Idea Rodeo

Mini Food and Cute Stuff

2009-11-27T18:56:00.001-08:00

Since it's a holiday weekend, I allowed myself some time to surf the web for things that make me smile. I came across a few that I'd like to share here:

The Mini Food Blog
Mini pumpkin pie by Sarah Maloney

I love food and I love miniatures so it makes sense that I really really love miniature food! Who knew there was a whole blog dedicated to this?

These Full English Breakfast earrings, also by Sarah Maloney, look very tasty:
Through The Mini Food Blog, I came across the delightful blog, Less Apathy More Cake, by Melly Kay. She writes in her intro, "I make lots of cute stuff" and that is true.
Check out her Etsy shop where she sells her adorable mini cakes along with other items.

As an artist, I constantly look for inspiration and the web never fails me. I always stumble upon something fresh and surprising and I appreciate and am inspired by the risks people take in sharing their creativity with the world.

This makes my day!!

2009-10-21T10:57:00.001-07:00

Keeping it Local

2009-08-23T15:07:00.001-07:00

When I first moved to Tucson almost five years ago (it will be five on September 9, 2009), I must admit that I was underwhelmed. Tucson did not wow or dazzle me right away. But it has grown on me over time, surprising me with its quirkiness and subtle desert beauty.

I was most proud to be a Tucsonan this past week during the 4th Avenue Underpass Opening (August 20, 2009). The tremendous spirit of Tucsonans came pouring out as individuals of all ages and backgrounds streamed into downtown to celebrate the long-awaited reconnection of 4th Ave and Congress. All of the downtown businesses put on their Sunday best - welcoming the crowds with free treats, discounts, and special performances. I scored a pen from Chase Bank, a t-shirt from Dinnerware Artspace, glow sticks, an Entertainment guide, and a free historical walking tour of the El Presidio neighborhood. But it was not this collection of goodies that most put a smile on my face. It was the energy and excitement I felt walking under the new underpass and searching for people I knew in the portrait tile mural. It was the feeling that we were all in this together, that for at least one day we could forget about all of the complaints and woes of downtown politics and development, and just have a good time. It was pure magic.

Tweetup at Tooley's

2009-07-07T20:57:00.000-07:00

I created this video with Judy Kinney. You can follow me on Twitter if you so desire!

Post-it Love

2009-07-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

Client Spotlight: LA Commons

2009-06-17T15:49:00.001-07:00

Trekking LA 2009 E-Flyer

I have been working with LA Commons for three and a half years, doing grant writing, research, and graphic design. It has been a wonderful partnership and I feel truly grateful to contribute to this innovative and dynamic LA non-profit arts organization. I met the executive director, Karen Mack, when she was the interim program director at The HeArt Project, another amazing arts organization where I worked for three years and continue to do freelance work.

Several years ago, LA Commons, in partnership with UCLA's Department of Urban Planning, launched Uncommon LA, an initiative to bring attention to the cultural treasures of the neighborhoods where it engages artists and residents in public art projects. Uncommon LA's signature event is Trekking Los Angeles: Local Adventures in A Global City, now in its third summer. I have been involved in the design since the inception and have had a lot of fun watching the project - and the resulting graphic identity - evolve.

Cover, Trekking LA Guide, 2007

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Trekking LA website
Site design by Khari and Akia Scott was informed by Trekking LA graphic identity.
I designed the map!

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Front and back of postcard for 2008 Trekking LA BBQ series. I was very inspired by this project, partly because I love working with food images. For the background image on the back, I took a picture of ketchup that I had squeezed onto a paper towel.

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A final food + design tidbit: I used okra and peppers from my mother-in-law's beautiful summer garden (in Ohio, not LA. Don't tell anyone!) for LA Commons' 2008 gala invite and program.

Okra and Peppers

Uncommon Angels Invite (inside of invite)

The Wonderful World of Online Color Resources

2009-06-03T10:32:00.001-07:00

I love color. I love names of colors, especially paint colors. Dill Pickle, Olive Branch, Barley, Sea Urchin, Burnt Peanut Red, Cool Lava, and Sweet Butter are a few succulent names I just pulled from a Benjamin Moore color guide.

A quick guide to color for graphic and web design: There are two different color modes - CMYK and RGB. RGB (the red-green-blue light emitted from a monitor) is the mode for computers and internet. CMYK represents the four inks - cyan, magenta, yellow, and black - that are used for four-color printing. Here is a good article explaining the differences.

You may have heard the term "web safe colors," which refers to the 216 cross-browser color palette, created to ensure that all computers would display the colors correctly when running a 256 color palette. This is not as important today, because most monitors can display millions of different colors. W3 schools.com is a great resource for HTML colors.

An important color system to know about is the Pantone Matching System (PMS), a standardized color system developed in the 1960s by Pantone, the "global authority of color." Pantone sets color trends, each year selecting a color of the year. The 2009 color of the year is PANTONE 14-0848 Mimosa, representing "hope and reassurance" during tough economic times.

Here are a few online resources for choosing colors for a project.

Kuler is a beautiful Flash site from Adobe. Themes have five colors each. You can browse and rate themes created by users, create your own themes, download themes to use in Adobe Creative Suite applications, and even use color extraction tools to generate themes from your favorite painting or photograph.

Color Schemer and
Color Schemer Online
You can browse through hundreds of color schemes created by users (for free) or purchase their software. I have never used the software myself or downloaded schemes. I just browse through the schemes as a quick reference. I noticed they have a free Galleria dashboard widget that I will probably try out. (I like widgets!)

Visibone Color Lab
This is a fun visual tool for browsing the 216 web safe colors. Each color also includes RGB and CMYK values.

Please let me know what online color resources have been helpful to you. Happy color journeys!

Going in the Right Direction

2009-05-30T11:31:00.001-07:00

I appreciate the feedback I received on my last post. It is becoming clearer to me that I want to use all of my social media tools - blogs, Facebook, Twitter - to promote my work. I also need to work on an expanded description of my work/services and what I bring to a project (thanks Alice, for highlighting this). I have been nervous about listing all of the things I do for fear that people may think I am scattered and not focused. To turn this into a positive, I bring a diverse range of experiences to my work and can view a project holistically. For example, because of my writing experience I can edit text in the middle of designing a piece. Finding a balance between copy and design can be challenging because the client may not want to sacrifice any text but too much copy can be overwhelming to the reader. Because I am both a writer and designer, a client can entrust me to design and edit simultaneously!

It feels uncomfortable to be writing so much about myself - I prefer to write about other peoples' ideas and projects - but this is an important part of my journey. I recently had a conversation with Judy Kinney, a Law of Attraction Life Coach (check out her website Dream and Flourish Coaching) about making money doing what you love, and as a result we are going to host an event on this very topic. Just being open to this possibility has already helped me to shift my attitude.

So here I go down this road. Hope to meet new companions along the way!

Self-promotion and Micromovements

2009-05-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

I have a hard time promoting my paid work. My "volunteer" work or community arts initiatives I have no problem talking about, pitching to the media, etc. But when it comes to my own graphic design, grant consulting, public relations, it is tough for me to sell myself. I am thinking perhaps this blog could come in handy for this.

So I am putting out to the universe that I want to grow my business and get new clients.

Here are some questions I have for myself:

- What do I have to offer a client?
- What am I looking for in a client?
- What is/are my ideal project(s)?
- How do I convey this in my promotional materials (website, business card, etc.)?

Possible action steps:
- Create e-newsletter and email list of past, current and potential clients
- Gather testimonials from past and current clients

I consider writing down these thoughts "micromovements. I found this concept years ago in a book by Sark. "Micromovements are tiny, tiny little steps you can take towards completions in your life. I'm a recovering procrastinator, and I have a short attntion span, so I invented micromovements as a method of completing projects in time spans of 5 minutes or less." (The Bodacious Book of Succulence, 1998)

My goal is to blog about my process, ideally encouraging me to move forward and help manifest my goals. I'm also interested in what others have to say about this!

Confessions of a Twitterer

2009-04-29T20:01:00.001-07:00

Ok, I confess! I have forsaken my blog for Twitter. Can you blame me? Twitter offers bite-size chunks of information all day all the time! For a highly-distracted person like myself it is very appealing. Plus you can meet people from all over the world that you would never find on Facebook and that you would have to spend hours searching for on the internet. On Twitter, they just pop up, out of the blue, and you have a new source of information.

That being said, I have been reminded of the importance of blogging from my friend Margie, who launched her new blog recently! Yeah Margie! She acknowledged me as one of her inspirations to start blogging, so I do not want to let her down.

So I am recommitting to blogging. At least for today. :)

Downtown Scavenger Hunt!

2009-02-25T14:12:00.001-08:00

Pop Up Spaces presents
Downtown Scavenger Hunt!! Sunday, March 1, 2009

Walk through the streets of downtown Tucson and you will find multiple FOR RENT signs on every block. While that may be discouraging to some Tucsonans, a group of artists sees these spaces as blank canvases. In the Downtown Scavenger Hunt on March 1, participants will be given clues to find 10 locations, each one with a short activity that will encourage them to engage with the current environment, reflect upon the historic record, and imagine future possibilities for the space. The resulting photography and writings will be displayed in the future at a time and venue TBA.

Clues and instructions can be picked up at Shot in the Dark Café, 121 East Broadway Blvd. between 12pm and 2pm.

Downtown Scavenger Hunt is free and appropriate for all ages.

Downtown Scavenger Hunt is the inaugural project of POP UP SPACES, a collaboration between artists Rachelle Diaz of Tu Scene, Molly McClintock of MAXED ART and Julie Ray of The Burrito Files. POP UP SPACES seeks to produce temporary, interactive, site-specific installations in empty spaces in which the visitors are not just expected to be passive viewers, but asked to be active participants. The goal of these art-based experiences is to enhance economic vitality and public engagement in downtown Tucson through promotion of the area's culture, history, architecture and business community.

Visit PopUpSpaces.org for more info.

Complete the Hunt and enter a Drawing to Win a special prize regarding Historical Downtown Tucson!

Altered Book Exchange

2009-02-11T18:54:00.000-08:00

Community Storytelling Arts is hosting a 12-month altered book exchange. An altered book is any book, old or new that has been recycled by creative means into a work of art. Altering can include (but is not limited to) painting, embossing, collaging, and rubber stamping individual pages.

First meeting is Sunday, March 8th from 1pm - 4pm.

Community Storytelling Arts

40 W. Broadway, between Church and Stone

Park in lot off of Jackson behind building

Cost is $12 per Sunday

To sign up or for more information email csatucson@gmail.com or (520) 882-3988.

The Impossible Project

2009-01-31T06:38:00.000-08:00

I just love the name of this project. It feels very appropriate for this time we are in - war, economic crisis and at the same time a new administration. What are the opportunities here for creative people and entrepreneurs? Can we create some new paradigms [david aguirre] - perhaps more collaboration [therese perreault] instead of always re-inventing the wheel and sticking in our silos [monica spigelman]? In the spirit of collaboration I am crediting the folks who have inspired me about these concepts. Let's give more people credit.

here are some folks that are stepping out there and contributing to our Tucson creative scene.
TDAC (Tucson Digital Arts Community)
Maxed Art
TuScene
PLAY
NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO HIRE ARTISTS TO WORK IN SCHOOLS & COMMUNITIES
Tucson Main Street
Community Storytelling Arts

What else and who else is out there? Step up and BE HEARD [IABC tagline]

Open Source Social Change

2009-01-17T16:31:00.000-08:00

love this concept - The Power of Us: Re-Imagine Media
A collaborative competition is an interactive solicitation to identify and develop innovative, workable solutions to the world's most entrenched social problems. Competition entries are posted online and made available for anyone to view and collaborate with by providing new ideas, asking insightful questions, and providing connections to new resources.

Happy Chanukah and Buon Natale from Rome!

2008-12-25T02:57:00.000-08:00

I have been a horrible blogger lately, probably because I've been focused on my burrito project blog. Since I am in Rome for the holidays and happen to have a computer and internet access I thought I would check in!

First of all, I love Rome! How come Europeans have figured it out and us Americans haven't? They have teeny, cute cars, use energy responsibly, and know how to enjoy life. I think I am more European than American. We haven't driven or ridden in a car in about five days and I don't miss it at all. The dollar is not very strong right now but there are ways to have a budget-conscious trip like buying food at a market and preparing it yourself. We are staying in an apartment that has a shared bathroom, kitchen and living room but we are the only ones here so we have it all to ourselves!

The neighborhood we are in is very diverse - there are tons of little shops run by Chinese and Bangladeshi immigrants. Prasenjit has spoken Bengali with some of the Bangladeshi produce vendors in the nearby Mercato Esquilino, a wonderful covered marketplace similar to Grand Central Market in Los Angeles.

Haven't downloaded any pics yet so I just stole a few from the web.
These menorahs are from today's LA Times.

Wishing everyone around the world peace and joy this holiday season.

Stuff

2008-11-18T18:05:00.003-08:00

Here are a few things that have been on my mind lately:

Prop 8

Prop-erty Crime. There's been a rise in break-ins in our neighborhood so we're trying to organize some neighborhood walks. Anyone know of creative ways to address property crime in a community?

Obama - the human being, not the politician
photo by Preston Gannaway

Also,
- Auto industry bailout
- Downtown Tucson
- The Invisible City
- Email and web overload!!

What's been on your mind??
self portrait by Marcus during Open Studio Tour Nov 8 & 9 @ El Centro

Art in Odd Places

2008-11-02T09:09:00.000-08:00

i went to an opening of the Micromentalists show at Lulubell's Toy Bodega last night and came across artist Eric Doeringer's "fakes" collection. i went to his website and found this awesome NYC happening - Art in Odd Places. Here are a few examples but there are lots more at the website.

NO DELIVERIES TODAY

Miryana Todorova and Hatuey Ramos-Fermín

A series of boxes painted in bright colors are continually loaded, unloaded and moved from one place to another on a cart. The normally mundane job takes center stage as the delivery moves at a high speed and with no clear destination. Pedestrians will be forced to interact with the "moving" process while the colorful delivery boxes continue to question: who sent them, to whom do they belong to?

Time/Location: Friday, October 3 (2pm-6pm); Sunday, October 26 (10am-2pm). 14th Street btwn Union Square and Seventh Avenue.

FREE BOOKS
Eric Doeringer

A box of books labeled "Free Books" is deposited at various 14th Street locations. A seeming act of generosity, the artist has removed the last few pages from each book. The alteration will only become apparent to the reader after he or she has nearly finished the book, converting the cast-off into a statement of art.

Time/Location: Ongoing throughout October. Four undisclosed locations on 14th Street.

Eric Doeringer is a Brooklyn-based artist. He has had solo exhibitions in New York at Apex Art, Soma NYC, as well as locations in LA, Miami, Toronto, Spain, Switzerland, and Prague.
www.ericdoeringer.com

LANDSCRAPERS

Aakash Nihalani

Brightly colored tape outlines rectangular shapes in the urban landscape. In a city made up of rectangular buildings, windows, and blocks the artist plays with a shape that is symbolic of New York City. In the attempt to draw attention to forgotten dimensions and overlooked layers, he creates reminders and portals with cubes that allow pedestrians to see the lines they are surrounded by in a new light.

Time/Location: Saturday, October 4, 11, 18, 25. (12-2pm). Bricks, sidewalks, crosswalks, windowsills, and other locations on 14th Street.

Aakash Nihalani is a Brooklyn-based artist and designer. His recent work explores the use of colored industrial tape as a medium for street art.
www.aakashnihalani.com

Invisible City

2008-10-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

I have the honor of being one of the artists participating in The Invisible City project, a site-specific artist laboratory in Downtown Tucson. A collaboration between NEW ARTiculations Dance Theatre and Kore Press, the project brings dancers, writers, visual artists, and musicians together for 4 weeks to create work that investigates public space through process-based explorations and performance.

The first lab was Friday, October 17th. Our public space was the parking lot on the north side of Toole, just east of the 6th Avenue underpass. We explored, climbed, danced, jumped, wrote, and felt what it was like to inhabit the space. Click here to see images from Friday.

YOU, the public, are invited to take part in this project - either as participants or observers. The project will be taking place Fridays from 5 - 7 pm and Sundays from 2 - 6pm through Nov. 9th. Hope to see you come out and interact with the process!

Photo by Krista Niles. (I am second from the right, the blurry figure in red pants!)

Acts of Faith

2008-10-04T18:46:00.001-07:00

Faith, religion, and spirituality are on my mind. We are in the midst of the Jewish High Holy Days and today my husband and I went to a Bengali Durga Puja, the annual celebration of the Hindu goddess Durga. I recently read the book, Acts of Faith by Eboo Patel, an Indian American Muslim who founded the Interfaith Youth Core, an organization that brings young people of different religious traditions together to do direct service.

I related to Eboo's experience as an activist college student searching for a way to connect his faith and religion to his desire to better the world. This was also my journey. Being heavily involved in student activism in college left me feeling that something was missing - where was the spirit and soul of what we were doing? Where we thinking about how we were treating our fellow students or just focused on "fighting the power"? Disillusionment led me to work for change on the inside - my personal growth - and within the non-profit world.

Marrying outside my religion has tested my faith and values. Do I really believe that all religions are equal? Can my husband and I celebrate and appreciate both of our religious and cultural backgrounds without resentment or fear? This includes our own religions. For a time, I avoided the Jewish community out of fear of my Judaism being questioned and of my husband feeling excluded. After reading With Roots in Heaven, about Rabbi Tirzah Firestone's return to Judaism, I realized that I want to be connected to a Jewish community - one that is inclusive and open-minded. These do exist, and I am grateful for that.

I struggle with the contradictions. Some Jews consider themselves "the chosen people" and believe that we are a "light to the nations" - an example for other religions. This seems condescending and exclusive. Yet at the same time we have a long history of standing up for the rights of all peoples. Many Jews have explored other spiritual traditions; Jewish Buddhists abound and Israelis are known to travel in droves to India after completing their mandatory military service.

I don't know what all of this means. I do know that my activism stems from my Judaism - the experience of being a Jew in a Christian country, the history of American Jews as union organizers and civil rights activists, and the concepts of tzedakah (justice), and tikkun olam (repairing the world). I also know that I believe we all come from the same source and that the path to peace has to come from acceptance and love.

Acts of Faith ends with Patel's thoughts on religious pluralism, which I believe can be applied to not just religion but ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, and all of the things that divide us as humans:

"I came to one conclusion. We have to save each other. It's the only way to save ourselves."

JewBu definition from www.urbandictionary.com

Paying it Forward

2008-09-22T23:22:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in a while because I've been occupied with Park(ing) Day and my burrito cart. Now that it is over I am trying to get back into the blogosphere. I was reading the blog Tucson Cowgirl and found out about the challenge Paying It Forward.

This is how it works, as excerpted from Monica's blog:
"I have agreed to send something nice to the first 3 bloggers who post a comment on this blog entry. In turn, those 'first three commenters' who respond to my post will honor the pay it forward concept to the first 3 people who post on their blog… and so on. So if you're interested in participating in this, be one of the first three to leave a comment. Please remember that if you agree to pay it forward, you need to post this acknowledgment on your blog, link to me, and pay it forward to three more people."

I don't know what the something nice will be yet but probably some quirky items I have lying around.

This image has nothing to do with Paying it Forward except that I don't like to post blogs without an image. I suppose an apple is a good symbol for paying it forward in that it pays you with health!

Hobobeque!

2008-09-08T21:36:00.000-07:00

This wacky contraption looks like a cousin of my burrito cart! I found it on Instructables.com

a spiritual path..

2008-08-27T22:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm veering a bit from my usual quirky topics but I've been inspired by a book I am currently reading - "With Roots in Heaven" by Rabbi Tirzah Firestone. The book chronicles Firestone's spiritual journey which led her from Orthodox Judaism to exploring other faiths to marrying a Christian minister to becoming a Rabbi in the Jewish renewal movement. I haven't finished the book yet but it brings up a lot of issues for me related to my Jewish heritage, my religious family, and my interfaith marriage. She struggles with the Judaism she was brought up with and its exclusivity, the same issue I have felt at odds with. Is it possible to be deeply connected to one's religious heritage while at the same time fully respecting and appreciating the multitude of spiritual paths that exist in our world? She seems to have been able to do this but I will know more when I finish..

Burrito Files Receives Tucson Pima Arts Council Grant!

2008-08-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

Burrito Cart Sketch

The Burrito Files was awarded an artist mini-grant by the Tucson Pima Arts Council! The funds will support the construction of a mock burrito cart that will promote the project in downtown Tucson. I worked with artist Titus Castanza on purchasing the supplies and building the cart on August 20th and 21st. We agreed on the specs and he did the work - I assisted where I could! Here are some pictures from the process.

Materials Loaded Onto Titus's Truck

Cutting the Wood

In Progress

Almost Done!

Ignite Tucson - My Love Affair With Fake Food

2008-08-09T16:05:00.001-07:00

My Ignite Tucson presentation went very well. I was one of about 18 presenters on a variety of topics. The Screening Room was packed and people were sitting on the floor. Here are a few of the images I used in mine:

Heidi Kenney, My Paper Crane
The queen of plush food

Fake food for commercial uses (also called artificial food, display food, etc.)

KogePan (Japanese for burnt bread)

Zoxters!

2008-08-09T15:59:00.000-07:00

Our good friends Tad and Alanna moved to Portland a few months ago. We miss them but stay in touch via blogs, email, and even some snail mail. Alanna recently sent me pictures of these adorable creatures she makes from used socks.

They're called Zoxters and she can even make one from your old socks! To see more, visit the Zoxters blog. They cost $35 each.

Western Spaghetti - Fake Food Rules!!

2008-07-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

I'm doing an Ignite Tucson presentation this Thursday, July 31st on "Why I Feel Nurtured by Fake Food." I decided to do some online research to see what interesting things I could find and I came across this awesome stop-motion animation. I am in love with it!! It may take a little while to load but it's worth it!!

If you live in Tucson, I hope you can make it this Thursday. Go to the link above for more info.

Trees are People Too

2008-07-12T17:37:00.001-07:00

I love these art installations! I found them at this site through the Wooster Collective site (sent to me by Alanna).

Santa Cruz - go Slugs!

2008-07-12T17:13:00.000-07:00

Santa Cruz is my heart home. I loved going to college in the middle of the woods overlooking the ocean. Prasenjit had never been so we spent a few days there last week enjoying the weather and spontaneously hanging out with my cousin, who I hadn't seen in 15 years!

Ice cream sandwiches from Day's Market on Seabright Ave.
I remember buying these as a special treat. If we had known they now cost $3.88 each, we may have passed!

I was glad to see UCSC is still a hotbed of activism!

Prasenjit checks out the new Engineering building at UCSC

The Kresge bridge

Fresh figs from my cousin Eric's garden

Me and Eric and Avery

We went tide pooling at Natural Bridges state beach.

And finally, Matthew, the pot-bellied pig (Avery and Matthew are pets of Eric's friend Renee). We fed Matthew grapes and carrots, which was a little scary but fun.

Six-Word Memoir Title - I've Been Tagged!

2008-06-22T14:42:00.001-07:00

I was tagged by my friend Jenny to create a 6-word title for my memoir. Here it is:

A Lifelong Creative and Spiritual Journey

Now I have to tag 5 more blogs. Here are the rules:

1. Write the title to your own memoir using 6 words.
2. Post it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who tagged you.
4. Tag 5 more blogs.

I tagged these blogs:
Dusty Pictures
Tucson Querido
Tucson Cowgirl
Tad and Alanna's Simple Adventures
Muse Views

I also decided to add 2 images for my memoir!

Dispersing seeds...and fun!

2008-06-19T12:13:00.000-07:00

"The Bloom device is meant to be a subversive and inspirational tool for our concrete jungles. Similar to the tuft of a dandelion as the wind carries the seedling, we propose a way of dispersing seedlings with bubbles and bicycling."

More info here.

The Girl Effect

2008-06-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

I love the effectiveness of this short video using type and some dots. No photos necessary. To skip the video and go directly to the website, click here.

Rational Simplicity - Less is More

2008-06-08T22:51:00.000-07:00

Chris Jordan, Cell phones #2, Atlanta 2005 44 x 90"

Chris Jordan, Crushed cars #2, Tacoma 2004 44x62"

During this economic downturn I have been hearing stories about people who can't shop at Whole Foods anymore because it's too expensive, people starting their own gardens to save money on the cost of food, etc. I've always felt that there is too much stuff in the world and that time is more important than money. I recently read a book called Rational Simplicity, Setting Course to a Simpler Life that has some great suggestions. You can read excerpts (for free!) at Google books.

The green movement seems to be a perfect fit for rational simplicity. Using less resources is good for the planet and pocketbook. But at the same time, buying "green" can be a way to assuage our feelings of guilt. I just read an article in Fast Company about a study in which people felt more justified in indulging on luxury items after giving money to charity.

Lots of food for thought. What are your thoughts?

Link to Chris Jordan Photography

Interview with "Tucson Querido" blogger Eva Romero

2008-05-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

Eva Romero is the creative voice behind the blog Tucson Querido - in the running for best local blog! I asked her a few questions:

How long have you been blogging?

I popped the blog cherry in November, 2005 – 181 posts ago.

Why do you blog?

Working on Tucson Querido gives me immense pleasure. I’m driven to explore, so when I moved to Tucson I set out to see and do everything. The blog became an excuse to keep going out, (“You could blog about it!”). I’m a researcher and I actually enjoy collecting data, so Tucson Querido became an archive of interconnected info. After visiting a place I further my own experience of it by finding out more “back story” online and incorporating it into the post. I also love photography. Tucson Querido is a convenient way to exhibit my work. Like many, I get a kick out of telling stories and painting pictures.

In essence I maintain Tucson Querido for selfish reasons, but I really do consider my audience when it comes to the writing. I try to keep the language honest, to the point, humorous and colorful.

Do you read other people's blogs? Other Tucson blogs?
I do visit other people’s Tucson blogs. I especially like the Local Couple’s Guide to Tucson, and Tucson Daily Photo. Also, there used to be this young Tucson cop’s online journal that was really candid and fascinating, but I think he deleted it because I can’t find it anymore.

What are some of your querido Tucson spots?

There are some places that I hold very close to my heart due to their intrinsic characteristics but also because of experiences lived in those places. In Tucson: Rincon Heights (my ‘hood), The Tanque Verde Swap Meet, Hotel Congress, Reid Park, Bookman’s, Signal Hill, Gates Pass. In Arizona: Mount Lemon, The Salt River, Jerome.

Once Upon A School - Innovative Project, Good Design!

2008-05-26T21:44:00.000-07:00

It is refreshing to find a well-designed websiteand project whose message is simple, clear, and innovative. I like it!

Creative Social Change - Carrotmob

2008-05-22T21:42:00.000-07:00

I'm a long-time activist who believes that social change and activism has to be fun and creative. I can't do marches and door-to-door campaigning. That's why this project called Carrotmob excited me. "Carrotmob organizes consumers to make purchases that give financial rewards to those companies who agree to make environmentally friendly choices." For their first campaign, they focused on liquor stores in San Francisco. Check out this entertaining video to learn what happened.

Saturday May 31 - Downtown Geographical Expeditions

2008-05-08T17:24:00.000-07:00

downtown re:VISION is pleased to announce its second project, Downtown Geographical Expeditions!

VOICES, Inc. presents:

the living stories project

“Downtown Geographical Expeditions”
Saturday, May 10, 10 am – 4 pm and/or Saturday, May 31, 10 am – 4pm
(Sign up for one or both!)

Been downtown lately? What do you see? Dust? Renovation? Construction? Vacancy? Change? What do you envision for Downtown Tucson’s future? What are your downtown stories, memories, experiences and hopes? How might you help contribute to Downtown’s re-emergence?

Join veteran VOICES artists Kimi Eisele and Josh Schachter on two, day-long journeys to explore, document, discuss, re-map, and re-imagine Downtown Tucson through writing, photography, and movement (yes, dance! but don't fret, we define "dance" broadly--it's easy!). Expeditions will offer participants the opportunity to experience, see, critique, and celebrate the city center in new ways. Activities will include walking tours, mapping, photography, writing, movement, emphasizing participants’ personal stories, memories and experiences of the city, past, present, and future. Stories and experiences will be gathered and shared through “re:VISION,” an artist-led initiative aiming to re-invigorate the dialogue about Downtown Tucson’s future using art practice, intervention, performance, and other creative means.

Workshops are suitable for people of all ages and abilities. No prior experience necessary. Writers, photographers, dancers, visual artists, thinkers, performers, planners and anyone interested in sharing stories, discussing, and creatively re-imagining Downtown Tucson are encouraged to join us!

Guest artists Kimi and Josh are the VOICES’ founding writing and photography directors ran the 110 Degrees After School Magazine Project, for five years. Both have gone on to conduct artist residencies in schools and cultural institutions in Tucson and across the country. Kimi has taught workshops and directed performances combining writing, the spoken word, and dance. Josh has taught photography and digital storytelling to youth and adults.

LIVING STORIES OVERVIEW AND REGISTRATION:
WHAT: An all day workshop exploring and documenting Downtown Tucson through writing, photography, and movement.

WHEN: Saturday, May 10, 10 am to 4 pm
and/or Saturday, May 31, 10 am to 4 pm

WHO: All (14 years and up).
No experience required.

WHERE: VOICES headquarters, 48 E. Pennington and various downtown locations. Wear comfortable shoes, clothes and bring a hat and water. Bring a bag lunch.

SUGGESTED DONATION: $25 (please consider sponsoring a low-income youth to participate).

QUESTIONS: Rachel Villarreal, VOICES Projects Director, rachel@voicesinc.org or 622-7458 x209 or Donnamarie Miranda, VOICES Administrative Assistant, donnamarie@voicesinc.org or 622-7458 x204

You may register for the workshop by mail, email, or phone. Please direct registration to Rachel Villarreal, VOICES, 48 E. Pennington St., Tucson, AZ 85701,
or rachel@voicesinc.org, or 622-7458 x209. Please include the following information:

Name
Mailing address and contact information
Briefly tell us why you are taking this workshop
Check made out to VOICES for $25 (please reference “Living Stories”)

Interview with Margie Puerta Edson - Idea Rodeo Commentator and Loyal Supporter

2008-05-07T05:57:00.000-07:00

I'm always excited when I see that someone has commented on my blog. Margie Puerta Edson - a friend, colleague, and neighbor - has been Idea Rodeo's most frequent commentator (thank you!). I asked her a few questions about her thoughts on Idea Rodeo and other important subjects:

What keeps you coming back to Idea Rodeo?

1: Friendship and loyalty. I want to show support for whatever projects my friends (in this case Julie Ray) are involved with.
2: Interest. It’s interesting and thought provoking for me. I have a general interest in the subject matter covered on the Blog: art, food, philanthropy, Tucson. It’s all interesting to me and viewing these topics from a different perspective is interesting to me. Also seeing how many times I can use the word “interesting.”
3: Ego. Julie’s Blog provides me with a forum to express my ideas and opinions and it is rather egocentric of me to think that anyone should care to know what I think.
4: Voyeurism. It’s kind of like reading someone else’s diary and living life through their experiences.
5: Reminds me of a kind of performance art adapted for our time and technology.

What topics most interest you?

Hard to say…I find the whole blog interesting for different reasons and have trouble separating the parts. I see it as a whole. As I said, it is a bit like performance art and Julie is the lead. The topics are secondary performers, the various people in Julie’s life are recurring characters and I move in and out, sometimes a member of the audience and sometimes a part of the show. If I were to dissect it, I would say the biographical aspects are most interesting.

If you had your own blog, what would you write about?

Visual art and travel as they relate to ME!

Do you think there is a connection between food and philanthropy?

Yes. I believe my first experience of philanthropy was a transactional kind that involved a bake sale for some club I was in at school. Metaphorically, food could equate with either abundance and generosity or scarcity. How much does anyone one need of anything – food or money – to be happy? Cooking for someone can be a nourishing and generous act. Hoarding is seen as bad, whether you are talking about money or food. Sharing one’s wealth, sharing one’s resources is seen as good for the most part. And of course this all makes me think of the oh so dreaded fundraising events that include awful food.

If downtown Tucson was a burrito, what would be in it?

Nopalitos cooked in a red Chile sauce with some Tepary Beans rolled up in a mesquite flour tortilla served with Cholla Blossoms on the side.

Any additional comments?

Thank you for the opportunity to have a guest appearance on your Blog. It is a very generous and kind gesture. I’ll have to start a Blog of my own so I can return the favor.

Stay tuned for Margie's blog - coming soon?

We Are What We Eat

2008-04-30T22:30:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of participating in We Are What We Eat, a collaboration between New ARTiculations Dance Theatre and the Community Food Bank. The performance was a series of pieces that combined dance with stories about breastfeeding, baking, gardening, food waste, gleaning, desert harvesting, and more. I created a temporary installation, Food Fantastico, for the final performance at Tucson Botanical Gardens.

Through the 10-week process, I learned how to create movement from words and phrases, met amazing people working to improve our county's food security, and reflected on our food systems. I was inspired by the Community Food Bank's Food Security Program, which "promotes, demonstrates, advocates for, and collaboratively builds an equitable and regional food system, which supports food production and strengthens communities." I bought two eggplant plants at the Santa Cruz River Farmer's Market (run by the Food Bank and where we performed an excerpt of our show) and planted them this morning!

Me and my installation

Children who participated in the performance try to eat the inflatable toast while Prasenjit watches.

Close up of Food Fantastico

All Things Burrito

2008-04-16T18:16:00.001-07:00

I got an interesting comment on my last post, which got me thinking about the history of the burrito. In my response, I said that the burrito is a Mexican-American creation. I would like to re-phrase that to say that the burritos most of us are familiar with are - cheese, lettuce, rice beans, guacamole, etc. - are a hybrid of the two cultures.

In 1998, a journalist at Washington Post went in search of the origin of the burrito (which I discovered at this blog) "As we followed the historical trail, and got closer and closer to the source, the burritos became smaller and smaller, and our favorite ingredients disappeared one by one. When we finally found what we thought was the original burrito, it was very different from the burritos we knew and loved."
Burritos-A Search for Beginnings, Peter Fox, Washington Post, November 4, 1998

Another source, Food Timeline, notes, "Burrito lovers David Thomsen and Derek Wilson believe that the modern burrito originated 'in the dusty borderlands between Tucson and Los Angeles.'"

Finally, I've discovered there are at least two people that have dedicated entire blogs to burritos:

Burritophile
Burrito Blog

downtown re:VISION

2008-04-10T18:34:00.000-07:00

Ok, it's time for some shameless self promotion. I've recently launched the downtown re:VISION project to spark new ideas and action around downtown Tucson. The first project is the BURRITO files, where I interview people on the streets of downtown and invite the public to do the same.

Here are a few examples. I invite you to participate - as an interviewee or interviewer!

April 3, 2008
1. What is your name? Justin
2. What are you doing downtown: Hosting an open house for One North Fifth
3. Do you live in Tucson? Yes. Originally from Buffalo, NY.
4. Describe downtown in 3 words or less: historic, funky, re-nascent
5. If downtown was a burrito, what would be in it? chipotle, nopales, guacamole, beans, lettuce and cheese.
6. Have any significant events in your life occurred in downtown Tucson? It's part of my re-birth.

P.S. Learn more about One North Fifth - the new apartments on Congress Street - at Thursday open houses at the new Tooley's on Congress (corner of Congress and 5th). Free coffee and snacks! (No, I wasn't paid to write this, but I did get some free coffee!)

April 3, 2008
1. What is your name? Maxx/Laura
2. What are you doing downtown: Just got off work/taking a break
3. Do you live in Tucson? Yes, native/Yes, from New Jersey
4. Describe downtown in 3 words or less: I love it/It needs more
5. If downtown was a burrito, what would be in it? no guacamole/lots of people going green and reading books, lots of friendly faces
6. Have any significant events in your life occurred in downtown Tucson? I got married once downtown/I got married once downtown (they didn't know this about each other).

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE OF THE BURRITO FILES

Coworking Rocks!

2008-03-24T11:24:00.001-07:00

Hat Factory in San Francisco

Coworking is cafe-like community/collaboration space for developers, writers and independents. It is a growing trend that's taking off worldwide. I was part of the coworking list-serve for a few months and was so impressed by the passion coworkers have for this movement. It's not about making money, although most are operated as businesses. It's about building community.

I am proud to say that I am officially coworking! I am sharing space at Dinnerware Artspace in downtown Tucson. Here is a picture of my space. Come by and visit anytime - 264 E. Congress (just west of the historic Hotel Congress).

For all the info you ever wanted on coworking, visit http://coworking.pbwiki.com/

Bento Mania!

2008-03-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

I recently came across the online universe of bento mania. Here some of the cool blogs and sites out there:

Lunch In A Box - the author of this blog makes amazing things out of sausages and quail eggs.

Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Charaben - Charaben are uniquely crafted character bentos, popular in Japan. This blog is the online companion to Christopher Saylers book, Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes.

Obiwan Bento Photos - A great collection of bento photos. I can't believe someone actually makes all of these on a regular basis!

We Are What We Eat

2008-03-05T20:48:00.000-08:00

I'm involved in a project called We Are What We Eat. It's a collaboration between the Community Food Bank and NEW ARTiculations that uses modern dance and community stories to reveal how food connects us to each other, our environment, and our everyday lives.

We were asked to write about an important food story and I decided to write about my passion for food art - taking pictures of food, fake food, reading about food, and more. Here are a few of the food art things I'm crazy about:

Kogepan - "I am a burnt bread and certainly, nobody wants to buy me. I felt lonely and upset. I thought to myself that my life as a bread was very meaningless. I was so disillusion that my eyes turned white.

The Secret Life of Food by Claire Crespo

the writings of Pulitzer-prize winning food critic Jonathan Gold

(the only food critic to ever win a Pulitzer)

Plush food

WHAT IS YOUR FOOD STORY?

Threshold Foundation - Transforming Wealth Into an Instrument of Change

2008-02-25T20:54:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm on a roll here. Two posts in one day!

I've been inspired by new ideas (at least for me) about philanthropy and giving.

The Threshold Foundation is a progressive foundation and a community of individuals united through wealth, who mobilize money, people and power to create a more just, joyful and sustainable world.

One of The Threshold Foundation's projects is giving circles. "Giving circles have long been a philanthropic phenomenon, as friends have always gotten together in places ranging from living rooms to community foundations, to support a cause, an organization or group of organizations dear to their hearts. Some are organized, staffed and programmatic – others are not."

I am thinking about starting a giving circle, most likely focused on arts and activism in Tucson. Any one interested?

Bolder Giving

2008-02-25T20:39:00.000-08:00

Keeping with the theme of money and giving, I came across this interesting website: Bolder Giving.

From the website:

"We live in a time of historic crisis and opportunity,
when contributions of time and money could make a crucial difference.
Yet most of us – even if well-off – give at a fraction of our capacity.

Bolder Giving's mission is to inspire us to give at our full potential
by providing remarkable role models and practical support."

I love this concept. Pass it on!

I'm the 429,712,644 richest person on earth!

2008-02-15T20:56:00.000-08:00

I'm the 429,712,644 richest person on earth!

Discover how rich you are! >>

I came across The Global Rich List website where you can calculate how rich you are. This is why the website was created:

"We are obsessed with wealth. But we gauge how rich we are by looking upwards at those who have more than us. This makes us feel poor.

We wanted to do something which would help people understand, in real terms, where they stand globally. And make us realise that in fact most of us (who are able to view this web page) are in the privileged minority.

We want people to feel rich. And give some of their extra money to a worthwhile charity."

Five Things About Me!

2008-02-14T07:16:00.001-08:00

Alanna of Painted Cats tagged me to write five interesting things about myself and I accept the challenge!

1. I am working on a business website finally! Click here for a sneak preview (it's still very rough). My friend Alice is doing the technical part.

2. Two of my artworks are in an exhibit at Dinnerware now! The exhibit is called A Night of 1000 Drawings. I also designed the flyer for the event.

3. I love fake food - paper mache fruit, fake sushi, ice cream cone erasers, you name it. When I was in elementary school I made pillows shaped like food. I recently bought "Toast" (see above) from Lu Lu Bell's Toy Bodega.

4. When I was a kid, I got lost at Disneyland. I wasn't scared and I got a free lollipop!

5. I love fonts. My favorite font sites are myfonts. com, emigre, abstract fonts (free fonts!). My most recent font purchase was "Subkiko Two." Although I have many fonts, I usually use the same ones over and over again. Another great design site is veer.com.

America Starts Here - Cincinnati Highlights

2008-01-12T14:52:00.000-08:00

Image from "America Starts Here" exhibit at the Contemporary Art Center in Cincinnati.

We visited family in Cincinnati over the holidays. Here are two of the notable places we visited. First is the Contemporary Arts Center in downtown Cincinnati. The building, designed by Zaha Hadid, is extraordinary, and the exhibits were excellent, especially America Starts Here (see image above) featuring collaborative work of artists Mel Ziegler and Kate Ericson.

the fifth floor of the art center is the "Unmuseum," with very cool, interactive displays designed for kids. This is the "sensory elephant" made for children with visual impairments. Each drawer has a different sound or item inside.
next up is Jungle Jim's International Market, a wacky grocery store - sort of a mix of Trader Joe's, 17th Street Market (in Tucson), and Disneyland. they have pretty much everything you can image, and more, complete with giant sculptures of things like an Amish buggy and singing Campbell's soup can. In one little nook you can even watch a video about the history of the market.

A country that loves art, not artists

2007-12-29T14:39:00.000-08:00

I've been inspired by US Artists, an initiative to nurture and support US artists.

"In a recent survey of attitudes toward artists in the US a vast majority of Americans, 96%, said they were greatly inspired by various kinds of art and highly value art in their lives and communities. But the data suggests a strange paradox. While Americans value art, the end product, they do not value what artists do, the act of creation. Only 27% of respondents believe that artists contribute “a lot” to the good of society."

From 2006 - 2008, USA will distribute 150 unrestricted fellowship grants of $50,000 each to artists across the United States working in Architecture and Design, Crafts and Traditional Arts, Dance, Literature (fiction, nonfiction, and poetry), Media (film, media, and radio), Music, Theater Art, and Visual Arts.

To see the 2007 Fellows and learn more, visit the USA website.

Holiday Gift Making Event - Read All About It!

2007-12-28T16:21:00.000-08:00

The Dec 15th event was a success! thanks so much to Dry River for hosting and to all of the artists and participants. we made plastic bottle chairs, art t-shirts, cardboard wallets, skirts out of t-shirts, origami cranes, fish-head paper dolls, seed bead flowers, and one lizard magnet! here are some pics:

supplies for plastic bottle chairs

Eliane and I work on a bottle chair for Dry River

Laura poses in her art t-shirt and skirt made from an upside down t-shirt

Inside of wallet made by Lynn. Mike taught us to make these cool wallets from cardboard, magazines, and packing tape.

outside of fish wallet

Prasenjit catches up on some reading.

Eric sits on a bottle chair and displays his one-of-a-kind lizard magnet

up close of lizard magnet

Carrie and a friend making wallets

drum stool made out of bottles

outside of clown wallet made by Laura C.

Eliane works on a shirt

inside of wallet made by Mel

close up of shirt made by Christa

Alanna's t-shirt

close up of Laura M.'s t-shirt

artists at work

close up of seed bead flower

Alanna, Mel & Denise make origami cranes

fish-head paper doll made by Laura C. holding seed bead flower

more artists at work

for the rest of the pics, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/juliegraphics

Artists for Gift Making Event!

2007-12-14T09:45:00.001-08:00

Confirmed Artists
Laura Milkins: Art Heist T-Shirts
Eliane Paulino: Bottle Chairs
Alanna Randall: Origami Cranes
Laura Coleman: Fish Paper Dolls
Christa St. Peter: Seed Bead Flowers

Holiday Gift Making and Stuff Swap Extravaganza!

2007-12-03T14:03:00.000-08:00

Hope you can all come to this event I am organizing!

Escape the holiday mall frenzy! Learn how to make cool gifts from recycled materials like soda bottles, refrigerator magnets, fabric, and bottle caps! Get rid of your junk and take someone else's junk! And it's all free!

Saturday, December 15th, 2007
12pm - 4pm
at Dry River
740 N. Main Street
Tucson, Arizona
www.dryriver.org

Check back here for updates as I confirm participating artists and crafters.

Free Rice!

2007-11-29T18:07:00.001-08:00

This is a great idea! Improve your vocabulary while helping to end world hunger. It is a project of Poverty.com, which according to its website "was created for all people around the world who want to end poverty." Warning - it is addictive!

To Buy or Not to Buy

2007-11-26T20:53:00.000-08:00

With the holidays approaching it's hard not to get caught up in the buying frenzy. For those of us who shun the massive shopping orgy, there are alternatives like buying handmade gifts from local artists and giving donations to non-profit organizations. But what about the idea of not spending money at all but still experiencing the excitement of finding just the right present for your mother? How about swapping your unused or gently-used stuff for other people's stuff that you can give as gifts. Or having a craft-o-rama party where crafts people teach each other how to make cool things from items around your house. I'm interested to hear about other ideas people have for no-cost holiday gifts. Let me know!

Re-Visiting "The Cycle of Stuff"

2007-11-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

The last Idea Rodeo issue, "The Cycle of Stuff," looked at ways to lessen our impact on the planet by buying used items and finding free stuff through freecycle and free stores.

You can read Jeanne Kuntz's story, "Garage Sailing," at the Idea Rodeo website, documenting her fun and eco-friendly yard sale adventures. Jeanne has a recently re-designed website, Yoga Salad, that has more environmentally responsible and fun ideas.

My first ever blog!

2007-11-21T17:07:00.000-08:00

I am resurrecting Idea Rodeo as a blog! I think it will be easier to maintain than a full-blown website so here goes.