Showing posts with label Ms. M.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ms. M.. Show all posts

Sunday, October 26, 2014

how do people get clean?




Tattoo's are interesting things. They have meaning, history, culture and honor behind them or nothing at all. Someone may dislike you or decide not to date you because of your artwork or even because they don't like the men that put them on you. You smile and keep going because the things that will make someone dislike or have a change of heart about you, are quite funny. 

I've spent the better part of ten years trying to decide what & how to get tattoos on my body and it's been a personal journey and process that I recommend to others. Why? My tattoos are symbolic to me. They are a reminder of who I am. You must be true to yourself with something like this. It reflects you. A friend of mine says "you are a samurai, monicaness" and as much as women despise male comparisons for they are often given with the intention to diminish our femininity, I can only agree with him... Much like those loyal warriors I strive to epitomize strength & loyalty by carrying my totem with me and no one's disapproval will make me remove them. (** Of course they hurt, I don't enjoy the pain and I cry afterwards every single time. HUSH**) 

So do tattoo's make a person dirty or undesirable? 

They don't. Some of the things you do aren't things that you can wash off or remove no matter what... And why would you want to? You as a person are fallible, prone to fault while also being amazingly talented and gifted by your experiences. You embrace the things you are, for they complete you. In reality the only thing I struggle with about myself is being a writer because the work is sometimes undesirable to others. Why? Honestly, I don't know. To me, the writing is a blessing but in it's true form & depth, it is darkness. I think this is what non-writers can not fathom... The darkness that is within. It's a strength, animalistic and I am in control of it.

Indeed, darkness is also within us... We are both light & dark. Animalistic though...? Many animals in fact. In buddhism we are connected to the planet, and animals like people are a part of us and give us strength. And in Japanese culture it is a belief that you prepare your body and triumph over pain rather than succumb to it.  In essence you control your pain by owning and numbing it instead of pretending it does not exist. Pain can lead to the darkness that is always a part of us. You can develop a threshold and maintain control or let it consume you. 

So how do people get clean? We don't. You and I cannot wash clean who we are. Well I wouldn't want to... Ever. I don't know about you? For me... To lose one piece, is to lose all. We are all love within our light and dark. You can not be one without the other. Embrace your true nature. If you can't, you must learn to. If you don't, you will never be able to let others embrace and love you completely because you don't. 

Who you are without external negative influences such as drugs, alcohol, etc., is who you should be. When you love someone, including yourself, you accept & honor them entirely with every part of who they are. Dirty or Clean. Writer, designer, artist or photographer... tattoos or no tattoos. Love yourself more and someone will love the true you. And you find love in exactly who they are too.

Personally, I could never be with a man who doesn't embrace that I have tattoos, that I travel, that I am both a writer & a visual person because he wouldn't be in love with who I was if I needed to change. Dark & light. Strength and Loyalty. Without one you can not have the other. I will always be both yin&yang. Get it? You can't change to make someone love you. You have to love yourself. No ultimatum will make me choose not to be myself or more like another woman to please a man. Another man will love all of me as I am. Someone will love all of you as you are. It's not a risk. Trust it.


Are there things you've done that you can't wash off?
Would you remove things from your past if you could? Why? 
Do you have tattoos? 
Would you ever get one? 
Want to remove one? 

Enjoy!
Kisses, m.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Sleep: Dreams and Nightmares 44


Sorry dolls, I don't go to sleep to dream... Sometimes it happens though. I do work hard to make my dreams come true everyday.

Enjoy!
Kisses, m

Sunday, December 30, 2012

RECAP!

I would RECAP my HAPPY year for you except I signed two fat non-disclosure agreements that say: I can't! Enjoy Audrey! 

Kisses, m.

 Please feel free to check out the previous year's recaps:






How was your year? Did 2012 treat you right?  Anything to RECAP or be HAPPY HOPPY about?

Friday, December 28, 2012

Sleep: Dreams & Nightmares 36

Les Miserables - Official Trailer HD song f/ I dreamed a dream



"I dreamed a dream…" 

I loved and continue to love Les Miserables the musical and enjoyed the film recently. And although I am uncertain of many things I'm certain there's a great deal of sadness in seeing someone lose their dream. For dreams are what enrich the spirit and keep your passions alive. Dreams are meant to come true and the best dreams that you can experience are the ones that happen when you are awake. 

We all have a dream that lives within our hearts and heads. It's this magic spark that keeps us inspired and longing for more. The dream you dream is always something that can or could be if you have the drive to pursue it. For this imagining that rests in the front of your mind is most possible through pursuit. 

And what are you doing or going to do to see your dream come true?  Because your dream can only come true if you chase it down and catch it. Be afraid. Take a chance anyway. You might get what you want. 

kisses, 

m.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Free




For the most part you are as free as you want to be. It's very simple. Possibly even black and white. At times it may seem that there is something larger than you controlling your fate when in fact it was always up to you. As long as you are alive there is always a choice. In every situation you can choose to change until there are no more choices. The easiest decision to make is to quit or stop what you are doing to prevent what comes next, yet that is the one thing that will prevent you from truly living authentically. 

To live authentically means to be free and fully aware of what you choose. Nothing can impose upon you unless you allow it. This is why the nations of the world are restless with purpose and cause. There are people desiring what others take for granted and refuse to share with their own kind: freedom. Who and what has society become if they can not depend on one another? Realize you are as free as you choose. No matter where you are, who you are and what you do… you are in control of your freedom. 

enjoy your freedom. I know I've been enjoying mine. 

kisses, m.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

my favorite things.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things
my favorite things - the sound of music.


A few of my favorite things from 2011... People do like to remember things visually. Some are old, some are new and sometimes there are very good reasons for nothing new. There isn't a lot of new after having some personal tech burgled a month ago. That loss reminded how many memories I hadn't kept track of before. I have to admit while all these things are not new they remind of places or things that I spent time going to do or people I spent time with during 2011. Hope your 2011 was good to you... And 2012 brings everyone what it is they want. What do you want from 2012?

kisses. m.


Imaginary trail to the Secret Garden. San Francisco. 2009


Nayo. Blue. Estacion de Madrid Atocha 2004 memorial.



Blaqk Audio. San Francisco. 2011

Art in the Streets. Art Gallery. MOCA. Los Angeles. Banksy. 2011

Life is Not a Fairytale. Los Angeles. Art gallery of Photog Tyler Shields. 2011

Kylie Minogue. San Francisco. 2011


Whose's Driving? San Francisco. 

Friday, November 4, 2011

EYE...

Peeking. 2008.
An eye for an eye? 
Spy vs. Spy?
Nothing comes of words that are lies. 
Words that are lies are of no concern. 
Time to let them be and
Let go.

-kisses. m.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

True Authenticity.

"A freedom which is interested only in denying freedom must be denied. And it is not true that the recognition of the freedom of others limits my own freedom: to be free is not to have the power to do anything you like; it is to be able to surpass the given toward an open future; the existence of others as a freedom defines my situation and is even the condition of my own freedom. I am oppressed if I am thrown into prison, but not if I am kept from throwing my neighbor into prison."
— Simone de Beauvoir (The Ethics Of Ambiguity)

A true existentialist knows the difference between inauthentic and authentic. And a true existentialist does not condemn another. To live an inauthentic life is to allow your life to be guided by external factors such as the material world, the people within it, and ultimately fear of "what might happen" if you continue to persevere as influenced by the opinions of others. I choose to write as my own choice. Others can draw and develop their own opinions. It can be left where it stands as I do not need permission or validation to continue to pursue my goal.

"Give in to your true nature."

A creative perseveres as a choice. Honestly, any person does. How you live is a choice. The inauthentic life is one driven by a desire to obtain that which is unnecessary and to manipulate others as a result of that instead of pursuing a goal, this includes the condemnation of another. An authentic life is that of an creative spirit, one who is unconcerned with the values or dreams of others but concerned with following their true path according to their spirit. Not for fame or power or control. But to pursue their dream rather than conforming to the external values of those set by society or those who wish to stomp out that spirit. It is sheer arrogance to try to control another person or put out their fire because it does not match your own. That spirit does not want to. One can not be made to be jealous of what they do not want. An authentic is one who lives by the needs of their own inner being instead of what another person dictates.

I've discussed this lack of true spirit previously in two separate entries. One - "the inauthentic life" and Two "Sleep 29" On both occasions I had been wrestling with one thought and one thought alone: Can I continue to create as I choose while being hindered by external factors? I can. Because I can deny my true nature and resist the desire to create or give into it. My true spirit urges me to create and so I do. I do not worry for the opinions of others, especially those who carry the words of outright hypocrisy.

The Cold War was based on a type of narrow-minded attitude. A race to outgun the other side because they might destroy us first. There is plenty to go around if people pursue it without attacking others. People must continue. Strive for original thought without the narrow-minded hypocritical arrogance to believe that something else can't exist as well. To better demonstrate, think in terms of science and medicine. What if there is a creation, slightly different but the same as another created? One can not flaw that either exists. Because they do. Suppose that one cures AIDS while another can cure Cancer. Both were intended for different purposes, and yet they make significant and important outcomes. Does that make one contribution to society any less unique? Hardly, yet the truth in all lies in what is perceived.

"It's not what you see, it is how you see it."

The existentialist philosophy encourages people to think for themselves. And not only think but to live for themselves. Letting no one or anything stand in the way of what they are doing. No one has the right to make anyone feel inferior without their own choosing. True authenticity is not to follow the dogma of another or get caught up in the pursuit of material. People will always have their opinions and that is truly valid as those opinions shape how they think and feel about the world. The purpose of living is to freely explore what is around you as by whatever means you choose. This is why a person in jail feels the pain of denial. The longing for true freedom. I've been in a cage before and stood within the grasp of freedom. The desire, the call to experience is all you can taste and you never lose hope. Your spirit urges that you must take every opportunity to explore and experience life. So you do.

Why? Exploration is what it means to be alive to an existentialist. Often in writing I straddle the fine line of creating and living. Exploration and experience are mandatory in any aspect of creation. In writing there are few things I have created without my own experience to draw from. This logic extends to the pieces involving the darker elements, (serial killers, murders, etc) as they are harder to press into. I love, have love, been loved, had love and will continue to love yet I've never killed nor do I plan to. There is a fine line in creation that I've discussed in my darker inventions. Nearly three or more odd years ago I'd dreamed of artwork made of bodily fluids, (blood, saliva, etc) yet never saw it's creation in the modern era until this year. To see such a display was interesting. Does it mean my dream was any less valid because another person created it and I did not? That is for you to decide. I know my own opinions and values.

Yet I will say... Homage and being someone's inspiration is not the same as outright complete artistic theft.  It exists and a creative must choose to move past it. There are people in this world that feel differently and they will take your work if you let them. I've learned this from my own experience dabbling in design work, written work and art work. It's happened more in design work than I care to indulge you with. But ah, the artist code, is like that of a pirate... and life is an inspiration. Especially in pop culture where everything is up for grabs. But to inspire another person well it's an interesting thing, and you can't really be upset if you don't care. What I know... if it wasn't a good idea, no one would want to use in the first place. I read a story about Gary Larson, who draws the Far Side making a parody of Jane Goodall. Her estate was always up in arms over the matter but I as far as I know Jane found the pieces to be amusing. Its amazing but she later wrote the preface to one of Larson's collections. So sometimes not everything is what it seems. If you want to see a mountain, a mountain shall exist.

But on the flip side of that coin... Seeing others lose artwork, like their photos, paintings and how it is cannibalized by someone doing no work at all is terrible. Cropping or removing a tag, signature on someone's work doesn't make it yours. Homage to the REAL thing by creating your own ORIGINAL thing IS art. Stealing not imitation is a rather shitty way of doing things but that's how it is. I will say you must choose what you share in this world cause it isn't exclusive.

Fame or not... Everything in this world including you as a person is target for others to prey on, yet it does not mean you give up living. Truly is all creativity is on borrowed time? Inspiration in the eye of the beholder? The same things can be said about life and how you live yours. Knowing the awful things are out there, should not stop anyone from living their dream passionately and authentically and sharing that dream with others. Whether that life is spent saving lives, writing magazine articles, designing technology indoors, putting out fires, reading books for a living, making art or etc. Any and all of that is your choice. How you see things is up to you.

"In pursuing the lie of illusion... it impossible to experience the truth ... As a result everything of value was lost." - Huburt Selby Jr.

An authentic life is one lived by your own terms and that of no one else. It is holding your own values as developed by your experience. It is setting a goal and following through with it. Whether that pursuit makes you money, fame or grants you power makes no difference. [Yet those things are lovely.] It is in making the decision for yourself whether it is the wrong one or not to do something that is freedom. Not allowing anything or person to influence your life in a way that denies what you passionately love to do. There is no mountain unless you see one. The moment it seems impossible to continue is the same moment it is most possible to keep going.

kisses.
-m.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Pushin'


Keep Pushin' - Inaya Day


Keep on movin' 
Keep pushin' on 
Keep pushin' on, things are gonna get better. 
It won't take too long.
Never stop. 


Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do... if it suits you then nothing else will matter. Advice someone once gave me and it has yet to prove me wrong: Once you know who you are and what you want in life, very few things will upset you. Keep on movin'... Keep pushin' on... enjoy the music. writing? sooner rather than later. kisses. m.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

August...

August and Everything After... / Counting Crows

August and everything after... As I promised as early as six weeks ago... change is coming. KA-BOOM to the known universe... this one. Huh? Meaning... The blog of course needs to change. Well, you know, in a way I'd been mentioning this on the blog for a while and it's met some resistance which is odd to me. But ch-ch-changes are a great thing. Remember nothing is ever destroyed it merely changes form. Nearly six months ago I knew I wouldn't be doing this in the same form that I'd been for much longer. The "D" men were the marathon that I 'd promised from last year and after it was complete it was clear there were the larger projects to complete. I'm going to drop a few things this month between the page changes and of course handling the big project on my plate, the script. But please do try not to let your imagination run wild... the stories are just fiction. enjoy. kisses. m.

Friday, June 24, 2011

What You Waiting For?


What you waiting for? - Gwen Stefani




"Take a chance cause you might grow. 


Life is short... you're capable. 


What you waiting for?" 


Writer's block! Now... if there were only such a service. m.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Are.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. It is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. 


- The Dhammapada




You are what you think. You are amazing... or you can think that you are worthless. No one thinks you're worthless, so why are you thinking that way? How you see yourself is the key. If you want to be great, then you are. There is no one capable of being able to tell you differently. Remember, no one can save you. You need to help yourself. There are no fixes in this life. And honestly for myself, nothing is ever a mistake. I don't believe in those. It's all part of your journey. And his, hers, they and we. It makes no difference. Learn from from it. Ultimately you need to envision what  you want to become and put that into action. The possibilities are endless if you let them be. Ever hear "the future is wide open?" Well it is exactly that.

Needless to say I've been worried about a friend lately who has the world at his feet but can no longer see it. He keeps focusing on a future that hasn't happened yet. It's hard to see someone you've known for years fall off track when their words and music have once been inspiring to you. I have no doubt in my mind that he'll turn it around. I believe in him as much as I believe in anyone. I never doubt for one minute that anyone can change their world. And for those people that continue to do so... Amazing. I am proud of those people. Keep pushing and working on the goals. It can and will be done... there is a way.

Anyway... While I've been worrying about this friend another friend has been a bit anxious and wondering... has she lost herself to it [the work] again. "Not exactly, darling." I say to my old friend. Why? Because "staying in" character is the wrong way to explain. I have been working on one of those collaborative efforts and staying immersed for perspective. Perhaps I will drop some writing this week. Road trips and excursions are coming. Do you have any summer plans? Are you excited?

-kisses. m.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Diva.


Diva - Beyonce


Are you a DIVA? You say you aren't. You say there's not a Badass bone in your body. Think again. You are more than capable of handling your own as a Diva. Get it right ladies. Pick up that fabulous hair, give it a shake and look straight ahead. Confidence and attitude are the key to making the magic happen. A woman can ALWAYS handle her own even when they say she can't. You were born to be DIVAS! Don't listen to that distracting noise. And for the Men same advice different approach. No fierce needed to be a Badass. You are a Badass if you want to be. Own that right. We are all capable of so much more. Remember, you only need to convince yourself. Do not doubt yourself... not even for one minute. 


Anyway... this is an older track. it reminds me that a woman can get just as crazy as the fellas... and still maintain. all while looking a whole lotta fierce. 


kisses. m.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Where oh Where?

Where oh Where?
San Francisco Edition.


who's driving? Golden Gate. SF. 2007

Some places come and go and some never change. Have you ever been on the Golden Gate bridge?

Another week has come and gone.  And as this memorial day weekend winds down I’m reminded that weekends are the highpoint for most people. Some are at amazing BBQs while others are camping, some I’ve heard are even spending it by the pool. Live it up. You know the song… Everybody’s working for the weekend. You earned it. Enjoy.

Friday night’s all right for dancing while Saturday is for fighting? Not at all. It was Saturday on a night like this last weekend and that’s exactly what I was doing… DANCING.



Aphrodite.

Where oh where can you find yourself surrounded by a sea of amazingly hot men, watch a stage filled with scantily clad bodies move to pulsating rhythms in aerial formations, and listen to a vocal performance by one of the world’s most renowned fabulous Ms. M’s? At the stage show Aphrodite by none other than one of 
the originals, the undeniably amazing, Ms. Kylie Minogue.

Kylie came to San Francisco ready to set the town on fire and that she did. The stage presentation was pulled together by a theme of epic Greek proportions. A mock coliseum was filled with dancers, musicians, acrobats and costumes galore. 
The incomparable Ms. Minogue danced and sang her way 
into the hearts of every audience member. 


Between the many songs and light changes Kylie never missed a mark to provide a witty banter with her loving audience, going so far as to take a couple of song requests as well as thank her dancers and musicians for their extra efforts. Never a dull moment, the costume changes were a plenty, the hair and make-up was to die for and the eye candy on stage never went unnoticed. Overall the musical highlights for the evening had to be a cover of Eurythmics “Angel” that included a handful of dreamy man candy sent from heaven above, wings and all, a rocking version of “Can’t get you outta my head” and a devilishly seductive version of “Slow” among the many songs in the Kylie repertoire. And San Francisco remember this… YOUR DISCO NEEDS YOU!







Now you hear San Francisco, you think Ghiradelli Square, Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Warf and maybe bread bowl? What do I think? There’s more to be seen than the lights of Alcatraz. And seeing is exactly what I did last Sunday night.



Battlestar Galactica CockTailGate.

All this has happened before.
All this will happen again.


Where oh where do you find a barrage of Cylons pole dancing alongside a girl named Starbuck that has nothing to do with coffee while a robot tells you where to stick it cause she needs a little love? Well honey’s if you’ve been missing Battlestar Galactica since it went off the air, and the newly cancelled Caprica has you blue then you do what I did and head on down to Rebel in San Francisco and find yourself attending Battlstar Galactica CockTailGate. What is that Ms. M? Do pray tell us? Alright honeys, but consider yourselves warned this may be a whole lotta something to shake your something at. And I ain’t talking about tailfeathers. This party is 100%  incognito ala fabulous drag. And the Queens will make your silly little MAC make-up tricks look like high school Revlon. Rarely do I step out for the occasional Drag Show but since it was robots, sci-fi, hair and make-up oh my! Of course I had to attend.



CockTailGate is a recurring event that rotates from bar to club to bar to club throughout SF. The event is hosted the fabulous Suppositori Spelling and she holds her own with a hell of a lot of tongue and cheek. Perhaps more beautiful than the real thing. And a dream to talk to. Lovely show honey! Now the art of Drag. Typically the drag performer is a male to female transformation. However this particular occasion the crowd and the performers were mixed. A female to female cover of the infamous Starbuck. Loved her! Let me see, the night began with a mixer of true blue fans of BSG dressed with the replicated civies worn by the crew of Galatica. If you don’t know black and grey tanks alongside holsters and dog tags. The night was brief with around a half-dozen performances. The highlights involved  Caprica 6 undressing a very eager Mr. Baltar, and my favorite a scene played out with Starbuck, Apollo, and Caprica 6 that was acted out and lip serviced well. Traditionally I recommend you step out of the box and enjoy new things, especially cause you never know! But if CockTailGate sounds like it might ruffle your  feathers, make a quick rental of Priscilla, tune into Drag Race and see what goes into a show. It won’t hurt one bit and no one has to know. Kisses.





Back to another week. This week. On a personal note, I’m starting this week behind on many things. Life presented a snag in the fabric. A detail unseen and fortunately it wasn’t worse for the wear this round. There will come a moment soon when I will have to step back for a week. Right now I’m “doing” which is what I do best in any water landing.

San Francisco you are always a pleasure. If you’ve never spent a day in my city… give it a whirl. Be sure not to forget your heart when you visit. Unless you plan on returning. Where oh where will I be next?


Kisses. m.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Fiction.

“The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means.” – Oscar Wilde


Tonight, I sit and write this with a headache and a bit of heartache for it pains me to see others suffer by anything that I've written or for that matter by anything that is fictionalized. Yet I find that there are those that do, by their own choice. I'm told that ethically I've been irresponsible with my writing and that likewise other artists, musicians and writers are also to blame in the same respect. I don’t agree with that at all, but I don’t like to hear that people are hurting each other or thinking harm will come to them as influenced from my writing or from anyone’s writing, artwork, music, etc. It’s heartbreaking and sickening. As a result I've stayed the writing for a few days until I was prepared to address the issue. To begin...

First and foremost let me say this nicely without animosity... The things I write are predominately fiction. The blog entries typically they come from the days and/or nights conversations with people and sometimes things personal from my own life. As most writers, artists, musicians I have to admit that there is some basis in the everyday that I borrow from, including my own life. But I take anything and everything in my experience of living; from people on the street up to and including the paint on the walls to produce. Granted I don't always write fluffy, happy things. I’m fascinated by the Boogeyman, the things that go bump at night and the darkness in humanity. For the most part my craft is always evolving and it isn’t always darkness. But I won’t lie, there's a chance that my characters will have to fight tooth and nail to get what they want and they still may not get it or they may realize they didn’t need that to begin with. As in the world at large you can not expect it to always work out in the end. It may not.

Of course, sometimes it does. And that is lovely.

Don’t get me wrong, not all of my fiction, or all fiction in general, is going to give your mind a fright. It may turn you on, take you to another world, or maybe make you laugh or cry if you let it. That’s the thing with the creation of any type of ART. It was meant to evoke a response. You can let it stir up emotions; you can simply be transported by the experience; and you can embrace it with awe. Your mind is your most powerful tool. Use it.

However, please try to remember that the imaginary or make-believe can only be dangerous in your mind... if you let it. I, like so many other writers, cannot be responsible once the words leave the page and enter anyone’s brain. The reader must interpret what they read however they choose; whether or not it causes others pain or happiness as a result. I am responsible for what I put out there but it is up to the reader to accept responsibility for their actions that come from that interpretation. People will have their own opinions as they are allowed to. I can't tell anyone to see it any other way, because people will see things how they choose. There is no “one” reality because we all see it differently. We make our own.

Does writing about killings make it so? Does vigilante justice exist because it was in a book? You can not begin to think that way. And books and movies are not the enemy. But your mind can be. When you spiral out of control you begin to see the world as a place of restricted potential for yourself and others. Then the need for imagination and innovation becomes unnecessary because we are afraid of what hasn't happened yet. Don’t let your fear keep your imagination a prisoner. The mind was meant to think of the most amazing things known and unknown. The best tool we have is our ability to imagine and innovate. Art, music, and literature inspire us. Why fear those things that can be an inspiration? The world can only be scary if we let it be.  

It appears highly unlikely that Stephen King will show up at your house with a clown that haunts your dreams or that Chuck Palahniuk will appear to challenge you to a fight at your office while his lovely jawless accomplice wields a shotgun, or that Anne Rice will arrive at your home commanding a troupe of vampires to drop in on you for some blood and tea. Those are interesting thoughts, but nonetheless are they true? Maybe on the television or movie screen or in the mind’s eye, they are. I'll let y'all think about it for yourselves. But on the off chance you meet a skeleton asking to play you a hand of cards or to collect your pinky, definitely let me know. Cause I'd love to invite him over to my house.  

-kisses. m.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Where oh Where?

Where oh where?

Where oh where could I find myself this week?

Sunday mornings are typically for brunches and discussion. After the morning chitter-chatter of Saturday Night’s events you’ll find yourself running into a person or two from the previous engagement between heading to meet up with the remaining usual characters for some mandatory window shopping before you finally end up visiting the family. However, this Sunday I found myself trekking down the state toward the lovely Los Angeles skyline to see… what else? Art.

Two galleries in a matter of hours…


Art in the Streets.

Graffiti in the Streets Gallery. LA. 2011.
Where can you find Keith Haring, Retna, Lee Quinones, Spike Jonze, Banksy, Shepard Fairey, in one place? At the MOCA. Primarily at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. Los Angeles’s version of the Modern Art museum is currently housing an exhibition that pays tribute for the rise of graffiti as an art form. This exhibition began its run April 17th and will continue until August 8th. I was informed that this is the first major historical exhibit encompassing street art and graffiti to be held in an American Museum. The focus here is on the origins of the style and how it has changed, evolved and merged with other cultures across the world over the course of time.

The exhibit is astounding and quite breathtaking to any admirer of the art in the street. Not only does the art demonstrate its significance in trends it shows how it has united itself in music, film, television, dance and culture. The overall exhibit remains a bit traditional in the sense of a museum. There are two floors that allow you to take in both the sheer scope of work on a ground level and an above deck level. Beneath the roof there are mock-ups from artists across the globe that chronicles the early beginnings of street art to the where it is now. Amid the visual encompassment of the street art you find yourself among film screenings, lectures, artist discussions related to the main event.

Upon entrance you find yourself looking directly at two vehicles covered from hood to trunk in painted paraphernalia. They lay straight in the middle of the exhibit. Along corridors you have paintings, sketches, and murals telling the story of their world. There is more to the look by the art of the street and there is so much more to be told from it. The significant story that can be seen by these varying styles is UNITY. Rarely do we see a united cause across any culture except in art.

Among the maze of rooms and hallways you find yourself immersed in sound as well as visual cues. Along a hallway a bank of mirrors are lined up with sprayed on messages. Upstairs photographic essays tell the tales of the earlier days of streets art. As art goers make their way through the maze of street arts best and brightest they are welcomed to a visual buffet. Some portions are complete homage to the street scene including alley ways, shop windows with complete interiors and replicas of vandals in action standing upon cars and ducking beneath trees. You can turn a corner to find yourself in a dark alley tagged complete with false front buildings, sleeping homeless man and flickering lights. Several artists came together to create scenes that are spread throughout the gallery.
Banksy. LA. 2011.

One might ask of the draw or appeal to visit such an exhibition. For me it was simple, I’ve been a strong admirer of street art and graffiti for nearly a decade. Upon hearing that Banksy was a part of this exhibition it became clear that I must attend. Personally I’ve never come face to face with his work and had always wanted to. After missing a gallery in the UK two years ago I’d always pressed that I might someday make the endeavor to see his work in some capacity. The MOCA showing gave me the opportunity to do so.

For others it almost seems educational if not mandatory that they visit a museum. Our perception of art is based in the knowledge that we have already created everything by traditional means and that is that. This idea seems restrictive. To embrace the beginnings of something new and undisciplined to our mind is to encourage our creative capacity to grow. It might seem biased to say that people neglect to realize how influenced our culture is by something such as graffiti. But they do. It is through our understanding of new art forms that will allow us to grow culturally as a combined people.

If it’s not your cup of tea to look at the influence of street art on our culture, I encourage you to at least step into a museum to understand the origins of art. Art affects politics, music, dance, television, film and life in more ways than seem relevant to mention. Art is a reflection of the times we live in.




Life is Not a Fairytale.

Where can you enjoy a glass of Unicorn tears, play ping pong ala Man Who Fell to Earth with a spaceman, and get a glitter kiss blown to you from a girl trapped across the void of the photographic frame? At the gallery of celebrity photographer Tyler Shields.

Quite frankly, life isn’t a fairytale. And this is the last place you should expect to find one. But don't be surprised if you find so much more than that. 

Life is Not a Fairytale. Tyler Shields. LA. 2011.
The man behind the camera has garnered a reputation for the eccentric with his avant-garde work that borrows influence substantially from pop culture. Much like Willy Wonka opening the gates to his factory, Shields opened the doors on his work and made it public for one day, May 8th minus the need for golden tickets. And much to my own admission I was intrigued and equally excited when the announcement for a public gallery came up as I’ve been an admirer of Shields work for a few years now.

Like many photographers and artists, [among my favorites Avedon, Warhol, LaChapelle] the need to see the work up close is very necessary. You can visit the artist’s website at anytime, www.tylershields.com but to be honest that never comes close to what it’s like to look at the photography in person. However on this particular instance it happened to be more than simply photography on display. Videos, artwork, a bit of performance art, and a blood creation comprised the gallery.

Entrance is greeted by a spaceman dancing through street along with his own space theme. Once inside you’re looking to the left at a cow in a stall mooing with words EAT ME painted on. Standing next door in another stall is a pile of bright yellow barrels painted with toxic waste symbols. Look head on and lift your eyes to find yourself staring at a giant teddy bear hanging and holding a whip while three lovely masked nudes look down from the wall. The sheer scope and size of the photograph murals are jaw dropping in person. Among the smaller pieces there are a dozen or more large mural sized pieces that fully grab your attention. And of course free with entry limited edition poster prints are handed out like a door prize that you might receive at the Fillmore West after a concert. An idea that is indeed very rockstar as opposed to photographer which speaks for itself.

The Blood Painting. Tyler Shields. LA. 2011.

Move a little more into the scene and you’re greeted by the Pièce de résistance: The Blood Painting. I’ve mentally realized that its a tribute to the artist' friends while watching the “making of” video. It’s truly a love letter to those who donated as it could not be created without their gift of blood. The donators look a bit squeamish as they are drained for art in the video but the piece is given life through their small sacrifice. Although I’m uncertain of the artist’s plans for the piece, it would be nice to see its proceeds go towards a charitable cause.

Should you find yourself thirsty while visiting the factory there are water dispensers complete with bottles of refreshments. One contains Unicorn tears and the other Vampire tears. Have a drink? Pick your poison. Although I doubt either is poison.

As you find yourself winding around the mayhem of imagery there is a ping pong table along with spaceman playing, a room of videos streaming and music that seems as though it never stops. The artist’s taste in music is demonstrated in his video portraits, which on display they run silently with the eeriness of an old film against a metallic wall. The videos are predominantly unreleased material weaved with the usual suspects. Anyone thinking they’ve seen it all. Think again. When you almost want it to end the reel keeps going. I spent in excess of 25 minutes waiting for it to restart. It did not.

Shields photography is a hit and miss cohesive collection that is uniformly spread in large across two rooms at the gallery. There are mostly individual pieces on display. The “never before seen” imagery rests alongside the general standards that Shields belts out on his website regularly. However there are a few collections that fit together nicely. Aside from the B/W masked nudes one includes a bizarre Batman, Superman, Catwoman threesome that looks like fun for some on a Saturday night. Another includes a vampire Lindsay Lohan complete with victim and fellow vampire Michael Trevino hanging on the wall above a red lined wooden coffin. Among the pieces that stand out for myself… Zachary Quinto being dragged through the dirt, Lyndsy Fonseca dancing amid a wind farm, the trio of B/W masked ladies (large), Stop Wasting Time (large) and of course Life is Not a Fairytale (large)…  just to name a few.

Overall Shields has created a world that steps beyond the ordinary in his first public gallery. None of which could be possible without the hard work the artist dedicates and the commitment of the people in his photos. A few pieces ask you to entertain the notion that the images can reach out and pull you in. And for the moment you do. You let them tell you their story while you stand in awe. One of my favorite quotes of Shields, “your imagination can only run wild if you let it” and in this instance I think that’s exactly what the artist has done to the best end result.

As an artist slash photographer Shields has definitely made his own mark in the visual world and will now continue to push the envelope with work in television and film. It will be impressive to see what comes next from Tyler Shields.

My advice? Next time you find the factory open without a golden ticket, go and see for yourself. It won’t be a waste of time. And as long as you aren’t expecting to find a fairytale there you won’t be disappointed.



Needless to say LA was lovely and Sunday was a fun-fun day, in a manner of speaking. My eyebrows are raised thinking… Where oh where will I be next?

kisses.

 m.

Have… will travel?

Have… will travel?


Have need… will travel? The road trip season has begun. And as most of my friends know I LOVE TO DRIVE!

Lost Hwy 99. Night. 2011.
Night is pretty interesting driving as you can see.

Have camera will travel? YES. More than anything I do love my field trips with the camera. As of late I do not have a camera but I still love to play nonetheless. For the moment my IPhone has been exceptionally friendly. And as you can see I thought why not share another behind the wheel shot. I do love shooting from that perspective.

Have gun will travel? Not exactly. Never. As a woman that sometimes travels alone I might feel the need to protect myself but I don’t or plan to tote around a gun. Now I do carry a few accoutrements for my trips but none of which could be mistaken as weaponry. Lately, I’ve had to keep a handy box cutter in my purse to fill in for a pocket knife in a couple instances. Cutting out the wire in your bra can be tricky, necessary in a pinch and a long story that I shall have to share one day. Any ladies ever have to do that? If you have then you know what I mean when I say “tricky.”

Have love will travel? Actually yes I have once or twice in the distant past played that mutual game of commuting for the affection of someone. Last time I checked a few people out there have done that thing too. Some like to fly instead of drive. There’s nothing wrong with those people. Let them be. It takes work to keep a relationship together and I love to see people trying with each other. Anyway I’m always willing to travel for the love of music. And over the course of the last four months, I’ve been lucky enough to do so.

It has been a very excellent year this far. The trips have gotten bigger and will continue to grow. Thus far I’ve lovingly dubbed it the “year of the show” because it’s been nonstop since January kicked off.


Blaqk Audio. January 2011.
I’ve talked with a few of my friends and they’ve told me their plans for hitting the road this year. Some will go here. Others will go there. Some will take a train. Others will take a plane. On a boat? But will it float? Oh dear. Hmm… Have any hitting the road trip plans? Come on now, everyone needs a least one adventure.

-kisses. m.