Manic Monday: Jobs, Housing, Recovery Inc..
Early start to an exciting day. Had a great time hanging out with my co-workers in Fells Point taping this morning’s Manic Monday segment for WJZ Baltimore with Ron Matz. What a blast!!! Be on the look out we will be returning in November.
JHR Staff will be appearing on WJZ with Ron Matz in Fells Point for Manic Monday. We will be meeting in front of Jimmy’s, in Fells Point, on 801 S. Broadway at 5:45 am. July 7th. There is plenty of free parking around Broadway Square.
JHR serves homeless individuals of Baltimore, MD by providing life-sustaining services and offering access to jogs, housing and recovery from addiction
If you would like to join us come on out, and if you can, make a JHR poster to bring with you.
We will be singing Manic Monday by the Bangles. (See lyrics below.)
What a great way to kick off the week. Let’s have fun with this!!!!
“Manic Monday”
Six o’clock already
I was just in the middle of a dream
I was kissin’ Valentino
By a crystal blue Italian stream
But I can’t be late
‘Cause then I guess I just won’t get paid
These are the days
When you wish your bed was already made
It’s just another manic Monday
I wish it were Sunday
‘Cause that’s my fun day
My I don’t have to run day
It’s just another manic Monday
Have to catch an early train
Got to be to work by nine
And if I had an aeroplane
I still couldn’t make it on time
‘Cause it takes me so long just to figure out
what I’m gonna wear
Blame it on the train
But the boss is already there
It’s just another manic Monday
Wish it were Sunday
‘Cause that’s my fun day
My I don’t have to run day
It’s just another manic Monday
All of the nights
Why did my lover have to pick last night
To get down?
(Last night, last night)
Doesn’t it matter
That I have to feed the both of us
Employment’s down
He tells me in his bedroom voice
“C’mon honey, let’s go make some noise”
Time it goes so fast
(When you’re having fun)
It’s just another manic Monday
I wish it were Sunday
‘Cause that’s my fun day
I don’t have to run day
It’s just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
‘Cause that’s my fun day
It’s just a manic Monday
Today I got the best news a self-published author could receive…..News that I sold my first official book!!!
I guess that makes it official…I am a real author. I have thought about this moment for a long time and even though I imagined various scenarios in my head…I could never really imagine how this moment…this magical moment would really feel.
It was a routine check of my email. A cursory scan for news about my upcoming art show April 12th. I was scanning with that practiced eye, developed looking for fast facts. The kind of scan that looks for and highlights key words so that they glow and stand apart from other text. That time honored tradition practiced by those with too many irons in the fire and needing to find the right one fast. That one glance and you have all the information you need to move on. So practiced that it’s beyond being a skill, almost like breathing . You just do it.
Not seeing further details about my pending art exhibit, I was done and the command to close the email program was sent like a rocket strapped bike messenger to my index finger, whose sole job was to hover over the mouse button at the ready to click the “x” marks the spot button. It was an involuntary flutter that paused just as my finger brushed the button.
That’s when I saw it… I mean my eyes had skimmed the message, but it had not yet registered with my brain. Those words leapt off the page and met me head on. Sitting there like a deer caught in headlights I blinked and reread the subject line again in disbelief. “I bought your book”. That was it and nothing more. I still wasn’t convinced I’d read it correctly. I pushed my face closer to the monitor as if trying to see into the computer’s guts. Examining the pixels looking for some flaw in the coding. But it stared me down. Black writing on the white screen glaring at me as if asking for personal space.
When it finally hit me, I can’t say whether or not I was even breathing. I don’t even remember shedding tears of joy, yet my face had grown damp from the salty leakage.
Funny how until you rewind a moment, slow down and replay it frame by frame, you can’t take a measure of how you really felt about what was going on in that moment.
After careful thought I can honestly say this for me is how it feels to be BLESSED!
GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME! ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD!!!
I am abundantly BLESSED.
Get your copy today:
“Baltimore In Instagrams”
Available on Blurb $23.99.
Beware I received a strange email that said my PayPal account was in danger of being closed. It asked me to follow a link to verify my account. DO NOT!!!! I REPEAT DO NOT!!! Under any circumstances follow that link. I sent the suspicious email to PayPal and they told me that it was fradulent. I have forwarded the message in its entirity to you so that you will know what it looks like. This is a real threat. I have confirmation. 
Artondra
I have entered several of my Instagram pics in various challenges on Twenty20. Twenty20 is a creative community that showcases art for discovery and acts as an online market place for artists to sell and buy art.
Almost every week there is a different photo contest/challenge. You get to pick a photo that best exemplifies the mood of the challenge. In the past I have won several challenges and have had my photos posted in various Twenty20 galleries. The process of selecting a picture is quite easy. Twenty20, hosts pictures from your Instagram photo stream. You get to choose which pictures are in your Twenty20 gallery and how they are organized and displayed. Currently, I have close to 400 photos in my Twenty20 portfolio.
Currently, I have entered work in several challenges and I need your help to make it to the finals and beyond. When a challenge is opened as many as 1,000+ photos maybe entered, one per artist. An artist moves on to the finals and wins a challenge by the amount of likes received on an image. Only 100 photos move on to the finals. And, then from those 100 photos, only 10 are selected to win the challenge.
I need your help to move on in the challenge and become a finalist for the following categories.
Summer
Green (It’s St. Paddy’s Day)
Nature
&
Urban
I am also a finalist in the “Purple” Challenge. I am 1 of the lucky 100 artist to get selected to move on to the final 10. Please show me some love there as well.
To show your love, you can log in to Twenty20 with your Facebook log in or if you have Instagram you can log in that way as well. Please feel free to votenon one or all of your favorite entries in these challenges.
Twenty20 is a great market place to sell and discover art. Your work can be printed on various types of media from cell phone cases, pillows, framed prints, unframed prints, magnets, to greeting cards and more. I have managed to sell a few pieces and even buy somethings I have liked. Most recently I purchased some refrigerator magnets of my work. The quality is awesome and well worth the money. When you log in you gain access to the pictures I have on sale in my Twenty20 portfolio.
I hope that you will be inspired to share some of your best shots on Instagram and enter a few of the challenges yourself. If you have an Instagram account let me know so I can follow you. I love discovering new work and talking to like-minded artists.
Thought for the Day:
“If you don’t ask…
the answer is always no
If you don’t go after what you want…
you’ll never have it
if you don’t step forward…
you’re always in the same spot”
So I am asking, hoping you won’t say no. I am going after what I want… developing as an artist and photographer. I am stepping forward, by sharing my work with the world, so that I don’t remain in the same spot.
Fun A Day (FAD) Baltimore, was held on February 6, at Gallery 788 in Hampden, Maryland. This was Baltimore’s third year participating in the Philadelphia based Fun-A-Day program. Over 80 artists from around the city and state stepped up to the challenge of creating or doing something artistic each day during the month of January. According to What Weekly, “Baltimore has proven to be the largest of the national shows, which span from Boston to Santa Cruz.” Philadelphia’s Artclash Collective started the Fun-A-Day movement in 2004. The now defunct Artclash Collective, was an artist-run organization, instrumental in producing fun, all-inclusive, and participatory art projects and shows, which is the underlying theme of the Fun-A-Day project.
As one of the 80 participating artists, I can say that the event was well planned and organized by the coordinator, Kris WIllet and the Gallery 788 (G788) staff. I have worked with G788’s Director, Eduardo Rodriguez before in its first year of G788’s existence, when I had a six month residency (6 different shows). I have always found Eduardo to be quite knowledgable and helpful when putting together exhibits. I trust him to know what is best for my art. He has also proven to be a great mentor for any up and coming artist that is fortunate enough to be in his company. Kris Willet is awesome at organizing and making the impossible possible. The first FAD, was at a warehouse and we fought through heating and space issues. During the 2nd year, the venue became unavailable at the last-minute and Kris found another site to host FAD. Unfortunately, do to unforseen circumstances, Kris took a leave of absence, before this year’s opening, but her pre-planning and organization helped to lay a strong back bone for a successful show. I am looking forward to participating in FAD 2015. I suspect that it will be even larger than the first 3 years. I would even like to volunteer and help coordinate the show if the opportunity presents itself.
I typically show my photography, this year I took a creative turn and tried my hand at painting and mixed media on 8×10 and 6×8 canvases. My subjects included, everything from Elephants to Roses. Two of my favorite pieces were the “Red shoe on Blue” and “African Elephant Silhouette on Orange”. Other media included a “Tree at Sunset” and a “Vintage inspired Tea Cup” on green. I am inspired by this creative process to continue on this track and produce other works of art.
Many artist, including myself, did amazingly well selling work. I sold 4 pieces and donated 4 pieces to charities for fundraising activities. I enjoy giving back, especially, when others think highly enough of my work to buy a piece. Truth be told, the art really isn’t mine to keep, it was just using me as a portal to be born into the world. I gave it life. It is now free to be and exist in this space.
The turn out was spectacular as well. G788 staff say that its current location has seen an increase in patrons. That was a plus to many of us artists, who barely can get three people in the same room to see our art. We had a mix of regular G788 patrons and those that were invited by each artist. This mixing offered artist opportunity for their art to be viewed by a diverse group. For me, it meant meeting new people and exploring new collaborations. I can’t say how many people attended, but I would guess close to 100+ if not more bodies were crammed into the studio at any given time, with more arriving steadily. It was an enjoyable evening of rubbing elbows, chatting and taking in the creative vibe.
I had a bit of fun capturing a snippet of video of the evenings fun: http://instagram.com/p/kGGHpRQ1-_/
The only thing I wish, was that there could have been a brochure or some literature as a take away, listing the artists that participated. But with a little internet surfing I was able to find a few people. Below are links to other remarkable artist that participated in FAD 2014
http://www.meetup.com/DC-Archery-Club/messages/boards/thread/41571292
http://www.uncustomary.org/fun-a-day-opening/
http://allytheartist.com/fun-a-days/
I invite you to join me at Baltimore’s 3rd Annual Fun-A-Day art opening. This year’s opening and show will be taking place on Thursday, February 6, 2014, at 7 pm, at Gallery 788 located on 3602 Hickory Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21211.
What is Fun-A-Day? A chance to make art (or just have fun) every day in the month of January with the artclash! collective–
The premise is simple: pick a project, do it every day in January, then show your work the following month in a big group show.
Started in 2004 by a group of friends in Philadelphia, Fun-A-Day began as a way to stay creative and motivate each other to make things through the winter. Now in its seventh year, Fun-A-Day has grown from its Philadelphia roots–in 2010 there were 10 Fun-A-Day shows, organized by different art collectives and groups of friends across the country.
This year I am looking forward to showing some of my paintings and artwork. Yes! I do paint and draw and this will be my first time ever showing some of my work in this media! I am creating mixed media pieces on canvas … mostly acrylic, ink, marker, found objects and decoupage to create some unique art pieces. Most work is in 8X10 and 6×8 format. All original pieces will be signed and for sale. 8×10’s are $30.00 and the 6×8’s are $20.00. This is my “Colorful Canvases” Collection. These one of a kind canvases were created exclusively for Baltimore’s Fun-A-Day Project.
The event is free with a suggested donation of $5.00 to our gracious host, Gallery 788.If you cannot make opening night, it is my understanding that work will hang from Thursday, February 6th through Sunday, February 9th.
I hope to see you there!!!!!
So today I was totally unaware that something was a foot here in the good old USA. Seems that a technical glitch shut down the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Program that many rely on to feed their families. I will admit, it is not easy trying to feed your family on a fixed income and I can only imagine the hardship and panic many experienced today when this government subsidized system failed across the nation. Rumors that it was the result of the government shutdown spread like wild fire among a people that are already fed up with the shutdown, rise in food and medical costs, the bureaucracy which governs day to day life, and the absurdity that they have to sit at home sans paycheck while their fate is decided by those on Capitol Hill, who will still collect a paycheck. This is probably the straw that should break the camels back.
If this wasn’t real life, Hollywood could have a hay day with today’s nationwide EBT crisis. Hollywood could use this scenario as the catalyst for the impending Zombie Apocalypse [which I truly believe has already happened with the US consumption of alcohol and illegal drugs on the uptick.] I can see it now… its a beautiful Morning and mom loads the baby into the car seat and heads out in the family mini van, which is about 10 years old and needs repairs, to the local grocer, about 2 miles away. After struggling to get the kid out of the car seat and finding a basket, she walks into the store with a long list of things to get, as her pantry is nearly empty. She is preoccupied on how to make the $120.00 and some change stretch to feed her family for a month. It’s difficult, choices between getting quality meat, fresh milk and eggs are weighed against what she can afford and how to make it last the month. She knows its like Christmas when that money comes down on her EBT. She can finally put a substantial meal on the table. However, on this day as she weighs options, there is a sudden squawking and cracking of the store’s loud speaker. In between the hissing, crackling and popping, she makes out a distorted voice advising that the food stamp system is down nationwide and no grocery orders can be processed. Slowly around her people stop mid stride and look up at the ceiling, intently listening to the message as it is repeated. Others who heard it the first time are panicking, and running to the check out lines, to be the first to try their luck. As panic sets in the store patrons start to riot as card after card is declined. That young mother is gripped with fear and terror of her babies starving to death, as she clings to her little one in the stampede. [End scene] And, this is actually what happened to day, across this Great Nation. Not a Hollywood plot, but real life gone wrong.
How did we get to this point? There was a time when we were close to the foods we eat. Some of us can ask our parents or even grandparents about Victory Gardens, gardens grown during WWI and WWII. Many neighborhoods were sprinkled with locally owned grocery stores that were run by either farming families or others that had direct contracts with local farms. Some families raised chickens in a coop while other families grew some staples like potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and cabbage with a few fruit trees. My maternal grandmother used to tell me about the grape orchard in her yard. I even remember living in a house for a short period of time that had an apple tree. My paternal grandparents grew tomatoes just beneath their kitchen window. I remember standing there picking them and eating them.
Somewhere over the course of time as people began to worry about property values and landscaping, gardens that fed families faded out in lieu of flower gardens and manicured lawns. Also, neighborhood, municipal and the federal government began to regulate land use and zoning. I read an account of a woman who planted a vegetable garden in raised flower beds in her front yard, after a sewer line was repaired, but she ended up battling her local city government. This is not the only story I’ve heard of everyday ordinary people coming toe to toe with the government. The scenario of David versus Goliath is being played out all over the country, as many are turning to their own little plot of land for food. In these uncertain times, it just seems natural that we should want to be self sustainable and be able to take care of our own needs without government stepping in to regulate our actions. But we live in a money driven society, and as the old saying goes “Money talks, BS walk.” And by the way, history tells us that all financial systems eventually crumble and become replaced by something else. But I digress….
So where do we go from here? How do we stand up for ourselves? How do we sustain life? There are some unorthodox answers out there and things that have never before been considered. Some of the things I’ve come across include Earthships, TIny Houses, Compact Living Spaces, Container Gardening, Hydroponics, rainwater catchment and filtration systems. Earthships, which really fascinate me are houses built using earth, tires, glass bottles and other materials, in a recycling process that creates homes built on the principal of thermomass construction, i.e. energy efficient homes, that not only provide shelter, but rain water filtration, self sustaining vegetable gardens and solar power. These houses bring us back to our life source, food and water. These homes are completely off grid. Tiny houses, are literally little replicas of McMansions at a fraction of the sqft, offering smaller living quarters, sometimes situation on farm-able plots of land with the option of being off grid. Other housing and living include cob houses, shipping container homes, turning old school and double decker buses into homes and the list is growing every day. The ideal behind many of these living situations is to be off grid, grow your own food, filter your own water and produce your own electricity. A move that could take us back to a simpler way of life and living that mirrors homesteading.
IMHO, if we get back to being close to the land, food and water, we can be less dependent on government and we can live life without worrying about food shortages and government controlled food programs. Who knows perhaps some of our most prevalent diseases would disappear for good. Even if we are to take stock and look around at our resources, we will not build Thomas Moore’s “Utopia” but something more useful, a society of thinking individuals that are returning to a simpler way of life for the sake of survival. Or dare we believe that this current state of affair is our “Best Possible World” per the philosophies Voltaire’s Dr. Pangloss?
When is enough really ENOUGH?
Links and articles for further reading
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthship
http://www.urbanreviewstl.com/2012/08/a-front-yard-vegetable-garden-in-ferguson-missouri/
http://www.newson6.com/story/18802728/woman-sues-city-of-tulsa-for-cutting-down-her-edible-garden
So I was going through my email and find this little gem on how to “Look at Art Like an Expert”. I found the information useful. However, as an artists and photographer, I sometimes don’t give a hoot what the so called “experts” look for in art, or what they qualify as art. I think it’s because there is so much more to looking at art then following stiff rules or guidelines. I think first and foremost art should touch you in someone way emotionally. We consume with our emotions. Think of this. You go into a grocery store and if you are hungry you may grab a bunch of “snackables” or treats. Now why did you buy those items? You were hungry and you wanted something quick to eat. We look at snacks and we think yummy and in our minds we see ourselves eating that food and we are happy. So the act of buying the snack is equal to our happiness. Right? I’m not necessarily comparing art to food, but for some art is food and food is art. My point is that you like what you like based on your emotional composition. And if you like looking at pink polka dots on yellow because it makes you happy, then there is nothing wrong with you acquiring work that features pink polka dots on yellow. And, this could be tied to a deeper emotional state like a happy memory from childhood. It could have been that your mother’s Easter dress was this color when you were a baby, and since mom has passed on, you grasp for something that reminds you of mom. I guess what I’m saying is that if art don’t move you in someway… then move on to the next piece that does. Because not everyone loves Gauguin or Picasso. Your heart will tell you what is and is not art.
I realize that I’ve not posted in a while and I can blame it on my addiction to Instagram. Yes, I said it I have an addiction to Instagram. I don’t think there is a rehab program that can help me with this addiction. I think I’m attracted to it because of the easy finger tip access to all the wonderful images people share daily. I estimate that I spend about 75% of the time I’m on my iPhone looking at and liking images on the Instagram App. I’ve even won a few photo challenges sponsored by Instacanvas. Instacanvas allows you to sell your Instagram photos in a variety of media… Prints, canvas wrapped prints and framed prints. I’ve not sold anything yet, but I think that I will do so soon.
I used to be a Flickrholic, but before Flickr was easily accessible on my mobile, I had to log into Safari to get to it and then log in. That was too much work. Now Flickr offers a mobile app which works similar to Instagram and I’m noticing that more and more people are seeing my work now. And I’m finding it interesting when I get email alerts from Flickr that I’m getting a lot of views but not as many favorites.
Overall, I like the fact that not only is my work being seen on Instagram, but more people are clicking the like button on my work. I listed my Instagram site. Let’s see what you think about my photography.
Thoughts of an Urban Photographer 