off my vintage clothing sales & fashion photography.  I will upload them to the ASOS site I discovered and see how it goes.  I have a couple more shoots lined up this week.  :)  What a relief it is to be not-working and sooo ultra productive creatively!  I freakin live for this she-it!!!!!!

I also went out and got supplies to start creating terrariums & mini gardens--which I will also sell! 

A girl gotta do what a girl gotta do!  n u know what?  I'M LOVIN' IT!

Check out:  Bikini Lines to learn more about that mega cool art project that will be history in the making!  I wanna leave my mark on this earth, for the people n animals who share it

Watch this video pitch for the project--the guy is cute too with a cute accent!  ;)

Follow the Money

"Exploiting people of color is very common. Empowering them and their communities does not seem to be." from Follow the Money - Arts

The high school I attended in Pontiac, MI didn't have a yearbook (except for a cheap one my graphics arts teacher helped us print up), didn't have sports, and didn't have a prom. These programs are often missing where they are needed most--for a child/teenager/human being to thrive.  Pontiac Central High School no longer exists.  My city has been ravaged by poverty, drugs, gangs, violence, and lack of proper support.  Check out the brief article at the above link, and consider watching the film Thrive--though there are some parts that are a little aloof, it's enlightening.

Follow the money ... it's very distressing.  I've been told "you're too smart for your own good", and oh how true that feels sometimes.  I've learned more about the big bankers than I've been comfortable with since I've been fighting to get my mortgage interest lowered for almost 2 years now.  My original lender was Mortgage Max, then it was sold to Washington Mutual, then to Wells Fargo--and they are one of the top handful of banks who received 1/2 of a trillion $$$ from the Federal Reserve at a 0% interest rate, but don't abide by the Make Your Home Affordable program  and lower the interest rate to those struggling to keep their homes.  They claim a paper from a year prior is missing my address, and other ludicrous excuses shower in, hoping a person will just give up or die.  I feel powerless, often helpless, with the extremes that surround me.  It's not simply that I'm sad about my own struggles with health problems and how that affects my ability to earn enough to meet my basic needs, but when I think about my community...the economy of Michigan, of the United States, and the global effects of poverty resulting from the deeds of the greedy...I become heart sick.  

Just so u know...our economy is not in trouble because of a President who is either red or blue, but because of the big banks. We are enslaved to the spell of the wealthiest 1%.  They essentially rule the world.  As with slavery, it didn't originate here, but it gets cultivated here.  Change can also occur here...awareness is the beginning to insight change.  Here's a timeline to educate yourself further:  Follow the Money - Banking History  "This timeline shows the pattern of American Presidents being assassinated after challenging central bankers and their monopoly on money, and the Federal Reserve’s artificial creation of booms and busts that causes people to lose their jobs, homes, and retirements, while the bankers further consolidate wealth and control."  Sounds like Mafia of the highest order to me.  

I don't have the answers, but I sure know how to ask the questions! 

I welcome your comments and your activism!

These Boots (Update)

The poet I wanted to collab with on a video--Joyce Conley--has dropped out.  These things happen, life gets hectic.  I'm contemplating if I want to change the These Boots theme or not.  It began with my idea to film a music type video with spoken word, to have the female empowerment thing hittin with a 1-2 punch!  Of course Joyce was my go-to girl!  She won me over with her poem Preconceived Notions long ago.  She mentioned liking the song These Boots Are Made For Walking, and I said "that's it!  it'll be about boots!"  But, it will feel odd doing it without her.  :(  I do have a girl who does sign language who said she'll sign for my spoken word--YAY!  That will open the audience to the hearing impaired, and I'm geeked about that!  Though I'll have lots of other people as extras in the video, I didn't want this to be a one-woman show.  I'll figure it out.  I like to tell myself that everything happens for a reason.


I read an interesting article in the Sunday New York Times The Rise Of the New Groupthink: Collaboration is in. But it may not be conducive to creativity.

The article brings up many strong points that I believe to be true, but wasn't sure if it was just me, trying to rationalize the reason behind my being so solitary for the majority of my life.  I tell myself that perhaps I'm meant to be alone so that I can bring my creative ideas to fruition.  Working--though I like my job--is often painful to my psyche, who would rather be following through on some of my minds creative ideas.  I spend the majority of my time alone, and I'm comfortable with this--to a degree.  I long for a companion, but there is no way I could be with anyone who would dare stifle my creativity!!!  I need to get out and get social periodically, but even with that, I want to spend my time on something that will inspire me further, and allow me to grab some good photos.

The portion of the article on brainstorming groups was especially enlightening.  I think I probably blew it with Joyce by having her and I meet with Chris to brainstorm.  I already had my idea solidified.  I should have just assigned the tasks individually, and then allowed us to come together when it was time to rehearse or film.  Joyce could have went off and written her own thing--which I have complete faith in her that it would be as deep to the point as I would want it to be.  Sitting there with the intention to discuss my vision for the video with Chris (had already ran it by Joyce), the topics strayed.  Joyce and I have varying viewpoints on some things, and that's ok, but it shouldn't have entered into this creative project.  I might come off as bossy, but it's just that my visions and my goals with my art are just that...mine.  For example, my desire to include diverse people in my various art projects to promote my overall message of unity in diversity and acceptance.  My In the Bedroom series included many models of diverse backgrounds, but I was in charge, and they willingly and happily cooperated--it was not a collab, there was no brainstorming, it was my brainchild and I guided them through their segment of it.  With my photo projects, and with my art project Hung Out to Dry, I am the director.  Those participating bring with them their own individuality.  I don't wish to turn them into something they are not--I value them as they are--but I direct to keep the vision fluid.

Still, this new adventure of moving in the direction of film is a learning experience for me.
Everyone is free to do whatever they want to do as a human being or an artist.  When it comes to a vision I have it's difficult to budge me.  I take the lead.  But, if Joyce invited me to do something she had an idea for, I'd follow.  If Chris is the creative mind behind a film project and he asks me to participate, and I do, then it's his game...it's teamwork, but not groupthink so-to-speak.  Expressing ideas is fine, but coming to a stalemate is no good.  Someone has to direct.  He's ready to film this video, is open to my ideas, and I'll value his input and expertise when it comes time to do the filming aspect, but it's still my storyline so-to-speak.  Can u dig it?

Aight...now go read that article and share your thoughts with me!


Images from Hung Out to Dry during Art Peers Fall Festival 2010:

 

 

   Standing is Kwame, who I want to be a part of the video too

 

Here's Joyce!  :)

Late nite blogger rides again

Postcard Salon 2012

Recently the Muskegon Museum of Art celebrated it's 100th year!  Annually they have a Postcard Salon where a gallery room is filled with approximately 1,000  4x6 artworks of various media.  Postcard Salon 2012 will be held January 26 thru February 9, with the reception happening on February 9th from 5:30-8 and the sale beginning at 7pm.  Lots of yummies & wine for the guests!  This all happens on Meijer Free Thursdays at the museum, so you can enjoy the other exhibits while there too!  The mini arts sell for $30 with 1/2 going to the artist and 1/2 benefiting the museum.  This is a FUN event, so if you are in the surrounding area it's worth the trip!!!

This will be my 4th year participating.  My first two years I submitted embellished nude photography.  Last year, my artworks had elements of my trip to Germany.  This year, I wanted them to practically reach out and grab you from the walls!  So, I used found objects (including buttons & mirrors on each piece), wood background, and went all 3D on them!  You get the 1st look here!  Then make a race to the reception/sale to grab em off the wall--if they don't grab u first!