VIVA microfinance

I am so encouraged by the stories of how microfinance is benefitting people, especially women. Here is a bbc article about the Women`s World Bank.

other groups include KIVA
and on that note a space in India encouraging women exiting prostitution, abuse relationships or trafficking situations Love Calcutta Art. 

While I adore art in the formal sense I cannot deny that I am very interested in PRAXIS. How can the ARTs be a postive catalyst for society? Of course musicians artists creators must manifest their own ideas. We are all different and I do nto mean to sound elitest but some can do nothing else, but there is an innate creativity which is so often lost. A creativity bourne from a desire to be, to know, to express, and yes to live.

I want to post more about both kinds of work.

Hawaii

I realise that this blog needs a bit of focus but I want to post about hawaii. This is the second time I visited there and what struck me again was the contrast with the hotels in Waikiki and the many homeless people on the street. I got chatting to a few, one guy was so dirty and seemed almost frightened to talk. A Colombian guy on the street (slightly paranoid with liquer in brown paper bag) told me there is big problem with drugs too.

It is also culturally a kind of half land between America and Japan with many tours and information points in Japanese. The North shore coastline provided a beautiful backdrop for a refreshing time of sunset watching and sleep. Perhaps all places which promise paradise (Thailand, The Caribean etc) promise a dream when perhaps the reality for local people is somewhat different.

Tokyo Sound Art Festival

various locations played host to the festival. Due to my recent haitus to hawaii I only caught two things, Mamrou`s best performance so far at Hongo Wondersite

listening to ice in a dark room
hanging ice in a light room
ice dripping and dropping
gentle sounds
at the end
he made coffee
and served it with a smile

photos to follow

And Meri Nikula performing in Ikebukuro.

I also had the good fortune to meet sound artist Peter Kutin whose performance I missed but you can find his work here.

curator magazine article

Here is my piece about craft, and the slow movement.

new year

The time for new year resolutions!
I wrote an article about keeping them last year and am trying to take my own advise!

Here is my list for 2010
1. finish projects.
for me this is
a. song with Equator, I wrote this 2 years ago and we are still recording
b. Book arts exhibition
c. exchange project
d. bible workbook for kids
e. my own kids book with illustrations by starry luna and to be translated into japanese


2. eat more healthily
less chocolate more greens


3. be more generous
with time/resources
for me this is connected to being aware of the many things that I am lucky to have. I think giving should always be joyful or else there is no point.


4. Write everyday
I have been doing some form of writing everyday whether a journal, notes, poems etc and I want this to continue.

staying focused is the key perhaps.

found some old pics of Tokyo ;)

relaxing, not just in a spa but DOING NOTHING. I find this hard, my mind buzzes. I can do it a little if I sit on my roof and pray. Sometimes I dance on the roof but I also find in the times after exercize or watching the sun setting I can finally have the space to hear things clearly.
 I recently re-discovered Terry Hershey`s writings and found out he has new book coming out about pausing. Check out his video about stopping HERE