Paper Planes

The artist who created this song is Mathangi Arulpragasm aka M.I.A , she was born in Hounslow, London, England, but went back to her family's homeland of Tamil Sri-Lanka at 6 months old. The name M.I.A "Missing In Action" comes from her own experience of having her father be a political activist of the Tamil Militancy. M.I.A's songs come from the events in her life: father hiding, and the family having to move from place to place because the the Sri Lankan Civil War. When M.I.A's finally came back to London, her family were housed as refugees, struggling just to get by.

I fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make them all day
I get one down in a second if you wait

I can't seem get this song out of my head because of its message. M.I.A. is trying to shed a light on the issues of our world; immigrants trying to reach a dream of freedom and prosperity, but are mistreated by the government. In the video it shows the different forms of hustling, people only caring about one thing "money." Yet money is the key to survival without it your left vulnerable, and not considered a valuable citizen.


Sometimes I feel sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game
Everyone's a winner now we're making our fame
Bona fide hustler, making my name


What blew my mind was children's voices singing the chorus, blended with the sound of guns firing and cash registers opening. This shows are present and possible future, kids growing up, glamorizing crime, thinking by killing and robbing will give them as sense of accomplishment and self-esteem. I believe the paper air planes in the video symbolize the hopes and dreams of people wanting something more than life, but don't think they are going rise above their current situation because of their cultural or racial backgrounds.





For more Lyrics and info on M.I.A. check out:

www.metrolyrics.com/mia-biography.html

The Peanuts Gang

This is my tribute to Charles M. Schultz who created the Peanuts comic Strip, featuring Charlie Brown. The comic strip had been featured in Sunday Newspaper's from October 2, 1950 to Feb. 13, 2000 the year that Schultz died. As a kid I couldn't wait to get the Sunday's Chicago Tribune so I could read the comics page, and cut them out so I could save them.



Charlie Brown was the outcast, the kid that did not fit in no matter how hard he tried. He reflected how society judges other based on class,cultural background, and race; anything that doesn't fit inside the box labeled "normal" is ostracized. His best friend Linus holds the spirit of optimism despite the harshness in the world, his honesty and innocence is what people used to possess as children, before society told us who we had to be. Lucy in my opinion was a feminist (though I don't know if Schultz saw her this way) she wanted her voice to be heard, and be a leader in every situation.




Charlie Brown and many of the characters were based on aspects of Schultz's life. The tomboy Peppermint Patty came from his Cousin Patricia Swanson. Heather aka "The little red haired girl," was inspired from his first love Donna Johnson, who he dated for three years. When he tried to propose to her, Johnson turned him down, and ended up marrying a fireman named Allan Wold. Heather is mentioned in many of the comic strips as well as the animated cartoons; Charlie Brown is always loving her from afar. Schultz's political views which were embedded in some of the character's dialogue, come from his experience being in the army.This is why snoopy dressed up as a WWII pilot during its "Its the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" T.V special.








There are comic strips created by artists, paying homage to Schultz who created characters that all people can relate to. His work has touch many lives and still are loved by younger generations. Its amazing how art can stand the test of time, and its message still valued after so many years.




for more info on Charles M. Scultz check out:

pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/schulz_c.html

Junk Artists

Have you ever thrown away an empty can of pop, wrapper, or paper bag thinking its just trash? Well there are artists who can take our garbage and turn them into master pieces. I think junk art is fascinating, considering my own mother uses empty champagne bottles she finds at family celebrations and thrown out furniture.My mom paints, sands, and glues until she has a work of art that reflects her own personality. For today's blog I'm going to share with you viewers two junk artists who's work has stood out to me.


Leo Sewell grew up in Annapolis, Maryland; as a kid he lived near a Navy Dump, were he collected objects that intrigued him, and sparked new ideas into his young mind. Now as an adult, he lives in Philadelphia, where he believes its trash is his inspiration, creating pieces such as: Eagle, Bison, Teddy bear and many more. It takes real skill to try to mold objects into different shapes.











Sarah Lucas was born in Holloway England; she expresses her quirky humor in her art. The themes of her work is usually gender,death, and sexuality; she usually makes furniture and found objects resemble human body parts. Cigarettes is the main object that she uses in her pieces; but also collaborates her photography skills with her objects.










Junk artist are examples of how there is no strict rules in art; the sky's the limit. These artist have showed you, uses objects that people discard and give them life.


For more info about these artists check out:

Leo Sewell
www.leosewell.net/about.php



Sarah Lucas
http://metroartwork.com/popup_all-artists_info.php?manufacturers_id=124

Unwritten

The song "Unwritten" sung by Natasha Bedingfield, is so inspirational, and gets to be emotionally. I have dreams of becoming a published author, and right now I'm trying to finish a novel I've been writing. Sometimes I feel scared, unsure of myself and the future; but this song gives me hope.





I loved the concept of people from different backgrounds and cultures shown on an elevator in the video. The elevator is like a gathering place, where individuals have no choice but to be squished together for about 15 seconds. But in those seconds there is a connection, we are all going on our own journeys of self discovery, each floor represents new paths of possibilities.

The part of the song that stands out to me is:

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten


For me Natasha is giving the message to her listeners that its never to late to live your dreams or do something that gives you meaning in life. By only focusing on Today, experiencing everything to the fullest in these 24 hours, can give us inner peace. Only we can write our own destinies.

Haiku

wings give stories flight
eyes possess a secret dawn
beak holds sacred truths


This is my own haiku poem that I have created. A haiku poem is simple, yet beautiful, coming from the Japanese culture. Haiku's usually have three lines, the first line having 5 syllables, second 7, and the third 5. Most Haiku's have images from nature, but can really be about anything that holds meaning for the writer. For me, haiku's are like riddles and pieces of wisdom, that can be discovered, by reading carefully between the lines.


Here are examples of Haiku's from the past and our modern time, I would like to share with you viewers. The first two are from Masaoko Shiki who was a poet born in 1867 in Japan. He suffered with tuberculosis throughout his life; I believe his illness caused him to stop and experience the beauty we ignore in our surroundings, from being so "Busy," and thinking we don't have enough time. Shiki wrote haiku's including those written in several journals that were eventually published after his death in 1902. What made him famous was the fact that he was considered a "radical," while other writers were writing free verse poems, Shiki decided to stick to the rules of Haiku: three lines, to create his art, that is now widely used today.



For love and hate
I swat a fly and offer
it to an ant

A mountain Village
under the piled up snow
the sound of water


The second poet whose work I would like to present is Gerald Vizenor. Vizenor is a poet,fiction, and shot story writer born in 1934on the, coming from from a Chippewa/Swedish background. He used his experience of being bi-racial, the struggles of his youth, and his search of identity in his writing. He came across the Haiku by joining the army and serving three years in Japan, creating haikus to express what he had seen. This evolved into Vizenor publishing books of haiku poetry such as: Empty Swings and Slight Abrasions.



Sudden rain
Scarecrows share an umbrella
bingo night


November Storm
hearts painted on bridge
crossed out

What is so amazing about Vizenor is that he creates his own pattern for his Haiku's. The first poem has the pattern:3/7/3 syllables while the other has:2/5/2.

I write Haiku's to challenge myself by trying to create a message with only a few lines and images. It's not as easy as it seems, you have to make a beat, a flowing rhythm like a song. I dare anyone to write a haiku, it will open your mind to new ideas about the world around you.




For more info about Masaoko Shiki check out:


http://haiku.ccehime-u.ac.jp/~shiki/sm/smhtml">a> and www.quotesofpoems.com

Gerald Vizenor:

www.people.mnhs.org/authors/biog_detail.cfm?PersonID=Vize363 ">

Untitled Poem

This is another open of mine that I can't seem to find a title for. I created it from finding words in magazines that stood out to me; I had cut them out and placed them together to create a story. Maybe you viewers can help me come up with a title.



Clutching her purse in the evening
Underneath the stars of New York City

Torn T-shirt, smeared blood
In the corner against a brick wall

HE, underneath her jeans
terror, barely breathing

The minutes go slow like a blues song, a blanket
of smoke
Intimidating, bending itself towards you

she, screaming underneath his shirt

Banging, struck a bottle, pressed flowers,
shards of broken glass sprayed across the concrete
ground

purple smoke rings exhale the truth.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is one of my favorite songs that always makes me cry because of its beautiful, sorrow filled lyrics. The song was written for the movie "The Wizard of Oz" in 1939 by E.Y. Harburg and music arrangement by Harold Arlen.

The first video I would like to show you viewers is " Somewhere Over the Rainbow" sung by Judy Garland when she was only 16. She played Dorothy Gale who felt trapped in her country life, and wanted to explore the world outside her farm. I believe Judy's own dysfunctional life at this age: Strict Mother,struggling with the death of her father, and MGM Studios trying to mold her into their own image of beauty, lead to her putting her emotions and whole soul into the song.




Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole was a Hawaiian musician and singer who sung his own version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on his CD Facing the Future, which was featured in movies such as Finding Forester and Meet Joe Black. He was an inspirational influence in Hawaii for other young artists, his haunting voice reflecting the pains and triumphs we face as human beings. Israel died in 1997 at the age of 38, from respiratory problems due to his weight.



The song is universal, everyone at one time as dreamed of something special for their futures and feel like they are not able to achieve them due to: poverty, fear, non-support from family and friends, or society degrading you. Its amazing that different generations and cultures have their own interpretation of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow, but still carries the message of hope.



For more information about Israel Kamakawiwo'ole check out:worldmusic.about.com/od/bandsartistsaz/p/IsraelKama.htm \

Judy Garland:www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/garland_j.html

American Gothic

American Gothic is such an eerie painting; the woman looks stern almost resentful of the man beside her, who stares at us, with his wrinkle pale skin. The painting was created by artist Grant Woods whose inspiration for this piece was the house that he saw in Eldon, Iowa, a Carpenter/Gothic Revival Style. He actually used the image of his sister Nan and dentist for the farm couple.The tiny flowers in the woman's dress symbolizes for me the lost of hopes and dreams for women once being married in the early 20th century. In Woods view the flowers represent the domesticity women were forced upon women. The pitchfork is the symbol of labor, men toiling the land that is the link between life and death, since a farmer family's future depends solely on the crops. During the time he presented in to the public 1930 at the Art Institute of Chicago, I bet he didn't believe it would cause such a dramatic spark for other artist and medias.



For instance at the beginning of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, the farm couple looked solemn and out of place at a happy wedding celebration; foreshadowing disaster for the main characters Brad & Janet. There was also a T.V. movie that eventually became a series called "American Gothic," though it was about the devil dwelling in a small town.


Its amazing to see that this piece has stood the test of time. Though it shows the simple farming it, the painting speaks volumes about the American society of the past and possible future. Some people have even used Wood's painting to express their opinions or use it for comedy.I wonder it I ever get a book public, would younger generations still be able to connect with my work on a personal level? What makes one a work of art thrive from generation to generation and others fade from the mind?






For more info about Grant Woods Check this website out:

www.artic.edu/artaccess/AA_Modern/pages/MOD_5.shtml

Comic Strip images by Michael Keafe.

The Red Wheel Barrow

so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.



I first read the poem "The Red Wheel Barrel," by William Carlos in my Intro to Poetry class. It's simple, yet beautiful. I always seem to come back to this poem, because it has stood the test of time in its popularity and has blogged many writers, including myself.

A wheel barrow is just an ordinary object on a farm, but is a symbol of the struggle and hard work that goes into toiling the land. Rain gives life to all living things, and as for the white chickens, I have no idea why they are emphasised. But maybe this was just a moment in time, when Williams questioned his life, and why life depends on simple tasks and objects: mirrors, money, coffee, cellphones. We allow these objects to run our lives; what would happen to us if they did not exist?

I know I'm going off the deep end here, but Williams' poem makes me question the world around me. His poem might be considered awesome, dumb, or pointless, to some people but if makes you look within yourself and think outside the box we build for ourselves.


For info and poems of Williams Carlos Williams check this out:

www.poets.org/wcwil/

Moko: Essence of a Culture

The woman's hazel eyes pierces you with their look of pride and defiance. Crowning her lips and chin with all its glory is a moko tattoo. These tattoo designs have been created by the Maori, people of Polynesian descant who live in New Zealand. The moko tattoo tradition have been preformed for thousands of years by the Maori; the designs express not only the owners personality, but their tribe, and ancestors. For men, their mokos cover their arms, backs, or face with fish scales, whales, spirals, and other symbols and words of the Polynesian culture. For women is either their arms, legs or chin. The Moko is a window, a key to a person's spirit and mana (meaning strength, power).



Before the Europeans took over the island, the Maori used ink made of different plants, making chisels of fish or whale bones to cut the skin, literally craving the image into their flesh. Today regular tattoo needles are used. Only warriors, Chiefs, and high ranking Maori men were able to have them. For women mokos was like a rite of passage, usually done when they reached womanhood. Men stopped tattooing themselves in the 19th century, trading their tribal traditions for European clothing and customs. But the women stood their ground, protesting the invasion by keeping up the moko tradition, thus saving their entire culture and language from disappearing. In the late 20th and now 21st century men have picked up the old ways, by wearing their mokos, showing their connection with the past and the struggles they face in their communities: racism, domestic violence, alcoholism.

Mokos represent the spirit of the Maori, a sign of hope and fight against oppression, keeping the traditions alive for younger generations.






For more information about the Maori culture check this website out: www.pbs.org/skinstories

Tiny Dancer

Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand
And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand

Jesus freaks out in the street
Handing tickets out for God
Turning back she just laughs
The boulevard is not that bad

Piano man he makes his stand
In the auditorium
Looking on she sings the songs
The words she knows, the tune she hums

But oh how it feels so real
Lying here with no one near
Only you and you can hear me
When I say softly, slowly

Hold me closer, tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today

Hold me closer, tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today

Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand
And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand

But oh how it feels so real
Lying here with no one near
Only you and you can hear me
When I say softly, slowly

Hold me closer, tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today

Hold me closer, tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today

I have always loved the song "Tiny Dancer," sung by Elton John. The song has vivid imaginary, with words that flow like the waves of an ocean. When I was a kid I would imagine myself dancing in the sand like the girl in the lyrics, creating pictures with my feet in the rough sand. My favorite stanza is: Jesus freaks out in the street/ Handing tickets out for God/Turning back she just laughs/The boulevard is not that bad. I think that the girl smiles because she has found her own heaven, a Paradise through music. But I have have always wondered what is the message behind the song? Who is the tiny dancer?

After surfing the web, I found the answer on lyricinterpretations.com. The lyrics are about Maxine Feibelmen, who was a seamstress on Elton Johns tour, creating his elborate costumes. She was the wife of Bernie Taupin who was Elton's friend,a lyricist who helped write and collaborate on songs such as: Rocketman, Candle In the Wind, and Your Song. Tiny Dancer was written to express the love Taupin had for Maxine, who was not only his lover, but muse as well.

Words of Love

I came up with my poem "Words of Love," after reading Zora Neale Hurston's book Their Eyes Were Watching God, a story about a biracial woman named Janie Crawford who goes on a journey to discovery her own identity in the 1930's. My poem is about her relationship with a man named Tea Cake, who inspires her sexually, spiritually; creating feelings of love she never expressed in her two former husbands.

Dark Sphinx

The painting above is called "Dark Sphinx," which was created by the talented artist Michael Parkes. He is one of my favorite artists; his work is of unearthly beauty, the images seem to jump of the canvas. Many of his pieces reflect the magical realism and fantasy genres. Parkes breaths life into his artwork, molding stories for each creature with a stroke of his brush.




Parkes not only paints but makes sculptures and Stone Lithograph pieces, which are drawings sketched on a metal plates or smooth limestone. He inspires me in my writing; I have created poems and short stories based on some of his images: Swans, Gargoyle, and the Sphinx. I wonder if his dreams play a role in his work? Parkes had created a whole world, with its own rulers, animals, and a race of fantastical people.




Michael Parkes has his own unique style that no artist can duplicate. I can spot a Parkes painting from miles away by abstract shapes of his people: curvy like the waves of the ocean, birdlike shoulders, or round as a peach. The humans he draws don't represent our society's idea of beauty: Thin, blond hair, White. Some are are fat, skin a bluish or brown coloring, and others have voluptuous bodies. People come in all shapes, sizes, and facial structures, Parkes empathises them with his mixture of surreal colors, making his creatures beautiful.







To see more of Michael Parkes work check out: www.worldofmichaelparkes.com

and www.michaelparkesgallery.com

Ceremony

Last weekend I went to a Pow Wow, which is a Native American Celebration of unity, friendship, and family. It's was a beautiful and magical experience, with delicious food, music, and dancing. I loved the atmosphere; it was warm and welcoming. Everyone was asked to join in the celebration. The whole audience seemed to become a part of this large family. The drums had sent an electric shock through me, which is why during the "Blanket Dance", I decided to dance to the song of Little Thunder one of the drum groups. It felt freeing dancing along side the surreal dancers. I was scary at first, yet exhilarating to step out of my comfort zone.I have some Indian blood in me (Métis)so I felt deeply moved by this ceremony that's apart of my own heritage.

The dances are breathtaking and have been performed for centuries by tribes such as the Navajo, Fox, Sioux, Cree, and so many others. The drum groups are powerful, with each beat they are communicating with their ancestors.The singers voices will pierce through your own soul. The dancers themselves represent their own nations, wearing awesome colorful regalia that expresses their own personalities.

The first image below is the women's Fancy Shawl Dance. In the past women had used robes made of animal fur or blankets. It was a new style of dance, first started by Native American women in the 1900's, who made their own shawls and wanted to show them off to the world. The shawls are covered with bright flowers and sometimes even beads. As they dance the shawls look like wings; the women's moccasin covered feet seem to not touch the ground. The moves and steps are graceful; the women twirl and prance on their toes reminding me of ballerinas. Fancy Shawl dances are taught at a young age, and I bet they really feel like their paying homage to their grandmothers.

The men's Fancy Dance is spectacular; it's a true test of strength and endurance. The men's headdresses are covered in eagle feathers, and float as they dance. At the pow wow I had attended the men were powerful and some were in the "zone". One guy, maybe about eighteen years old was dressed all in red, his foot work could have burned a hole in the floor. He cried out as he stomped his feet; while twirling he looked like one huge flame. In a fancy dance, the drum groups might play tricks on the dancers, like stopping in mid-beat to see if they can keep up with the song's rhythm.

I wish everyone in America could attend at least one Pow Wow, to see and understand that Native Americans don’t just exist in history books, but are still among us, keeping their traditions intact for future generations.