Monday 29 November 2010

Monday's Quote - Ackerman


"I guess it shouldn't surprise us to find ourselves linked with the stars. Every atom of gold or silver jewelry was created in supernovas.  The water we drink, the air we breathe, the ground we walk, the complicated pouch of fluids and salts and minerals and bones we are -- all forged in some early chaos of our sun.  I think it was the astrophysicist John Wheeler who remarked that we are the sun's way of thinking about itself."

-Diane Ackerman
 
It was serendipitous to find this quote - I've just recently seen a play about astrophysicist Beatrice Tinsley who makes this connection very strongly in her life and work.  I've reviewed it for Remote Goat if you want to read it.
 
Diane Ackerman wrote the amazing A Natural History of the Senses - a book all artists should check out.

Monday 22 November 2010

Monday's Quote - Moreau

“To me, life is going up until you are burned by flames. Life is an accomplishment and each moment has a meaning and you must use it. Life is given to you like a flat piece of land and everything has to be done. I hope that when I am finished, my piece of land will be a beautiful garden, so there is a lot of work.”



Jeanne Moreau, Oscar Werner and Henri Serre in Jules et Jim
Arguably the greatest cinema actress, and certainly both prolific in her own work as well as a muse to others, Moreau evidences her passion for life here as openly as she manages to slyly control its embers on screen.



Friday 19 November 2010

Practivist of the Week - Catherine Brogan

CATHERINE BROGAN

Catherine Brogan


Practivist Questionnaire


How old are you, if you don’t mind?

25 (nearly 26)


What is the main focus of your practivism at this time and how does that manifest?

Feminism, FairTrade, some green stuff, squatting, performing, organisng events and fundraisers linked with poetry.

I live in a squatted house so I can be artistic and not strangled by bills.

Amazing squat!
I attend demos.

Make my own clothes.


What route did you take to get here?

Degree politics and English focusing on international relations.

2 summers in Kenya.

Worked in various FairTrade jobs.

After lots of job redundancies and poetry success have decided poetry can't be resisted any more.

Monday 15 November 2010

Monday's Quote - Tomlin

"I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific."


-Lily Tomlin


One of my favorite ladies ever!


Come out to B.E.A.T tonight - check the Up/Coming page for deets....

Saturday 13 November 2010

Practivist of the Week - Julie Titus

JULIE TITUS

Julie Titus in Guatemala
Practivism Questionnaire

How old are you, if you don’t mind?

 28

What is the main focus of your practivism at this time and how does that manifest?

My practivism stems from the absolute truth that serving others is how we truly serve ourselves. The more healing and practical/sustainable solutions we offer each other, the more we connect with our own fears, disconnectedness, shallowness, and judgements. When we force ourselves to face the pain and suffering of others, we break through new barriers in our psyches and evolve into more courageous and outspoken people than we've ever imagined. So in short my humanitarianism is a completely self serving endeavor (j/k).

What route did you take to get here?

There are dozens of experiences and dreams that have lead me to this current stage of hunger to serve and travel. From watching the History Channel as a child, to being humiliated at a party I catered, to looking into the face of my daughter and striving to give her both the childhood I never had as well an understanding of the world that I was never exposed to, the result has been a fairly new birth for me; the birth of Global Mother.

Global Mother is my multi-faceted and multi-intentional business directed at serving other non-profits, serving the people they serve in the most humble and enthusiastic capacity, and serving the locally disadvantaged by giving them the gift of travel.

So far I've joined a team of amazing single moms who have managed to individually and collectively raise the money and awareness to travel Guatemala this past summer. While there, we served the women and children of Guatemala city who live in the trash dump community surrounding the 40-acre municipal trash dump.  Domestic violence, poor education, exposure to toxic chemicals, and extreme poverty are just a few of the issues affecting the everyday lives of these people.

What I believe is most important to remember, is that for each and every one of these lives, there is a face, a name, a dream and a story.

Mirna, is a single mother of 7 and grandmother of 2 who attends the literacy program of Safe Passage and generates income by making earth-conscious jewelry. She has an amazing presence and beautiful smile, although you can see the years of hard work and pain in her hands.

Ariste, is a bright, rambunctious seven year-old boy who loves to play, fight, give hugs and be held. He needs sponsors to afford the nutritional and educational program that Safe Passage provides. more importantly he needs to feel cared about and motivated to continue his education passed the 6th grade education that Guatemala can provide.

The trip we took changed the lives of the women and children we spent time with. They changed us too. They made us more grateful, more loving, more brave women. We pass this to our children and now we feel equipped to raise a generation of Americans who give a damn about what goes on in the world outside their borders of Disney, McDonalds, and American Idol.

Guatemala is just one trip taken so far, but the vision remains so much greater! We plan to serve Uganda, Bali, Thailand, Korea, Mexico, and .... south central Los Angeles!  My deepest passion is PEOPLE; healing, touching, serving, giving hope and life. In turn, I receive those benefits too. So call me today. I look forward to partnering with you and nurturing the world... one village at a time.

If you are interested in joining us, sponsoring us, leading a trip, or just learning more about whats on the map, please feel free to contact me anytime.

Monday 8 November 2010

Monday's Quote - Van Gogh

"The more I think it over, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people."


- Vincent Van Gogh

It's Monday.  Be careful out there.
 

Wednesday 3 November 2010

Practivist of the Week - Michele D'Acosta

MICHELE D'ACOSTA
Michele D'Acosta


Practivism Questionnaire


How old are you, if you don’t mind?

 I was born in January 1965!

What is the main focus of your practivism at this time and how does that manifest?

The main focus of my practivism at this time is creating artwork and making documentary films as a catalyst for positive social change. The way that this aim manifests itself at this time is that I am working with an organisation called The Peace Project which is an international collaborative art competition and exhibition created to connect peace-minded individuals everywhere. All net proceeds from sales of The Peace Project artwork and related products will be used in Sierra Leone to provide healthcare, education and other services and infrastructure designed to help people sustain themselves and their families long term.

What route did you take to get here?

Well my practivism journey began, in earnest, in 1989 when I started working in the Press Office of the UK branch of Amnesty International. At that time, I was writing articles about Amnesty's Prisoners of Conscience campaign, and their anti-death penalty campaign, and had the honor of meeting a nun called Sister Helen Prejean who was based in New Orleans and campaigned tirelessly on behalf of men on Death Row in Louisiana, many of whom were innocent or, had been sentenced as minors, to the death penalty.

Fast forward to 2010, where the most recent leg of my practivism journey is currently in progress....! I am a member of an LA-based online artists community called The Whole 9 which was founded by Lisa Schultz about four years ago.  I found The Whole 9 via Google in 2009, and that's how I got involved with my current practivist project, which is The Peace Project.

*Note from Michele - Sister Helen Prejean's work was the subject of the Tim Robbins-directed film Dead Man Walking starring Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon.

Monday 1 November 2010

Monday's Quote - Rodgers

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."


-Will Rodgers