Monthly Archives: September 2004

Open Studios: Oct. 9th and 10th

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treasures, Canon 300D

It’s that time of year again! When the citys’ artists open up their studios and show their work. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend you pick up a map {there will be one inside the Bay Guardian} and start touring your local artists’ digs. It’s really a fun way to spend a weekend.

I will be participating in Weekend #2 {October 9th and 10th} for the Mission District, Potrero Hill, Bernal Heights, Castro, Duboce, Noe Valley & Glen Park. I also asked some talented friends to join me for the festivities. You will love their work as well!

FEATURED ARTISTS:

Andrea Scher of Superhero Designs
jewelry & superhero tees

ViaJay Clothing Design {sunday only}
funky, sexy, beautiful one of a kind items for your bod

P.S. I added new URLs to my site so you don’t wear yourself out typing out my web address. Down with carpal tunnel!

www.superherojournal.com
www.superherophoto.com

www.superherojewelry.com

P.S.S. I’m off to a faraway land for a sacred wedding by the ocean. I will be back next Tuesday.

the beauty we love

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tweeky little flowers, Canon 300D

“Let the beauty we love be what we do.”
– Rumi

I saw this on a bumper sticker yesterday and stopped to wonder… It made me think of all the sweet folks who email me and ask for advice and inspiration for starting their own businesses. I feel like I never truly have the answer and I am always left asking the same question: How can we create our lives so that we are spending more and more time doing things that move us, inspire us, serve others and bring us joy?

I have fantasies about how other people have it figured out. The chiropractor down the street, my friend who is a photographer, another who is a teacher. Somehow their lives seem more simple, grounded, less chaotic than my own. {Of course, each and every one of these people would probably argue that they are just as confused as I am}

A few years ago, I was riding a bus down Polk Street. I remember being worried about something embarrassing {like my thigh being way to plump as it peeked out of my skirt} and the familiar clenching of disapproval in my stomach.

Suddenly a man in a suit stepped onto the bus. You might not believe me when I tell you this, but he had a hole in his head. A real life hole! I don’t recall how I could tell because he was all bandaged up. There were layers of blood-soaked gauze wrapped around his forehead that contrasted sharply with his navy blue jacket and tie. I could only imagine that he had been shot or hit with something heavy… I could feel the tension in the bus, how everyone tried not to look, leaving only little kids to stare.

I felt so ashamed, so ridiculous, so ungracious to the blessings in my life. It sounds almost trite to say, but it amazes me how we often need these moments to wake up to the truth of our lives. The truth that most of what we worry about is such crap.

We waste so much time.

But it’s hard to love the parts we don’t like. I was at a dharma talk last week and my teacher said, “Love the parts that don’t work in your life.” He explained that this didn’t mean that we had to like them, but love them like a verb. Give them attention, invite them over, listen to them, care for them like a dear friend. Love those parts that aren’t working.

*

One of the most awesome events I’ve been to in a long time was last Saturday night. It was a one-woman show by an “inspirational humorist” named Terri Tate.

From her website: “A nationally recognized speaker, successful therapist, hypnotherapist and consultant, Terri was silenced by oral cancer in 1991. Doctor?s said she had a 2% chance of surviving the disease that cost her more than half of her tongue and lower jaw, as well as a variety of significant body parts used in failed reconstructions attempts. Not only has she survived cancer and reclaimed her voice, Terri has honed her storytelling skills and brims with passion to inspire others with her stories. Her keynotes and performances offer profound wisdom packaged in warm wit. Audiences are moved to tears and laughter, hope and healing by her powerful presence.”

If you ever have the good fortune to see Terri perform {or you can order her Cd featuring her stories} you will know why I {and everyone else} falls in love with her. She is one of those truly alive souls. She has waken up to the beauty in her life and has learned to heal herself and others through humor and storytelling. That whole thing about letting the beauty we love be what we do? Terri has figured it out. And she is a gift to us all.

Feria Urbana tomorrow afternoon!

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orange flowers, Canon 300D

If any of you live in the Bay Area, I will be a part of a fab show of emerging designers called Feria Urbana. Here’s the info!

Feria Urbana @ The Canvas Cafe/Art Gallery
1200 9th Ave. at Lincoln {right next to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco}
Saturday, September 25th
Noon-5pm

Photo Friday: Furry

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Boulet, Canon 300D

Photo Friday’s theme this week is “Furry.”

mundane journeys

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pink victorian sky, Canon 300D

Something ridiculous: Meatsloth portraits. Is Meatsloth the next Neck Face?!

Something beautiful: World on Fire

Something I wish I had thought of: Mundane Journeys is a book of tiny eccentric adventures to take around San Francisco. If you are planning a trip here, you would have such a good time being guided by it! This is one I look forward to.

Something I did do myself: Superhero T-shirts that are coming soon!

booz

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booz, Canon 300D

This gas station very suddenly was torn down a few weeks ago. Since then it has been covered in more and more graffiti art and taken over by renegade artists like Neck Face. I met a guy last night named Tony Dominguez who set up a huge paper mache sun in the gas station over the weekend and was transporting it back home to Los Angeles when I met him.

It makes me think of a tree growing over a sidewalk and the inevitability of nature. In this town, there is the inevitability of artists taking over a good canvas when they see it.

JPG Magazine

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little Liam face, Canon 300D

Congratulations to Heather Champ and Derek Powazek for announcing their new project JPG Magazine!

JPG Magazine is for people who love imagemaking
without attitude. It’s about the kind of photography
you get when you love the moment more than the camera.
It’s for photographers who, like us, have found
themselves online, sharing their work, and would
like to see that work in print.”

They are currently accepting submissions for their first issue. The theme is Origin.

I am thrilled to be a part of 2 upcoming shows with Heather and Derek this month. The first will be Open Studios on October 9th and 10th at my studio in the Mission District and the second will be Sunday, October 24th at the Heart of Cole Valley Street Fair. If you live in the Bay Area, mark your calendars and come visit us!

Photo Friday: Domestic

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griddle, Canon 300D

Photo Friday’s theme this week is “Domestic.”

There is a fabulous web site called She 19 that is working hard to inspire women to vote in the upcoming election. {The 19 stands for the 19th amendment, granting the women the right to vote} 

Their t-shirt says:

“In 1920, women won the right to vote.
In 2000, 22 million single women chose to not use that right.
On November 2, 2004, we will reverse that trend, make our mark on history, and vote.”

If you haven’t already registered, please do! And please, please, no matter who you are interested in voting for, please exercise your right this time around.

jewel

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mandolin, Canon 300D

As I walked to yoga yesterday at the magic hour, I came upon an old man sitting in his truck grinning at me in the kindest way. When I got closer to him, he said, “Your water bottle {pointing to my hot pink plastic bottle} was catching the light and glowing under your arm. You were like a walking jewel.”

He made me think of the gift of seeing, the eyes of the artist, and why that is so precious. I also felt a kinship with him knowing that if he was walking my way, I might have said the same thing.

Some web delights:

The Best of Still Photojournalism
Customized photo stamps
Take a little trip around the world with Escape Lab
Cloud stamps available in October {I will be buying so many of these!}

blue eyes

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Eric Davison, Canon 300D

This is my beautiful friend Eric Davison. The night before I met him I said to my roommate, “I’m going to meet someone new tomorrow!” and there he was…

I picked him up sitting outside of Starbuck’s in Santa Barbara. (Wouldn’t you have?!) He was reading a book and claims that I was very persistent {read: annoying} in getting his attention. I asked him questions until he had to pay attention to me {My husband and I call this the ‘pay me to stop’ method}. Nevertheless, it worked and we went to a play that night and have been friends ever since.

I may have mentioned before that I play a divination game sometimes with the dictionary. I concentrate on a question, close my eyes, point to a word, and wherever my finger lands is the answer. When I asked about Eric I got, “kinetic theory” which is basically electrons that collide and gather energy before they go their separate ways.

This describes our friendship so beautifully. I don’t get to see Eric often, but every time I do, I feel energized, inspired, and look at my life in a new way. He gives me courage because he believes in me so wholeheartedly & reminds me of the part of me that is fearless and confident, creative and superheroic. We seem to have an ongoing conversation about life, love, healing and what it means to live your life fully. We could talk for hours about the stuff…

Eric is a brilliant actor and the most lovely of humans. If you see him drinking a latte anywhere near you, give him your best pickup line.