Friday, December 19, 2008

Thinking of you two.



Lockett Meadow is one of my favorite spots near Flagstaff, AZ. These photos from last summer keep me mindful of my friends in that area. At a time of year when friends and family feel very important I am grateful for mine and a bit melancholic that I can't be closer to those two in particular.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

"Seeing Things"

Jakob Dylan's solo album "Seeing Things" is important. It's pure acoustic instrumentation, engaging melodies, and poetic imagery are at once stark and sweet. There are no attempts to mask the simple honesty of self expression; no pretentious efforts to make it accessible or marketable. The son of Bob Dylan and front man for the Wallflowers makes no excuses for his perspective and presents a cohesive family of songs for contemplation. This album transcends melancholy and sentiment without defiling the sanctity of music with self importance. "Something Good This Way Comes" sends me to a front porch on a cool fall afternoon with a robust beer and nowhere to go, watching as my hopes materialize in a slow and smiling parade down the soft shaded street to my yard. Hear the album at http://www.myspace.com/jakobdylan

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Self Portrait

A self portrait I took for an ID for the ceramics class I'll complete this week. It's been a semester of revelations. I need to create in order to live. To keep from going mental I'll be taking two more art classes next semester. I'll also be careful to keep working during the break. Even if I'm just making hemp bracelets with my daughter, sketching, or writing, I need to keep it up. Self expression is a bit of a misnomer. Creativity is really self realization. Before this class I thought I needed to be left alone to create and I just needed a place to fire my ceramic work. I quickly found that I could learn a lot if I wanted to. And so I did. I learned more than just the technical. Before this class I felt I had little to do or say. Now, I don't know how I'll achieve all of my creative goals in one lifetime. Healing, hope, and self esteem in just a few short months. Thanks to Tashima Sensei. Thanks to my friends. Thanks to my partner, my co-creator, my wife.