Uncle J's Monsters!

I went over to Easthampton last month for the art's night, and I saw this great exhibit of these whimisical monsters at Threads, and I got to talk to the guy who made them, Jason Freedman. He was very friendly and excited. My favorite part of this art was that he said he started making them when his son got to old for (aka, got embarrassed about) notes saying 'I love you' from Dad in his school lunch, Jason started to draw these monsters and put those in instead. What a great way to continue to let your kid know you care.

Visit his website for more.

Inspiration!

This is a quote by the son of my friend Kettie, placed over a photograph she took. I think it is a great reminder.

You can also see more of her photos on this blog, or on her Facebook page.

Gratitude down by the Mill River in Northampton

The collection of gratitude flags down by the Mill River in Northampton got more, colorful cloths added to it. I shared this before, because I found it so cool, and here it is again!

See the previous entry for more details and photos.

Sweet - Poetry by John Bauman

Sweet lifeblood flowing through me.
Sweet pulses.
Sweet…
      pulsations and sensations.
Sweet sounds in my ears.
Sweet sights.
Sweet indulgence.
Sweet imagination
      of words put together.
Sweet existence.
Sweet sandwich, sweet chocolate, sweet television show, sweet lies spewing forth, sweet
      selling of your soul, sweet bedtime.
Sweet dreams!


-John Bauman

Big Bird After the Apocalypse

This is a broken window at an old car dealership, but it looks like a sad post-apocalyptic Big Bird to me, so I think of it as "found art".

The Sage of Stone Chime Path

In the morning

his soul beat like the wings of a thousand summer
geese taking the sky.

In the winter

his thoughts are clear and cold as snowflakes.

in the evening

a song dances from his fingertips.

In the firelight

he grazes on the passions of smoke.

Who is this wandering king,
                      the sage of Stone Chime path?
From whence does he receive his powers?

From the gathering wind and the green-sea foam
it is carried on tiny wings.
From the rolling clouds and the starlit sky
He feels the grace of heaven.

Do not harm him for in his wrath,
he breaks the mountainside.
but the greatest danger is that his touch
will strip you bare of sorrows.

He has loved you since the dawn of days.
And in dreams he dreams of you
                        Naked under the sun
                              your former dreams
                                      shattered
                                            like ice on the stones.


-Jeremiah Griswold

Eye of Gosh, Hands of Gosh

Get a print here.