First Thursday

Please join me for Seattle's First Thursday Art Walk on Thursday, July 1. I will be displaying paintings at 619 Western on the 5th floor in Mikal Whoberry's studio from 6-9PM. It will be my last show in Seattle until November, so if you've had your eye on anything you should come and make me an offer. I will be displaying all the art I have left and I will be selling at a discount. Also showing on the walls will be amazing abstract painter Mikal Whoberry and of course there will be jewelry by Tina Blu Creationz and AphroditeXchange. See you there!

Thanks and Update

It has been a crazy month. Tina and I hosted 3 Red Couch Gallery fundraisers featuring arts and crafts by: Tina Blu Creationz, Mikal Whoberry, Rachel Malinak with AphroditeXchange, Nacala Ayele of Euphoryia, Nick Moorhead, VJ, and a few others. I was also the featured performer at Ladies 1st this June. Between fundraisers, art and book sales, and some very generous donations, I am happy to announce that I was able to reach my financial goal. I've purchased my tickets and I will be leaving Seattle on July 2.

The general itinerary...subject to change:
July 2 Portland, OR
July 12 Phoenix, AZ
August 15 Ghana (via NYC)
August 24 Morocco
September 1 Spain and Portugal (am working out a side trip to Lisbon)
October 1 New York, NY
October 5 Washington DC
From there...not quite sure.

While I am thrilled to have made the money, this has been a hard process. I've realized that I don't like asking for help...which I suppose is why I don't do it very often. It's uncomfortable and sometimes vulnerable, but I have been blessed and at times overwhelmed by the generosity I've experienced. The Buddha teaches us that our energy is karmic and has an echo...that the things in our life are a reflection of what we've put out. I don't know what I could have done to be so well blessed, but truly I will up my game and be a better person to my entire community simply to feel worthy of these amazing gifts.

First and foremost I have to thank my family, especially my parents who have been wonderfully supportive. And thank you to Mz. Blu my sister and roomate, who has gone above and beyond by helping to recruit artists and always pushing me to do the smart thing even when I was cranky and didn't want to do it anymore. Special thanks to all those who were able to contribute financial and also those whose contributions were in time, support, organizing, and cleaning.

THANK YOU: Mom, Dad, Julie, Tina, Lyndon, Karen, Nacala, Torito, Julie and Jason B, VJ, Mikal, Rachel, Mike and Courtney, Pedro and Luzelvia, Nick, Jeannie, Ron, Callie, Kendall, Camille, Joan, Nancy, Diane, Linda and Russ, Meghan and Melissa, Roman, Anna, Lori, Samantha, Alex, Tamika, Sylva, Sarah, Paula, David, Julia, Yaneth, Ossob, Lindi, Shana, Bea, Sonia, Eric, my entire sangha...Michael, Laura, Gia, Garth, Katie, Sheri, Not A Number Books and Gifts, CSL, Amazing Grace, Black Girl Crew, CARA, The Neo Arts Program, The Meridian School, and the Wallyhood Blog.

I will be taking my computer with me and thanks to some lovely co-workers I will have grounded adapters for each country...meaning I won't be frying my laptop with the change in electrical current. So get ready for the adventure! I know I am.

Red Couch Gallery Tomorrow!

We're gearing up for the second Red Couch Gallery tomorrow. We will be featuring art by: rejj arts, Tina Blu Creationz, Mikal Whoberry, AphroditeXchange, VJ, Nick Moorehead, Pedro DeValdia, and more. Check us out in the Wallyhood at 1804 N. 51st from 3-9PM. Also check out the article written about us on the Wallyhood blog! http://www.wallyhood.org/

The Evolution of my Trip...

When the travel agent said $7,000, I thought...and that's just the airfare! No way. That's not realistic. And then my mind went spinning down a negative spiral of I can't...I can' afford this trip. I can't leave my job yet. I can't quit a perfectly good job when I don't have something else lined up. I'm surrounded by loads of overqualified unemployed people telling me that I am stupid or crazy or both for wanting to do this thing...maybe they're right. It went on and on.

Then I remembered, every one's journey is their own. And my journey is my choice. Maybe I'll make a botch of it, maybe I'll get half way around the world and realize I made a huge mistake...but let it be my mistake. I don't want to let it be my fears that dictate how I live, let it be my courage, let it be my faith that guide my actions. And so I took a deep breath and began again to reconnect with the vision I had for this trip.

What came to me is that this is a trip about raising my mental equivalent, shattering any of my preconceived notions about who I am and what I can do with my life. It also came to my attention that now is a time I really need to learn about energy work and of course to continue my work on forgiveness and letting go. With that as my focus, I have released what I originally thought it would be and began to embrace the opportunities that are appearing.

I will still begin my trip in July, but not in New Zealand or Colombia, but much closer...in Arizona. There I will be exploring the energy vortexes and meeting with a Native American Shaman in Sedona. From Arizona it is my intention to travel to Ghana and Morocco with Michael Beckwith, Rickie Byars Beckwith, and the Agape Spiritual Center...a sister church to the Center for Spiritual Living. From Morocco, I will head solo to Spain. From there I don't know...

So next week, I am taking the proceeds from the first red couch gallery and putting a down payment on my trip. Thank you again to everyone for contributing, not just to my travel fund, but to helping make my dream a possibility. And for those of you who couldn't make it, I hope to see you next Saturday for the next Red Couch Gallery!

The Red Couch Gallery
(the sequel)
Saturday, May 15
3:00 - 9:00PM
1804 N. 51st

Our featured artists include: REJJ Arts, Tina Blu Creationz, Mikal Whoberry, AphroditeXchange, Euphorya, Pedro DeValdivia, Nick Morehead and more.

Thanks!

Many thanks to all who attended the first ever Red Couch Gallery. It was a long, fun day of good food, friends, chair massages and beautiful art. We raised just over $1,000! It was so much fun, we decided to do it again, so please join us for The Red Couch Gallery: the sequel on Saturday, May 15 from 3:00 - 9:00pm at 1804 N. 51st street...on the corner of N 51st and Wallingford. Featured artists will include: rejj arts, Tina Blu Creationz, Mikal Whoberry, AphroditExchange, Euphorya, Pedro DeValdivia, Nick Stone, and more.

The Red Couch Gallery

The Red Couch Gallery
April 17, 2010
Noon-10:00PM
1804 N. 51st Street
Seattle, WA 98103

The Red Couch Gallery is a one day only collaborative art show / fundraiser. There will be snacks, good music, and arts and crafts by a variety of local artists and crafts-people. Stop by, bring some friends, hang out, shop, chill with cool people, enjoy beautiful art, snack, have a drink, and if you feel moved, make a donation.

This is a “Fund-my-vision” project co-sponsored by REJJ Arts and Tina Blu Creationz for the purpose of raising money to send me on a spiritual journey around the world.

FEAUTRING ARTISTS Include:
REJJ Arts
Tina Blue Creationz
Chrissy Waiching
Moxy Jo Designs
Euphorya
Mikal Whoberry
Verbal Oasis
Pretty Prudent
V.J.
AphroditeXchange
and more...

A Trip, A Dream, An Oppurtunity.

As I deepen my spiritual practice and enter into a space where I am discerning my goals and my life's path, I feel myself ever drawn back to my art, writing and traveling. I love teaching. I love the little school that I work for and it is a very comfortable existence, but there is something in me that says I am ready for my next step. Publishing my book of poetry and the subsequent positive reaction had given me much needed confidence, and more importantly perspective on what things are possible. Like so many people, I grew up with practical parents who raised me to think about life like a realist. While they always encouraged me to pursue my dreams, it was always within reason. Sure, be a writer, be a painter, be whatever, but make sure you can support yourself and make sure you have health insurance. There is an undeniable logic there, however, I have entered a place in my life where being logical is at odds with my greater good.

I am currently working on my first novel and I have decided that this July I want to travel around the world. I thought about all the ways I could make this happen. I looked at applying to work for semester at sea and the peace boat and all sorts of other programs where I could make use of my MA in International Education and also get to travel, but when it came down to it I realized that if I did a trip through an organization as an employee, I wouldn't really be having the experience I want to have. I want to visit an ashram and do love meditations at the Taj Mahal in India. I want to learn about Condomble in Brazil and visit Maori schools in New Zealand. I want to meet the children at our sister school in Barranquila, Colombia. I want to visit Ishmael Tete's church in Ghana.

There are so many places I want to go and so many things I want to see and do. Everything is telling me that the time is now, I just have to have the courage to step out on faith and believe I can really do this. So that said, I have put in my notice at my job. I will be finishing my contract at my little school and finishing out my lease in June and by July I would like to be on the first leg of my trip around the world.

Here is the thing. I'm not independently wealthy (yet). I have been saving and I have some money, but I don't have quite enough to really go everywhere I want to. It has been suggested that I scale back my trip, but I really don't want to diminish my experience. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity ...the chance for me to really live out my dream. I know that there are a million and one great causes to support, but this is one more, and I know you can find it in you to support my journey.

I am surrounded by people everyday who do what they think they have to do. They sacrifice their dreams for their children, or for their jobs, or sometimes simply because they don't have the guts to go for it...whatever the reason, they watch their dreams die. I've been that person. I've been the one who wants to do this or that, but in the end settles for what is possible and I am absolutely committed to not letting that happen to me again. I am ready to walk in my good. I am ready to shed my fears and follow my heart. Now here is what you can do to help: April 17, from noon to 10:00pm, I am hosting a fundraiser / art gallery at 1804 N. 51st Street in Seattle, WA 98103. Stop by, chill, snack, and shop. There will be art by several local artists as well as food and good music. This is a great opportunity for you to support someone in following their dream. Thank you.

A Room Full of Sisters: My next show...

"A Room Full of Sisters"

An Exhibit Celebrating the Culture of Women

February 21 - March 28

Artist Reception

First Thursday March 4

5:30PM-7:30PM

C Art Gallery will feature the exhibit "A Room Full of Sisters" February 21 - March 28 with an artist reception Thursday March 4, 2010 recognizing the diversity of women and celebrating Women's History Month. The exhibit presents the work of 17 artists in various mediums and is inspired by Washington State Poet Laureate Mona Lake Jones poem "A Room Full of Sisters"

Artists featured in the exhibit include; Beverly Shaw Starkovich, Sue Gill Rose, Jacqui Beck, Esperanza Grundy, Eric D. Salisbury, Shirley Rudolf, Mary Mac Dahlke, Cheryl Richey, Jennifer Tucker, Jane Mayer, Mimi Boothby, Deborah Espinosa, Karen Champion, Noura El-Kordy, Lita Kenyan, Judith Smith and Reagan Jackson.

C Art Gallery is located at 855 Hiawatha Place South, Seattle. The mission of the gallery is to expose and promote artists of different cultural backgrounds to diverse audiences. Gallery hours are Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 3pm-7pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm and by appointment. For more information visit www.cartgallery.net or call 206-322-9374.

God, Hair, Love, and America.

2010 has already been a year of many firsts for me. It is a pleasure to announce the release of my first book of poetry. It's called God, Hair, Love and America. A collection of Poetry. You can find it at www.amazon.com or also at Open Book, A Poem Emporium located in Wallingford at 2414 N45th Street and the Center for Spiritual Living Bookstore 5801 Sand Point Way NE in Seattle, WA.

Though I've been writing since I can remember, and it's always been my dream to publish a book I hadn't gotten around to it. Finally, in December of 2008, I decided I was ready. One of my writing projects/New Year's resolutions was to try my hand at slam poetry. The slam is a poetry competition that takes place once a week (currently Tuesdays at the Rebar, if you're in Seattle). That's when 8-10 poets compete by performing pieces that don't last longer than 3 minutes. For 3 whole minutes you can get on the mic and say what you want, all eyes are on you. The work has to be original, you can't use props and it can be memorized or read. Then random judges from the crowd hold up score cards and let you know how you did with numbers from 1-10, 10 being you are a slam god and 1 being please go home and come back when you're ready (I've never seen anyone get a 1 though...mostly people bring it!).

After slamming once a month for year, I had amassed a collection. At the prompting of my mother, I put it all together in book form and then life happened (it does that). I won't go into the excuses, because the important thing is that I did come back to it and it is a collection that I'm proud of. God, Hair, Love, and America is named for the top 4 themes that run through my work. Each poem has got it's own story to tell, but every word is an authentic expression of self. I hope you enjoy it.