Wangechi Mutu and Leonora Carrington

Graduation

                                               

                            
                                              

     You're in third grade. You've been told that when you reach 5th grade you'll Graduate and move on to middle school. You look forward to this day. It comes. You celebrate. It passes. You're in 8th grade. You've been told this is the last year of middle school. "You've gotten good grades. You're going to Graduate." You look forward to this. It's Graduation day. You celebrate. It passes. Your in High school, 9th grade. If you do what you're supposed to you will Graduate and go to college. You look forward to that. You do it. You Graduate. You celebrate. It passes.

     You're in college. "If you think critically and get good marks You'll be out of here in know time." says the dean at the orientation speech. You look forward to it. You think critically. You get good marks. You plan for a career. You've made it. It's Graduation day. You celebrate. It passes. You're at work. If you work hard for so many years you can retire and enjoy the paradise that is doing what ever the hell you want to. You look forward to something like it. You work hard. You become president of your company. You retire. You celebrate. It passes.

     Enjoy the moments that lead up to your graduations, what ever graduations they may be. Those moment are big chunks of your life. "Time passes in the constant state." James Blake (Overgrown Album) Just make sure you are happy and content in the moments that build up to the next ones. Always remember you are exactly where you're supposed to be.

Bria Myles and a tropical paradise, somewhere

to be this lovely and slink across the floor

in what I'm assuming are noiseless shoes

in the atmosphere only ocean ephemera

and in your mind a confidence in a gemini

nascence. the art of glittering skin

and looking back at the crowds 

that inevitably follow. 

a model. heavy hair curling 

in her fingers. the green sightless gods

pose no problems and a smile to charm 

her everywhere. it's not something

to begrudge such a curious

and intangible spirit. 

to be a follower 

instead of confident. 

everywhere in this 'verse

lives are trying to teach me a single

lesson

but I still envy the apparent

beauty and luxury 

of this woman in a white dress

and the sunlight loving her 

like it never could me

and the beach 

of course 

must be behind her

waving and waving

a steady source 

to reaffirm what she seems

to already know.

We Need Each Other

                                                    We Need Each Other (Kingdom Hearts 2)

     We sit here alone on the beach, within a dark night. I never thought I’d see you again. Our lives were much simpler on that Island. Do you remember? We’d search for items to make a raft, to stay fed on our journey. I wanted to leave that place so bad. I knew in my heart that there was more to this than just our world. I knew that there was more to me. Well we’d soon see wouldn't we. We’d soon meet ourselves as we made ourselves in these unpredictable moments. Your’e predictable now. I’m predictable now.  On the Island, as kids, we were the same. You know? We had the same goals. We loved the same things. I really did love her, and I love her still. I know you do too. I want you to know that I’ve always loved you. You’re like my brother. Only blood could make us closer. 

     Did you know that I wanted so much to be like you? I wanted to have your confidence, to have your self assurance that everything would always be ok. You’re a prince to me. We sit here silently, now with all the time in the world. There’s a world out there that we made whole, together. 

     Do you remember the day the sky opened up? I walked through that door gladly. I wanted to know what was out there. I wanted an adventure. Nothing could've prepared me for what I’d find or what I’d lose. We’ve both lost so much. I remember when I found you in Traverse Town…ok ok…you found me. I was so relieved to see you, but there was one person missing. One person we needed to complete our trinity. 

     Her name has a home in my dreams. We wanted to find her, but our methods, and my conscience divided us in the belly of a whale. You knew about her current state and I didn’t. You were desperate and alone. I had good company and a purpose more greater than I would ever know. I wish we would have began our journey here, the three of us on this moonlit night. Maybe our Key Blades never would have had to meet. Maybe they would never have to meet again. My two new friends, they love me now as you and I once loved each other. I know that we are like fractured glass now, but it’s time to go home. It’s time to be our trinity once again. I still have that fruit you know. It’s time to return it. What do you say? Let’s go.

my sister is the post-it note to my plain ole note

a friend of mine witnessed my sister on the bus today
i am not sure if she knew he was there but let's assume not
a boy came on the bus with hysterical tears & he sits and sobs
and of course my sister goes to the boy and asks if he is okay
and sits with him until he is okay               first thought:
my sister is a much better person than me
second thought:                                                          duh

For MK: directing

If I had told you a year ago you would be                                       pressing flesh

with pals and patrons

in every concrete stand-alone            in this cowpie town,
would you believe me that
it would be like river-wading,             like stirring plaster in a round and dry bin?
that yesterday’s staples in the drywall would pop out today.        That today’s would
fly across the room tomorrow.          That rain would be sleet, snow would be sliding
as your whimsy drips down your face,      
down your chest and                                                                onto the floor of your office
into a saucer made from paper,                            left overnight to lose its shape. 
In the morning, you peel
it from the floor, dodging office calls and cursing at your rolling chair
as your head hits the bottom of your desk.

If I had told you this a year ago, you still would have looked at me with that distant smile, knowing that the air from time to time would be sweet because you keep the beat, you keep jingling your keys.  You keep the coffee going.  You brighten the eyes of our people.

The Architect's Bridge

                                                     The Architect's Bridge

     Imagine an artist who could have the foresight to formally control the potency of the learning experience brought to themselves when creating art. Think about the amount of distinguished purity the ability to do so would add to one's work.  Well there is such an artist that exists out there and he currently has a show up at Tory Folliard Gallery. Ben Grant is an artist who believes in controlling key formal elements of his artistic growth in order to accumulate a more precise and therefore more exquisite piece of art.

     Grant guides his creation by firmly holding the reins on specific concepts to be conveyed as well as formal manors of construction and display. He creates a sort of bridge for his creativity to cross. The artist recognizes that it can be easy to get lost within the lake of creative possibility and therefore his restrictions makes a bridge for his design ingenuity to theoretically grow purely. 

     Strict concepts such as, his use of the stripe in horizontal, diagonal and vertical ways, the idea that all his pieces will be hung on a wall, or the paintings definitively being modular all contribute to the construction of these marvelous pieces of art at his current exhibit. The juxtapositions of his stripe manipulation within his works makes for a stunning visual piece for the viewer to interpret. These restraints are the bridge Ben Grant is the grand architect.

     Several of the artist's works will be hanging in the Tory Folliard Gallery space until February 1st. There is actually an opening reception coming up  Friday, January 17th, 5pm - 9pm, as well as an artist talk on Saturday, January 18th, starting at 2pm. If you like a peaceful atmosphere to engage with great art you should make your way over to Tory Folliard Gallery and enjoy the wholesome experience.