Mummer Mystery

The Mummer's Museum in South Philadelphia is a gem. The guest book was signed by people from all over the world. It badly needed funds for climate control, infrastructure repair, and marketing. The Mummers Parade has been held on New Year's Day in Philadelphia since 1901, with Mummers Clubs competing in one of four categories: Comics, Fancies, String Bands, and Fancy Brigades. Apparently planning for the following year starts January 2nd, not to mention a big annual investment in costumes - a subsuming lifestyle for the people involved. The museum houses costumes and documents the history, music, and stories of the tradition.

It was fascinating to learn of the African-American origins of Mummer's tradition, as well as European. The Mummer's anthem was composed by an African American musician, James Bland. It is ironic that a tradition that has such deep roots in African American history is now comprised of all white Mummers Clubs. Blackface was even used until the early 60's, when the clubs phased it out because of pressure from civil rights groups. It seems like one more aspect of the many ways that Philadelphia is segregated, both overtly and subtlely.

And yet this is a unique form of American Folk Art that belongs to all of us. I know we'll be at the next Mummers Parade. I hope it won't be too cold on January 1, 2011, in Philadelphia.

Yes We Can!

My photo of this middle-aged middle-class woman, a straight ally at a small-town demonstration in 2008, is one image of why "the arc of history bends towards justice."

The Sketchbook Project

I just signed up! I'm stimulated by collaborative projects, by putting my own spin on something shared by many. This is going to be fun. It's perfect to do as a person in limbo, before having a house in which I will create a studio, while most of my supplies are in storage. Lo-tech and portable. The theme "If you lived here..." seemed like the right one for me to choose, having just moved and looking at real estate none of which so far is quite right.

The moving van is coming tomorrow. The few boxes of art supplies marked 'open first' will be more than enough for the sketchbook. I've been sketching just with a black pen in my journal. I will never take a few colored pencils, glue, water colors, and scraps of collage papers for granted.

You have until October 31st to sign up, and until January 15, 2011 to mail it in. Participation is international. Join in!

http://arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject

You Can Go Home Again - It's Just a New Experience

It's day two of life in Philadelphia. This mural on our apartment building (temporary until we find a house) captures the spirit of the Northern Liberties neighborhood. We'll play tourist, Liberty Bell and all, before our cars are delivered and the moving van arrives later this week. The weird glitch in the last hours of escrow's close on the old house is fading like a bad dream. After thirty-three years in San Diego, I have awakened in a new land that is a return home.

Koi Reflections

Our house has sold, the moving van is arranged, we are surrounded by boxes. We will miss the unique beauty of San Diego. The Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park is most wonderful in cherry blossom season. The Koi fish like it too!

Chihuly Glass!

Seeing a monumental installation of Dale Chihuly's glass in the afternoon sun rather than in a museum or gallery with artificial lighting was a remarkable experience. It was fun to get there as the installation was just finishing up, and we could see how the chandelier pieces were put together. The Salk Institute in La Jolla California, a world class non-profit scientific institute, is an iconic architectural landmark designed by Louis Kahn.

With my studio packed up as we are getting ready to move to Philadelphia, my best art supplies are my camera and computer! No wonder my latest blog entries are all video. Much as I look forward to having new larger studio space, this experience of being without my beloved mixed media materials makes me certain that video will remain a significant part of my life as an artist.

Janet Cooling: Still Life Meditations

Janet Cooling describes these mixed-media works on paper as grounding meditations that represent infinity. It was fun to document both these recent paintings and the dialogue with her about them.

I have footage of Janet and various phases of her painting from 1997 onward. I hope to digitize it and edit it into several YouTube videos, now that I finally have a new iMac. Today I got an updated firewire cable, thinking I would then be able to import it. (The old cable didn't fit the new computer.) For some reason only a few minutes of it imported... Yikes. I'll solve this yet.

When I first started documenting Janet's work, there was only linear video editing, no funding, and I had never heard of YouTube, if it even existed. Now we have easy digital editing, no need for funding, and YouTube! All I need is to get it to work. And get to work...