Wednesday, July 29, 2009

New Digs


Well after almost two months, I am STILL moving! We moved the household already which took weeks, packing... actual moving took a couple of days and then cleaning, spackling, etc. I am still unpacking boxes. Then I take those boxes to my studio and repack them (hurriedly) and throw them in my Jeep, and drive them home only to do it again an hour or two later.
I now officially HATE being a pack rat. I am temped to give up art all together! Being an artist you make things, and often I make things out of junk I collect, then you have to store said things! That is unless by some miracle they sell, then you're in luck, someone else has to store it! :-) So I head to the studio again tonight *sigh* Hopefully I won't become completely disheartened at the site of things. When you drive away with your car full, you feel you accomplished a lot, and then when you come back you see you hardly put a dent in the mountain of stuff! However when the studio is up and running I will be excited to possibly join a group in my area that do open studio tours once a month. We'll see!

Local German Food


Hey if you're local and you love The German Cafe in downtown Wilmington then vote them one of the best German restaurants in America! I get their soup almost everyday and LOOOOOOVE their Napoleans, but my spare tire needs deflating so I don't get those much anymore. They have a fab selection of sandwiches and their house dressing is great. I have purchased it on the side to take to parties and people always ask me about it. If you haven't tried the German Cafe you'd better!

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Monday, July 20, 2009

Polynesian Pop


"Oh we're goin' to a hukilau...."
Took Robert and Meredith to the Tiki bar in CB. One of my favorite spots. I figure the only way to combat the feeling that I would much rather live in the mountains to Washington state is to immerse myself in a sort of tropical tiki kitsch fantasy world. then when I am sweating in the rusty Jeep at an interminably long stop light in the blazing sun, hell, in other words, I can imagine myself somewhere else, on a breezy beach with a tropical drink and flowers in my hair.
We were lucky enough to catch the Da Howlies. Awesome dudes... have enjoyed my cd today. They'll be back again in a month.
I just can't get enough. I have searched the internet for tiki swizzle sticks, carved tikis, how to carve tikis... in fact I started searching for who tiki actually is! (in many Polynesian myths he's the first man) I guess somewhere in my youth I equated tikit bars with mirth. My parents adored the Enchanted Tiki room in Disneyland when we lived in San Diego in the late 60's. They and my grandparents had tiki mugs from Bali Hi and other bars. My grandmother adored anything tropical and anything with coconut in it. So I naturally grew up thinking anything Polynesian must be completely magical. So I have always harbored a love of Tiki. I tortured my fellow prom comitee folks in high school. I got appointed their evil overseer and insisted we create EA Laney's gym into a tropical wonderland replete with glowing, smoking 10 foot high volcano. I made 40 paper mache parrots, cut bamboo myself to transform the bathrooms and cut out hundreds of giant tropical leaves. The sophomore servers wore sarongs I thought it was fantastic. Not everyone enjoyed it. They all wanted a southern antebellum plantation theme with a giant white Bellamy mansion and belle gowns. I thought that was lame and over done and frankly unfair to those who were not privileged white plantation owners decendents. Anyway, my love of tiki lives on. there are two rubbermaid storage containers in my attic full of strings of tiki lights, grass skirting, silk leis, palm leaf platters, tiki shot glasses.
I mean its fun! You can't sing Pearly Shells while thinking about biopsies or cell phone bills, or dental crowns.
".....by the ocean, lying on the shore, shining in the sun... when I see them, my heart tells me I love you more than all the little pearly shells!"

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Abby Spangel Perry






I want to share a friend and colleague of mine's fabulous artwork! Abby Spangel Perry
I FREAKED over her thesis work. I'm sure you will too!
Check out her site.



I keep trying to get her to scan and print this one and put it one Etsy. I think she's investigating the most ecologically sound way to do so. I'll keep ya'll posted!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Mahalo!


When looking up the Hawaiian word "mahalo" I was intrigued to read that the greeting aloha and mahalo have far deeper meanings in Hawaiian indigenous culture. While not terribly surprising, we westerners have a great way of generalizing, diluting, homogenizing and eventually denuding most beautiful places and cultures. Polynesians, as many indigenous cultures, believe that things can carry great power, even words. While we don't often focus on it we know even today how powerful words are. We as modern westerners take it for granted, even forget it at times! But we know words can create, change and even harm. Try using them to heal. Say something kind to yourself. You deserve it.

Aloha:
[Alo = presence, front, face] + [hâ = breath]
"The presence of (Divine) Breath."

Mahalo:
[Ma = In] + [hâ = breath] + [alo = presence, front, face]
"(May you be) in (Divine) Breath."