Wednesday, April 25, 2012

...and then it was Wednesday.

Last week, immediately after getting back from Waking Persephone (which I still have not fully processed yet), I spent two joyful days fretting about my taxes getting done on time.
And then three more days fretfully preparing for both Raqs Bohéme on Friday night, and Warrior Weekend all day Saturday (at which I was both teaching and performing). Somehow I got through both, and managed to completely forget to take any pictures (though I did record a video of me putting on my stage makeup Saturday, which I'm in the process of editing).
Mugur Photography took this picture though:


Really good example of lighting washing out makeup right there.

And I thought I was going to have Sunday off, to relax and recharge and play video games, but Friday I'd gotten word that the new gallery wanted me to hang work today, Wednesday, so I've spent the last 3 days working furiously on that.
In theory I should now have a few calm days - to reflect, relax, and maybe start working on one of those new costume ideas I had. But given recent trends, something's bound to rise up and smoosh that thought as well.

Cheers!

Friday, April 20, 2012

.singing.goats.

Because every once in a great while, you realize how very important it is that you have a singing goat hand puppet...




Now he just needs a name.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Tomorrow!!!

Tomorrow is Raqs Bohéme!
At the Czar Bar, in Downtown Kansas City.  Doors open at 6 (5$ cover), dancing starts 'round 6:30 barring any technical difficulties, and the show goes on until 9pm.

Added to all that, we have a special guest dancer from out of town - Brittney Laleh Banai!

You do not want to miss this show.

Monday, April 16, 2012

.home.again.

I want to do a proper "what happened" post, but it's going to require pictures, and I didn't really take many. At all. Fortunately Carrie Meyer was there, working her butt off documenting everything; so hopefully with her permission I'll reference a few of her snaps later (and then you can thank her by buying copies from her website!) with better narration and stories and squirrels.
But I did take a few photos, and I might as well share them...

It was really really dark when my plane took off. really dark.
sssssooooooooooooooooo DARK. You don't know.
It was dark.
 
 The beautiful view flying out of Chicago.

 Me harassing Nathaniel Johnstone.

 The creepy creepy "Dive Bar" we walked past while foraging in the city for noms. Creepy. Beyond creepy.
DO YOU SEE HOW CREEPY!
I should have gone in. I wanted to, in that masochistic seriously curious kind of way.
I also sort of wanted to run screaming.
Sort of.
Not really.
 
And mz. Ami Amore, spazzing with me and the camera.


Friday, April 13, 2012

.unrelated. .sort.of.

I'm in Rhode Island at Waking Persephone. So far it's been awesome (as if it ever wouldn't have been) - I'm hanging with the most amazing ladies and gents, and having a great time.
Last night was Motif - I took no pictures for a lack of batteries, but my friend Carrie of Dancer's Eye took quite a few.

Carrie recently had a bat invade her house.
It's hilarious.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

yay stress!

At this time tomorrow I will be on a plane to Rhode Island for 4 days of dance awesomeness at Waking Persephone. Any time I go to a workshop, let alone a workshop I'm teaching at, there's a certain amount of stress involved. This being my first workshop experience (that I'm teaching at) on the East Coast, my old stomping grounds, I am a little extra stressed.
Layering on top of that the workshop I'm teaching here in KC next week, plus the already layers cat-mischief, and the possibility of an art show in May...my body is freaking out a little.

This happens - I get stressed, and my body freaks out.
So I'm doing what I can to be extra nice to myself.

I put the painting aside for the moment - I need to focus on one thing at a time, and the immediate thing is Waking Persephone; not Warrior Weekend, not the cats, not the Art Show.
I'm going to bed early - one of my stress reactions is extreme fatigue. Can't for the life of me pull myself out of bed levels of fatigue. And it's usually complicated with "Can't Get to Sleep" as well.
I'm being extra super careful about what I put into my body - nothing I didn't cook myself; less fat, meat, dairy, and no alcohol. More veggies and fruit, and lots of nettle infusions and ginger tea.
And when that overwhelmed feeling starts hitting me, I sit back for a moment and love on a cat.

Here's the rub - as a dancer, my body is my medium. It is with my body that I create this art.
And unlike my brushes for painting, or my pens for illustration - I can't just go pick up a new one if I don't take care of it properly.
As a asthmatic celiac dancer prone to kidney stones - the choices I make in particular have both immediate and long term effects on my appearance and my overall health.
It's a well documented fact that stress effects the immune system, and that the immune system effects almost every function of your well being - skin tone, energy levels, alertness, mood...make a list.

Super awesome, yes?

It's all just one more piece of the puzzle. It's not just maintaining your costumes, and keeping your makeup fresh, and knowing how to pile your hair. You've got to, as a dancer, take particular care to maintain your medium - your body. Not only technique and conditioning; but proper nutrition, adequate rest, and keeping your stress levels to a minimum.
You've got to feed your body, your mind, and your spirit.

Monday, April 9, 2012

.not.about.cats.

In a very few and short four days I will be in Rhode Island, on a super fun Waking Persephone adventure! But before I leave, I have a ton of stuff to do, including but not limited to fiance-proofing my cats...or perhaps cat-proofing my fiance?

Only slightly unrelated is the podcast I've been listening to: "Cat Parasites Conquer the World" from HowStuffWorks.com which is mostly (entirely?) about Toxoplasma and fascinating.

And as I've been looking for new inspiration for paintings for the possibly May opening, I looked up the little bugger, and he's adorable! And probably completely useless for painting unless I can manage to not give him dopey confused faces.


Saturday, April 7, 2012

.first.friday.april.

Two openings!
St. Louis and Kansas City!

"Solar" debuted at OfficePort as part of the Future Currents exhibit for Middle of the Map Fest...



And "Tea and Tears" debuted at the Mad Art Gallery in St. Louis. Krystal Chittendon was kind enough to send me a photo...

I wish I could have made the St. Louis show - the theme was much more to my interest, plus all my bellydance-St.Louis ladies were there performing.
But, staying in KC the mister and I were able to drop by Windhorse, where Reach Beyond Death is still showing - and it's amazing. My favorite was "Narcosis" by Jeff Srsic, and Mike Didia's piece took a very close second in my heart.

By the by, Windhorse is the place to go to in Kansas City for tattoos. Mark Galloway is just phenomenal  - the guy responsible for my birds, and who will some day do my octopus.
When I sell a few more paintings and can afford my octopus.

Friday, April 6, 2012

.art.opening.

Another one!
But only one painting this time 'round. And I swear I am going to take pictures this time.

Tonight is First Fridays, and also the second day of Middle of the Map Fest - mostly music, but also the Forum, which includes art by local artists (like me) with the theme "Future Currents: Relationships Between the Now and the Not Yet." I'm not sure how well my work fits the theme, I ended up painting Solar Flares. But still....
Open to the public at 5pm (I expect to get there at 6?), at OfficePort, 208 19th St.

And then at 10:30, the LateNight Callers are playing at Firefly.
100% worth seeing. Completely.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

.infant.

Finally, I have a good image of "infant." I took it ages ago, forgot about it, and found it yesterday while cleaning off my digital camera.


I suppose I ought to get around to photographing the others before I forget again.
As soon as it stops raining,

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

We went on Sunday.
I finally had reason and means to go, i.e. someone else was paying for the tickets, and it was amazing. A truly gorgeous performing arts hall that is as beautiful on the inside as on the outside.
The outside looks like a giant metallic wave cresting over the city.

 While the inside looks like someone took a giant big sailing ship and turned it inside out.
Color me impressed.
And ready to see my next show.

(Kauffman website here.)

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

.boycott.tuesday.


I made a bunch of little "love notes," all on florescent paper.
And I left them hidden about in all of the shops I visited today....all of the two shops.

Traders Joe's...

And a gardening shop, where I picked up some fun flowers for the front yard...



And herbs and heirloom tomato plants for the backyard.
Take That Tuesday!

(Also, my cats are going to be going on Prozac soon. I decided this with our vet today. Fun!)