Alex Pascual - Circa 2000/2001

Student Gallery - The Evergreen State College

Kaiser Road - Oly House

Me and the Paintings



Me in front of the Kaiser House freaking out. Music: Ram and the Dates

Music Painting - Matteo Negrin

gallery, process, and story - via hodeiprogetti.com

Disabled artists create paintings

Photo: Zhou Ge/Xinhua

"41-year-old Huang Guofu, from Chongqing, China, has learned to master the paintbrush with his mouth and right foot, after he lost both his hands in a childhood accident."

gallery and video via - China.org.sn

story via- odditycentral.com

Study: Narcissism On Rise In Pop Lyrics - via NPR

full story:
Study: Narcissism On Rise In Pop Lyrics - via NPR.org

"A psychology professor at the University of Kentucky analyzed hit songs between 1980 and 2007 and found a correlation between egotistical song lyrics and increasing narcissism in society. Michele Norris talks with Dr. Nathan DeWall about his study."

This phenomenon, I personally don't think is that new, but is becoming more prevalent in our society. As far as celebrity-dom and the individual, living vicariously through music, movies, and media has skipped a beat from harmless adulation to full-blown self-importance.

Our idols are constantly telling us how awesome they are, basking in the many awards they win and constantly patting themselves on the back. Naturally the response is to, I guess, is to emulate these behaviors and act in kind.

Collectively we seem to lack the self-confidence and awareness to truly be ourselves and not concoctions inflated egos.

Just as a small observation of the last few decades, the diaspora of our societies icons have shifted greatly in caliber.

When I look back to the world stage, say ten/twenty years ago, we where still influenced by icons such as: Princess Diana, Ghandi, MLK Jr., Mother Teressa. Now our concerns are with figures like the Paris Hiltons, Jusin Beibers, and Snookis of the world.

Yarnbombing - heart warming grafitti

Image courtesy of The Calgary Art Bomber

Yarnbombing. Herald as a form of graffiti, crocheters and weavers alike are turning their talents to the streets. Gone are the permanent and edgy aesthetics of spray cans and vandalism; enter the cosiness and endearing quality of a yarn covered urban sprawl.

Artists gather, mostly in early morning to spin out hours of their time to cover everything from street barriers, trees, to city statues. Hit the links below for more images.

story and audio via NPR

yarnbombing.com

Crochet On A Bear Statue from Jennifer Sharpe on Vimeo.

Fela Anikulapo-Kuti - Late Afro-Beat King "returns" - Nigerian Elections

In the light of the Nigerian elections, the Broadway musical "Fela" has been performing in Lagos, Nigeria. The production is run and performed in part by Fela's survived children; son Femi and daughter Yeni.

Femi was a national icon to Nigerians. Not only recognized as the king of afro-beat, but was outspoken against his nation's corruption and military dictators.

story via msnbc

story via nigerianheadlines.com

Magdalene Program and Thistle Farms - Recovery and Living for prostitutes

The Magdalene Program in Nashville Tennessee provides healing and recovery for women who are reaching out to leave the life of prostitution behind them. Violence and drugs being a prevalent aspect to life in prostitution, the program provides housing, therapy, and work for the women.

The community of Magdalene runs Thistle Farms, a self-sustaining business, that allows a place of healing and work for Magdalene graduates. The women not only create the natural bath and body products themselves, but learn skills essential jobs skill in manufacturing, packaging, marketing and sales and administration.

Like the women and their namesake depicts, a thistle is a stubborn weed that manages to grow in desolation. Though at first only sharp and prickly on the outside the weed eventually blooms beautifully.

www.thistlefarms.org

Story and audio via NPR.com