Urbanica

I'm trying to get back in the habit of taking my camera out with me during the day again...I fell off for a while there for whatever reason. Maybe it was lack of inspiration or something, but I don't really think that's the case, since every city, no matter how dull, has something interesting to view if you look close enough.

Like lost little pigs outside of abandoned buildings...


And of course there's always rusty stuff!









Hey, did y'all know it's really hot in south Texas this time of year? We had a heat index of 112 today...I suppose, having grown up in that kind of heat, it's no wonder my Inner Reptile enjoys the heat.

VMZine: Welcome to the Dollhouse

The special all dolls/figurative sculpture issue of VMZ is done at long last!
Below is a little sneak peek a few of the artists involved, as well as a full list of contributors...

Artists included in this issue are: Beth Robinson, Sebastian Bages, Lydia Dekker, Shain Erin, Karna Erickson, Anita Collins, Tricia Anders, Anat Rom, Colleen Downs, Filigree (art duo), and Sarah Zambiasi.

Trust me when I say that it's a very varied bunch of artists, with a wide variety of styles! (in case you couldn't tell from the sneak peek) Over on the left-hand side, you'll find a link to a preview and place to order, if you're so inclined.

Thanks to all the folks who joined in on this special issue!

Welcome to Texas

After 20+ hours of driving, we arrived in Corpus Christi yesterday afternoon about 5pm, just in time for the heat to be letting up a bit...on the way in, the radio had informed us that it was 107 earlier in the day.

But it's a dry heat, don't ya know.

It was an odd feeling as we drove in. This is where I went to middle school, and the first part of high school...and the place I fled back to when my (florida) high school love and I stole a car and got the hell out of Ocala. I hadn't been back here since then.

Somewhat amusingly (or annoyingly) I'm avoiding the heat by staying in the hotel and doing a lot of this....

(which would be data scrubbing) because I have this little warrant for my arrest issue out there in the Texas Universe, which I'm in the process of taking care of as we speak...but until it's taken care of, I can't be/shouldn't be driving the company car.

Ah, the criminal life. That's sarcasm.

It really is an odd feeling, though, to be driving the streets that I used to walk as a teenager...past spots that I remember so vividly, yet are so different now. Seeing the abandoned rail bridge that crosses Oso Bay which Nathan and I used to carefully cross VERY carefully on the way to our little hangout spot....half the boards had rotted through, so you had to be wary and watch your step, or you'd end up in the bay, covered in sludge, trudging through stingrays and jellyfish. Passing the spot where I was almost shot by a police officer due to a misunderstanding of the most basic kind. (AKA: "the place where I learned when a cop tells you to remove your hands from your shirt DON'T try and reach back in there and tell him it's just some plastic letters from a marquis"...hey, I was all of 14 or so. I wasn't thinking "guns," ya know?) The spot on the beach where I met my first adult "physical" partner.

So many other memories.

Corpus really was the start of a shift in my life...that transition from child to young adult. Where I realized that actions come with consequences, and my adult self started to form.


So I guess you could say that Corpus is to blame.

Badoomching.

The Week That Was(?)

Hmn...it's been almost a week since I posted/checked in here. What's that about? Maybe it's the lack of anything of interest to talk about...well, actually I did post about Michael Jackson's death, but then I deleted it because it was pretty opinion-heavy and I didn't feel like dealing with the potential of offending some MJ lover out there about issues we'll never know the truth about.


Anyhooo, some recent Flickr Faves!


Tomorrow morning we head out bright and early for Texas...we'll drive to Lafayette Louisiana, stop for the night, then make our way to Corpus Christi on Tuesday...then we'll head to my parent's place outside of San Antonio on the 3rd or 4th for Charlie's Bday/4th of July...then we'll head back to Corpus.

That's a lot of driving. Even more than usual.


11 days and not one cigarette!

Last of the Barbies...

Months later, I'm finally finished with my pieces for the show. Mind you, I could have done just one or two instead of five, but I had several different ideas I wanted to play with...and of course, I just thought of another one a minute ago. Ophelia Barbie in a clear resin "river." I guess I can always do it anyways, show or no show.

Anyhoooo, so the last two pieces....the Full Metal Burqah one didn't change too much from where she was yesterday, I just darkened her up a bit, added some more reds/purples to her. Interesting that two of the pieces for this show were a lot darker than what I normally do, color-wise.




and then there's the Sun Goddess...


Hope everyone's week is off to a good start!

Full Metal Burqah...and a CD Offer

I've had that phrase in my head for about 3 or 4 years now...seriously. I knew I wanted to transform it into something visual, but I was never quite sure what or how.

Today, I was pondering the last piece for the Barbie Redux show, and listening to the news at the same time...all of a sudden it all came together. What perfect medium/forum/form for it than Barbie?

So here we are...FMB in progress....


I've been spending part of my down-time putting together a few playlists for CDs...okay, more than a "few," I suppose.

Pick two from the following, and I'll get them in the mail to you! (some of you I have addresses for...if you don't think I have yours...or if you've moved...just email it to me)




Another Voice for Quiet: random selection: Air, Radiohead, Tricky, Moloko, PJ Harvey, Sigur Ros and others

Banga Banga: another random : Missy Elliott, Amy Winehouse, Concrete Blonde, Gnarls Barkley, Goldfrapp and others

Days of Honey: slower stuff: Marianne Faithful, Sinead Oconnor, Joan Osborne, Jefferson Airplane, Tori Amos and more

The Honorable Ms Yin: random stuff: Peaches, M.I.A., EmmyLou Harris, Duffy, Lucinda Williams and yup, some other people

Lovesongs for Insects: faster and weirder stuff: Shpongle, The Flaws, Chemical Brothers, Anoushka Shankar, Serge Santiago and more

Mnemovore: somewhat faster: Blue Boy, Stone Fox, Moon Unit/Ewan Pearson, A.R. Rahman, Peaches, Alanis Morissette and others

Upper and Slower: slower: Dolly Parton, Sigur Ros, Moloko, PJ Harvey, Sinead OConnor and more


I'm working on some more for later, but I have to find the rest of my music to download first. (hence the somewhat limited selection here)


Hope everyone's had a good weekend so far...mine's been pretty good, even the not smoking has been going excellently! In the past I've always snuck a few in within the first few days, but I'm on day four now, and not even one puff. Haven't even been tempted, really.

And From Disintegration...Growth

It's been a rather quiet week for me here at home...haven't even done much in the way of online putzing around, really. Spent a few days just settling back in and "decompressing," then a few days working on getting the drywall/mudding finished out at the Country House (one step closer to the best part...painting!)...and then...the last of the jaw surgeries on thursday.

This time around hasn't been as bad, partially because I know what to expect, and also because the procedure wasn't as intense. Still, it's back to another two weeks of semi-solid foods, which I'm not looking forward to, but whatever.

Also on day three of not smoking, and it's been a breeze thusfar! Makes me think that this really is the final time, which I'm thankful for. As I said before, I never wanted to be a smoker!

Anyhoooo...a final Disintegration Project retrospective before I start opening the bundles up! (and yeah, I'm about a month behind on this, since I was away from home for a while there)

In the beginning, there was chaos...


and confused dogs looking on...


And many bundles were made...


Even Ajak/x (the once confused dog) got in on the action...


Disintegration commenced...

















A reminder that change is part of life, and from disintegration, growth....