Sorry to say farewell to 2015

Every year has a theme, and I wasn't too sure how to label 2015. It was a year filled to the brim with new experiences, new places to explore, old memories to dig up and reassess, and moments that truly reveal my character. I had some really scary moments this year when I had to act fast, and moments to sit back and let people take me where they want to. There were things I couldn't change and had to accept. It was a year to let go.

I visited more new places this year than any other year; crossing off North Carolina, Rhode Island, Washington DC, Florida (outside of my childhood vacations in Orlando), Mississippi, Alabama, and New Orleans Louisiana. We stayed at the COSM in New York State and recorded in a Cave in Virginia.  I can't wait to cross off a few more in 2016!

It was a year to appreciate.  There were times this year when I felt fear I had never felt before because those who are closest to me had been hurt or really sick. I am so SO grateful that everyone's ok.  Although these moments came and went, the residue of those feelings stayed with me. I try not to take anything for granted.

Finally, at the age of 27, I finally learned why certain things happened the way they did in my life. It was a revealing year.  I had been so naive all these years and now I understand my behavior, fears, and wants because I unlocked so many memories growing up. I've been reading "The Glass Castle" and I really appreciated the statement in the beginning,  "Interesting people tend to have an interesting past."

I learned to cope with all this overwhelming information by focusing on a new skill, craft, and process- spinning.  In connecting with this very old process, I found some inner peace.

It was a year to enjoy the process of learning. Since I'm teaching Media Arts and Art History this year, I had a lot of refreshing and learning to do! Between the hours spent reading in cafes and libraries, visiting museums, and skyping with professionals, I rekindled a desire to learn.  Teaching myself has been a very rewarding and exciting process. 

This was a year to share some beautiful moments with Daimon.  We went on a long-awaited honey moon road trip back in February, went on two mini tours with our friends to play out of state, and won an Asbury Music Award.  We have a lot of fun together and he's my hansom partner in crime.

Daimon's always the driver so I can work on projects, look out the window and take pictures!

I didn't want to leave out that it's been a productive year for the people in my life. So many are making sacrifices to pursue their dreams in the arts. All of them are doing what they want to do. A few moved from familiar places to be reunited with loved ones or to soothe their wanderlust. And a few started their own businesses. A few even got engaged and are making plans for 2016! We're watching our friend's baby grow up so quickly too! It's like I'm soaking up the sun rays from these powerful stars who know where they want to be.  I'm proud and excited beyond words to hear what the next steps are for them. Whether they're heading west to work in the film industry, or making money on the road playing for strangers and making new friends, I'm glad to say that we're all not collecting moss, yet we do a pretty good job sticking together.

Jewelry made by Salt and Steel.  Oh, you didn't know that the Homeless Apians invaded Germany this year?

2015 will be a tough year to follow, but with the trips we have planned and our aims for the next studio recording, I have no doubts it'll be a great year. Wishing you a....

Mountain Pearl

When Homeless Apians and Bone and Marrow agreed to travel and play together this summer, our first trip was to Asheville, North Carolina.  On our return trip home, we discussed the possibility of playing and recording in unusual environments with equipment charged and powered by the sun. With only a few hours left of the drive, we took an exit off a highway in Virginia to find the perfect cave for what we wanted to do.  "Mountain Pearl"was documented in Endless Caverns, and I'm so glad we have some video evidence of the experience! We were appreciative that they were open to the idea.  The Hapi drums were vital to the captivating quality of the song, and a cave setting was all too fitting for the drums.





If you are a musician or perform in a band who would like to record a song in an outdoor environment, contact Sun Lab Studio or check out their site for more details.    

Feel Good to be Alive at LiveStock

Music, Art, face painting and hula hooping... the perfect way to welcome warm weather and spend a memorable Saturday with friends and family. This communal celebration is free and open to the public. One of the rescued animals that lives on the farm, a zebra, may just make an appearance.

You can read more about LiveStock on the Speak Into My Good Eye blog here.  I agree with the post that "You'll be doing yourself a disservice not to be acquainted." Between Bog Iron Bloom, Chris Rockwell & The Social Stickball Club, Jim Mill, Puppy Grease, Moon Motel and Accidental Seabirds, I don't think I'll have an easy time focusing on painting faces. I may need to take a few breaks ;)

For $10, you can pre order Livestock shirts through Karma Cartel

If you're still curious about the event, feel free to check out the event at:

LIVESTOCK, HOWELL NJ, RSVP HERE

Ps- Bring your hoop and wear a smile

A Sad Farewell

Thanks to the businesses that support us, we belong to a garden of poets, bands, and artists. Closing just one of these businesses is a loss, so you can imagine how sad I was to hear that three of my favorite spaces announced their closing dates. Trinity and the Pope and the Ocean Bay diner of Point Pleasant are closing their doors with no anticipated reopening date.  The Annex is in the process of remodeling, and some fear this change may do more harm than good since the intimate space is what we love about it. These beloved spaces gave us a place to call home. Many have invested their time and love into these businesses so they could prosper and become a melting pot of diverse people and ideas. Trinity was the place to be on a Thursday night, Chris Rockwell hosted the Spoken Word Open Mic Nights at the Annex which brought people from all over together, and how can you be a Brick or Point high school graduate and not know about the OB diner: the late nights, the conversations, and the table you felt most comfortable at. Elevator Art's very first show was immediately followed by an excursion to the OB with all the performers. It's hard to say which business I'll miss the most.

Trinity and the Pope stood out in the venue-saturated Asbury Park.  It was one of the few that didn't ask bands to sell tickets, didn't charge at the door, and provided sound in a sophisticated setting. Sure, I support venues so they can continue to survive in this economy, but Trinity was a place we all congregated because of its accessibility. There were nights where atleast one person from each band would be there and everyone was talking about their progress and future plans with their band. Elevator Art had some important conversations about the Martian Diver EP at Trinity. It was a guaranteed great show when Mad Feather Group, Lightning Jar, Accidental Seabirds, We Used to Cut the Grass, Karmic Juggernaut, or Moon Motel played at the venue. You know that awkward space that separates the band from the audience? There was none of that at Trinity; you had no choice but to stand right in front of the band, and that only made the experience better for everyone.

This goes out to you Annex,  Trinity, and OB.  At least your last weeks were in October when we are all submissive to the reality of change. You will be missed.

Art, Friends, and Fall

Art and friends are like the nutella and bananas of my life, or the peanut butter and jelly for you traditional viewers. It's been a great September exhibiting artwork with friends, networking, rekindling old friendships and talking about art within the artist circle in Asbury Park. This Saturday the 29th, I'll be one of the exhibiting artists at the 100,000 Poets for Change event at Trinity and the Pope. My good friend, Gregg Bautista, is the featured artist of the event. Be sure to check out his table as well as enjoying the bands and listening to the poets. It's an event you won't want to miss; everybody's coming together for it  (event details here):

I drew a friend last week and wanted to share. I know a very reputable NJ model who I've been drawing since 2006. He's the best one around, and I always hire him for the life drawing events I host. Last week, I participated in the workshop with a drawing tool that is a little unusual for me- a ballpoint pen. I found it to be very adaptable to my style of drawing and thought I'd share:

 And lastly, I decided to cover my apartment with some works in progress, gifts, and purchased prints from friends. I'm really excited to have recently acquired a print from photographer Joseph Alechko and a rough draft from Richie Brown. One of these days I'll get frames so the works have some respect. Until then, I can appreciate them the way they are.

 

http://www.greggbautista.com/

www.BlackAcrylic.blogspot.com 

http://richie-brown.com/

A Long Awaited New Chapter

It’s been official for a while, but the ring makes it a solid statement. We’re getting married! I was totally unaware of Daimon’s intentions as we drove down 340 to Harper’s Ferry. He asked me under a healthy tree rooted right in the clear river. He had no problem getting his knee wet.  It was a really rainy morning, hence why I'm soaking wet in the picture!

Soon after, Daimon had scheduled an appointment at a prestigious photography studio in Gettysburg owned by photographer R.J. Gibson. We held our pose for 13 1/2 seconds in grand attire. R.J. casually rotated our plate with expertise as the solution coated it. Our image appeared and it brought tears to our eyes. This would be the photo that told our family and friends of our engagement. The whole weekend was truly an unforgettable experience. It was appropriate to have this picture taken since photography is what brought us together.

We met in 2005 in a darkroom photography class at the local Vocational School.  He was an exceptional student and taught the darkroom portion to students (I was one of those students). He wore a dorky lab coat, really dirty high top converse, and had longer hair than me. I was immediately smitten and interested in his photography; at the time he explored textures and expressions. By the time the school year was ending in June, we decided to become an item. And yes, he took me to my senior prom that next year. 

Daimon and I have a more interesting story behind that backdrop.  Unbeknownst to us, we both had sisters with Down Syndrome.  Of course compassion and empathy for those with disabilities were huge prerequisites to finding a companion. If that wasn’t a huge deal to us, it was even more surprising to learn we both had grandmothers who were opera singers, had been band hopping and a part of the asbury music scene in high school, and had the same noticeable scar in the same place on our knees from childhood.

The first week we were together he made me a cassette tape, which I still have today. I could tell you what songs sound warbley! At the time it was cute but little did I know how nostalgic it would become.  

For anyone who knows us well, it’s easy to notice that we have our own separate cultures.  We like different music, make different art, and have different social personalities. I think these differences make our union interesting and we’ve maintained our individuality through the years. We pick up what the other lacks. We’re a great compatible team and communicate well to find compromises.  I have faith in our relationship and look forward to our future together.  It’s an amazing time for us and we’re so delighted and proud to share that with you. June 8th, 2013 we’re being married by our friend Richie Brown and our dearest friends Jeff and Lisa Gross are our witnesses/photographers. Just the 5 of us in gorgeous Shenadoah Valley, VA (pictured here). We're having a big party when we come back!

Art Show Weekend Recap

I curated two different art shows in the same weekend.. phew! They were equally as time consuming as they were exciting. I prepared new work, printed and posted flyers, and brought my loaded polaroid camera with me!

Some of the polaroids I took this weekend...

Daimon, Gregg Bautista and I made mini dessert "burgers" for Friday's show

These guys jammed with a synth-kini and saxophone at Atomic in Point Pleasant. I jumped in with a kazoo just for laughs 

Some shots from the Tent City benefit show. I love this pic of these 2 love birds swinging

That dog hung out with the tarot card reader begging to know his future! Thought I'd take a photo since this guy, photographer and illustrator Gregg Bautista, wasn't doing his job! hehe

What a fun weekend, I love when all the people I know and love start to introduce themselves to each other. I really consider those moments to be like holidays; my family is coming together!  Richie playing his synth-kini in public, watching Chris Rockwell's set on my blanket with some awesome ladies, and playing back to back with Daimon were some of my favorite moments from the weekend... but I think my favorite one of all had to do with a jersey tomato.  I had a tomato in my bag for a snack at the benefit show, and couldn't help but share it with a nearby friend, James Herdman (musician for Accidental Seabirds and Thomas Wesley Stern).  I thought it was so funny that he found me an hour later and had managed to get a tomato from home just to share it with me!  It was the perfect summer day in Jersey; it'll be hard to forget sitting on a stump snacking on a tomato while everybody around me is smiling and having fun. It was memorable.

Here's my favorite polaroid of all.  It's interesting to me when I have a picture in my mind of how an event is supposed to go, and then it's completely different than what I imagined.  Thankfully both shows were better than I expected, and I got to connect with old friends and dance with some new ones. Hope you had a great weekend too!