Holler's Hippie Adventure

2008-02-25T10:32:00.000-08:00

Well.....this is it.

Last day of my west coast adventure. The sun is shining, the jazz fest is over (closed off with a Maceo Parker performance at the Crystal Ballroom.....funk-ay!) and I've got the whole day to myself to think on this past little while of making art, meeting different people, making and listening to music, and generally....conducting myself in a place with no real map or timeline.....it's harder than it looks...but definitely something that everyone should try. the surprises are worth it alone :) right now i';m being filmed for channel 8 news in portland as they do a special on folks using their laptops in wi-fi places....see you never know where you're going to end up:).

When I started all this travelling, I had a good idea of the places I wanted to see, and that I was up for an adventure....but I had no idea that I would learn so much about people, myself, and the very, very special importance of the present moment that a few people tried to tell me about before, but I didn't really understand until now. I recently read a quote from the billionaire Richard Branson who said....it is always more fun to say yes than it is to say no......and ever since i read that, i have realized that much of my good times have been from being up for just about anything.....people have often said to me....you're so lucky...everything always happens to you, but i think it has more to do with the idea that i just say yes to the stuff that does.

tomorrow morning, i return to toronto to start it all over again with just a little more knowledge and experience on what i want to find out in this lifetime, and what i need to keep smiling along the way.

Bike sculpture on Burnside and 12th?; The all-female jazz group, Quadraphonnes; attending the Nia dance class in Portland....where it all started with teacher and founder Debbie; a waterfall at the Catholic sanctuary called Grotto in the Northeast end of town where some religious dude started a sanctuary in the forest....somebody had to!

2008-02-22T09:31:00.000-08:00

Art, music, art, music - I like to balance these two things and the last couple of days have been a fine mixture of both....including a little hackey sack with strangers, chocolate ice cream and general wandering....

After a beautiful morning of sunshine, basketball and hackey sack, I headed over to the NW Printmaker's Association...a co-op for over 150 printmakers who rotate exhibitions and have monthly exhibitions. The day before, I had happened into the gallery, pulled in by a particular show going on, only to find out that the artist would be speaking there....so here are some pics of that artist....a very warm and well-spoken man in his eighties with a lifetime of art experience...and still,,,the same advice comes out - practice drawing, and always keep practicing. I left with a print of his and more motivation to keep sketching (which i have been doing lots of at the festival). The night before, the Portland Jazz Orchestra put on one of the best shows I have seen here...a double repetoire of Mingus and Holland....2 of my faves, and they were great. Last night, I went to a very old church downtown called - The Old Church....featuring young artists of Portland...something in the water here -- they come out knowing Coltrane:)....a beautiful backdrop of an acient organ set the scene.....Top pics are from my wanderings....a nice mural on a retainer wall, and the fast food lot - a cuisine hotspot for portlanders on the go.

2008-02-21T09:17:00.000-08:00

Things that don't start with J and end with Z....

In my search to detox from too much of a good thing, I discovered some more wonderful things to do in Portland...Such as the Forest Park...a huge park trail system just a 10 minute bus ride away from the hostel....where i spent a morning, eventually ending at the Portland Audobon society, where their resident owl, Juulio, was out enjoying the sun too. Also had a chance to visit the Portland Art museum where there was an exhibition on dancers painted by Degas, Lautrec and Forain....and I still took in the jazz fest...Sunday afternoon was a concert by pianist Cecil Taylor whose free jazz style seemed miles ahead of be-bop....almost like a marrying of classical and jazz....had to go home to the hostel and paint after that show --- a new one of Shirley Horn.

2008-02-18T19:09:00.001-08:00

No More Jazz!

I can't believe im saying that, but, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, if you know what i mean. after a full weekend of non stop jazz, i had to do something else, and so with a beautiful sunny day in portland, i decided to listen and see something else for a change (im heading out soon to see some jazz, im over it!) but im glad i got to check out some of what portland has to offer including.....

Spent most of the morning at the Chinese tea garden near the waterfront, a beautifully constructed and peaceful place right in the city that has some of the most rare Chinese teas served in traditional ceremony style. 4$ gets you a neverending cup and a spot right in the wondow overlooking the gardens...rest of the day was spent on the waterfront walkway marked by this sculpture that tells the story of Asian history in the city, and then crossed over the Hawthorne Bridge to hang out in that district...it wasn't anything special, but this modified police car was worth a pic...

2008-02-16T16:32:00.000-08:00

Back in a big city....

So now I'm on the last leg of my US adventure....back in a big city, which is no where as big as Toronto, but it sure feels big after being in Ashland for the last few months. Too much pavement and not enough mountains if you ask me. Funny going back to passing people on the street with no eye contact...just a barrier. But that being said, Portland is a cool city cause its so easy to walk to many things, there's lots to do, and public transit is free in the downtown area, and cheap otherwise. What I;m doing here is taking in the annual Portland jazz fest, both as a patron and as a volunteer....my volunteer hours get me free access to all of the shows when im not working. and my job is to get the artist to fill out their tax form, py them their cheque and announce them on the mike to the audience. ive only been here for two days, but its jazz heaven, with so much to take it, i wonder if i;ll get to see much else of the city while im here. a couple of freinds from ashland drove me up here and spent the nights at some jazz gigs. So fun so far....

Over the bridge, B3 Hammond Organ Player; David Ornette Cherry with Organic Roots; The waterfront

2008-02-12T17:41:00.000-08:00

These are my last couple of days in Ashland before I head off to Portland, and they have been sweet. The weather is fine...t-shirt and hackey sack in the park weather to be scientific... and enjoying spending time with good friends that I have made here, and hope to see again in the future. My adventures this past year and a half have not necessarily been 'life-changing' as they have been lifestyle affirming....I'm happiest when I'm making and learning art and music, around positive people and ideas, close to nature, and of course...when the next adventure is on the horizon. Ain't nothing wrong with that! It's got me this far...and it's going to get me to Portland too.:)

A couple of new paintings that I recently completed...one of Toronto trumpet player, Tim Hamel, another of jazz legend Clarke Terry..playing around with different techniques to liven it up; My farewell to Ashland party started at 9:30 in the morning with Merrill, the bakery owner making me a pancake breakfast...mmm...we went all day and into the evening as musicians dropped in and joined the longest jam I've been a part of!; I made my bandmates partake in a Labatt's Blue...not that I would be caught dead in Canada drinking one, but it was the only Canadian beer they import over here.; I was sent off with a quote from one of the blues songs I sing; That's me enjoying my time in "Holler and The Baker Boys" one last time.....can't wait to get back here sometime down the road....

2008-02-03T13:46:00.000-08:00

On The Ashland Choo Choo..

.

This past Friday, the fellows that I play music with (call ourselves Holler and The Baker Boys) played a gig at the new Ashland Train Museum...part of the first Friday art walk. It was a lot of fun, as we played mostly train related blues, and Lance the drummer dolled up his kit with some added railway accessories. I'm gonna miss these guys!

2008-01-29T16:48:00.001-08:00

So much to do in Ashland...

January has been a great month...some pics of all the things going on....A couple of weekends ago was the Rogue Valley Blues Fest, with literally dozens of acts performing around Ashland and I was honoured to play a couple of gigs, which got me a free weekend pass to all the shows...sweet. This past Saturday was the Roe Vs Wade anniversary - this pic shows a lady attending the benefit who participated in the original march 25 years ago (with my friend Teresa); On the same day, my friend Punam threw a great party at her house...behind her and me is the portrait of Doc Cheatham which she bought to hang in her home; some of my musician buddies at Punam's; and.....on Sunday, the sky dumped 10 inches of snow onto the town....that doesn't happen here often, so snow day for all - A great way to end the month!

2008-01-16T17:45:00.000-08:00

There's snow up in them there hills!

Had a fun weekend going up into the mountains around Ashland on part of a snowshow hike with a group and Ranger Don near one of Oregon's tourist attractions called Crater Lake...a Lake that has water so clear and blue, that you can see 150 ft down to the bottom...The road to the lake was snowed in, but we got to enjoy the area cause the huge amounts of snow were awe-inspiring too....

Some new styles i am playing around with - compositions with marker, pastels, and watercolour...fun cause of the colour

2008-01-11T16:52:00.000-08:00

The Artist Connection.....

The finished portrait by Robert Paulmenn....to watch the process of this portrait being created while I sat for it was a very special experience....some things I feel more educated about: colour mixing, capturing the essence of a person, setting up the composition, and the drive to persist at the idea even when frustrated......if you like this portrait and want to learn more about the artist, you can visit his blog at: www.robertpaulmenn.blogspot.com

2008-01-05T22:42:00.000-08:00

(latest painting...trying a bit of abstract with the monochromatic style)

First Friday Art Walk

Had my show opening yesterday as part of a monthly event here in Ashland known as the First Friday Art Walk, where all the galleries open their doors to the public showing off local artists and serve wine, food and music in the evening. The owner of a local cafe/bakery hosted my artwork along with a live music session - some swing jazz men and myself. It was a great time, and i sold some pieces as well as having a fun. What more could I ask for? Here are some pics from the evening....

2007-12-27T09:36:00.001-08:00

More art going on here in Ashland....

A portrait of trumpet man 'Doc' Cheatham that i just completed in watercolour. I am getting ready for an art exhibition that I will be featured in for the month of January at a local bakery/ cafe here. These past 2 months have been like an alternative school for me in regards to my art and music making...like a choose your own adventure book.

Robert working on my portrait....he paints, i learn.

2007-12-24T16:31:00.000-08:00

I usually post pics of landscapes and just things that catch my attention here on my visit in Ashland, but truly, I have met some wonderful people while here, so I thought I would post some pics of those that I have spent time with, played music with, and been inspired by...

Bill's a good friend that was introduced to me by Shelly and Bunli who brought me to Ashland; my buddy Tom (drummer) and his friends know how to hammer out some good steel blues numbers; a Sunday jam to which I have an open invite...7 guitars, a mandolin, a banjo, an accordian, a bass, a ukelele and percussion give me a great rhythm for singing along to; my buddy Lance and I are doing a cool little swing jazz project over at a local bakery; Bill's new dog - Tikka and me just kicking it on xmas eve; the Karen Lovely blues band with which I sit in for a few songs; my friend, Robbie Dacosta - a living vessel in which Chuck Berry and Elvis still live; a fun night at the Bella Union in Jacksonville with Beth on the fiddle; me and Shelly visiting a local artist's house; one of my newest paintings of Toronto saxophonist, Chris Gale. So that's who and what I've been busy with (at least the stuff I can put on the world wide web :))

2007-12-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

Some holiday pics from what's been going on here lately....at least those that I remembered my camera for....jewish mama Jolie fries up some latkes for the local musicians; hungry bluesicians chow down; this dude Ossie played the full Ball Of Confusion song on this keyboard..guitar and all; and Yumiko...these pics of xmas lights are for you, cause you said you were missing the bright lights of energy happy North Americans....Happy Holidays!

2007-12-08T16:06:00.001-08:00

Been working hard on learning the various methods of watercolour and have been enjoying doing smaller portraits while trying them out.... Here are a few of the small portraits that I have done...its very different than my usual style, but a lot more fun seeing what sort of shapes come out from mixing the colours and water together....still doing larger portraits in my monochromatic style.

2007-11-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

So many good pics from here, i just had to keep sharing...i am falling in love with this railroad track as i am walking along it every day...a type of artery from one end of the town...it just makes the day so much more fun when you walk along railroad tracks...there's always someone to meet, there's art along the peace fence with new stuff being put up everyday, and of course, the mountains mak a pretty dramatic backdrop to the sense of freedom and movement that comes from being around the tracks. The longer I am here, the more I am reminded of the many places that I have lived in close proximity to some railroad tracks....canada, india, and now the states....pretty amazing.

grafitti along the tracks; making my own grafitti on the train car; my contribution to the peace flag; walking on the mountain on a sunday afternoon

2007-11-22T23:19:00.001-08:00

Some more pics of what has been going on with me in Ashland, Oregon...an adventure that has led me to go back to some of my old habits (singing with blues musicians), and develop some new ones in art...although i am not ready to show what i have been working on art wise, these pics show the space that i am working in....and the rainbow by the mountains is just a nice surprise after some rain......I am working with a portrait artist here, Paulmenn..the above pics are of his studio space. Besides attending figure drawing sessions, I also work with him informally on my painting skills, and am modelling for a portrait during which I learn about capturing a person in a composition. I am hoping it helps with my own art making.

2007-11-10T13:24:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd share some more of Ashland's culture which also includes an extreme dislike for Bush. Went to play some darts last night with a friend and next to us was a group of rowdy middle-aged women who added some extra incentive to their darts game. Had to take a pic...check out many times they hit the guy!

These are some snaps that tell a bit of what i've been getting into here in Ashland....
First one is a pic of the Ashland Academy of Art where I am taking art lessons once a week with a small group. Learning the very technical side to proportion, perspective and such is a good way for me to improve on my art making and teaching skills, even if my teacher is only 18 years old (an unbelievable artist and teacher - this kid can teach!)

A picture of my first painting i've made here in Ashland of singer Etta James. Yes, i'm still on the musicians....you can check out more at www.lindsayerdman.blogspot.com

Bluegrass band from Portland that I saw last night. Played in a smoky club...you can smoke in some bars here after 10:30...very wierd for a Torontonian...these guys had washboards, dog howls and everything, and the crowd was just as entertaining as the music.

Jus a cool community sculpture in the park...glad I took this pic cause the next day I was walking through and it had all fallen down..

2007-11-04T20:42:00.001-08:00

On the road again....

Seems I can't make up my mind between the east or the west...

But for the next few months, I'm hanging around Ashland, Oregon. At first, I wasnt sure why I came to this particular spot, (besides having a very wonderful friend who has a house here and was willing to support my nomadic art making lifestyle), But now, I am starting to understand why so many people come from different parts of the US to settle down here. My intention is to work on my art, and I am very lucky to have met a couple of local artists here who are willing to help me with the development of my techincal skills. My first Friday here was a fun one as I joined in on a gallery open-house, modelled for a portrait painting demonstration, and sang with a bluegrass band, in which there was a female member who played the musical saw!

Ashland is a small city of less than 20, 000 people. I think at least half of those are professional artists, and the others are trying to be. This is home of the organic lifestyle...from food to community....and the place is filled with parks, independent coffee houses, yoga studios, art galleries, and more art galleries. There are no McD's or walmarts. It is also home to the first Elizabethean theatre, upon which our own Stratford theatre is based. There's a university here, and while there are cars here, they share the road with deer and other pedestrians in a very harmonious way - i feel like i'm living in a national park.

These past few days have been an eye-opening experience to myself as a Canadian and my pre-conceived notions of all Americans and their way of life. Time to get off our high horses, and turn down Michael Moore....healthy growing communities are a local thing, not a national doctrine.

Here are some pics of my new surroundings...I saw that deer on my walk this morning; pic of Japanese garden that is a new hangout of mine; my neighbourhood; art activism along the train tracks; a local musician; flower power!

2007-10-19T12:17:00.001-07:00

A few days in Montreal at the beginning of this month pushed me even further to the East, where I did my first WWOOF stay...working on a farm in exchange for room, board, and insight into the farm/country life - this one specifically dealing with vegetables and herbs. It was a great time, and i hope to do it again soon....here's some pics:

squash pies for thanksgiving; artwork i made of Lester's Squash; me processing herbs; calendula harvested for teas and cooking; lovecats;the view from the farm of St. John river

2007-07-31T06:56:00.000-07:00

Beaches Jazz Fest 2007...pics of me and my art booth....

2007-07-02T20:40:00.000-07:00

Short, but sweet.....

Spending my last few days in India was better spent outside of India.....Took off to Nepal on Saturday morning, after a night of partying with my co-workers...many of whom were leaving for their home countries that night. Me...I went to the hills to see my burly French-Canadian man who had recently driven up to Kathmandu all the way from Bangalore on his Enfield motorbike. We met there, hung out in the city, and then drove into the Himilayas to a resort about 3 hours from Kat. Sleeping in a luxurious tent, climbing up to a village, taking a sauna in the forest....I return to Canada tomorrow morning after an in-between trip to ease my way out of India......not sure when i'll return...

Top two: A picture of Kathmandu, and a picture of the himalayas

From left: Boys getting their haircut on a Monday morning in a mountain village; me and Hugo having some breakfast in Kathmandu; A Tibetan? temple in the mountians; Little baby checking us out as we pass by; me and Hugo on the large bridge that we had to cross up to the resort - to give you an idea of how high the bridge was...the resort conducts bungee jumps off it into the canyon! (hooray for hugo - who does not like heights, but crossed it courageously...); Tibetan prayer flags tied to the bridge; A village man walking through rice fields on the side of the mountain.

2007-06-18T05:45:00.001-07:00

There's about two weeks left until I go back home to Toronto....for good! As fun as India has been with lots of travel, new experiences, and new people, sometimes, you have to know when to leave....and in my opinion..it's best to leave on a high note.

I finished my last painting a couple of nights ago....a painting of a peacock for a friend's birthday. I think its funny that my last painting should be of a bird....a favorite subject of mine before I came to India, and started painting jazz musicians. I like the painting a lot, but its going to stay here in India, unlike my other paintings. Those are now wrapped in brown paper, about to start their journey back home.

I'm sure I'll have more to write about as my trip gets nearer to the end, but if not, I'd like to leave off with this. At the beginning of my trip, there were some things I wasn't sure I would ever get used to about this place. Somethings I have more than come to accept, others, I never will. Here's a few....

Things I got used to:

1. All of the noise and people. Now I wonder if I'll be lonely in Toronto, wondering where all the people and noise have gone!

2. Frogs in my apartment (and toilet from time to time). They're pretty harmless, and good entertainment. They lightened the mood.

3. Indian traffic. I don't know how i got used to it, but I did.

4. Random power outages. It has become so normal for the power to periodically go off, that I now recognize the sound when all electrical things stop, and i become aware of the constant hum we live with when the power is always on.

5. Garbage, cows and kids in the street. That was my neighbourhood. I just had to accept it.

Things I still never got used to....

1. The Pollution.

2. The lack of mobility and freedom for a single woman.

I hope I never do have to get used to those two things.

2007-06-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

Making it to 30.....

Yes, I did it...I turned that dreaded age of 30, but shit, I had a great time doing it...and you know what? Being in India did make it a little bit more special, but I did miss my friends and ma famille back home while celebrating. Luckily, I had some nice people around here that were all too willing to share my alcohol and food with me. Here are some pics to share...

Top: me making my best grown up face, with a not-so-grown up bday cake

From left: Andrea slaving away, making my amazing ice-cream cake; my mehendi I had done for my bday(a great excuse for getting out of doing the dishes, by the way); one of bday gifts - custom made tshirts for us Yelahanka lovers - you know who you are!; my usual French men posse/fan club that insists on following me everywhere (just joking, sugar!); 3 ladies who know how to have a good time....

2007-06-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

The Holy Land...

I've just come back from what I believe will be my last big trip in India, as my time here comes to an end. Last weekend, I took a couple days off work and headed north to a place called Varanasi (Baranas). This is the place with the infamous Ganges river, and the funeral processions that involve the burning of bodies and then sending the ashes into the river.

I think of all the places I have visited in India, this has been the most interesting. I think the pictures will explain why. 47 degree temperatures, sketching people and cows by the Ganges, meeting travelers from around the world, navigating through narrow streets and taking boatrides past the burning Ganges ...it was an amazing trip.

2007-05-27T09:58:00.000-07:00

A Week of Art....

It has been an unusually fast paced week for me as the school hosted its annual Festival of Arts week and I hosted my second solo art exhibition at the Alliance Francaise centre. The Festival of Arts week at school is a celebration of visual arts, music and drama in which the school week contains workshops with local artists, music performances, talent shows, and finally ends with an artist's fair and the school play on the weekend. Between helping to organize the event, making the sets for the play and painting my final pieces for my art show...sleep became a nonpriority activity. But it was a lot of fun and definitely worth the effort ...all in the name of celebrating the arts. Here are some pics from the week:

From top: Face painting at the festival - butterfly; the artist fair held at school at which many different artists came to demonstrate their talents and sell their wares; me and the drama teacher preparing the sets for the play; a scene from "Into The Woods" - the school play; my grade 10 class standing in front their year-end art display of their works; Girls in Green - vicki, andrea and heather standing with my last art work for my show at alliance - a portrait of miss angel.; myself on the opening of my art show; a scene from the opening ceremony of the festival of the arts; a potter at the artist's fair; a scene from a particulary heavy monsoon rain on the streets of yehalanka.

2007-05-19T23:58:00.000-07:00

Back to pastel...I wanted to keep my hand in the medium because I've been trying to keep a balance in my collection of the watercolour, pastel and acrylic paint that i've been learning with. However, i also though this portrait of jazz flutist and saxophonist, Eric Dolphy, would look best in this medium because I wanted the look of his portrait to be a bit dark and shadowy and I think that mood can be achieved by texturing oil pastel (like I did in the background colour) After finishing the portrait, I thought that the mood kind of reminded me of Marc Chagall and the colour he used in his paintings. Cloudy and velvety.

Another kind of portrait...Hugo hard at work in his version of a classroom.

2007-05-10T08:43:00.000-07:00

Still painting....

This is my most recent painting i just finished...one of my favorite guitarists...Mr. Mel Brown. Thought I'd add to the collection as I have another art show coming up on the 24th of May at the Alliance Francaise of Bangalore.
http://www.france-in-india.org/en/article.php3?id_article=1757
(advertised on the web site of the french embassy in india....)

Did i mention its mango season?

2007-05-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

The Infamous Goa....

Well, I thought i might leave india without seeing Goa...a place known for its portuguese cultural influences, resorts, and more than lax attitudes towards western customs...but me and Hugo up ended having our chance at india's playground last weekend. Turns out....the season was over, and there was a local, 3 day election in which the sale of alcohol was banned. So...the weekend was a quiet, relaxing one....still pretty good....

Relaxing on the balcony; me and my rented scooty-cum-dirtbike; a cooler path from the hut to the water; me enjoying the view of the ocean from our apartment; somebody's laundry...; a church on a lake; fishing on a sunday afternoon

2007-04-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

A Weekend Road Trip...

It was finally time to use the motorbike for some serious exploring, so me and Hugo set out for a weekend adventure, and my first road trip with the bike. The destination: Kundremukh National Park...The Reality: a wandering road trip that detoured us to a beautiful valley village and a night in the city of Hassan. It's about 180km west of bangalore....in India...that's at least 3-4 hours of driving!Here are some pics of our unknown destination....a fun time with lots of green scenery.

from top left: moi, of course; the train station that stops at this village; a lizard grabbing some sun; some local village ladies stopping to talk; hugo strapping the luggage to the back of my bike for the ride home; a village temple; the train passing us in the rice fields; a herd of goats get super close to the bikes; a canopy of roots from banya trees along the side of the road.

2007-04-22T01:59:00.000-07:00

Just taking it easy in Bangalore for the last little while, attending to school, painting, riding the bike and hanging out with hugo...some random pics from the day-to-day grind...

From top: my senior art students standing in their exhibition spaces on the day of their final exam...an end to the 2-year program; eduardo the frog back in action, trying out for spiderman 4; me and the girls celebrating a bday at Bangalore's finest charcoal lamb house; hugo and me spending a sunday afternoon laptop-to-laptop...a modern day romance; me working on my new painting of Mel Brown (best blues guitarist-in my opinion)....

2007-04-15T06:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've partied until the wee hours of the morning, an I got to do it last night at an all night Music Festival south of Bangalore City. Held at an outdoor ashram in a nearby village, called Fireflies, there was music, dancing, food, art and social awareness going on from 6pm till 6am. A couple of friends and I held out till 3am...but like I said, the 11pm curfew in Bangalore kinda gets you used to early nights. Still, it was beautiful to participate, the best thing about this place being the giant tree that was growing through the stage for performers. It set the mood just right. Here are some pics...

2007-04-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

It's Not Exactly The Way Moses Pictured It....

On my Passover/Easter break for the next week, and me and Andrea headed to the hills to kick it off. Went to a nearby city called Mysore, famous for its Palace, which truly was a grand site. No cameras allowed inside, but take my word for it...the place was unbelievable. After that, we took a five hour bus trip up to a hill station called Ooty. Pics from Mysore:(Mysore Palace gate; prayers on Chimundi Hill; local kids on Chimundi Hill)

The town itself wasn't anything special, except for its cooler tempatures (18 degrees celsius at night and me and Andrea were dressed in sweatshirts and toques!) But...the surrounding forests and tea plantations were amazing. Andrea and I rented motorbikes and rode around the hills for the whole day...a very free feeling compared to the congestion of Bangalore city life. Here are some pics...

Me on a paddleboat on Ooty lake; the view from halfway up Nilgiri Hills and the motorbike I rented; a step in processing tea at the Ooty Tea Factory; a random pink temple on the way to a town called Kodagiri; the mechanics who saved the day when i got a flat somewhere in the Hills.

2007-04-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

Last one...I think...

This is my last painting in the Night Fliers series ( I think). I just had it framed today, as it was not finished in time for the show, but there is a blank wall at Opus waiting for this portrait. The portrait is of the jazz drummer, Art Blakey...so now I have a complete band set in the watercolour style. Not sure what I'll paint next..but I have a few ideas. Definitely want to stick with portraits.

2007-04-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

Am I a Real Artist Yet???

Today I opened my art exhibition, Night Fliers at Opus restaurant. Brochures in hand and complimentary lime sodas nearby, I got to experience the other side of artistry---schmoozing and standing by your art and ideas in front of other people. I think I still like the painting part better, but it was nice to share these works and meet with friends in such a relaxed atmosphere. Here are some pics from the space and day....

From left: my name in lights (or chalk!); setting up the show..these guys were great. i suggested they think about a career shift; carlton - owner of opus and patron of the arts (and master of boggle...all artists should try boggle meditation before their shows); the space; friends enjoying the complimentary lime soda; the space.

2007-03-31T05:49:00.000-07:00

But wait..there's more.

A couple of weeks ago, I made the very impulsive purchase of a motorcycle. Brand new Bajaj CT-100...green. The impulse was motivated by a few different reasons, the main one being the lack of transportation where I live and the complete hatred of rickshaw drivers as the only reliable (and this causes me to laugh at the irony of using that word in this context) mode of transport. The other reason for this impulse, other than motorbikes being incredibly fun, is that I was spending quite a bit of time on the back of one, and decided it was time to take wheel (or handles in this case)

Hugo (burly French Canadian in the picture above) has been one of my nicest surpises while in India.He has been traveling around India, and volunteering with computer organizations, and our paths happened to cross one evening. It's been a short time since we've known one another, but I'm looking forward to getting to know him more. What can I say? I'm an incredibly patriotic woman to my country.

A couple of days ago, we took our bikes to a place called Nandi Hills, where I practiced climbing up and coasting down winding lanes. I should mention that before I got this bike, I had no idea of gears, clutches, two-wheelers....but a week of early morning driving, and some tips from seasoned riders, and I feel like I've been doing this forever. I suspect it has something to do with all the racing games I played on Nintendo as a kid. Thanks again, Mom and Dad.

2007-03-29T05:15:00.000-07:00

It took 7 months...but I finally saw a tiger in India....actually about 10 of them. Recently went to a place called Bannerghatta Park....a zoo, but also a reserve for tigers and lions. They are very used to humans, so our bus was able to pull right up next to them for some great photo ops...incredibly beautiful.

Some good art and music times as well...jamming with the boys and Fab as a sit in guitarist...doing Holler songs in a Bangalore basement....and my friend, and colleague at school had an art show at the local art college. It was incredible successful...those are Devaki's paintings in the background.

And now for the good news....I will be having my first art exhibition, and it will be taking place right here in Bangalore on Sunday. To see the advertisement, click on this link. www.opusbangalore.blogspot.com I will post more pictures after the opening event...Thanks mom for all those weekends doing arts and crafts...it finally paid off!

2007-03-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

Backtracking....

This last weekend gave us an extra day with the holiday known as Ugadi. Not sure what the holiday is about, but its a religious one, and I paid homage to the gods of the beach, booze and relaxation. Andrea , Fab and I took off to Mahaballipuram..a place that I had previously gone during the Diwali break. It was hot as hell (over 40 degrees celcius) but the pool and ocean helped with the heat immensely. As well, friends from Toronto, Ananda and Jose are travelling in India and happened to meet up with us for the weekend. We drank "French" wine, Tamil Nadu beer, ate lots of seafood, rode around on mopeds, swapped books and generally caught up by the pool. It was lovely...thanks again for the good company guys!

The best part of the trip was that I was able to visit the small studio of two Rajasthani artists whose art work was the inspiration for my monochromatic jazz portraits. I had seen their artwork when I was in Maha the first time, fell in love with it and tried the watercolour technique with the Thelonius Monk portrait almost immediately after I got back. This time, I spoke with them about their technique and their painting history. It was very interesting, and I left with two paintings and some photographs.

2007-03-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

Guess who's in town?

So...a few days ago Fabio (former member of Miss Holler & The Blue Callers) arrived from Toronto...new to India, straight from the cold, and without luggage. Welcome to India! But, of course, everything worked out and we've been having a fun time being tourists in Big Bad Bangalore.This weekend, we're taking a trip to the ocean with some friends and I'm sure they'll be pictures to share, but for now, here are some pictures of a place called City Market and Chickpet. I hadn't been to either of those places, but, having a friend visit will turn you into an explorer. City Market and Chickpet are places in the middle of Bangalore that are produce and goods markets. It's a good way to get a snapshot of India and realize the mass population of India. Something one can forget in Yehalanka. My favorite part was the flower market in this building that actually reminded me of the St. Lawerence market structure, but I couldn't find the crepe stand or polish sausages!

2007-03-07T07:17:00.000-08:00

School's fun...Here's why...

This past week we had a multicultural caravan type thing...us being an international school and all. It was pretty amazing with food, clothes and games for each culture at our school (actually, not all were represented). But, those who have been at the school for a while anticipate this event and the parents really go all out to decorate and adorn their booths. Take a look at some of them. I still like the Canadian one best, partly cause i helped decorate it, and partyly cause we served poutine, pancakes and maple syrup, and polar bear shaped shortbread. Representin'!

2007-02-28T06:08:00.000-08:00

This was actually the Billie Holiday portrait that I had in mind, when I thought of painting her...the first one was just an afterthought. This painting is to accompany the Charles Mingus portrait that I did early on in this series. It's the same size and has a gold pattern in the back just like his. I got the idea for her portrait when I was in Rajasthan and saw all the women dressed in these intense pink saris...and I thought - hey, Billie Holiday would look good in pink, too.....

This is a bit different than my jazz portrait series, but I had fun doing this...these two guys own the shop in my apartment complex. They are two brothers from Kerala, and are dear to me because they are the closest vendors who sell chocalate. Very important. When I gave them the portrait, they had a good giggle at the awkwardness of the situation, and then said it would be shipped off to their mother in Kerala. I guess I'll take that as a compliment.

2007-02-14T09:19:00.000-08:00

Some more pics to share with y'all...That's me with Andrea and another teacher from our school at a posh celebration for Andrea's bday (i think i will soon have to change the title of this blog, for a hippie adventure is not exactly the right description for this life of luxury i am leading...)

One of my new pastel drawings of Billie Holiday...and my final set of Janis Joplin prints inspired by Tibetan prayer flags and the Rajasthani colours... I'm hoping to use all of these paintings in an exhibition soon...still working on it. Meanwhile, my apartment in Bangalore is fast becoming a small gallery!

2007-02-02T05:55:00.000-08:00

Doing well in Bangalore....

Hey friends...Did the groundhog see his shadow? Wait a second....didn't he die last year? Anyway...going into summer here in the 'Lore, and I didn't even notice the winter season, being 25 degrees and all (sorry Torontonians...had to mention it)

Things are going well here. Making my mark in the blues music scene, and working on my paintings. Here's some pics of life lately.

Starting from top: my attempt at printmaking...Janis; my latest watercolour painting - Miles Davis..only one more to go in this series, but its a surprise; me and all the candy my mama and papa sent me for valentines...yep, they're the best; the ever-increasing garbage pile on the path to the school...did i mention its in a perpetual state of burning? Oh, the smell in the morning; scene from a big music jam party at Pete's farm. ; Of course the top pic features the two loveliest ladies in Bangalore kicking back in a rickshaw.

2007-01-08T08:11:00.000-08:00

Trip #2......the easy part!

This trip was to end off the winter holidays before we returned to school for the next stretch. We took a flight down to Cochin in the state of Kerala, famous for its backwaters and greenery. Although there was a little bit of sightseeing, most of this adventure consisted of laying on the beach and eating seafood.....

1) our homestay place in cochin -old dutch heritage home; 2)the kerala backwaters in cochin;3) the boat we took for the tour; 4)varkala beach in the morning; 5) - getting some mendhi done in varkala; 6) varkala beach later that morning; 7) dogs need vacations too; 8) andrea "bubble boy" deacon in our bamboo hut in varkala.

2006-12-28T22:37:00.000-08:00

Some more pics from the camera of my partner in travel, Andrea.....we're awesome!

From top: Observatory in jaipur with me standing on the Gemini monument; delhi sunrise...yep that's pollution and it never lifts from the city; me and andrea sharing a drink at our hotel bar; artwork at the jaipur city palace; rathambore tiger reserve 250 kms from jaipur; me at the red fort; b'hai lotus temple in delhi

2006-12-27T21:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!!

Hope everybody is having a great time in the last days of 2006. I'm on my xmas holidays from school, and I'm trying to see as much of India as I can in the 3 weeks. Just came back from travelling some of the north of India...a popular tourist triangle route of Delhi, Agra (where the Taj Mahal is) and Jaipur. It was a great time with lots of sightseeing, room service and road trips....Here are just a few pics of the hundreds I took.....

Lots more pics to sort through....here's a brief description starting from the top:
camels on the highway from agra to jaipur; jaipur city; elephant in traffic; ruins in jaipur; folk dancer at city palace in jaipur; xmas tree and me in delhi; tajmahal; rajasthani women on highway; red fort in delhi; taj mahal up close

2006-12-17T04:50:00.000-08:00

Off to Delhi in a couple of days...here's what's been happening lately...

Finished a painting I've been working on for a while...a watercolour of John Coltrane....slowly working up a collection of these portraits...this one was a challenge!

Also been playing music with some folks i met at opus and we rehearse out on this farm to the east of bangalore. nice and peaceful...surrounded by mango and coconut trees.

The last pic is just for fun.

2006-12-05T20:52:00.000-08:00

Hey friends...

Not much going on...just killing time until the Christmas holidays and then I'm off to the North of India to see the desert, Delhi and the infamous Taj Mahal... Spending my time playing music at a local jazz/live music club in Bangalore with visiting and local musicians. This is my favorite spot in the city so far...so I thought I 'd share some pics....

2006-11-27T06:35:00.000-08:00

Heaven..I'm in Heaven....

This is me and my version of ecstasy....a dessert table with a chocolate fountain! MMMM!

These guys are the local rickshaw drivers of our neighbourhood. Since CIS staff came to Yehalanka, business has been good. Last Saturday, they took the day off to celebrate Karnataka, the state in which we live. Celebrations started on the first of November and last all month long. Red and yellow are the state colours.
That's Shrinivas and Jayaram next to their autos.

2006-11-21T05:54:00.000-08:00

I love my job!

Finished painting this cubby cabinet for the pre-kindergarten class in the elementary wing. I know I've had a good day at work if I finish it off with my fingers covered in paint.

2006-11-18T21:19:00.000-08:00

After a few months...my art room sink has finally arrived. Now it just has to be built.....

2006-11-17T22:36:00.000-08:00

Took my senior art students on their first field trip....a place called the Karnataka Chitramakla Prishanth Art College. I feel like a real art teacher now...hooray!

As well, just finished a painting in a style that I'm really happy with. Saw this monochromatic watercolour style being used by an artist in Mahaballipuram when I was there...I've modified it slightly and made a portrait of Thelonius Monk. I made him all yellow cause he's one of the most cheerful jazz musicians I've ever listened to. It's about 1.5x2ft in size.

2006-11-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

Random photos from my life here...

Me and Rabeen , manager of our favorite local restaurant "Green Park".My usual is peanut masala, garlic naan and chicken tikka and beer which they don't have a license to serve, so you have to wait a while for them to ride out(by bicycle) and get it from a local bar.

Me at the technology and innovation museum.

Singing with Pink Champagne again...we're working on the name!

Rainy season has started...downpours are fast and furious.

Best purchase so far...washing machine split between me and Andrea.

Last two pics at Bangalore's planetarium....just as good as T.O.'s used to be.

2006-11-03T20:04:00.000-08:00

Just completed my first acrylic painting in India...as you can tell...putting together a bit of a series now. This is a big one - 2x3ft-of Mingus.

2006-10-26T08:07:00.000-07:00

Just back from a long and super relaxing Diwali break. Only five days, but ohhh, I stretched them. A friend and I went to a small village called Mammalapuram on the East coast of India. Took a train into Chennai and then headed by taxi to the place. Also visited the better known town on that coast, Pondicherry, a French colony in India where the food is fine and the ashrams are a plenty. Ended off the trip with a visit to a community known as Auroville, where foreigners and Indians strive to build and maintain a community that promotes spirituality over the dollar. But mostly....I spent my time by the pool and at the beach, swimming in the Bay of Bengal. Here are a few of the highlights...

2006-10-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

Have a Happy Diwali!

It's not all about the serious international school work here in India...today we started our 5 day Diwali break...and to kick it off we had a shortened day with an assembly at the end. Our assembly consisted of stories, dancing, music and Indian sweets. It was like Christmas Break in October. On top of it all, everyone dressed up in their finest Indian-style threads for the occasion. Here are some pics of prepping for and the event itself....

These are some of my grade 10 students learning the art of Rangoli..a decorative art used all throughout the year, including Diwali..intricate patterns are designed and then created from crushed limestone. These patterns can usually be found outside the front doors of homes in an effort to ward off evil spirits.

Me...in a sari. Grade 10 students gettin' down to Indian folk dancing. That's my other art half, the elementary art teacher, Devaki. Finally, that's me and my friend Andrea sharing a moment on the magic carpet.

2006-10-09T22:10:00.000-07:00

Recently came back from a camping trip with the grade 11 class. It is meant as a bonding retreat for the entire grade as they enter the IB program and begin to think about the different ways we learn and acquire knowledge. "Roughing it" allows them to think about their own habits and how they come to trust the skills and knowledge of their peers and teachers.

The camp was located about 130kms south of Bangalore on the Caulvery River - a very famous river which has Masir fish...they can weigh up to 100 lbs! They make a big splash when they jump. Not only were there fish in the river, but there were also crocodiles. Other wildlife at the camp included leopards, elephants, scorpions, snakes, and all sorts of bird life. Here are some pics from the weekend...

A pretty scene as we walked down into the camp at dusk......

This is where we hiked in the morning...incredible beautiful watching the sun rise over the rocks and water. The two pictures on the right show the cliff that we rapelled (climbed down with a rope and harness). You can see the people at the top in the third picture. It was pretty scary...100ft drop! Still, it was pretty neat when I was about halfway down looking to my left at the rocks and water - felt like I was a stunt woman in a movie....

In the last day of the retreat, we had to switch camps because of scheduling conflicts. The second camp was about 30 kms away, and then we had to get onto a boat. Here I am riding the waves, guitar in hand.

2006-10-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

Here's my portrait of Dinah Washington that I finished recently....yes, my mom is right....I am in my blue period...

2006-10-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Just some pics of everyday life.... From left: me and my bike, my art room at CIS and the view on the way into school every morning (only one car can fit on the road at the time)

2006-10-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

Finished this pastel drawing of Ray Charles about a week ago. Working on Dinah Washington this evening.....

2006-10-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

Monkeys, Monkeys, Monkeys

A great day trip to a place just 50 kms to the....? Well, eventually we went in the up direction to a place called Nandi Hills. The place was covered in green and monkeys. I went with a new teacher from North Bay, Ontario....yes, us rugged Canadian girls can handle anything...Here are some pics.

From left: Me sketching on a hill, 3 monkeys hanging out at a hilltop resort, nandi hill from afar, a sculpture?, me getting my first Indian roads/ stickshift driving lesson from our hired driver. (i was doing fine until I had to switch roads and the clutch at the same time. Yikes!)

2006-09-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

This trip keeps getting stranger and stranger...
Had a very strange and eventful weekend...here are some pics to illustrate:

On Friday night, I found myself eating Rosh Hashana and Shabbot dinner with 30 some odd members of the Israeli community here in India. Highlight of the night was definitely the homemade Challah.

Miss Holler and the.....Pink Champagnes. On Saturday night, I sang my first blues in India with a 4-piece band at the 4-star Ashoka hotel restaraunt. The band, the Pink Champagnes, invited me up when I introduced myself as a blues singer from Canada We pulled off a fun Memphis Minnie 12-bar tune, the crowd had a blast, but they don't give free drinks to jammers...still....it was pretty fun!

My mother will be so proud.....here are some of my potato latkes that I made, and they were sooo good! Had some people from school over for a Rosh Hashana brunch, and these were gone in minutes. It was a proud moment to be hosting my first get together in India. So I'm ready for any brave souls who want to venture over here and try some of these!

2006-09-21T07:26:00.000-07:00

Meet Chico....he's a small gecko lizard that comes and goes from the house. A welcome guest that's small, quiet, funny and eats all the mosquitoes in my house. Thanks Chico!
My first self-portrait. While looking at my wall of musicians, I thought to myself....what's missing?what's missing?...oh yeah, Miss Holler. It was fun to capture the blue hat.

2006-09-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

Went to my first music concert last night in Bangalore City. It was part of a bigger festival called Times Bangalore Fest, featuring artists, musicians and food from Banagalore. Read about it in a local newspaper, picked up free tickets, and last night, I found myself three rows from the stage of a band known for their fusion of musical genres. The singer, Shubha Mudgal was powerful and she was accompanied by both musicians classically trained in traditional Indian instruments, and jazz artists. It's too bad I can't upload video footage on this...it would be nice to share the music with you. A picture will have to do.

As well, I start teaching classes on Monday, so I have been preparing my new art room for the year. On Friday, I finished off my preparations with a large painting in the style of Norval Morrisseau, painted on the side of a bookshelf in the room. In the middle of the painting, I mounted a full length mirror for full freaky effect! Hope you and my students like it....

2006-09-14T08:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel a little homesick...so it's a good thing I brought my sketches of blues and jazz artists from Toronto....a girl can't paint Buffalo and Birds all the time. Here's an oil pastel painting I just finished a couple of nights ago. This one is of Julian Fauth--a piano player that opened for Mel Brown at Silver Dollar on the 24th. He's the 13th musician on my wall, and I'm looking forward to adding sketches of Southern Indian musicians to the collection.

2006-09-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

A three day weekend was just what I needed...

This long weekend, I took a small vacation with some new friends to a nearby town about 300km to the west coast. The place is called Chickmanglure and it's known for its many coffee estates and plantations. What a fool I was to think that moving to India would make me kick my coffee addiction and switch over to tea! Southern India is known for its fine, fine coffee....and I can't get enough. Tim Horton's is a distant memory now. Here are some pics from the aromatic station....

From left: Hills at 7:30 in themorning; detail carving from a local temple; sculpture of Nandi - bull companion of Lord Shiva; Choosing a watermelon from a roadside vendor under a Banya tree.

2006-09-04T06:19:00.000-07:00

My latest painting of a water buffalo that I see every morning from my balcony. Just getting used to the watercolour medium...thanks again Ilaria!

2006-08-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

Starting my job has not slowed my picture taking....here is random sample of some of things that I have seen and done in the past few days....

This is an ant hill near my school site. The height is about 3 feet and it is all made by the co-operation of little ants. Sometimes, when these hills get really big, a snake moves in and calls it home...when that happens, a certain religious sect in India reveres it as special and performs ceremonies around and to it. Not sure of the whole story, but I think there's milk involved....

Here's my art room and my new school. There's 3 more days left until school starts.....yeah.....we're going for a minimilast look. yep.....

Like many memorable photo opps, it was this policeman's purple feathers
that beckoned my attention...

This is a lady at a craft exhibition that I attended today at the Bangalore art college. All regions of India were featured at the exhibition where you could see the different styles and colours of textiles used by each group.

And finally, here I am....getting my hair braided with some colourful strings and beads at the exhibition.

2006-08-26T07:12:00.000-07:00

My first trip within India....

This past week I visited a hill station called Kodaikanal via a 9-hour train ride south of Bangalore. The hill station was located on top of a hill (surprise!) that was accessible by a 2 hour car ride. I was sent there by the school for some IB training, which consisted of many teas and chats with an IB examiner/ recluse artist, and a visit to the art classroom at Kodaikanal International School. Here are some pics....

Top left - view while driving up hill.
Next three pics: view from coaker's walk; a happy monkey after extorting a carrot from tourists; group of tourists from Kerala who added me to the list of attractions in Kodaikanal.

2006-08-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

I know I'm settling into a place when I begin to create paintings of the Native Bird Species. Here is my first one -- there are called Rose-Ringed Parakeets (found in a Bangalore bird book i recently purchased.) The funny thing is, the day after I completed this painting, I actually saw one of these from my balcony! Paint them and they shall come!

2006-08-17T00:12:00.000-07:00

A few more pics for the curious.....

This is Bangalore traffic on a good day! People often turn off their engines so as not to waste petrol while waiting and waiting and waiting. This is a good place to learn the art of patience.

This is Puttenahalli village....the village in which I now live and raise cows. Just kidding....but there are a lot of cows just hanging out on the side of the road and munching away (just like the one above). Most of Bangalore does not look like this - this village is situated on the outskirts of the city. There 's also a beautiful wetland with many egrets, herons and other birdlife in the village, but the sewage smell is so bad, that this is really the best way to view it. (seen above.)

2006-08-12T22:06:00.000-07:00

Visited a place called LalBagh Botanical Gardens yesterday where flowers in fantastical displays lure thousands of families, couples and tourists out for an all day excursion. It was really something, especially the rose garden. I even brought a couple of plants home (bought them) to start my new garden, cause I miss my garden in Toronto. Here are some pics....

2006-08-09T19:39:00.000-07:00

Well friends......I'm here in India and it's my fourth day figuring it out on the other side of the world. So much to say...it's hard to know where to begin. Plus---it's only my fourth day. So far, so good. I'm happy and healthy and my brain is spinning from all of the new stimuli. Here's the best way I know how to express what I am experiencing.

Here are all the things I love about this place so far.....

Birds, Birds, Birds.....there are so many noisy, beautiful birds flying around..I'm in heaven!
My new place - The apartment that I live in is a small palace with my very own room for making art, and a spacious living room that also doubles as a hackee sack court. The place also comes equipped with gardens, a pool, a gym, squash and badminton courts, and a ping pong table. Yeah...I am a lady of luxury.
The view from my balcony. I live next to a farm that raises water buffalo, goats and chickens. A rooster crows at 5:30 am, and at night, you smell a mixture of campfires and dung. mmmm!
The insane amount of varied activity that exists in every corner of this place! There's so much going on that my eyes, ears and nose are never bored!
The food!!!I'm having fun learning to cook a new set of dishes. I live pretty far from the city (40 minute taxi ride) so I really have to rely on my own cuisine and that of the local grocery store. Those that know my style of cooking know that I'm having a field day finding new items to through into the pot!
Finally.....there's chocalate here - so everything's going to be okay.

Here are some things about this place that I hope I get used to.....

The nocturnal frogs that enter the house through my toilet! They're very cute, tiny and yellow -but come on....they came through the toilet! Gives a whole new meaning to PUT THE LID DOWN!
The random power outages. They come and go and don't last for long, but they're pretty unpredictable. Keeps me on my toes.
The incessant horn honking. Rules of the road are pretty simple...watch your mirrors and honk your horn if you want to arrive alive. Therefore, some of the car horns are pretty elaborate and all of them are very loud. This is pretty annoying considering how many cars are on the road.
The limitation of movement. I like to walk and explore, but for now, my movement at night is pretty restricted to the apartment complex. This will take some getting used to, or the freedom will increase as I get to know the place.
Being so far from friends and family. Laughing on your own just isn't the same!

That's all for now. I will post more with more pics soon. Feel free to post comments and email. I miss you all lots.

2006-07-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

So.....

This is my first entry in this journal. I haven't left yet. I leave exactly one week from today - then I'm en route to Bangalore, India to begin my career as an international art teacher.

Until then....life consists of nothing but sitting around and contemplating the absolute unknown. So, what else is new?