Bliss Like This

As time flies by - seriously, how the heck is it already December?! - I'm taking a moment to stop and review the past twelve months. It has been one of the best and busiest years of my life and as a result i wasn't online, researching or blogging as much. I was however busy throwing myself headfirst into new experiences, meeting new people and gaining new perspectives. The photo above is me wandering barefoot on a beach in one of my favourite places and was taken by one of my favourite people.

Some of the highlights from this year include:

• Gaining some new friends
• Seeing old friends move away, take risks and explore new opportunities.
• Disengaging from negative or toxic individuals.
• Traveling to Ireland for the first time in 3.5 years
• My mum having a successful recovery after major surgery
• Getting engaged to PMV, my loving, respectful and hilarious partner in consciousness/mischief :)
• Getting my Canadian Permanent Residency
• Traveling to new places
• Taking up Bikram Yoga and practicing regularly throughout the week.
• Becoming more self aware and health conscious.
• A new apartment a stones throw from the sea
• Became the delighted owner of some beautiful artwork by Famous Empty Sky and Alice X.Zhang
• Landing a new, bigger and better job that's a ten minute walk from my home with a boss who actually treats me with respect.
• Learning that as i left my 20's behind that I still have the capacity to surprise and challenge myself. That doing so may not always be easy but the results have been more beneficial than i could ever have imagined.

2012 was a year where i made an active effort again to dispel 'that which does not serve me', whether it was negative/toxic individuals or situations; and realised that i have the power and capacity to direct and shape my life. It's a strangely enlightening experience to sit down and work out what in your life (people, habits, situations etc) is beneficial and what makes you feel sad, angry, inferior, manipulated etc.

You may not always choose your circumstances but you can choose how you react to them. I strongly believe that if something is contributing to your stress/upset/unhappiness, you have the power to change it. Do it. Trust me, it may not be easy and it may take time but the results can be astounding.

I'm so grateful to those who are present in my life (be it near or far away) and have found that taking stock of the things I'm thankful for has actually allowed me to focus on the positive which in turn appears to have invited more of the same into my life.

Thank you for reading and stopping by even though i haven't posted much this year.

With love and light,

Green of Eye

Oh Canada!

It's been a bit quiet around these parts for the past few months as I've been busy off line with a variety of projects.  I'm starting to catch up on blog related activity and wanted to start this off with some good news.

Long term readers may remember previous mentions of my efforts to stay in Canada. 

It's taken a long time, stacks of paperwork coupled with lots of tenacity and patience: 

Green of Eye is now a permanent resident.

My heart will always be with my homeland Ireland but my home is now Canada.

Thanks to those of you who sent words of support, advice and humour through the process :)

Normal transmission resuming in 10...9...8...7...

Wake Up!

'I, Pet Goat 2' is possibly one of the most visually densely packed videos I've seen in a while (on par with Logorama) containing symbolism relating to media, new world order, politics, business, spirituality etc that I'm only beginning to scrape the surface on. 


Bringing together dancers, musicians, visual artists and 3d animators, the film takes a critical look at the events of the past decade that have shaped our world. It is Heliofant's first short film and was totally self-financed with no outside help, either governmental or corporate.

Heliofant is a nascent independent computer animation studio focused on creating experimental and challenging content and is based just north of Montreal, Canada. Bringing together artists from the fields of dance, music, computer animation and visual arts, the company is interested in exploring the common ground that underlies many spiritual and philosophical traditions in a lyrical form.

http://www.heliofant.com/index.html

Press On

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”

Calvin Coolidge

Image: Unknown

Ten Days #5

 

Setting up camp in the middle of nowhere at 2am in total darkness made for a tired and grumpy Green of Eye. It was worth it, as i discovered upon waking the next morning to blue skies and epic views like the one above.

For many years I swore blind that I'd never entertain the idea of marriage.

 PMV strolled into my life with his boundless compassion, kindness, intelligence, generosity, humour, positivity, creativity and love. Needless to say I've since reevaluated my opinion on the subject and I'm incredibly grateful to have this amazing gent in my life. 

 

A much needed weekend away with good food, 12 year old Jameson, a roaring fire, hot tub and falling asleep to the noise of the Pacific crashing against the cliffs beneath our cottage

You know how every day should start? 

Naked hot tubbing, peach juice, huge breakfast. Not necessarily in that order.

A tattered crackle manicure clutching a seemingly Roman Dirge inspired icecream

Only in Canada: flipflops on snow in May!

Some of the coolest gates i've ever seen which were made by Foggy Mountain Forge.

The pillars of the gates were flanked by dragons and the pièce de résistance? An enormous spider centrepiece.

New shoes inspired by listening to lots of Kate Bush

"It's the red shoes, they can't stop dancing, dancing
And this curve, is your smile
And this cross, is your heart
And this line, is your path"

Temerity

"...Well, Its A Dirty Job But Someone's Gotta Do It

And It's A Dirty Song But Someone's Gotta Sing It"

All I Want For Christmas...

Ah Craigslist, a source of all things weird, wonderful and at times, illegal. If you have the room to accommodate a half ton wine rack, a spare $7,000 and the ability to transport it from its Phoenix, AZ location you can't go wrong with this masterpiece. Used transmission parts from auto mobiles and motorcycles were welded together to create a 6 foot high robot/transformer style sculpture which doubles as a wine rack.

The parts were dipped into a solution to neutralize and remove any oil, grime, or corrosive chemicals. The piece was painted gun metal grey and clear coated. It has blue LED lights that have been wired into the body along the leg, torso and the top of the shoulder. 

       

This would make a great addition to my living room...whilst scaring the snot out of any animals/children that venture past my front door! 

Posting can be found here  (keep in mind it's CL and therefore posting may be expired/deleted)

Oxidation

Me Wearing a Wig & Lipstick 

"I think the best pictures are often on the edges of any situation, I don't find photographing the situation nearly as interesting as photographing the edges. "

William Albert Allard, The Photographic Essay

Globe Factory 3

Kim Hoxworth is a Michigan based photographer who uses mainly low-tech equipment such as homemade and vintage cameras. Kim's interest and exploration in photography began when she was given a used 35mm SLR as a Christmas present by her parents when she was sixteen.

Margaret

Her sepia and black/white toned work has a richness and sheds a different light on everyday settings and objects. She states "I experiment with a variety of alternative processing and/or printing techniques. I get an incredible amount of satisfaction from producing an image with my own two hands, never sure what the final result is going to be. There is something very liberating for me in allowing the medium to direct the final outcome."

The Two of You

Foundation 3

To see more of Kim's work: http://kahoxworth.daportfolio.com/

Yes

"Perfect love is rare indeed - for to be a lover will require that you continually have the subtlety of the very wise, the flexibility of the child, the sensitivity of the artist, the understanding of the philosopher, the acceptance of the saint, the tolerance of the scholar and the fortitude of the certain."

 Leo Buscaglia

Jett Grrl Vancouver

There's a few things you should know about me:

I veer between being a ball of energy and doing an accurate impression of a sloth. I like to call it zen!

I hadn't ridden a bike for circa ten years prior to 2011. The last incident in 2001 involved a bike that was too big for me, a bottle of whiskey and a pothole. My bruises had bruises.

I try to support local businesses wherever possible.

I have zero patience for shitty customer service.

However i wanted to get around Vancouver without a car and without depending on the often not reliable transit system (oh hai translink!). I debated between a bike or a scooter and it came down to which was more economical to run and which had more health benefits. I went to numerous bike stores to do some research but noticed that there was an attitude that could almost be classified as elitist from quite a few of them. 

Tip for sales staff in Vancouver: An eye roll following my question does not a sale make. I know it's fascinating stuff but listening as you give your friend a breakdown on last night antics whilst i wait for your attention just makes me want to spend my money elsewhere. 

I started researching, talking to people and the name of one studio came up from a few different sources. My friend had mentioned an amazing bike mechanic that had built his a few years back and it turned out that the recommendations were for the same person: Tracy A. Myerson of Jett Grrl Bike Studio (embedded video below ).

Jett Grrl Bike Studio is a high end speciality shop building custom steel bikes and handbuilt wheels to last a lifetime. "We are trying to promote sustainability and create an Un-Intimidating space for cyclists of every variety. We also do meticulous tune-ups, and sell funky parts and accessories in a super friendly, no-attitude sort of way. We only sell things we actually believe have some lasting value. If you are looking for "just the cheapest" you might have to look elsewhere. As with everything in life, you get what you pay for - the cheaper it is the sooner you will have to fix or replace it. That is not what we believe in. We are passionate about providing a level of quality and service unparalleled anywhere."

My beloved bike which i named Akira. Yes, i am a nerd.

Tracy does the repairs, builds the bikes and the wheels, and lovingly restores the vintage rides. She has been riding a bike since she was a girl living in Natick, Massachusetts and she has been riding seriously since 1991. Having made an appointment i called in and discussed what i did and didn't want. Tracy answered my questions (without any attitude), asked me some of her own, discussed my budget and encouraged me to have a think about it. A week on, i'd come to a decision and went back to put the deposit down. Overall the process of buying a bike from Jett Grrl was straightforward and pressure free. Plus i got some bonus canine hang out time as the studio is home to the cutest shop dog Levi! 


The whole process took about six weeks which was mainly due to the fact that Tracy is the only person working there and i went with having the wheels/spokes hand built instead of buying off the rack. The end result? A lightweight, beautifully built bike perfectly sized to my frame. It's been nearly a year and i've come to love cycling and my bike in a way that i didn't think was possible

Red Detailing and Hand Built Wheels.

To read more about Tracy visit: http://jettgrrl.com/

Full Disclosure: I am not in any way affiliated with Jett Grrl Bike Studio nor have i received any incentive or compensation to write this piece. I want to support local business and give credit for excellent service!

Inculcation

Long Beach, California. October 1942.
“Annette del Sur publicizing salvage campaign in yard of Douglas Aircraft Company.”
4×5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information.

Russian photographer Pavel Kosenko dig some digging on Shorpy, a vintage photo blog featuring thousands of high-definition images from the 1850s to 1950s. He selected a number of 4x5 Kodachrome prints that were taken between 1940-1943. Each photo in the series has a brief info section and photographer info. The Kodachrome prints are beautifully vibrant and have a colour cast and tone that's sadly absent from digital photography.

October 1942.
Workers installing fixtures and assemblies in the tail section of a B-17F bomber at the Douglas Aircraft Company plant in Long Beach, California.
4×5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.

October 1942.
 “Lieutenant ‘Mike’ Hunter, Army test pilot assigned to Douglas Aircraft Company, Long Beach, California.”
4×5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information.

June 1942.

Engine inspector for North American Aviation at Long Beach, California. 

4×5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.

June 1942.
Truck driver at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Douglas Dam. Amazing
4×5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer

Shulman’s Market at N and Union Street SW, Washington.
4×5 Kodachrome transparency by Louise Rosskam.

June 1942.
Lockheed Vega aircraft plant at Burbank, California.
 4×5 Kodachrome transparency by David Bransby for the Office of War Information.


Click here to see the full collection!
Original post (in Russian) here

Unfurling

Image by Gary Hernandez

There are several kinds of love. One is a selfish, mean, grasping, egotistical thing which uses love for self-importance. This is the ugly and crippling kind. The other is an outpouring of everything good in you — of kindness and consideration and respect — not only the social respect of manners but the greater respect which is recognition of another person as unique and valuable. The first kind can make you sick and small and weak but the second can release in you strength, and courage and goodness and even wisdom you didn't know you had.

John Steinbeck

Grudge

Image: Forever anchored to your wings

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”

Epicurus

Cuisle Mo Chroí

“You are beautiful like demolition. Just the thought of you draws my knuckles white. I don’t need a god. I have you and your beautiful mouth, your hands holding onto me, the nails leaving unfelt wounds, your hot breath on my neck. The taste of your saliva. The darkness is ours. The nights belong to us. Everything we do is secret. Nothing we do will ever be understood; we will be feared and kept well away from. It will be the stuff of legend, endless discussion and limitless inspiration for the brave of heart. It’s you and me in this room, on this floor. Beyond life, beyond morality. 

We are gleaming animals painted in moonlit sweat glow. Our eyes turn to jewels and everything we do is an example of spontaneous perfection. I have been waiting all my life to be with you. My heart slams against my ribs when I think of the slaughtered nights I spent all over the world waiting to feel your touch. The time I annihilated while I waited like a man doing a life sentence. Now you’re here and everything we touch explodes, bursts into bloom or burns to ash. History atomizes and negates itself with our every shared breath. I need you like life needs life. I want you bad like a natural disaster. You are all I see. You are the only one I want to know.”

Henry Rollins 

An Cathach Mix #5 by An Cathach on Mixcloud

The Red Queen

Phenomena - Yeah Yeah Yeahs (0.03)
Disparate Youth - Santigold (4.08)
My Man - Regina Spektor (8.49)
Genesis - Grimes (11.36)
No Intention - Dirty Projectors (15.47)
Land Of A Thousand Dances - Wilson Pickett (20.00)
Ray Gun - Thin Lizzy (22.21)

Just Like You Imagined - Nine Inch Nails (25.24)
Triumph Of The Heart - Bjork (29.11)
Making Plans For Nigel - XTC (34.28)
Ghost Train - Electro-Tones (38.38)

The Cult Song - Shannon & The Clams (40.42)
Can't Seem To Make You Mine - The Seeds (43.43)
Swerve - Shabazz Palaces (46.15)
Banned From The Roxy - Crass (51.24)
Shea - Scheer (53.39)
Camel Walk - Southern Culture On The Skids (55.59)
Nosebleed Section - Hilltop Hoods (58.31)
Aquarius - Boards Of Canada (1.02.05)

Sonar Bullets

This week I've been mostly: listening to Grimes and BATS and getting excited at the thought of my upcoming trip to Ireland.

http://batsmusic.tumblr.com/

http://bats.bandcamp.com/

Anapaest

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You're on your own.

And you know what you know.

And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...

from 'The Places You'll Go'

Happy Birthday Dr.Seuss!

http://www.seussville.com/

Visions

Image: Tommy Chase Lucas

'Visions' is the new album from Vancouver born, Montreal based Claire Boucher aka Grimes. Drawing from a DIY ethic and involvement with Vancouver's punk/industrial scene and  Montreal's Lab Synthèse, a 4600sq ft re-appropriated textile factory; her third full length album was entirely recorded in her Montreal apartment. 

I've listened to her previous releases but none grabbed me in the way 'Visions' has. It showcases her evolving sound: swirling synths, punchy beats and those quivery,sweet vocals combining to shape beautiful soundscapes.  

                   

. 

She describes her work as “the only means through which I can be fully expressive. It is both an ethereal escape from, and a violent embrace of my experience. The creative process is a quest for the ultimate sensual, mystical and cathartic experience and the vehicle for my psychic purging. Visions was conceived in a period of self-imposed cloistering during which time I did not see day-light. ”

http://www.grimesmusic.com/

http://www.myspace.com/boucherville

Try A Little Tenderness

'Say Something Nice On The Internet' sprang forth from Emily McCombs of xojane.com who proposed that February 29th be a day of positivity online (and in real life also!)

"Being insulted is just par for the course when it comes to participating in online culture.

It's happens to all of us: Like when Lesley's piece about sexism in video gaming made it to the front page of Digg and inspired a flood of comments on the relative fatness of her hands, when I write about rape, or when Cat writes about pretty much anything. I suspect that a barrage of direct, immediate and viscous criticism will in the future just be part of the deal when it comes to being a writer.

But it's not just writers who are affected. Anyone who has ever posted a photo, video or comment anywhere online has probably had the experience of having their appearance, life choices and perceived character flaws announced, dissected and harshly judged. And look, it's OK to disagree with one another. xoJane in particular is devoted to a diversity of opinions. But I find it hard to believe that all this knee-jerk nastiness contributes in any way to public debate.

We're not suggesting that everyone be nice all the time, no matter what. After all, the admonition "Be nice" has been used throughout history to keep women quiet, polite and compliant. But so many of the nasty comments leveraged online relate directly to tearing down women -- our appearances, our sexuality, our choices. And while we advocate criticism and debate and the calling out of wrongness wherever you may find it, deliberately tearing people down through personal attacks and cruelty is not making anything better."

When i see people tearing strips off each other online (I'm not talking about intelligent, measured debate but rather the more typical examples of personal attack) I always wonder would you say that to somebody directly? When it comes to online activity I adhere to one simple principle: If i wouldn't say it to someones face, then i sure as shit ain't going to type it or hide behind a computer screen.

I don't know a single person who isn't wracked by self doubt or loathing at times; for others it's a permanent state of being. My friends are wonderful, kind, loving, generous people but they usually spread the love to those around them rather than themselves. In the spirit of 'say something nice', I sat down and identified five things i like about myself. 


Let's just say it's interesting and not the easiest of exercises but I wholeheartedly encourage you to try it out!

A lil' self love:

1) I am honest. By that I mean I think about, examine and then communicate my 'how/why/needs/wants' to those I interact with and to myself. Some people are repelled by it but it's a useful litmus test!

2) I am sensitive. Not so long ago i would have marked this as a negative but I've learnt to embrace it as an asset. It plays a big part in who i am.


3) I have a scar at the side of my mouth or i like to call it half a Chelsea smile! It gives my lips a distinctive curve.


4) I'm courageous. I've taken some big risks. some have paid off, some have not. This does not deter me from continuing to do so.


5) I'm a dab hand at baking and my gluten free dark chocolate and raspberry brownies have brought more than one person to their knees.

Spread the love on Twitter with the hashtag #saysomethingnice

To read more:

http://www.xojane.com/issues/february-29th-say-something-nice-internet-day

On The Verge

"Amid the chaos of that day, when all I could hear was the thunder of gunshots, and all I could smell was the violence in the air, I look back and am amazed that my thoughts were so clear and true, that three words went through my mind endlessly, repeating themselves like a broken record: you're so cool, you're so cool, you're so cool. "

Lepus Luna

I discovered Amy Duncan when she left a comment on my interview with Emil Amos of Holy Sons, Grails and Om. Duncan is a painter, illustrator and a tattoo artist at Chapel Tattoo in Melbourne, Australia. She has also been taking classes in botanical illustration. Her tattoo work is distinctive but her latest venture has really caught my eye.

Amy and her husband Shaun, a photographer, writer and musician have created a company called Lepus Luna. In their own words it "is a space we've created for exploring and sharing the art we make both individually and together, and with time will also become a space for sharing work by others we admire".

To date Lepus Luna have released two limited edition prints of Amy's work. The first was 'La Louve' a strictly limited first edition of 23, made using Epson Ultrachrome K3 pigment inks on 100% cotton rag Hahnemühle paper. All hand signed and numbered in gold pencil with embossed seal on the bottom left corner, and hand-painted metallic gold highlights on the bell and third-eye jewel. 

 

The second features a tiny botanical illustration of a young Amanita muscaria mushroom, is now available. These prints are 148 x 197mm in size (5 7/8 x 7 3/4"), and printed with Epson Ultrachrome K3 pigment inks on 100% cotton rag Hahnemühle paper. An ultra smooth rag was used so even the finest of details can be reproduced, and the prints are hand-signed at the bottom right with graphite pencil. 

To find more from  Lepus Luna and to see more of Amy's artwork:

http://www.lepusluna.com/

http://www.chapeltattoo.com/

http://www.pennywhistlesandmoonpies.blogspot.com/

Maelstrom

“No real social change has ever been 

brought about without a revolution - 

Revolution is but thought carried into action. 

Every effort for progress, for enlightenment, 

for science, for religious, political, and 

economic liberty, emanates from the minority, 

and not from the mass.” 

Emma Goldman

Image: International Institute of Social History