Today’s post is a series of videos from a recent show I did with Vivain Garcia at Anglet Cafe. The vibe was raw and a bunch of people came out to support. Most of these tracks are on Shake This Maze- and the Second Edition is coming soon! Thanks to Raelynne for taking the videos!
The Christmas Song
The Villa
Wake Up
Reflection and Repsonse
-P
the LIFESTYLE is a place for a global dialogue on creativity, Reflection, and Response associated with the arts. This week we are proud to feature Ellie Cross, whose commitment to community arts has led her to opportunities to interact with people around the world. She currently is part of a team that is starting an International School in Mumbai, India where she will become an art teacher after the school opens its doors in August. Check the dialogue below and view some recent work Ellie has been a part of in Mumbai!
That’s why I love community art projects and arts education, because it challenges the myth of the artist as some talented genius-loner making things that regular people can only appreciate.
Leading off with some basics, where are you from? And where are you at?
EC: I’m from Seattle, but I’m living in Mumbai, India at the moment. My day job is helping start up a new International School, where I’ll be teaching art once we open up in August. This has fed my brain as I’ve explored the educational landscape here, plus supported and grounded me as I feed my insatiable inner appetite for community art projects.
What does Reflection and Response mean to you?
EC: Reflection means your brain thoughtfully digesting things, and according to the dictionary, it also means “the throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it.” I believe the most powerful art does both of these. It shines some truth straight into your face by revealing something that’s been in front of you, previously unexamined. I think that’s what James Baldwin meant when he said: “The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been hidden by the answers.”
As for response, I think art is response. The way I see it, humans are like little dust bunnies that roll around collecting tiny sparkles of dust, aka inspiration. Sometimes a dust-sparkle punches you in the stomach and you lose your breath with the truth of it. Sometimes it just gets filed away unceremoniously into your fold of pre-accumulated dust and it doesn’t germinate until much later. Sometimes it swirls around the tip of your tongue until something else catalyzes it, and art is born! We might create the art as individuals but it’s always the product of much more than that. Which is helpful to remember as an artist, because it takes the weight off of you a bit.
How do your current artistic endeavors fit in with that definition?
EC: That’s why I love community art projects and arts education, because it challenges the myth of the artist as some talented genius-loner making things that regular people can only appreciate. I do think some artists deserve disproportionate acknowledgement for putting in the 10,000 hours and challenging some incredible ideas into beautiful music/dance/visual arts, etc. I’m just more interested in awakening/nourishing creativity in kids and people that aren’t being celebrated as artists. I also love using art to change spaces, which I see as reflecting back a different reality. Especially in the murals we’ve been doing in Children’s Home, which was previously a jail and no changes have been made to make it feel like a home for kids. Even though painting the walls seems like a relatively superficial solution to a challenging situation, I think that spending the time and investing the thoughtful creative energy into those walls fundamentally alters the space. Especially when the kids have painted it themselves.
What else have you been working on recently? What are you looking to work on next?
EC: I’ve been taking a bunch of art classes in the traditional Indian arts. One of my favorites is Madhubani Painting, which is a tribal art form in which anything living gets a double outline. The outside line is the body, and the inside one is the soul. My friend and I wrote a Children’s Book about a kid’s tumultuous relationship with a bean plant, which is based on real life. We’re trying to get it published, so if anyone’s interested I do hope they holler. Also, I’m super excited to do a series of murals called “Blanks” in which certain sections are painted in chalkboard paint, so that passer-by’s can participate in the mural by contributing their chalk art.
Who or what inspires you?
EC: Abdul Sattar Edhi, this 84 year-old Pakistani that has only driven an ambulance in his life because he’s dedicated to helping people. Also, a Ghanaian man named Professor Smiles who believed in art the way religious fanatics believe in God. Caine’s Arcade and all the people that flashmobbed it. Great art blogs, like http://www.thisiscolossal.com/ and kids’ fearless faith that magic is pretty real. And definitely the Christian the Lion video when the lion hugs his long-lost human friends. I always cry with delight at that one.
Is there anything else you would like the Collective to know?
EC: When I tell people I’m either an artist or an art teacher, they quickly respond by telling me they “can’t draw.” I don’t know when being an artist got smooshed into the tiny box of fine motor skills and training associated with drawing, but I’m continually saddened by the fear many people face in the pursuit of artistic endeavors. I also think it’s important that visual arts get added to that often cited proverb from Zimbabwe, “If you can talk, you can sing. If you can walk, you can dance.” And if you can make any mark on any surface you can draw. Maybe you can’t draw the way you want to or the way you think the world wants you to. However, when you try and draw a horse and it looks unlike any horse anyone’s ever seen before–you’ve got to respect that horse. Because no one else living or dead could have made it. That doesn’t mean you have to like the horse, and you can definitely try again to make one you like more, but please stop hating on your horse and yourself. You’re not a camera and you’re not a photocopier. We have those now. You’re way more interesting than that.
Shout out to…?
EC: All the friendships, particularly the Art or Choke Collective and my amazing India collaborators that have helped make all the public art possible. The absurdly great family, the steady sweetheart, the internet, revolutionaries, manatees, and all the people doing the good work daily to cultivate love, justice, and magic.
Children’s Home mural project (Mumbai, India)
Check out Ellie’s blog for more information on the Children’s Home mural project and more photos documenting the process!
Also check out Ellie’s website to learn about powerful community arts projects she has facilitated in Ghana, Thailand, Malaysia, Tibet, Cambodia, United States, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala!
Reflection and Response.
Untitled by Ana de Andrés Moreno
Living is dancing on stairs
Reflection and Response.
The Snapshots From the Collective series works to create a space for Reflection and Response through photography. ANYone who wants to contribute ANY photos to this project can email us submissions at the.lifestyle.rr@gmail.com. One photo will be posted each week, and photos will only be used for the purposes of this series. Thank you and we look forward to building and expanding the Collective!!! -P & V
Back at the LIFESTYLE Porch!
Today we’ve got the second installation at The Porch Swing from our first Reflection and Response resident artist, Samuel Bostick. Last week we kicked off The Porch Swing series with Samuel’s first installation in his ongoing WORD of the day project, which will come through every Wednesday. Stay tuned as he continues to bring his uniquely crafted creative writing Reflection and Response approach to the LIFESTYLE Collective…
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, Jim Natale.
Build v. 1) To form by combining materials or parts; construct. 2) To give form to according to a definite plan or process; create. 3) To establish and strengthen; create and add to. 4) To develop in magnitude or extent. 5) To progress toward a maximum, as of intensity. 6)The act, process, art or occupation of constructing.
WORD of the day: Build
A Dream is the heart’s desire, a fantastic vision. It is our charge to put effort into making these dreams, these desires into a reality. We must build. To build is to act on the faith of possibility, to put work into effect and produce. All building is ultimately defined by the basis, the core, the foundation, the wise seek firm foundation. Brick by brick, day in day out, belief by belief. Building is an ongoing process, it does not subscribe to boundaries, rather supersedes them. The possibility is endless.
Get out, make yourself, give your hands a good look; recognize the potential energy held within them, the propensity to create. Plan your route, establish firm foundation, develop a legacy- a dynasty of your choosing, be responsible for your work and lay claim to the product of your effort.
Reflection and Response.
Samuel Bostick
the LIFESTYLE’s role is to create collective space for active Reflection and Response through the arts. This space is built around dialogue, expression, collaboration, and artistic (ex)change involving international craftspeople and their realities. The Porch Swing series opens up a Reflection and Response residency where we feature a Collective member’s ongoing project through weekly installations.
Whatup!!
Recently I’ve been working on music with Vivian Garcia, a talented performer who has extensive experience in the Chicago music scene. We met here in Madrid at the Thursday night open mic at Triskel Tavern. Soon after contacting her in December we began working together. Over the last few months we’ve done concerts around Madrid. V has provided some dope flyers and images for shows we’ve done:
I’ve also been recording some versions of some tracks we’ve been working on on my home studio here in Madrid using Ableton Live as my DAW.
Chan Chan is a track composed by Cuban composer and pianist Compay Segundo. Vivian is on vocals and plays rhythm guitar while I play leads.
Fool Me Once is a Vivain Garcia original. Again she is on vocals and rhythm guitar and I am playing leads.
Stay tuned for news about Peter and Vivian as we move into the future.
Reflection and Response.
-P
Shake This Maze, 2nd Edition. The handcrafted process is in Full Effect..
Reflection and Response.
V.
This week’s Talk of the Town is Part 1 of a 2-session dialogue titled The Boundaries of Freedom? brought to the table by Samuel and Vicken…
We want to open up a dialogue based on the lyrics, symbolism, and concepts in Kanye West’s “Hell of a Life” – Track 10 from his 2010 album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Because we feel like this is one of the “under the radar” cuts on this album that many people may have dismissed or listened to only a few times, we wanted to kick off our discussion by inviting yall to take an extended look at this expressive track. In a couple weeks we’ll come together again for Part 2 of this Talk of the Town and create a dialogue around the topic highlighted in our title, The Boundaries of Freedom?
– S & V
Reflection and Response.
Santorini Window View (Santorini, Greece) by Peter Muller.
Reflection and Response.
The Snapshots From the Collective series works to create a space for Reflection and Response through photography. ANYone who wants to contribute ANY photos to this project can email us submissions at the.lifestyle.rr@gmail.com. One photo will be posted each Thursday, and photos will only be used for the purposes of this series. Thank you and we look forward to building and expanding the Collective!!! -P & V
the LIFESTYLE Collective builds. Welcome to the premiere of our newest weekly series: The Porch Swing. the LIFESTYLE’s role is to create collective space for active Reflection and Response through the arts. This space is built around dialogue, expression, collaboration, and artistic (ex)change involving international craftspeople and their realities.
WE, P and V, share our original visual arts and music projects at the top of the week on Mondays. On Thursdays we showcase Snapshots from the Collective, a series that is driven by photography contributions from ANY individuals. Fridays alternate between Talk of the Town, a series that serves as a discussion and dialogue forum, and the Feature Series, which presents international artists’ perspectives on Reflection and Response. The Porch Swing now opens up a Reflection and Response residency where we will feature a Collective member’s ongoing project through weekly installations. We leave the choice of medium in the artist’s hands to mold their Reflection and Response.
We are PROUD to present our first resident, Samuel Bostick, who will join us on The Porch Swing and engage the LIFESTYLE Arts Collective in dialogue through his unique blend of creative writing. Samuel kicked off our Feature Series back in September – http://the-lifestyle-rr.com/2011/09/23/feature-samuel-bostick/ – and we’re excited to break ground on this new series with an important Collective member at the helm!! Stay tuned for his WORD of the day project, coming through every Wednesday…Craft.
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, Jim Natale.
SB: Aright, so this WORD of the day business is a exercise I’ve been pushing on for some time now. I find words to be pretty interesting lil gizmos. I recognize the power they carry. When I first started the WORD of the day postings via twitter, I was doing a word a day. Since then its developed into a week long process of meditation and reflection focused on one word. Quality over quantity. I don’t know what got me started on this project, that doesn’t matter so much…I like words, they breath a great rhythm to life. Now, what y’all need to do is STAY TUNED to the the LIFESTYLE’s Porch Swing series & peep the WOTD developments via twitter- @THEREALSHANTS.
Stay cool,
Samuel
Vision, n. 1) a- The faculty of sight. b- Something that is or has been seen. 2) Unusual competence in discernment or perception; intelligent foresight. 3) The manner in which one sees or conceives of something. 4) A mental image produced by the imagination. 5) The mystical experience of seeing as if with the eyes the supernatural or a supernatural being. 6) A person or thing of extraordinary beauty.
WORD of the day: Vision
In this hour, that of the haunting, Do not fall ill to weakness.
Strength in its Truest is steadfast in diligence
Diligent especially when the will is weak.
Understand, Focus is at the root of Vision and Diligence is the fruit.
Vision present in the experience of a moment,
The smile of a young child
Vision wise to see down the road,
preparation for winter’s chill while the summer is yet sweet
Vision Faithful in times when the light is dim, when the road is dark
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me.
who or what shall we fear lest our eyes, our vision, fall short of faith?
Vision…
do not fall victim to appearances, masks of deception; as an image is warped by the clearest and purest of waters, this world is manipulated by the appearance.
Do not be confused.
remove yourself from the place where confusion dwells
for confusion itself is a tool of the enemy. This shall surely, without fail, cloud your vision.
Have you seen a king crowned with false gold?
Imagine it!
A King adorned with fool’s gold
What a sight! A mockery at best!
Take heed:
This is a wise man, a wise woman, whom dare embrace confusion.
Guard your Vision, Stay on track…
Reflection and Response.
As we move into production for the 2nd Edition, here’s a look back at the whereabouts of the “First Fifty,” the original Shake This Maze, 1st edition units, now scattered internationally. Much love for all the support, let’s keep building the Collective! Reach out to us on twitter @LIFESTYLE_RR or through email at the.lifestyle.rr@gmail.com and let us know which individual units ended up where…V’s got No. 19/50 in Brooklyn, NY, and P’s got No. 47/50 in Madrid, Spain..
Reflection and Response.
the LIFESTYLE 