Create with Spirit

Interfaith

My excellent friend Dan shared this animated video with me.

It really is one of the most beautiful, accessible, simple and profound descriptions of what it means to be truly Interfaith - to honor ALL paths, no matter what they look like. I hope you can watch it and share it with others in your life.

It was made by TheraminTrees.

Fur

Just watched a film that literally took my breath away. Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, is an imagined idea of what the inside of the photographer Diane (pronounced Dee-Ann) Arbus' mind might look like.

This film is a must-see for any artist. I am so thankful that films like this are made. It is completely unexpected in every way and is full of divine, disturbing and wildly inspiring imagery. It really captures what it is like to see the world a little differently and to have only a select few freaks in your life understand it.

The film is written by Erin Cressida Wilson, and directed by Steven Shainberg (both from the film Secretary). They wanted to capture the birth of an artist and "what you have to leave behind to become yourself." The incredible Robert Downey Jr. is in this film (as the most amazing and mesmerizing character of the entire film) and while being interviewed about what he thought the movie was about, he said, "sometimes you have to see fear and head for it and you have to do exactly what would be considered entirely inappropriate...in order to make it to where you are supposed to go." If that doesn't describe the true creative process, I don't know what does.

This film is the story of freaks, not just freaks on the outside, but those who are freaks on the inside as well. It reminded me to move through my fears and create my own vision of the world, no matter how ugly or scary or misunderstood it may be.

You can watch the preview of the film here. And you can watch the making of of the film here.

Smallest Knitter in the World

In February 2009, the first hand-made, stop-motion, 3D film will hit our movie theaters. It is Coraline, based on Neil Gaiman's novella of the same name. None other than the amazing Tim Burton is making it, so you know it will be creepy and beautiful.

I read the novella Coraline and it actually creeped me out and made me really angry at the same time. Those black, button eyes...ugh. But regardless of how I felt about the story, I am most definitely going to see this amazing movie.

I want to direct you to the site to watch an incredible little clip showcasing some of the world's tiniest knitting (that's what I'm claiming in my complete ignorance, anyway). Some of her needles are as small as a strand of human hair!!! Can you imagine?

Of course the styling and advertising for this film is super crafty and mysterious so you have to do something special in order to see the clip. Never fear my dear readers, for I am in the know (thanks Drawn!) and I can tell you what to do:

Go here.

Click your cursor into the first box and type in the word "sweaterxxs".

Enjoy the tiniest and craftiest knitting you have ever seen.

Then, if you want to see more, here are some other "magic" words:

buttoneyes
stopmotion
moustachio
puppetlove
armpithair

Thank God for the crafty geniuses of the world. They keep me alive, I swear!

Good Things are Happening in the World!

I am very lucky to work for the incredible Arts & Healing Network. Twice a week I get to immerse myself in all the amazing healing art projects that are happening around the globe. I always joke with my fantastic co-worker Danny, about how great it would be if every corporate news program had to start and end with a news story about something positive and healing happening in the world. They are happening all around us! We just don't hear about them!

So, along those lines, behold The Federation of Students and Nominally or Unemployed Artists:

Instant Grant Program from Steve Lambert on Vimeo.

I can tell you that by far, the most e-mails I get at the Arts & Healing Network are requests for money or how to fund healing art projects. Our country does not value art the way many others do, and artists here are continually struggling to create and share their work. What's the first thing to get cut in any public institution (be it a school or the federal government?) - ART. When really, art is one of the most important parts of creating a healthy and sustainable culture of imagination and peace.

I love these folks because they did something so simple. 10 artists got together and raised $100 each. Then they gave it away to people who needed the money to finish a project. Genius - simple - beautiful. And they helped over 40 artists.

In all the fear and darkness we are experiencing right now, with the economy and the upcoming election, PLEASE remember that incredible, wonderful things are also happening in the world.

And I'm going to take that statement one step further and ask what simple, powerful acts you can do this month? Every action you take, no matter how small, is valuable and we have no idea the ripple effects they can have in the greater world.

Who Does She Think She Is?

Just heard about a new film called Who Does She Think She Is? Created by Pamela Tanner Boll, the film tells the story of five artists who are also women and mothers, and how they try to honor their creative process as much as taking care of their families. All artist mothers are up against enormous pressure in our culture and society. There is a paradigm in our society that if you are making art and taking time to honor your own creativity, then someone else is losing something. Women are trained to give of themselves first, and then think of their own needs when everyone else is taken care of.

I haven't seen the film yet, but I have read reviews of it and watched the extra-long trailer and it has already brought tears to my eyes.

Here is the shorter trailer (a longer one can be seen on the site):

I'm especially struck by the quote: "I feel like I'm lost in the woods and I'm all alone, with no companions, and I hear wolves." That is often how I feel as an artist, and I'm not even a mother! I am in AWE of women who manage to take care of their families and get into the studio. It's really incredible. I rarely allow myself the time to create as it is - how will I do it as a mother?

I think this movie is a must-see for all creative people, female and male alike!

The Mantra Trailer

The Mantra Trailer is a beautiful and powerful project by artist and quilter Sherri Lynn Wood. She is embodying Walter Brueggemann's concept of prophetic ministry In his book The Prophetic Imagination: The task of the prophetic ministry is to nurture, nourish and evoke a consciousness and perception alternative to the consciousness and perception of the dominant culture around us.

Created out of a 1972 bread box trailer, the Mantra Trailer traveled the United States, inviting random people to record their most private mantras. The side of the trailer provided a rotating billboard of the mantras collected.

I highly recommend watching the Mantra 360 "trailer" to get an idea of the project. It is an aural experience, more than a visual...

From the website:

Over 500 mantras were recorded, thousands of fliers were handed out, and countless conversations arose  between people on the street about mantras, prayer, meditation, presence, propaganda, slogans, politics, travel, religion, art and more.
 
More than a few people were moved deeply if for nor other reason than having encountered an unexpected quiet space in the middle of a crowded street in the middle of a hectic day. It seems we are a people looking for signs.

Read the Tour Blog.

It is projects like these that make me feel so good about the world. I am so glad that there are artists who have the vision and energy to create such amazing experiences for people to participate in!

Hunter S. Hard Drive, R.I.P.

I've just recently returned from the odyssey of having my hard drive die. It passed away right around the time I saw the excellent documentary Gonzo: The Life & Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (see the trailer here), so I can't help but think that my hard drive just decided that it's life was over and shot itself in the head, as Dr. Thompson did. Perhaps I should shoot it off in a cannon, out into the backyard.

Many people are surprised to hear that I am a Hunter S. Thompson fan. After all, he was psychotic, violent and a complete drug addict. And yet...he was an excellent writer and liver of life. I am not a big sports fan, but I would read anything that Hunter wrote, knowing that, while I will read about the game, or the match, or the race, or whatever he was writing about, I would also read an incredible piece about the world and how he saw himself, and all of us, in it. His political writing is also incredibly insightful. There is a section of the documentary where Thompson goes to listen to a pre-president Carter make a speech to a bunch of lawyers (Thompson was the only reporter who bothered to attend) about how messed up lawyers are. Thompson was so moved he wrote a cover story about it in Rolling Stone magazine and many believe that is why Carter got elected.

One of my favorite movies of all time is the excellent Terry Gilliam film Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, based on the Thompson book of the same name. The movie stars Johnny Depp (who is genius in it) and Benicio del Toro (also incredible and so very odd). When I introduce the movie to my friends, it often ends with me cackling and screaming with laughter and my poor friend looking frightened and sad.  It is a sad movie, I suppose - but the richness of it's weirdness speaks deeply to my heart. As Terry Gilliam said himself "this film is not pre-digested baby food" - using the formula that the majority of Hollywood films made today use.

In the end, if Hunter S. Thompson was anything, he was a Freak, and there is nothing better to see than a Freak waving his Freak Flag. Being a Freak is about being real. Not necessarily truthful, although he was often that - but as many times as not, he was also a complete fabricator and story teller, as all good tricksters are.  His wild, creative abandon inspires me, always. 

Creating with Spirit, or collaborating with the inner divine is about recognizing the ways in which we are weird and different, which is really hard to do in this culture of "alternative as trendy" that we live in now.

So rest in peace Hunter S. Thompson and rest in pieces, Hunter S. Hard Drive.

The Answer

Well, this just sums it all for me.  Enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToEPFDIzhNA

(I found this via Paige Green's wonderful blog)

Born Dropped Out

Via Boing Boing - I just discovered a really interesting project. It's Caleb J. Clark's Interactive Telecommunications Program Masters Thesis. He asked the same 20 questions of children of hippies, who seem to have been born in the late 60's to the late 70's. He also answers the questions himself.

I've been listening on and off to the various self-interviews. You can watch them in any order and each piece is short and easily digestible.

Being the daughter of what many have called hippies (although they called themselves beatniks), I am always fascinated when I get to connect with someone else who grew up with that intense freedom, the way I did. Now I must say, I had an incredibly stable childhood, compared to the majority of "children of hippies" you may meet in the world. My parents were in many ways, the "parental" ones to all of their "more free" (i.e. crazier) friends. My parents owned a house, they kept food on the table and they aren't and never have been addicted to any kind of drug. So you could say, I got the best parts of being a child of hippies.

It is really interesting to listen to the interviews in this documentary project. At times, they feel almost a little too informational and choppy. I think that experience may be related to the format of going through a long list of questions and answering them by yourself with a home video camera. I would love to see a documentary where "kids of hippies" are in the same room together and talking about everything. That would feel a bit more creative and alive, which I think is the gift of growing up the way we all did. But I still find it really fascinating to listen to all of these stories and memories and I am grateful Caleb has shared them with the world.

I live a very different and interesting life and I always wonder how much is me - deep soul Tristy - and how much is the way I was raised. Are children of hippies more free? Do we have more interesting work lives? Or do many rebel and become conservative? This documentary does not make that clear, and that is just fine. It raises questions which all good art should do. Check it out.

Be Kind, Rewind

I recently saw the wonderful film, Be Kind, Rewind and I wanted to do a post about it, but the always excellent Extreme Craft did such a great one that I will just link to it here.

Basically, this is a wonderfully inspiring movie about making and creating and doing it yourself. I expected nothing less from the wildly genius creator of The Science of Sleep. I really flashed back to the days of Cubby Vision.

Making things together with others is a powerful force and it can be so deliriously fun. Gather your friends and create something today!