Author Archives: the LIFESTYLE

Shake This Maze Pre Release Post

Shake This Maze is a compilation of tracks I made from 2009-2012. The recording of the album was done by me in Seattle, Washington, Berkeley, California, Oregon, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Madrid, Spain. The songs feature talent from most of those places who each add their own flavor to the tracks on which they appear. The title is taken from the chorus of a track off the album, entitled “Shake This Maze.”

V and I are putting out this album 100% independently. V has provided original handcrafted artwork and branding. From the logo to distribution, recording to shipping, this album comes from the LIFESTYLE collective’s international network.

We’re finishing the last touches on the CD and will be proud to bring you the final version very soon!!! Thanks for the support!!

Reflection and Response.

-P

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

The City’s Windows

Madrid March 5th.

In both of these pics I focused on the reflective/perspective power of windows. The laborer in the first pic contrasts with the “CERRADO,” nature of the shop. In the pic below, I cut out some words of a sign and just left “POR FAVOR,” with some bars.

-P

Reflection and Response

Tagged , , , , ,

Talk of the Town: Craft and Craftspeople

Welcome to another installment of the LIFESTYLE’s Talk of the Town series. This series consists of a platform for discussion. We strive for The Lifestyle to be a venue and we appreciate the love we get on this series, the Snapshots From the Collective series, and the Feature series.

When observing or experiencing crafts do we/ should we ignore the personality of the craftsperson? Collective member Megan sent this article in the Huffington Post that discusses painter Paul Gauguin’s exhibit on work from a period in Polynesia. The article cites a criticism that focuses on Gauguin’s activity during this period and how that can effect how some viewers see his work.

Excerpt:

“Decisions like impregnating a thirteen year old and giving her syphilis surely cast Gauguin in an unflattering light. And yet the artist’s unethical and perhaps delusional escape to paradise led to one of the most revolutionary shifts in the visual vocabulary of all time”

Can we ignore the craftsperson when experiencing craft? Should we ignore artists when looking at art?

We look forward to your responses below in the thoughts box!

-Reflection and Response

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Snapshots from the Collective: _________________

________________ by ________   _________

The Snapshots From the Collective series provides a venue for photography with an emphasis in Reflection and Response. If you have any contributions to the series please free to email us some pics at the.lifestyle.rr@gmail.com. Photos will only be used for this series. Thank you and we look forward to submissions!!!

-P & V

Reflection and Response.

Tagged , , ,

Shake This Maze

Tools of the Trade documentation from P’s upcoming debut album Shake This Maze.. A collaborative, handcrafted project comin up for release in a few weeks.. Stay tuned!

Reflection and Response.

V.

Tagged , , , , ,

Wake Up

I wrote Wake Up way back in the 55thandBrooklyn Seattle days. The lyrics deal with a crush I had at the time. I tried to focus on sleep patterns as a metaphor for thinking through my romantic situation. What do you use to wake up?

At the I sample The Beatles’ “Baby It’s You,” The sample appears at 0:53 in the Beatles track.

Wake up/ But it’s so hard to do/ The floor’s cold think I’ll stay up inside this dew/ This pillow provides more support than you/ And I’ll stay in bed till 6 in the afternoon/Wake up/ But it’s so hard to do/ The floor’s cold think I’ll stay up inside this dew/ This pillow provides more support than you/ And I’ll stay in bed till 5 in the afternoon/

These mind games she plays are amazing/ Every time I find gains turn out to be lies lately/ Been too many years/ Not to see it clear/ Though she might flirt and veer/ The thing is not changing/ Used to be long and lanky/ Now I got cheeks/ no exercise exacerbates angst greatly/ Painstakingly wait patiently by the phone/ Waste hours just watch Hoarders and drone/ But I swear to god I’m over it/ I entered this war alone/ And on my own/ I’m done with the soldering/ I don’t deserve it and neither do you/ As you fuck whoever cuz I’m tired and through

Wake up/ But it’s so hard to do/ The floor’s cold think I’ll live up inside this dew/ This pillow provides more support than you/ And I’ll stay in bed till 5 in the afternoon/ Just wake up/ But it’s so hard to do/ The floor’s cold think I’ll live up inside this dew/ This pillow provides more support than you/ And I’ll stay in bed till 5 in the afternoon/ I wake up

My invitations seems to be a game/ Imitations pixelated frames on your playstation tres/ She sees me in a friendly way/ And just seems to say things that a friend would say/ But I let the winks and smily faced texts get to me/ Stupidly imagine actions we don’t end up doing/ Telling myself lies as my mental health slides into fantasy attraction chosen so randomly/ No use looking for accuracy/ Cupid shoots and the damage done collaterally/ So if it wasn’t for this pen and this pad and this beat/ I would have been as sad as I was mad at seventeen/ Let’s get it all out and throw it on the table/ Don’t know if I loved her is a twenty year old able?/ But her burn once hurt so painful/ Until I turned the scar into my angel

Wake up/ But it’s so hard to do/ The floor’s cold think I’ll live up inside this dew/ This pillow provides more support than you/ As I’ stay in bed till 5 in the afternoon/Wake up/ But it’s so hard to do/ The floor’s cold think I’ll stay up inside this dew/ This pillow provides more support than you/ As I stay in bed till 5 in the afternoon/I Wake up

Reflection and Response

-P

Tagged , , , , , ,