Here are a couple pics of my entry for The Dart Gallery's Batman-themed show, "Biff! Pow! Art!", on til June 12th. The show theme was inspired by the 50th anniversary of the classic Batman tv series and features many excellent pieces by local artists.
In order to bend the theme into my own art practice, here is "Bat Mobile", comprised of 4 papier mache bats (made from Chronicle Herald newspapers), a couple lichen-covered branches and 3 pine cones from the woods around our place, and some string...
There's something very satisfying about mixing my sculptures with actual bits of nature, and trying to sell sticks and pine cones in an urban gallery. Here's another pic taken before the strings were shortened, the bats are posed a bit better in this one. Both pics were taken in a living room window at our home.
Now that the weather is warm, I've slowly been working on ceramic pieces for my first firing of 2016, sometime in June, which will include some new items for Jenny Jib down in Lunenburg as well as crow sculptures "Murder of Crows" - a show coming up in July at Dart Gallery that will feature the crow art of Lee Cripps.
1. Our garden, especially lemon balm and asparagus that are now nice and established; as well as haskap berry bushes and lots more. Next time I'll post some pics.
2. This "Paradise Stolen" youtube series, by Stefan Verstappen who also made "How To Survive Corruption" which has been on this list before. I like that this guy keeps making the connection between psychopathy and all sorts of things in society that don't otherwise make sense.
Paradise Stolen - Episode 1 (don't show your children!)
Paradise Stolen - Episode 2 - The Myth of Efficiency
Paradise Stolen - Episode 3 - The Myth of Overpopulation
Paradise Stolen - Episode 4 - The Myth of Terrorism
Paradise Stolen - Episode 5 - Why We Are Poor
also:
Historical Cycles: Are We Doomed To Repeat The Past?
3. This Vimeo video, a short cartoon by Taylor Erikson called "The Greatest Economics Lesson"
4. This American company: Youthbuild - where youths are taught the skills necessary to construct affordable housing, in a number of countries, thus fixing 2 problems with one solution: underemployment among youths, and a lack of affordable housing. This company receives funding from the Skoll foundation, which was founded by Canadian -born billionaire Jeffery Skoll. I ended up researching this guy after reading Canadian Business's article: Canada's Richest People 2016: The top 25 Richest Canadians.
5. Speaking of creative uses of resources to solve problems: this article about Portland Oregon commercial real estate investors "Menashe Properties" who offered up one of their office properties to shelter homeless "As Multnomah Village Shelter Closes, Menashes Offer Up Downtown Relo Spot"
Given the high vacancy rate reported for office property in downtown Halifax, perhaps there is opportunity here too.
6. Animal Sculptures by Ellen Jewett
7. This post "Ceramic Animal Art", especially like the pieces at the end by Brendan Hesmondhalgh
8. We Create - Why we need handbuilt homes. Great documentary on youtube about cob building with a focus on how this building method is both affordable and fosters community
9. Companies in other provinces that develop affordable housing available to purchase "rent to own", for locals who may just want to own a relatively simple place and not one of the luxury units that seem to be used increasingly as investment vehicles for foreign investors. Sounds good in this Global news article: "1000 dollar down payment among Canada's affordable home ownership options." Eg, Options for Homes in Ontario, and its affiliate in Montreal, "Acces Condos" which works in collaboration with SHDM. Would similar rent to own developments make sense for Halifax? Councilor Gloria McCluskey has mentioned this preference in the media both recently and in the past.
1. The new facade at The Dart Gallery. The scaffolding is down and the space has a glorious new exterior. I don't have a pic, so go see! Because of the on going renos, the upcoming group show Biff! Pow! Art! inspired by the 50th anniversary of the classic Batman TV series has been postponed to May 27th, 7 - 10 pm. The expansion of the gallery into the space next door will be complete by then. For artists, the deadline for submissions for show has been extended to 11:59pm May 15th.
2. Homemade vegan treats that started off as an attempt to make halva but kept evolving into a delicious vehicle for superfoods. So easy, melt coconut oil on stove, add honey to taste. Add any combo of lots of raw cocoa powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, cardamom, cloves, ashwagandha powder, whatever, a dash of salt... in coffee grinder finely grind any combo of lots of sesame seeds, dried coconut, almonds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, whatever, have way more seeds than oil, fold into the oil mixture, add in puffed quinoa if desired. Mix it all up and spoon in to silicon molds, put in freezer to set and voila, super delicious, nutritious snacks that are way more satisfying than any candy bar.
3. This youtube documentary about Suze Orman, How Suze Orman Scammed the World (2016)
4. The FitnessBlender youtube channel This is really smart, a husband wife team providing great home workouts via youtube
5. The FitLifeTV channel This is cool too, as the videos are a mix of health tips and mind training tips, eg 1 Simple Trick to Manifest Your Desires
6. This blog post: Mixed Generational Housing: Seniors and Families with Kids Within The City
7. This youtube video: How Do I Prune Raspberries?
8. This Dark Souls website by someone who has gone through experiences with Narcissists and/or Psychopaths and has clearly transformed those experiences by creating useful information, eg, this article: How To Play Pingpong With a Narcissist
9. Parasites and Demons. A youtube video. This is a pretty trippy theory, and one of the few videos I've seen that proposes a link between these members of 3d reality and other dimensions. Interesting!
10. Self/Less pretty good movie on Canadian Netflix, a very unique story idea
11. A couple more Infinite Waters videos: How to recognize your third eye and How to manifest 33 magic
12. This quote by Nikola Tesla: “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”
13. Nikola Tesla Vs Thomas Edison. Epic Rap Battles of History (short youtube video)
14. The History of Nikola Tesla - a Short Story. Short youtube cartoon that describes the "War of Currents" between Tesla and Edison
