Nona

This morning I spoke with my Nona from L.A. over the phone. She's my beautiful, ornery, kind, funny, wonderful, tiny, 94 year old Italian Grandma. You know, the ones that make the best pasta, ragu and meatballs, and get mad at you if you don't have a 2nd or 3rd helping...complaining that you're skinny as a rail. But yet you shouldn't get too fat either!? 

She's also an amazing watercolorist and has a love for flowers, landscapes, and gardening. When I usually call her we talk non-stop about art, flowers, the weather of course, food, stories of my Great Grandparent's Immigration from Italy, and the times on the farm in upstate New York during the depression. I actually have a copy of the hand-written recipe from my Great Grandma on how to make cheese. It goes like this, "first you milk the cow...." Seriously. Anyone have a cow I can borrow? 

You see though, my grandma's health has deteriorated, and she decided this morning to stop her dialysis. She will pass away in 3 days. So as I stand outside Paradigm Skate Shop before an exciting art show begins, I weep as I tell her how much I love her, how she was a good mother, wife and Nona. That I will miss her so much, and to not be afraid. That she will see Grandpa again and feel much better. And we'd see each other again too.

I close my eyes and soak up the small voice I hear from the other end saying, "I know you love me. I'll miss you too. Thank you. I love you too".

(LtoR: Nona, Some random neighbor kid, Aunt Jenny RIP)

Watercolor of the farm. Holley, NY '04. 

How To Sell A Banksy?

How To Sell A Banksy.

An alright, controversial documentary I watched last night.
"Should I steal/rescue a Banksy piece from public property and sell it for thousands?" Good question.

Alper Cagatay, who took the iconic wheat paste "Have A Nice Day" from Shoreline Bridge in Hackney, London, did eventually sell it (with great travail) for $25,000. Banksy/Pest Control Dept. would not authenticate the pice because it's not a work of art.

The irony, though, I found in this is documentary is that Thierry Guetta/Mr. Brainwash (the man who Banksy unintentionally helped rise to fame as a street artist) walks right by Alper unnoticed (39:17), briefly ending up in yet another film about Banksy. Uncanny!

If you like street art like me though, you should watch Exit Through The Gift Shop if you haven't already. It's an excellent film by Banksy himself. Soo good.

2ND ANNUAL TO DEFINE IS TO LIMIT SKATE DECK SHOWING

THIS IS COMING UP!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22ND

TO DEFINE IS TO LIMIT

VON THE BAPTIST PHOTOSHOOT

Von The Baptist
Expired & Discontinued KODAK BW400CN FILM
Canon Point & Shoot
7/15

So I got to do the raddest photoshoot with good friend Vaughn from local band Von The Baptist last month. I've a group of really incredible shots up on my flickr. I feel some of my best film portrait work thus far.

Check more out here in my musicians album!
 VON THE BAPTIST 

ONE OF THE BEST EP REVIEWS. EVER.

"As the listener sinks deeper into the music and begins to drown in harmonies and groves while connecting with the emotional core of the piece, then for at least a moment, the listener and the creator are one." -Scott Ryan

 Read on at Collect PNW...

VON THE BAPTIST

Independence Day

INDEPENDENCE DAY '15

Red-Hazed Sun

July 18, 2014. 7am.

 Early morning red-hazed sun and smokey sky from my own back yard. The Carlton Complex Fire was the largest wildfire in Washington State history, caused by lightening strike.