inner visions

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83miIqRR2kMPO1Tw-sZJtN0mq3dZ3VbKi4ccQBnIYQaSW4IM7i5HXmg3stT2_nf9Br-BwajXVRxx6WBfgT4WUP5pC_FwDVS2LIdScGjm9zFLXkaK8A6ub6JH1wWzyL5NCQ5HXlXzaS78/s1600-h/Himalaya_Sunset_by_balaa.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363669586737093666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83miIqRR2kMPO1Tw-sZJtN0mq3dZ3VbKi4ccQBnIYQaSW4IM7i5HXmg3stT2_nf9Br-BwajXVRxx6WBfgT4WUP5pC_FwDVS2LIdScGjm9zFLXkaK8A6ub6JH1wWzyL5NCQ5HXlXzaS78/s400/Himalaya_Sunset_by_balaa.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 289px; height: 433px;" /></a>This is one of the reasons why I'm drawn to the Himalayas...I've been there in my dreams countless times as a child (i believe beyond this life), visited its foothills as an adult, and made a vow to go back. It is one of the most important power centers of this planet and I feel it is one of my spiritual homelands. The force that drew me there made me stop doing art for years and pursue an interest in a Kashmiri-Himalayan form of Sufism as a student of Persian and Islamic mysticism. The main person I was drawn to was a Persian-speaking Muslim mystic from the thirteenth century called <span style="font-weight: bold;">Najm ad-din Kubra</span> who had a discipline involving spiritual alchemy and visualization techniques of the seven colored subtle centers of the body (called<span style="font-style: italic;"> latifah), </span>much like the system of chakras developed in India and adopted into Tibetan Buddhism that developed in the Himalayas<span style="font-style: italic;"> (there is very little reliable information on the web about Kubra and the order he founded, but this <a href="http://www.sufi.it/sufismo/maestri/Najmuddin_kubra.htm">link</a> gives a tiny glimpse of what Kubra was all about).</span> Kubra's teachings were carried to Kashmir and became the foundation of the Kubrawiyya order of Sufism. If you would like to know more about the Kubrawis and another Kashmiri Sufi order that sprung off of their order, I recommend two of my friends' work (once you study something this obscure, you're bound to meet and befriend the two main experts on the subject). Check out <a href="http://www.bookfinder.com/author/jamal-j-elias/">Jamal Elias: <span style="font-style: italic;">The Throne Carrier of God : The Life and Though of 'Ala ad-dawla as-Simnani</span></a>. The available online as a partial scanned preview <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=zqc01-Y6XfMC&dq=jamal+elias+throne+carrier&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=FXaCSs71CduQtgfG8JXPCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4#v=onepage&q=&f=false">here</a><br />and <a href="http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&qi=GwcSh83W2VLDl6ChmShMpkOCpw4_8714528079_1:34:128&bq=author%3Dshahzad%2520bashir%26title%3Dmessianic%2520hopes%2520and%2520mystical%2520visions%2520the%2520nurbakhshiya%2520between%2520medieval%2520and%2520modern%2520islam%2520studies%2520in%2520comparative%2520religion">Shahzad Bashir: </a><span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&qi=GwcSh83W2VLDl6ChmShMpkOCpw4_8714528079_1:34:128&bq=author%3Dshahzad%2520bashir%26title%3Dmessianic%2520hopes%2520and%2520mystical%2520visions%2520the%2520nurbakhshiya%2520between%2520medieval%2520and%2520modern%2520islam%2520studies%2520in%2520comparative%2520religion">Messianic Hopes and Mystical Visions: The Nurbakhshiyya Between Medieval and Modern Islam</a>, </span>which you can also peep <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=uom79HNFPGgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=jamal+elias+throne+carrier&source=gbs_similarbooks_s&cad=1#v=onepage&q=jamal%20elias%20throne%20carrier&f=false">here </a>.<br /><br />After spending several years learning the languages and everything I could find about this line of teaching, I <a href="http://lichiban.blogspot.com/2008/12/kashmir-my-spiritual-homeland.html">went to Srinagar, Kashmir</a> to seek the legacy of the Sufis and Tibetan Buddhist teachings (as a grad student) and returned completely reborn (as an artist)...Ironically, what made me want to pursue my studies was what ended up releasing me from a carrier path that was no longer giving me any sort of spiritual satisfaction. I quit school and decided to approach my search from an angle that was more true to who I am..more of a visionary than an academic. I had to restart from scratch...but I feel more alive than ever and my passion for seeking the truth keeps me going even when the conditions get fucked up. <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">[artwork by balaa]</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This is for my fellow seekers who have been asking me to share more of my spiritual interests through my blog...a rare glimpse into the life of Tibetan Buddhists masters who have dedicated their life to finding enlightment, and much like their Sufi counterparts, were seeking liberation through the realization of the fundamental unity of all beings...that is the true meaning of LOVE...the most powerful vibration of the universe and the biggest threat to those who have usurped this-wordly power through a discourse of war and fundamental difference (=inborn inequality) between beings.<br /></div></div><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/J-kOuHkQErc&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/J-kOuHkQErc&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br />[This is a rare footage from <span>1963, when for the first time, the Dalai Lama allowed a Westerner, Desjardins, to film the heart of the Tibetan tradition. The original 60s commentaries are dated, take it with a grain of salt]<br /></span></div>

inner visions

This is one of the reasons why I'm drawn to the Himalayas...I've been there in my dreams countless times as a child (i believe beyon...

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<div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="font-size:130%;">to embrace healing is acknowledging the strength of your own vulnerability</span></div>

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to embrace healing is acknowledging the strength of your own vulnerability

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i heART NYC: BETA BANGER @ DIE FABRIK loft, SOHO NYC

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/03050015000000993257.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/03050015000000993257.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 424px; height: 729px;" /></a>I'm exhibiting a few new pieces at the BETA BANGER party...come through!<br /><p> <b>Harriet’s Alter Ego, Society HAE & metroPCS presents</b><br /><br /><b>BETA BANGER</b><br /><i>Celebrating the beta launch of <a href="http://www.societyhae.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.SocietyHAE.com</a> & the Birthday of Ngozi of Harriet’s Alter Ego</i></p> <p><br /><i>Beta Banger is presented in association with:</i></p> <p> <i>The Minority Report, The Stylistics Agency, Alador & Smith and FREE like 'frei</i></p> Friday, July 31st<br />9pm to 4am<br /><br /><b>SPECIAL PERFORMANCE @ 11PM BY<br />JOYA BRAVO</b><br /><br />Featured DJs:<br />The Ahficionados<br />DJ Trauma<br />Jasmine Solano<br /> <br /><b>Fashion Installation By Harriet’s Alter Ego </b>

i heART NYC: BETA BANGER @ DIE FABRIK loft, SOHO NYC

I'm exhibiting a few new pieces at the BETA BANGER party...come through! Harriet’s Alter Ego, Society HAE & metroPCS presents BETA ...

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i'm feeling...JAY ELECTRONICA :: Dear Moleskin (prod. by Just Blaze)

<div style="text-align: center;">rebirth<br /><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6cA010JeecE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6cA010JeecE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /></div>

i'm feeling...JAY ELECTRONICA :: Dear Moleskin (prod. by Just Blaze)

rebirth

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AURAL VISIONS presents::: n2# SARAH WHITE ::: C-TRAIN

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipeTC4vjjCuoN2VRtJa1ImLXMd-6tib78KM1PKFEjOv20TlEEsu1miyr_cePULQp7eAcsMA82-PAzANM8x_PFeFB_AA75EFU-8mc9NkSLRohJ86aC12aXOp37CscPCZDnqq6Ra-7DDJOg/s1600-h/lichibanAURALVISIONS200.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363279402001228898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipeTC4vjjCuoN2VRtJa1ImLXMd-6tib78KM1PKFEjOv20TlEEsu1miyr_cePULQp7eAcsMA82-PAzANM8x_PFeFB_AA75EFU-8mc9NkSLRohJ86aC12aXOp37CscPCZDnqq6Ra-7DDJOg/s400/lichibanAURALVISIONS200.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 199px; height: 118px;" /></a> <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">My great pleasure to introduce No.2 of my AURAL VISIONS art & music collabo series featuring my design for </span><a style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 153, 153);" href="http://www.mysarahwhite.com/">SARAH WHITE</a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">-close friend, one of my favorite singers, blogpartner on </span><a style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 153, 153);" href="http://wronglips.blogspot.com/">WRONGLIPS</a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, and one of my favorite peoples period. C-Train was the first track I've ever heard from Sarah, and it was a wrap for me. Beside the haunting original track, originally produced by Sarah's super-talented partner-in-crime, </span><a style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 153, 153);" href="http://www.myspace.com/djdoncuco">DJ Don Cuco</a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> got a dubby, bass-heavy remix treatment by </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Arial;" ><a href="http://www.basscut.com/">Heinrich Zwalen</a> who has lended his production skills to artists such as Oliver Stumm(Touch of Class)Sam Sever (Def Jam/Mowax),Groove Theory, SupaDJ Dimitry (Dee-lite) among others.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">More relevant than ever (you can listen and check my feelings about the original edit </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://lichiban.blogspot.com/2009/04/imagine.html">here</a><span style="font-style: italic;">), it makes really happy to be part of this project with my visuals.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><b><br /></b></span></span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQT5u_gSJQQX3IT-xgDbKnv692o-1CKa9e6eNPeWJ4iokt9b6-4nUby5YyZNSHYldekIOR67Oe25aYTqebJkj121LKukbyw27Tc_qgaAzW2PUPo5AZzJj84tBNDfey5_hgpEKhtXs5ZkU/s1600-h/Sarah+White-DonCuco+Promo.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363278828654707506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQT5u_gSJQQX3IT-xgDbKnv692o-1CKa9e6eNPeWJ4iokt9b6-4nUby5YyZNSHYldekIOR67Oe25aYTqebJkj121LKukbyw27Tc_qgaAzW2PUPo5AZzJj84tBNDfey5_hgpEKhtXs5ZkU/s400/Sarah+White-DonCuco+Promo.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 331px;" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;">Directly from Sarah's presskit:<br /></span><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">"Blog it, Forward it, Play it, Feel it! Celebrating our 2 year anniversary of moving to Bed Stuy from Minneapolis, we have decided to let our buzzed about single,</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><b><i> C TRAIN</i></b></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">, out on the streets for </span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:14;"><b>FREE</b></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">! In times like these, chasing the dollar and trying to find the balance between living your dream and making ends meet, is a feeling all too real for many artist. I wrote this song in a moment like this. Feeling very inspired by the music culture on our streets, Rico aka Dj Don Cuco dug deep into his spirit and chose a sound/frequency that became the root and foundation of this track. The lyrics were easy. Anyone who has to make the journey daily through the grind to make ends meet, can understand"<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 11px;"><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fsarah-white%2Fc-train-bed-stuy-remix-mp3&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=00ffdf"></param> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param> <embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fsarah-white%2Fc-train-bed-stuy-remix-mp3&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=00ffdf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <div style="padding-top: 5px;"><a href="http://soundcloud.com/sarah-white/c-train-bed-stuy-remix-mp3">C Train Bed Stuy Remix.mp3</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/sarah-white">Sarah White</a></div></div><br /></div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/SARAHWHITE_CTrain-lichiban.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 582px;" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-size:18;"><b><i>::::DOWNLOAD IT <a href="http://www.zshare.net/download/6323408733664518/">HERE</a>::::</i></b></span></span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"><span style=";font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-size:18;"><a href="http://www.zshare.net/download/6323408733664518/" target="_blank"></a></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><b><i>1. C Train (Original)-- Produced by Dj Don Cuco </i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><b><i>2. Bed Stuy Remix -- Produced by Heinrich Zwalen</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">** Vocals and lyrics by <b>Sarah White</b>**</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">**All mixing and mastering by <b>Heinrich Zwalen</b> (Basscut)**</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">---The cover design is a collaboration with visual artist/writer/designer,</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:13;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><b>LICHIBAN</b></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">,</span> also currently living in Brooklyn---</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><i>"Sarah White’s voice can be described as hypnotic at times, with breathy, soothing soliloquies, and deep, seductive stanzas. What’s impressive is her ability to effortlessly transform from singer to emcee, as in the introspective song, C Train. In this selection, she combines a spitfire flow, with dancehall style chatting and soulful melody, to create her own unique “scatois”. Each of Sarah’s songs is a perfectly balanced moment, reflecting the full spectrum of her vocal abilities and bringing a positive focus to the issues of growth, fulfillment, and love...." </i></span></span><span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><b><i>Devin "PAN" Barrett // TRACE Magazine</i></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br />About<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Don Cuco</span> </span><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><i>"</i></span><span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><i>I am a DJ, Musician and Producer. I love Music, Fashion and Art. I am a proud Father of a beautiful daughter. I believe Music heals, Fashion speaks and Art reflects. Fight the good fight and turn on your light ! PEACE Thank you God for blessing me with my life, my gifts and talents to share with the universe in the most positive way."</i></span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><b>PLEASE</b> send feedback, comments, or questions to <a href="mailto:bookingsarahwhite@gmail.com" target="_blank">bookingsarahwhite@gmail.com</a></span></div>

AURAL VISIONS presents::: n2# SARAH WHITE ::: C-TRAIN

My great pleasure to introduce No.2 of my AURAL VISIONS art & music collabo series featuring my design for SARAH WHITE -close friend, o...

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Lucid Musings

I have been writing a great many blog entries about our <a href="http://www.lucidopticlab.etsy.com/">July Summer SALE</a>, so i have decided to write upon other things that have been upon my mind recently.<br /><br /><br /><br />First off, check out this awesome "thrifty" find that i made yesterday:<br /><br /><img height="300" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/3750857851_ea6849cc8e.jpg" width="400" /><br /><br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cchelsea%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I tried to get a good picture of my new dress....i found it at the Goodwill bins( not the regular Goodwill stores but the Goodwill outlet where clothes are held in big bins and you have to hunt around to find things since nothing is really separated) for super cheap. I am wearing it under my corset here. you cant see it at all in these photos but the dress is actually all dark green lace with a built in black slip....<br /><br />i have my dreads up with a claw clip in the back. I'm thinking that maybe i would like to wear this outfit to the opening night of my solo show in September. (i know its a bit away, but i cant help but be excited over it all.)<br /><br />...i Love the GoodWill bins. They charge you for the clothes you pick out by the pounds. Danny and i got 5 jumbo bags of clothes( mainly shirts and dresses for tie-dying or screen printing) for $20 + i got this dress and a couple sun dresses as well...at GoodWill we also found some nice wood panels that i am planning on sanding down and prepping for painting onto. GoodWill is also a great place to find all sorts of interesting frames for super cheap. They also have a bizarre collection of paper back books and Danny found this old vintage one that has the strangest pen and ink illustrations in it. we figure we can use the book for decoupage projects or something along those lines. I love the idea that what we are doing when we go to the Goodwill bins- is recycling. If it were not for these goodwill stores a large portion of these perfectly good clothings/items would end up in landfills. Its such a waste.<br /><br /><br /><br />Anyhow.... I am having what one would call a "special" Friday. I totally missed my bus stop this morning on my way to work and ended up at the end of the bus line at <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Portland</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Community College</st1:placetype></st1:place>. Nice campus though.( It really is a shame that community college is so expensive up here! I would be taking a few art classes and perhaps a Fiction writing class as well.) I had been reading my current book as i do every morning on the bus. it was an intense part of the story and i was totally in another world/reality. ah well. I was only late to work by 15min.<br /><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I love taking the bus too and from work. It allows me some much needed reading time.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br />I have been reading a lot of interesting books as of late such as:<br /><br />Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins and also The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein. Both books are fascinating but disillusioning....writing truth about the Elite/elect and the IMF's role in the corporatist greed epidemic that is ruining this world and bringing much poverty, death and destruction to land and human rights in every continent.<br /><br />I also read a very interesting book called Women Sailors and Sailors' Women: An Untold Maritime History by David Cordingly. But really, what i have been reading the most happens to be Fiction, a lot of young adult fantasy and scifi novels, in fact. I cant get enough of them. I tend to plow through these books in a matter of days.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> And I have found that i am very very inspired to begin writing my own! I have a vague story and plot worked out in my head already: The story begins in Venice beach California/Santa Monica area(since I grew up there and I am familiar.) with a newly orphaned young lady, now living in on the streets- taken in by the "gutter punks" groups of homeless young people who live on the edge of society- often panhandling for money. This young lady has some very strange abilities that she discovered at a much younger age. - Needless to say she is not what she seems and is a mystery to her own self. Through a series of bizarre and unfortunate events she ends up tangled in an epic battle involving a holy war between two species of ancient creatures - the angels/faeries vs the alien/lizards who are dueling to win control over the world during the paradigm shift that has been prophesied to happen in her lifetime.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br />I recently checked out a how to book( something i have never done before since i usually like to work things out my own way)- the book is called How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy: How to spin a dream, a wish, or a speculation into a vivid, convincing tale of human possibilities. by Orson Scott Card. Its proving to say a lot of things i had already figured and considered, but it is comforting to have an experienced, well published writer explain their own way of going about creating a novel from a simple idea. At this point, what i need to begin doing is brain storming and working out all the details of my main character, what her special abilities are, what rules define the world she lives in, work out all the details of the ancient race of Angel/faeries and alien/lizard creatures- their origins, their abilities, their intent...and much more. once I have all these facets of the story worked out I feel I will then be able to begin working on my first draft. I know that inevitably my first draft will end up in the trash- but its just the first step in a long process. I feel like this story could be used for not just one book but perhaps for an entire series. we shall see. I’m thinking I should try my hand at writing some short stories again- just to get back into the flow of things. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">….In the meantime I am still working on getting a few more paintings finished before my September gallery show. This weekend I hope to make some good progress on my current painting in the works. Plus, Danny and I have a bunch of new clothes that we will be tie-dying and screen printing this weekend which means there should be all sorts of new stuff to be put for sale in our online shop.<br /><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">We will also be at the Last Thursday Art walk on <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alberta</st1:place></st1:state> st – July 30^th. So if you happen to be in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Portland</st1:city> <st1:state st="on">Oregon</st1:state></st1:place>, come find us. We will be at <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alberta</st1:place></st1:state> st and 20^th with a full booth of hand created goodies.<br /><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Much love and best wishes, always!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Chelsea Rose</p><br /><br />

Lucid Musings

I have been writing a great many blog entries about our July Summer SALE , so i have decided to write upon other things that have been upon ...

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Lucid News

Blog Give away WINNERS:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/3449537052/" title="Art SALE on card prints! by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="Art SALE on card prints!" height="367" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3332/3449537052_c008656f2d.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I am pleased to announce that the following people whom participated in my Blog Give away have had their names drawn and have won a 5"x7" print of one of my pen and ink illustrations:<br /><div style="text-align: left;">1. Sherry Byrum</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Paintnputter</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Sares<br /><br />Thanks so much for your support, i do so hope you enjoy your print!<br />----------------------------<br /><br />Our Summer July SALE is still going on!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidopticlab/3690981968/" title="SALE by Lucid Optic Lab, on Flickr"><img alt="SALE" height="103" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/3690981968_a00c365aa2_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> Visit our <a href="http://www.lucidopticlab.etsy.com/">online shop</a> to check out the SALE!<br /><br />Today's SALE highlights:<br /><br />Seeing that it is indeed summer and the Reggae shows are a plenty, check out our Lion of Judah Justice Flag shirts on SALE:<br /><br /><img src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.72208994.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_430xN.72208949.jpg" /><br />Original price:$20.00<br />SALE price: $15.00 on all screen-print and tie-dye shirts!!<br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20com=" listing_id="25487838"">Buy Here</a><br /><br />red/yellow/green Justice silkscreen print<br />on a woman's Large(L) black t-shirt<br />100% cotton<br />Bust: 37"<br /><br />How bout some Tie-dye with your screen print?<br /><img src="http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_430xN.65832485.jpg"><br />Original price: $20<br />SALE price: $10!!!!<br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12750946">Buy Here</a><br /><br />medium v cut long sleeve girls top 100% cotton<br />tie-dye: RASTA: red yellow green<br />silkscreen: Justice-black<br /><br />And somethin' for the Rasta fellahs:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/3425102033/" title="Justice Lion silkscreen print by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="Justice Lion silkscreen print" height="500" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3546/3425102033_0c43d9a125.jpg" width="348" /></a><br />Original price:$20.00<br />SALE price: $10.00!!<br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23436654">Buy Here</a><br /><br />justice silkscreen print<br />on 100% cotton crewneck t-shirt<br />there are 2 in stock, pick yours<br />1 beige small(S), 1 feathered gray medium(M)<br /><br />----That's it for todays SALE highlights. Visit our <a href="http://www.lucidopticlab.etsy.com/">Online shop</a> for more specially priced handmade creations.<br /><br /><br />Now onto some explaining as to why i have been missing in action for over a week!<br />I went to visit my Family in California for the first time since i moved up to Oregon with Danny.<br />It was my Mom Mom's 75th birthday, so i flew out there for a few days to surprise her.<br />We took the whole troop for a boat ride to Catalina Island where we had lunch in Avalon next to the water at one of my Mom Mom's favorite restaurants.<br />here is a picture of Mom mom and Pop pop seated at the head of the table during our family din din: <img height="300" src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs175.snc1/6569_1216721658022_1228268935_30623135_4449998_n.jpg" width="400" /><br />and here i am with my two Cousins Matt and Allie and my Aunt Kim whom i had not seen in many years: <img height="300" src="http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs195.snc1/6569_1216722338039_1228268935_30623139_2655940_n.jpg" width="400" /> It was a good reunion, with 16 friends and family seated for the special dinner.<br />I had not flown in a plane for so long, but i managed it fine. It was very nice to see the family again,it being about a year now since i left California. Its insane how much my two cousins have grown in such a short time. and i was reminded once again how much i hate the deathly LA desert sun. I came home so badly sunburned i was swelling. ouch.<br />I gave my Mom Mom one of the "Goddess in All of us" screen printed shirts, since she had ordered one from me only a few weeks before my trip to California. My arrival was a big surprise and she was thrilled to see me.<br />...While i was in Cali i stayed with my Aunt Char, Uncle Bob and cousin's Matt and Allie- just like old times when i was living in their home during my high school years. Being back in that house brought back many memories.<br />Here is a picture i recently came across of a 16 year old me in my lil room in La Palma, CA: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/3747189714/" title="bleach the brain bubbles by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="bleach the brain bubbles" height="638" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2504/3747189714_15a6f9ae2c_o.jpg" width="415" /></a><br />My old room has now been turned into an office/guest room- my crazy maroon walls are now painted in tones of calm gray. I am amazed at how they managed to scrub away all the teenage angst out of that room.<br />My family are all avid readers of my blog, which is so sweet. they are very supportive and enthusiastic of everything i do, even if they don't quite understand some of my strangeness. what more can one hope for? Thanks for all the encouragement dear family. I hope it wont be too long till we see each other again.<br /><br /><br /></div>

Lucid News

Blog Give away WINNERS: I am pleased to announce that the following people whom participated in my Blog Give away have had their names drawn...

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SOLAR LOVE ::: /////// stargazing

<div style="text-align: center;">the solar eclipse <b>of July 22, 2009</b> is the longest total <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse" title="Solar eclipse">solar eclipse</a> of the 21st century, lasting as much as 6 minutes and 39 seconds in some places.<br /><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/lichiban-maskedfuture.jpg" style="width: 558px; height: 419px;" /><br /><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/575822-Total_Solar_Eclipse-Africa.jpg" /><br /></div>

SOLAR LOVE ::: /////// stargazing

the solar eclipse of July 22, 2009 is the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, lasting as much as 6 minutes and 39 seconds in ...

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LOVE IS REAL ::: GAS'D collection :: 'Love on Mars' Tee coming AUGUST 1st

<div style="text-align: center;">Earlier this month, I posted a free mixtape called LOVE IS REAL (you can download it <a href="http://lichiban.blogspot.com/2009/07/free-download-afta-1-x-gasd-love-is.html">here</a>), a collabo between beatmaker <a href="http://www.myspace.com/afta1">AFTA-1</a> & <a href="http://gas-d.com/">GAS'D</a> a clothing line with a message very close to my heart. Founded by artist/designer Imani Waddy, GAS'D stands out amongst the countless number of streetwear lines not only with its sexy, minimalistic aesthetics but also with its conceptual foundation dedicated to spreading higher frequencies. I am in full support of the mission...yes yes, love <span style="font-weight: bold;">IS</span> the message...the tribe is gathering!<br />Check out their super dope <a href="http://gas-d.com/">website</a> to join the movement.<br /><br /><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/love-on-mars.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE MESSAGE</span></span> ::: "<a href="http://gas-d.com/">GAS’D</a> is a clothing line created to uplift the masses by relaying the message that “Love is Real”. We believe that there is a universal love in all of humanity, that is stronger than the ignorance and hate that seems to breed in areas of our world. We are ALL human … and humanity is what matters. Love for all humanity and each other can overcome so much in this life. GAS’D will forever embrace this ideal and use our art and our clothing to spread this message."<br /></div><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/gasdcollection.jpg" /><br /><br /><object height="300" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5117640&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5117640&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/5117640">LOVE IN 24fps #1</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/gasd">GAS'D</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p>check out more videos from Gas'd on <a href="http://vimeo.com/gasd">vimeo</a><br /></div>

LOVE IS REAL ::: GAS'D collection :: 'Love on Mars' Tee coming AUGUST 1st

Earlier this month, I posted a free mixtape called LOVE IS REAL (you can download it here ), a collabo between beatmaker AFTA-1 & GAS&#...

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ARTIST TO WATCH :: LITTLE DRAGON :: Fortune

<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Here is a new video from one of my favorite bands, messenger-from-the-galaxy-of-dreams, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/yourlittledragon">LITTLE DRAGON.</a> If you were lucky to get in on time last Saturday to see their rare US performances at SUMMER STAGE sharing the stage with Chester French and Q-Tip, then you know what's up. Keep your eyes out for their new album dropping on August 18.<br /></div><a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=45698050">Fortune</a><br /><object height="360" width="425"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="movie" value="http://mediaservices.myspace.com/services/media/embed.aspx/m=45698050,t=1,mt=video"><embed src="http://mediaservices.myspace.com/services/media/embed.aspx/m=45698050,t=1,mt=video" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="360" width="425"></embed></object><br /></div>

ARTIST TO WATCH :: LITTLE DRAGON :: Fortune

Here is a new video from one of my favorite bands, messenger-from-the-galaxy-of-dreams, LITTLE DRAGON. If you were lucky to get in on time...

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HEART-SEED-LIGHT: Interview with artist, Eva Bertok

<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/BertokEva-lichibaninterview.jpg" /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfz3houlG4pW4olFBcsoTyhpW2h-4PiqsUAvtmETPkYsDm3C5ymOoh_aXiT3EibjRDKE8rVAzTgdDIgf3Kiy8VP2-eTBAdZZcnLRMYN8HmSnYf6TesiYFxUxS90RwkSkC1ou-24W7LHSY/s1600-h/lichibaninterviewlogoblog.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328460695764330210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfz3houlG4pW4olFBcsoTyhpW2h-4PiqsUAvtmETPkYsDm3C5ymOoh_aXiT3EibjRDKE8rVAzTgdDIgf3Kiy8VP2-eTBAdZZcnLRMYN8HmSnYf6TesiYFxUxS90RwkSkC1ou-24W7LHSY/s400/lichibaninterviewlogoblog.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 131px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The beauty of having a place to share my inspirations -the works of fellow artists & thinkers -is that I can connect seemingly distinct worlds and work towards building a global movement of like-minded </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">visionaries from across the globe. It is a time of change and awakening, and the more we bring that to the light, the more we help to elevate & reinforce the vibration that can bring on positive change. In that spirit,</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> I would like to introduce my fellow soul-traveler, inspiration and closest friend from Hungary, <a href="http://evabertok.blogspot.com/">Éva Bertók</a>. A born-artist </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">who could connect effortlessly with people of all ages and backgrounds</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">, Éva has always been for me a model of how to stay free and forever young in spirit and how to do art for the love of creating while staying true to your principles. I've always loved her radiant, genuinely loving and nurturing spirit, and knowing what tough life challenges she had to work through to get to that space of positivity, makes it ever more so real. Éva was born and grew up in Hungary, but </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">like myself </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">has been a world-traveling nomad who could find her spiritual home amongst the artist communities of Mexico, Barcelona or Budapest with equal ease. Her story of self-discovery as an artist has been a great inspiration for me, and it is my great pleasure to share her world with those who come to read my blog.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lichiban: I know that you had a decisive moment in your life when you realized that doing art is your true calling. You jumped into the deep and decided to work with clay. What triggered this move?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Eva Bertok:</span> Yes, I can clearly remember, I simply jumped blindfolded into the unknown, but I didn’t have a choice, since the unexpressed creative energies started to cause physical symptoms. I had to find the deeper layers of my creativity, so I started working with clay three times, again and again, after I tried out wood and metal as well. I think that what has to be expressed is going to be expressed in one way or an other. The moment of enlightenment is when you realize that you have to step on the PATH that leads to your destiny. For me this message came while I was in a state of uncertainty and feeling stuck.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/BertokEva-Lichiban_8.jpg" /><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />L: What drew you to clay as your medium? What does clay represent to you?</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcJT2F357FCaW08P-CHBMTznBjZnLQkzgxfTIRnEfsC8qBAasHPwMXafgEjAN0MB_5sK49kRNB80Nc0gDLd-ClwYRXy8_D5_rsBn6Wk8fey8qkuvlQB8dW6CwNVdbt2qyxgI0-P3Zo08/s1600-h/BertokEva-Lichibaninterview_3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360307537730935442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcJT2F357FCaW08P-CHBMTznBjZnLQkzgxfTIRnEfsC8qBAasHPwMXafgEjAN0MB_5sK49kRNB80Nc0gDLd-ClwYRXy8_D5_rsBn6Wk8fey8qkuvlQB8dW6CwNVdbt2qyxgI0-P3Zo08/s400/BertokEva-Lichibaninterview_3.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 333px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">EB:</span> I’ve always liked clay, although I stopped working with it twice in Budapest. The European ceramic-culture didn’t satisfy me, the available techniques bored me to hell. It was in Barcelona – where I lived for a couple of years – where I got introduced to pre-Columbian cultures, and their love for small statues and figure-shaped pots which are filled with a magical quality, beauty and ‘SERVICE’, struck me right away. Their symbolism tell you plenty of things and take you to endless journeys, with which I can’t get bored of. After a while I felt like I became a figure-shaped pot as well…<br /><br />I started to learn the Indian techniques in Spain, and continued to do so in Mexico. Its good to touch the clay, to smell it, fiddle with it, shape it, to manifest the imagination in 3-D. To work with the 4 elements /earth, fire, air, water/ is a truly complex thing to do. It’s fascinating to see how it always tells us if we are not listening enough!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">L: You and I often talk about the therapeutic effect of art. Could you tell me about your approach to art therapy?</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVewSrBdO_pazIryFzj_Dk3_nGqFnsxy23Ntr-tJZ7Top7F4L9p6kOroEUsSI6FJswuPqMLISuaTcZE5DM04rXF-waO-FqsjAvPOBq_TT7K3W95VAOKxrn_6vQbo9FfPeYCnPitO-1io/s1600-h/IMG_2246.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360309973280911362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVewSrBdO_pazIryFzj_Dk3_nGqFnsxy23Ntr-tJZ7Top7F4L9p6kOroEUsSI6FJswuPqMLISuaTcZE5DM04rXF-waO-FqsjAvPOBq_TT7K3W95VAOKxrn_6vQbo9FfPeYCnPitO-1io/s400/IMG_2246.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">EB:</span> In 1994, when after six years my family moved back from Spain to Hungary, I opened my school of ceramics, which in a-now-fashionable way can be called <span style="font-style: italic;">art-therap</span>y, however I’ve always called it simply ‘fonó’ (Hungarian word for a traditional female circle, where the women in the community gather together to work on some craft while sharing stories and passing down traditional lore). Here, even today, while working everyone gets to a relaxed and chilled out space where they can open up to talk about their problems and issues, which we all try to solve. It is combining healing with creating.<br /><br />On the other hand, if we work alone in silence, we get into a meditative state which helps a lot in solving our problems by letting us see them from a relaxed point of view. We release blocks and obstacles inside and out. The finished work shows us that we are able to manifest what we want, and that can give us a huge deal of confidence. I should stress however that it’s not the finished pieces what really matters, but the path that leads there and the meditative state that calms us down or gives us the creative flow.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/BertokEva-Lichiban_7.jpg" /><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;">L: The heart is an ever-present symbolism in your work. What does it represent to you?</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8V88rLAl4oNzAvkuUiescwGucRVVcPwQhl5EXRCLXbYkxIHGJfd4KQ6Cz0la6-dBb2mIg964kSkExMxukyQa4E0DIhdLYGGIRVwj6sPILu6Nm0gIna-T6OEBU30ZQU3Qz2oicztzjcyo/s1600-h/IMG_3244.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360308780099760386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8V88rLAl4oNzAvkuUiescwGucRVVcPwQhl5EXRCLXbYkxIHGJfd4KQ6Cz0la6-dBb2mIg964kSkExMxukyQa4E0DIhdLYGGIRVwj6sPILu6Nm0gIna-T6OEBU30ZQU3Qz2oicztzjcyo/s400/IMG_3244.JPG" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 324px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">EB:</span> For me the heart means Life. It symbolizes The Male and the Female principle, the ‘self-core’ or ‘self-seed’ (‘seed’ and ‘core’ are both signified by the same Hungarian word ‘<span style="font-style: italic;">mag</span>’, which is also the root of the word ‘self’), unity, love, sexuality, the place from where new LIFE arises again and again. It can be put into many forms, that is what my ‘Szivugyek’ (‘Matters of the Heart’) series was all about.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">L: Your sculptures have an elemental, sensual feel to them. I always see the recurrent theme of combining abstract with organic forms and a constant play on female and male sexual symbolic imagery. Could you tell me a little more about this symbolism?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">EB:</span> The pre-Columbian cultures were the first that made me aware of this duality...the symbolism of the Sun- Moon, Male-Female, Sky- Earth etc. This harmony of opposites that I would like to express. The sexual symbolism always played an important role in my life. Life-energy in harmony, I guess this is what I would like to express with my work.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTo8XHs0ab6rYnXbvBz9tJgqsStEhVovwOTBh2Rvri4ah3EI7Nq9_JV1_KndKgYKm9FAxL9B72aFNbH2RWBSWZ-g20WLqIsmD-gSklARc1OzjyMU6N0xRQ45gsAp31hlc_QnHIdvAGvJE/s1600-h/BE-3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360309118485533826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTo8XHs0ab6rYnXbvBz9tJgqsStEhVovwOTBh2Rvri4ah3EI7Nq9_JV1_KndKgYKm9FAxL9B72aFNbH2RWBSWZ-g20WLqIsmD-gSklARc1OzjyMU6N0xRQ45gsAp31hlc_QnHIdvAGvJE/s400/BE-3.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 346px;" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">L: Many of your work serve as light sculptures. Why do you like to work with light effects?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">EB:</span> I’ve been playing with light for a long time now, it makes clay (=matter) more ethereal, and it always creates a different pattern, which only becomes visible when the piece is finished. You get a very special atmosphere thanks to the light-dots in the space. I wanted to make a Sun-lamp, and to my biggest surprise sunrays appeared in front of me on the wall. That’s when I started to create light-structures in different forms more consciously. I think about them as tools of meditation, which project light spots and lines according to the vibrations of the mind, depending on how the hand moves while creating it. Its always different, can’t get bored of it…<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQysInn9FANIunXjjkp3zWaj5hk0tFx9SVkbNnhMKze4lCPJxJxeAYfsKGgHztELMQD30TsnAHyxzrPlt5wCCC0KPF5KvoKUB-0ljg52BmmB9kwXWi0TamTNQBqkT6f4pKDMW2qlHoq0/s1600-h/IMG_3114.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360315930029906178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQysInn9FANIunXjjkp3zWaj5hk0tFx9SVkbNnhMKze4lCPJxJxeAYfsKGgHztELMQD30TsnAHyxzrPlt5wCCC0KPF5KvoKUB-0ljg52BmmB9kwXWi0TamTNQBqkT6f4pKDMW2qlHoq0/s400/IMG_3114.JPG" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 341px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">L: What was the most important experience you learned in your artist carrier so far?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">EB:</span> Probably the most important is that we have to listen to our inner voices, and don’t let ourselves being manipulated by the conditions when working. Oh yes there is a very good advise I received from a friend of mine, when I lacked inspiration and my creativity was stuck: it is the idea of the ‘routine-fuck’, which means that if we are having a writers' block, we should revisit one of our previous projects, and while working on it allow new inspiration to come which might give birth to a new period, a new cycle. This has been given to me at the end of a really long and hard time-period when I felt completely empty. It changed my life and gave birth to a new style. It helped a lot since then, I recommend it to anyone.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">L:. Does 2012 have any significance to you? If yes, what?</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFnCWMP5EE-tyy-RxROr0bN2ne0b9ycb4o6aXKzFRc5N_OQ9PZBVRguSI7ijbgXgElDl9EOqty6h3zCc9NPuFDca0NZJtEMFPMDQLmvHqNRl1JcrHM06m1vRzEZn4C7yg5-viwhOTHVY/s1600-h/BertokEvas-Lichiban_4.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360306953162590754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFnCWMP5EE-tyy-RxROr0bN2ne0b9ycb4o6aXKzFRc5N_OQ9PZBVRguSI7ijbgXgElDl9EOqty6h3zCc9NPuFDca0NZJtEMFPMDQLmvHqNRl1JcrHM06m1vRzEZn4C7yg5-viwhOTHVY/s400/BertokEvas-Lichiban_4.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 330px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">EB:</span> It was in 2000 when I first heard of 2012, on my first trip to Mexico. There are quite a few theories about what is going to happen with today's civilization, but no one can really know completely. On my first trip to Mexico, Palenque, the ruins of a Maya city, was the last stop of my pilgrimage, or to be precise, the tomb of Pakal. It’s quite a long story and I don’t want get into it, I only mentioned it to show that I have a long-time interest and affinity for Mayan culture. They close their calendar with 2012, in which they write about not only our culture, but the previous ones as well, however a missing link hasn’t been found yet, which would tell what they think is going to happen in 2012. Astrology also underlines the things that are bound to come suggesting that the systems as they are known today will change. Only the higher vibration of love-energy will allow access to embrace the dimensional change. Let’s watch ourselves.<br /><br />Jung’s idea of the “shadow” comes to my mind. Briefly: If we have the courage to recognize the flaws in ourselves, and we don’t try to project them onto someone else, then we have done something in order to make a better world and raise positivity. “The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.” (read more on Jung’s idea of the “shadow” <a href="http://psikoloji.fisek.com.tr/jung/shadow.htm">here</a>)<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/BertokEva-Lichibaninterview_2.jpg" /><br /></div>

HEART-SEED-LIGHT: Interview with artist, Eva Bertok

The beauty of having a place to share my inspirations -the works of fellow artists & thinkers -is that I can connect seemingly distinct ...

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SATURN NEVER SLEEPS : Sun Ra Tribute 7/22 Philadelphia & 7/28 NYC

<div style="text-align: center;">My girl, <a href="http://lichiban.blogspot.com/2008/09/electro-07-sexiest-wearable-midi.html">Rucyl</a> & her partner-in-crime King Britt are putting together a tribute project to legendary jazz musician/composer, intergalactic visionary SUN RA, entitled <a href="http://saturnneversleeps.com/">SATURN NEVER SLEEPS</a>. Knowing what these two are capable of, I can't wait to see this multimedia project manifest. follow them @ <a href="http://twitter.com/satnevsleeps" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">twitter.com/satnevsleeps</a><object height="300" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5578970&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5578970&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/5578970">Sun Ra:Lectric PreVue</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2026359">Saturn Never Sleeps</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />Teaser for <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturn Never Sleeps</span></span> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">performances "Sun Ra:Lectric</span></span>" July 22nd at ICA in Philadelphia and July 28th at World Financial Center in NYC.<br />Visuals by Jason Senk and micro-edits by King Britt for <a href="http://saturnneversleeps.com/2009/06/01/saturn-never-sleeps-sun-ra-tribute/">Saturn Never Sleeps</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://kingbritt.com/"> King Britt</a> and <a href="http://www.rucylmills.com/">Rucyl</a> present 2 nights of sonic night of sonic and visual funk taking micro-edits of Sun-Ra source music and combining with live experimentation and video collage.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(King Britt- Electronics /// Rucyl Mills- Vocals and sampling /// Tim Motzer- Guitartronics /// Damon Bennet- Keyboards and Flute /// Jason Senk- Visuals)</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Wed July 22</span> @ 7pm<br />Institute of Contemporary Art | University of Pennsylvania (118 S. 36th St. Philadelphia, PA 19104-3289)<a href="http://icaphila.org/events" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> icaphila.org/events</a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Tues July 28</span> @ 9–10:30pm<br /><a href="http://artsworldfinancialcenter.com/"> World Financial Center</a> Winter Garden NYC<a href="http://artsworldfinancialcenter.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> </a><a href="http://twitter.com/satnevsleeps" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"></a><br /></div></div>

SATURN NEVER SLEEPS : Sun Ra Tribute 7/22 Philadelphia & 7/28 NYC

My girl, Rucyl & her partner-in-crime King Britt are putting together a tribute project to legendary jazz musician/composer, intergalac...

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ATOMIUM EXPRESS :: Os Crunc Tesla Fearless Vampirekiller Arc. :: 3RD WORLD

<div style="text-align: center;">spacetimetravelingmindunravelingsound. check for more on <a href="http://www.crunctesla.com/" target="_blank" title="http://www.crunctesla.com" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr">http://www.crunctesla.com</a><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9vgoTc04nQQ&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9vgoTc04nQQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span>The video is from the 2008 debut album of the #1 US Grime group Os Crunc Tesla Fearless Vampirekiller Arc. Filmed in the " First World" country of Belgium and the " Third World " country of Brazil, Crunc shows us the vast difference between Sao Paulo and Bruxelles. He travels through a Time-Space machine called the Atomium to view and interact with these cultures. </span><span>Vocals and Production by Raedawn.</span><span> //// Directed by Warhologram.</span><br /></div></div>

ATOMIUM EXPRESS :: Os Crunc Tesla Fearless Vampirekiller Arc. :: 3RD WORLD

spacetimetravelingmindunravelingsound. check for more on http://www.crunctesla.com The video is from the 2008 debut album of the #1 US Grime...

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ON MY RADAR :: CUBIC ZIRCONIA :: real diamonds are made of these

<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.myspace.com/tiombelockhart">Tiombe Lockhart</a> is back! I love this woman and am very happy to see her back in the game fiercer than ever (I believe she is a fellow feline)! She has gained notoriety as the sexy lead singer on the first Platinum Pied Piper album, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/TRIPLE-P-PLATINUM-PIED-PIPERS/dp/B00081R7N4">Triple P</a> (check <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDElT6IfIiY">this FADER interview w/her and Waajeed</a> from 2007), and she has been making big waves with her new band <a href="http://www.myspace.com/cubiczirconiamusic">CUBIC ZIRCONIA</a>.<br /><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/Image-5002623-74298350-2-WebSmall_0.jpg" /><br />If you missed the CUBIC ZIRCONIA release party at Santos, here is a lil taste of the madness. The band -Nick Hook, Todd Weinstock, Daud Sturdivant- was insane as well...these guys put on one of the hottest shows I've seen in a loooong time. Don't miss them live, you won't be dissappointed.<br /><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/Image-5002623-73810251-2-WebSmal-1.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">[photos courtesy of <a href="http://albums.phanfare.com/isolated/PkhUgNXR/1/4156674_4526441#imageID=73810248">Deneka Alams</a>]</span><br /><object height="300" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5584694&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5584694&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/5584694">CUBIC ZIRCONIA-Tiombe Lockhart at SANTOS NYC</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/lichiban">Lichiban EV [Electric Vision]</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />Oh and last but not least, here is the <a href="http://lichiban.blogspot.com/2009/02/free-music-cubic-zirconia-mixtape-vol-1.html">link to their dope mixtape</a> I posted a few months ago.<br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Stay tuned for an interview with Tiombe coming up!</span><br /></div>

ON MY RADAR :: CUBIC ZIRCONIA :: real diamonds are made of these

Tiombe Lockhart is back! I love this woman and am very happy to see her back in the game fiercer than ever (I believe she is a fellow felin...

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Blog Give away ends Friday! Summer SALE highlights"Behold"

My 1st. Blog Give away ends this Friday!<br />You still have a chance to enter in to win one of these three 5"x7" art prints made from my original pen and ink illustrations:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/3711154999/" title="Blog GIVE AWAY! by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="Blog GIVE AWAY!" height="415" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2603/3711154999_d3694a6864.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Megan at Studio <a href="http://studiomme.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-post.html">M.M.E. Stutterings</a> is kindly hosting the give away on her <a href="http://studiomme.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-post.html">blog</a>. Please feel free to stop on by and enter in to win!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidopticlab/3690981968/" title="SALE by Lucid Optic Lab, on Flickr"><img alt="SALE" height="103" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/3690981968_a00c365aa2_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br /><br />It is day 14 of our July Summer SALE!<br /><br />...and so we have plenty of new items listed for special prices including original art, prints, silk screened apparel and more tie-dye!<br /><br />Danny and I will be listing more and more SALE items to our <a href="http://www.lucidopticlab.etsy.com/">online shop</a> each day, so keep your eyes on our little e-store for some super yummy deals!<br /><br />Today's Summer SALE highlight:<br />I wanted to highlight one of my first ever screen print designs: "Behold"<br /><img src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.65329738.jpg" /><br />I have quite a selection at the moment of pre-screen printed "Behold" woman's shirts of various sizes and color. The following are just a few of the "Behold" shirts listed in my online shop under the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5960645&section_id=5977890"> Silkscreen apparel section</a>. I am still screen printing "Behold", so feel free to submit a custom order for a specific size, print color and t-shirt cut via email at chelsea@lucidopticlab.com<br /><br /><br />Behold- screen printed Tube top!!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/3425838878/" title="Behold screen print tube top by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="Behold screen print tube top" height="304" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3402/3425838878_94cdd4bbc2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Summer SALE!!<br />Original price:$20.00<br />SALE price: $15.00!!<br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23447944">Buy Here</a><br />"Behold" screen-print: in raspberry and purple metallic speedball fabric paint on green striped tube top stretch fit<br />Bust, waist and hips: 32"<br />Original silkscreen art by Chelsea Rose<br />This was hand silk-screened/printed by Chelsea Rose: made perfectly imperfect and one of a kind. Dont miss buyin this on special price!<br /><br />More "Behold" screen printed shirts on SALE:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/3443668130/" title="Behold silkscreen print on women's brick red shirt by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="Behold silkscreen print on women's brick red shirt" height="402" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3443668130_02d1d79aab.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Summer SALE!<br />original price: $22<br />SALE price: $15!!<br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23694110">Buy Here</a><br />"Behold"<br />screen print<br />Original artwork by Chelsea Rose<br />on a brick-red woman's Medium(M) shirt<br />Bust: 34"<br />Waist: 32"<br />Hips: 36"<br /><br />Behold in silver on brown:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/3432563055/" title="SALE Behold silkscreen print in silver on brown women's tee by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="SALE Behold silkscreen print in silver on brown women's tee" height="420" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3560/3432563055_8810968404.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Summer SALE!!<br />"Behold"<br />Original price: $30.00<br />SALE price:$15.00<br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23566604">Buy Here</a><br />screen print<br />Original artwork by Chelsea Rose<br />on a brown woman's Medium(M) shirt<br />Bust: 38"<br />Waist: 34"<br />Hips: 36"<br /><br />"Behold" silver print on pale green shirt:<br /><img src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.66761943.jpg" /><br />Summer SALE!!<br />Original price:$22.00<br />SALE price: $15.00!!<br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23867578"> Buy Here</a><br />"Behold"<br />screen print<br />Original artwork by Chelsea Rose<br />on a pale green woman's Extra Large(XL)shirt<br />Bust: 46"<br />Waist: 42"<br />Hips: 44"<br /><br />So, that's it for now! But have no fear if you did not see your size/or favorite color shirt in any of our listing because we are still printing "behold", so that means you can submit your own custom screen print shirt order to me via chelsea@lucidopticlab.com<br /><br />So.....onto other news:<br /><br /><img alt="" src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/chelsea/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidrose/3704071377/" title="Lucid Optic Lab in the woods by lucidRose, on Flickr"><img alt="Lucid Optic Lab in the woods" height="604" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2452/3704071377_1bed3d708f_o.jpg" width="453" /></a><br />Danny and i are doing well. We are striving to make the best of this summer. Its now been one year since we moved up to Portland Oregon. I will be 22 on August the 15th....and im still so excited to see how my first solo gallery show turns out come September 1st. In the meanwhile i am trying to pump out a few new pieces for the show!<br />Soon there should be pictures of the current painting that i am working on so stay tuned for more news and more Summer SALE highlights.<br /><br />Peace and Love!<br />-Chelsea Rose

Blog Give away ends Friday! Summer SALE highlights"Behold"

My 1st. Blog Give away ends this Friday! You still have a chance to enter in to win one of these three 5"x7" art prints made from...

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BILAL & JESSE BOYKINS III at the VONY Benefit Show

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9ElDnH8jR0HnyfuJbibZBL-tcy-7eG8wSd9RL_LpLBnzWlOshDWoOc2zDArBTj5gDX07JATac0IncmZVca2G0gx9uOdlSQFbPZif_AnxVyUC8U94jfKcGvTp_uVWj4Lk6VK17rrC2LQ/s1600-h/VONYlichibanflyer4online450.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358092605745786466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9ElDnH8jR0HnyfuJbibZBL-tcy-7eG8wSd9RL_LpLBnzWlOshDWoOc2zDArBTj5gDX07JATac0IncmZVca2G0gx9uOdlSQFbPZif_AnxVyUC8U94jfKcGvTp_uVWj4Lk6VK17rrC2LQ/s400/VONYlichibanflyer4online450.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 327px;" /></a>Here are some of the audio-visuals from the fundraiser concert for <a href="http://vonyspeaks.blogspot.com/">VONY</a>, the organization I am helping to build as their teaching artist from three weeks ago. The conference was a great success, we had lots of real talk between activists, youth mentors, artists, art therapists about ways of improving children's confidence in their creative skills and about new ways of nurturing talent in kids. I had a chance to display my superhero feline samurais as the artist-in-residence of VONY (shout out to <a href="http://lichiban.blogspot.com/2009/07/photo-song-of-day-let-it-machinedrum.html">Melo-X and Claude "Visionary" Dary for repping them</a>).<br /><br />The show following the conference was OFF THE HOOK...Honey Larochelle, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jesseboykinsiii">Jesse Boykins III</a>, <a href="http://eightyocho.com/">88-Keys</a> and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/bilaloliver">BILAL</a> were all amazing. I am a visual artist, but music, especially live music takes me to a higher level of inspiration... I am never afraid to tell my colleagues how much their work moves me. Jesse and Bilal (who actually was a mentor of and gave voice lessons to Jesse a few years ago) are two of the most powerful singers working today in my view--- I recommend everyone checking them out at their live performances. Check <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.jbiiimusic.com/2009/07/92y-vony-benefit-concert-jb3-bilal-88.html">Jesse's blog</a> for some pics from the show. I didn't get a chance to record 88-Keys performance due to memory shortage, but all I can say is that man was on fire!<br /><br /><br />And let's not forget the band THE CYPHER was CRAZY! My friend <a href="http://www.myspace.com/darubeats">Daru</a> (ex-Slum Village, one of the illest drummers in the city) on drums, Igmar Thomas on trumpet, Louis Cato on bass, Yukion keys, James Casey on sax, they were really vibing with Bilal, and had everyone moving by the end of the show <div style="text-align: center;"><br /><object height="300" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5583395&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5583395&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/5583395">JESSE BOYKINS III at VONY Benefit Show, NYC</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/lichiban">Lichiban EV [Electric Vision]</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />Check out Daru's RUSIC TV episodes of the event. For more on DARU, visit <a href="http://darujones.blogspot.com/">his blog here.</a><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WmKmsKmdawA&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WmKmsKmdawA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Yxs4QdOuzac&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Yxs4QdOuzac&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /></div>

BILAL & JESSE BOYKINS III at the VONY Benefit Show

Here are some of the audio-visuals from the fundraiser concert for VONY , the organization I am helping to build as their teaching artist fr...

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Photoshoot with AMIR EBRAHIMI & invite to his show opening loft party Sat July 11

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/Lichiban_MagicFace500.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/Lichiban_MagicFace500.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 414px;" /></a>Back in the winter, my good friend and one of my favorite photographers, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amirnyc.com/">AMIR EBRAHIMI </a>and I had a chance to work together on a photoshoot for a CLAM Magazine feature. I've been a fan of his work for a while and gave him some light <a href="http://lichiban.blogspot.com/2008/06/my-homies-rule-too-amir-ebrahimi.html">here before</a>. He captured some of my favorite photos of many BK artists, such the likes of Raye 6, Sarah White, Taylor McFerrin, DJ Cuco, Jah Dan, Livingroom Johnston, Concep, The Roots, and many more...he's just got that special skill to capture people in their element/presence. I highly recommend him.<br /><br />Here are some of the images from the shoot (the series has its own storyline). I waited to share them together until CLAM came out, and it's just happens that Amir's doing his debut solo show opening this <span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday at the LOFT</span> (13 Lexington Ave, Brooklyn NY), so it's perfect timing. On top of the photography exhibit and tee-shirt line launch we have <a href="http://www.myspace.com/taylormcferrinmusic"><span style="font-weight: bold;">TAYLOR MCFERRIN</span></a> and <a href="http://lichiban.blogspot.com/2008/09/artist-to-watch-raye-6-wondrous.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">RAYE 6</span></a> performing so you can be assured that it's going to be a sexy vibe and the photos are guaranteed to be amazing (including some stunning nudes of Raye). If you haven't seen either of these two perform, now it's the time to get an intro! Check for details on the flyer below.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/lichibanlotusheartemirebrahimi500.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/Lichiban-AmirEbrahimi4.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 333px;" /><br /><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/LICHIBANamirebrahimimask-1.jpg" style="width: 498px; height: 331px;" /><br /><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/lichiban500.jpg" style="width: 449px; height: 672px;" /><br />Here is the man<br /><object height="300" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5462614&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=1&color=911c22&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5462614&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=1&color=911c22&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/5462614">Amir Ebrahimi, Photographer :: 120 Seconds</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/fwl">friendswelove.com</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />COME THROUGH TOMORROW-this is Brooklyn underground in the making<br /><img alt="amir ebrahimi,amirnyc.com,jahdan,raye6,taylor+mcferrin,live music,brooklyn,nyc,show,exhibit,art,painting,fun,photos,metric nine productions,metricnnine.com,anyc.com,the loft,13 lexington,new show,friends we love" border="0" src="http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u50/metricnine/web_flyer_LC_pre-1.jpg" /><br /></div>

Photoshoot with AMIR EBRAHIMI & invite to his show opening loft party Sat July 11

Back in the winter, my good friend and one of my favorite photographers, AMIR EBRAHIMI and I had a chance to work together on a photoshoot f...

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THANK YOU :: CLAM :: n:19 :::

<div style="text-align: center;">Much love to my favorite magazine for giving me another opportunity to get some shine. The new issue is based on the theme THE WORLD AROUND YOU.<br /><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/clam_lichiban_1.jpg" /><br />As my friend Andy, the visionary founder behind CLAM once told me, "CLAM is not about the money it's about people and their creativity". These days, when magazines are folding and print media is starting to become a collectible commodity it's especially great to see a magazine thrive while being true to that principle.<br /><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/Lichiban_justlegsbannercurved500.jpg" /><br />CLAM has only a very limited amount of adds, most of the space is taken up by features of artists/creative folks from around the world...and I mean truly around the world (not just the usual players, but less represented countries from Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe as well). Each issue has a theme, and everybody responds to the same set of questions. You read it and leave feeling inspired by people's vision and passion.<br /><br /><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/clam_lichiban_3L.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q202/licsi777/clam_lichiban_2.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-size: 180%;">CHECK HERE FOR <a href="http://lichiban.blogspot.com/2009/06/new-clam-is-out.html">distribution in the US</a></span>. [I heard that the big magazine store on Prince & Lafayette carries it in NYC]</div>

THANK YOU :: CLAM :: n:19 :::

Much love to my favorite magazine for giving me another opportunity to get some shine. The new issue is based on the theme THE WORLD AROUND ...

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