Frost Princess

This is a beautiful project by lovely artists in my community:

Model - Devin Willow 

Body paint & Styling - Mirabai Wagner

Photography & Video - Kurt Lawson

The video below is a behind-the-scenes look 

at the making of the Frost Princess Series:

Update Jan7, 2012:
I had to remove the video because I could not get it not to auto-play.  You can view the video here:  http://vimeo.com/52051023

I am looking forward to seeing the series in it's entirety.

We have so many wonderful, creative, loving individuals in the Austin artists community.  I feel honored to know just a portion of them.  Please research and hire local artists in your area or feel free to support the ones in mine.  

Fire Family at Rusty's Bar

 Another wonderful evening of friends, family, fire and faeries.

You can click here to be redirected to my other blog to view more photos from the evening.  

What Do You Do on Friday Evenings?

This is what we do in Austin. 

Meet Sage and Echo.

Leslie Cochran's Memorial

Sweet, stubborn, passionate, loved, loving and a willing Austin icon...

You will be missed.

You will be remembered.

You are loved.

Welcome 2012 SXSW Music Festival Visitors

SXSW visitors will, not only, appreciate the music in Austin; but our visual artists as well.    The creativity, diversity, beauty and special nature of Austin fire flow artists (also known as fire dancers) is inspiring.  I've tried to include photos in this post that I haven't shared until this week.  You will find that, although, many performers are completely booked during the festival, some still have availability. 

I look forward to having a public showing of a series of our local fire artists.  Feel free to let me know which ones you like best. 

Firepower

From Within a Cimerian Shade

Effulgence from deep within a

Cimerian shade of my own creation

Peering out, looking in, imploding... 

Exploding alignment! Components

Forming beauty greater than before

In the darkness of these moments

Synaptic symphonies replace silence

Songs of peace, comfort and light

Colorfully fill the reality of my now

My BEing alight; bursting forward

Illuminated bubbles appear before me

Filled with past, present and future

Undulating iridescent capsules

Of factuality brighten my now

Bringing a promise of a new way

I choose to listen.

Tiptoeing at Sunset

Tiptoeing at sunset, cataloguing

Life's odd placements and pitfalls

Attempting recall with each step

Fumbling through darkness fallen

Searching for unimpeded paths

Stepping lightly, retracting quickly

Each step met with jagged surprises
Nothing in place, nothing the same

Knowing it never shall be again

Robert Peery, Your Smiles Will Be Missed

Goodbye friend.  Thank you for always entertaining my ideas and providing me with perspectives I had not considered.

Thank you for loving Natalie the way she needed and wanted to be... Completely.

I do and will miss you, Bob.

Much love on your journey.

Barton Creek Mall Christmas Arrest

CodePink Austin, along with allies from Veteran's for Peace and Women in Black staged a Don't Buy War "freeze" at Barton Creek Mall on Saturday, December 3rd. 

The group was between the Santa photo station and the Gamestop store, which prominently advertises the 'Modern Warfare 3' video game. 

The goals were to raise awareness about the continuing wars on Iraq and Afghanistan, to educate shoppers about the costs (both human and economic) of the wars, and to dissuade parents from purchasing war toys. An APD officer assaulted/arrested a young woman (Nicole Mann) who had joined the group spontaneously. 

*Update*


First reports are that she sustained 4 broken ribs!  Also, from people associated with the arrest.  She has been charged with 1 felony and 2 charges that were lowered to a class "B" and class "C" misdemeanor.

Searches to find information within mainstream news have turned up no information.

**I've often wondered when it became policy for security/police to surround people being arrested so that they can be brutalized while unthinking corporate servants run about telling people to stop filming.  It is not illegal to film public officers in public spaces!!!

Tai Chi In Zilker Park on 11/11/11

Fire within manifest

For all to witness

Breath, depth, silence

Hands ignite in healing

Sky-connected breath

Metaphysical winds whip

Flags of harmony, waving

In the winds of change

Depth, breath, silence

Healing touch, embodied

Embraced and administered

Anticipating life's gifts

Chi held, Chi delivered

Each in it's own time

Silence, depth, breath

Nudged via universal encouragement

I journey to explore the world external

Activating the world internal

A Dryadian whisper

Over here, look over here

Over here, look over here

Prior to my eyes

attaining their destination

A familiarity filled me

Considering quiet correlations

Of surprising susurrations spilled

Astride mountaintop efflations

Forest skin tattooed by lovers

In my now, I see her eyes

And replay our last embrace

My eyes light on the arborous appendage

An uncommon treasure, assuredly

Clutched, kissed, blessed,cherished

Power-washing City Hall During Occupy Austin

I received a call that the Austin City Council made the decision to have the mall in front of City Hall power-washed between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. The requirement was for all signage, equipment, tents, etc. be removed so that the city could clean.  Occupants were told they would be allowed to return after the cleaning.

Officers and occupiers were respectful and communicated with little confrontation throughout the process.  Occupiers were told that they should move across the street, which most complied with. 

 A lone occupier stays until the last moments.

 

The power-washing begins.

Initially, police had advised everyone that no one would be allowed on the sidewalks in front of City Hall. 

After discussions with occupiers, the police advised the crowd that they could be on the sidewalk as long as they did not impede traffic.

Four occupiers refused to vacate and were arrested without incident.  But not without some good humor.

 

  Of course, not all arrested were in such high spirits.

 All in all, the actions of the occupiers and the police made me proud to live in Austin. 

The Labyrinth

Creativity in Austin

Community creativity shared, spreads

Love, light, compassion & charity

There are few requirements to join

Just show up and BE.

This lovely work was gifted to me by an amazing artist named Heather Ray.  The photo is a quick cell-phone shot on the table where we were sitting when it was given.

  

You can see more of her work at Ineffible Infinitude.

Respite

We breathe in darkness daily

Often, not conscious of our 

Capacity for transmutation

In with darkness, out with light

In with darkness, out with light

In with darkness, out with light

We are the catalyst for light

We are love for the world

We are the change we want to see

In with darkness, out with light 

In with darkness, out with light

In with darkness, out with light

Fill this world with your light

You are the catalyst 

You have been waiting for

In with light, out with light

In with light, out with light

In with light, out with light

Juxtaposition in the Park

My Friend, Billy Bones

Billy cheers up so many of my mornings.   

We share coffee, conversation, philosophy, music and hugs. It's not that I start out in a bad place; but Billy has a way of cheering people up, no matter their mood.

This morning he shared a song he has been working on for the last week:

The Night

With such beauty, who can sleep?

MedMob at Barton Springs - Memorial Day Weekend

Join us for the Memorial Day Weekend MedMob event (Sunday May 29th). We will gather for a silent meditation on the South Hill of Barton Springs. Sit anywhere you wish, remembering to be courteous not to block any public pathways. Feel free to spread out so that more are able to participate in the experience. We will gather in the center of the hill for an 11 minute sound bath at 1pm. There is no requirement to attend the entire meditation or sound bath. Join in and leave as you are lead. Many arrive early to visit before the meditation. The Intent: To create an environment for people from all walks of life to come together in meditation.  To expose people to meditation through direct contact in locations common to all. To gather as a community, sending positive intentions into the world. Remember... There is more than one way to meditate!

Visit MedMob.org for more details on this event or to set up an event in your city.