TRUSTART.ORG

Something really interesting crossed my desk in the form of email. It was an article from NYFA about an original concept for sustaining artistic endeavors and the art savvy communities that host them. The group is called TRUSTART and they do exactly that!!! ( click here  or the title above to read the NYFA article ) They have embraced the idea of shareholders in the creation of ART! You have to read it to see how it really works!!! As most of you know I LOVE new concepts and seeing creative energy being put to positive and globally mind-expanding use so below are some excerpts from an article written by NYFA artist, producer, and contributer Tracy Candido about Jose Serrano-McClain who is one of the founders of TRUSTART.ORG

ENJOY!

N8

TRUSTART Article (Excerpts) Written By Tracy Candido

Public art is for the people. Whether object-based, performative, or interactive, public artworks are created to enhance the landscape of a public space by giving communities something out of the ordinary to reflect on, consider, and engage with.Trust Art, founded by Seth Aylmer and Jose Serrano-McClain, is an organization and philanthropic initiative that is not only invested in public art, the artists that create it, and the communities that share it, but also in finding ways to sustain the lifeline of public art projects. Trust Art has developed a three-year cycle that involves "shareholders," community members that invest money, time, and other resources into public projects in exchange for "shares," which are redeemed upon the project's auction at the end of the three-year cycle. Currently Trust Art is producing and supporting the growth of 10 public art projects in New York City and around the world, all of which are invested in by "shareholders," community members, and a network of artists. I recently sat down with Seth and Jose of Trust Art to discuss the history of the organization and their current pursuits.

JOSE SERRANO-MCCLAIN BIO by TRACY CANDIDO
Jose Serrano-McClain worked as an economic analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for five years, where he realized he would rather be thinking about the economics of the creative spirit. In 2006, Jose resigned from the Fed to become an “art entrepreneur.” He cofounded Fame Theory, LLC, an art collective turned media company that operates famegame.com. In 2009, he cofounded Trust Art, an initiative dedicated to working with public artists to raise funds and create community around their visions through innovative means. In 2010, Jose joined the Queens Museum of Art part-time to create a new public art program called Corona Studio.


BIO FOR TRACY CANDIDO
Tracy Candido is a Brooklyn-based artist and cultural producer exploring social practices and engaging the public in group activities. She has exhibited public works in and around New York City and has curated interdisciplinary exhibitions and public programming for institutions in New York around the country. She is a founding editor of 127 Prince, an online journal about socially engaged art. Tracy holds a Master's Degree from New York University in Visual Culture Theory and is currently a Program Associate in Programs and Awards at NYFA.

Fish Query

I am about to hit you with an anecdote about a fish dinner so do not read further if you don't like fish, nameless characters, or hidden messages with enigmatic answers. ;)

One day a man was offered a fish dinner but he was told that of the 3 pieces of fish on the plate that he could only eat two. He looked at the plate and automatically saw a piece that was extremely appealing. The person offering the food also noticed the gleam in his eye when he looked at that particular cut of fish. Of the other two cuts although one was shaped like the piece he liked and the other was thicker than both pieces combined they just were not what he really wanted. Being very hungry and needing to make a decision he told the person offering the food that he would take the two pieces that were not his first choice. He immediately ate them both and afterwards the person who initially offered the food asked the man "Why? Why did you eat the two pieces that were not your first choice?"


The man hesitated then smiled and copiously replied, "If I had taken the most appealing piece I would have had to pair it up with one of the two less appealing cuts of fish. So instead of inflating or even ruining my expectations of how good or bad the mismatched pieces would be together I chose to see the best in the two lesser pieces that I had originally no desire to eat. For in Truth, they were together the best choice. Their worth was obvious to me; their values were easily known."

What choice would you make?

N8

p.s. I should so copyright this story (LOL).

STARGAZER

The MP4 version and the YouTube version. The Youtube is clearer :)

Photos From Steve Yank and Bruce Bertrand's STARGAZER

Two of the V2VIFF Judges have several of their own long term projects. One is a video segment called STARGAZER. There are some amazing photos below.

N8

GAMERA And Some Powerful Turtle Magic

As a child, I had a great affinity for Godzilla BUT I was absolutely nuts for GAMERA. It is odd that America never really got into the the idea of a giant monster turtle. A giant monster lizard is a whole different matter. Maybe it's that Jurassic Park residual T-Rex/Raptor "turtles don't scare us" mentality? Or maybe it is just the fact that Godzilla was introduced to the West way before Gamera?

From The Tortoise and The Hare to First Nations totem poles, turtles have had legendary status in the myths of many cultures. The ancient Spiritual symbolism of the turtles can range from protection, to representing order, creation, endurance, strength, stability, longevity, fertility,and a gentle innocence. They can also represent good fortune, and can bring forth happiness and good omens.

As a totem animal it is argued that when the turtle enters your life it brings with it the closure of one period and/or the beginning of another. Turtles are also a reminder to go and grow at you own pace. Sometimes we rush through our daily experiences and often miss those special things or "gifts" that life offers only when we are still. 

Seriously besides Gamera who is a giant, Japanese, flying, fire-breathing, fantasy monster most turtles are portrayed as less than potent. However the symbolic lineage of the turtle goes far deeper than we can in modern terms accept. Just like all things in nature the turtle may have a connection to the psyche of most humans. Whether it is just to slow down and enjoy the pace or just to acknowledge the protective qualities that we take for granted there is a deeper meaning to the turtle's presence. I just hope that projectile flame isn't directly involved.  ;)

N8 

A face only a fan boy or a monster momma turtle could LOVE.

 Historical proof that giant monsters once ruled the Earth.

 Turtle soup? I don't think so!

 What in the world is he doing to that Octopus??? I think it's time to send the kids to bed.

 How cool a kid do you have to be to have this in your personal collection?

DOV "S-S" SIMENS' View On The Congressional Reform Act of 2011

About 8 to 10 years ago I took a weekend intensive class with a axiomatic figure in the start and revamping of many celebrity careers. He is the reason I started to write. A few days ago I received a letter from Dov and I guess it is a reflections of his primary concerns. I, personally, am not into politics just the motivation behind some of the legislative maneuvers I seen which don't seem to be focused "We The People" just lining the wallets of those that have the most clout.

Below is the letter that Dov sent me. Do with it what you feel is most appropriate.

N8

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified!  Why?  Simple!  The people demanded it.  That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

I'm asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message.  This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011


1. Term Limits.

  12 years only, one of the possible options below..


  A. Two Six-year Senate terms

  B. Six Two-year House terms

  C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms


2.  No Tenure / No Pension. 

A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.  

3.  Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately.  All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. 

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.  Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/11.  


The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen.  Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career.  The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work. 

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message.  Maybe it is time. 

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!! If you agree with the above, pass it on.  If not, just delete

You are one of my 20+.  Please keep it going.

Phone. Photo. Fiction. Fun!

As usual I took a camera phone photo that I either didn't like or I knew would scare the crap out of potential career colleagues and associates so I blasted it with something halfway moody/serious but mostly pix elated fun. That's sort of how Life approaches you, right? If you take it too seriously it will pass you by and you'll miss all the joy. However, if you don't take it seriously enough some of it's best lessons will be lost on you and your full physical, mental, and even Spiritual growth may not occur.
So whether you need to focus more or take a chill pill always remember to or at least try to smile.
Ouch!
Ya' see that didn't hurt much. Now stop smilin' because you are totally creepin' out all the people around you who have never seen you smile before. ;)

N8

Neither an Angel nor a burdening beast of the field

THE DARK LADY

THE DARK LADY

by

Nathan Zen-Sapien

The Dark Lady tightens her grip.

I feel an ecstasy that few men live to tell.

Her embrace engulfs me
Subtle fingers ripple over me.
I am comforted by the employ.
Trumpet sounds and the grass changes color.
Yellow moon replaces yellow sun.
And in this euphoric transition surrounding me
I notice.
The Dark Lady has come and gone.

And There Is No Blemish In You

And There Is No Blemish In You

by Nathan Zen-Sapien

In a field of chrysanthemums and daisies

A perfect beam of light struck my eye

Your petalled beauty enfolded me

Changing my soul forever.

Rainbowed in a chakra of lillies

Covered in a morning mist.

I looked for error.

And found none.

What could be fairer?

Nothing under our sun.

For you are the light in my eyes,

You are the fragrant breath in my lungs.

You are honor, passion, perfection...

And there is no blemish in you.

White Merlot

I have to admit that the previous post was cathartic but dangerous to confess. Far too many people do not understand the nature of, or balance between the physical and spiritual.
Right now I am drinking White Merlot. In a minute or two I will be posting two poems that I wrote between the ages of 17 and 20 something.
The only reason why I am posting these poems is because they are sorta different and leaving them in my art log (sketch book) from high school isn't doing me any good.

N8

A Reason, A Season, A Lifetime

A friend of mine who is more worldly than me once told me that people enter our lives either for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. He was correct but the extent that he was correct at that moment surpassed my understanding of the phrase.

For the pass 10 years I have lived with what modern science has not been able to explain. It is called psychosomatic pain. Since October 2001 I have felt excruciating pain in my chest and a fluttering pain in my abdomen. For the first year of this pain, from October 2001 to October 2002 exactly, everyday it felt like I was having multiple heart attacks that were triggered by things as simple as a slight bump or irregular sound. It was horrible and I would wish it upon no one. I fasted and fasted. By October 2002 the intensity of the pain had went away. However, the mind is an incredible learner. Once trained to believe something it will hold onto that pattern for years so up until very recently I had about 13 to 17 points of "odd" sensations like residual pain in my torso. Medical science does not understand nor knows how to categorize this type of psychological defect. I have had counselors tell me that it was linked to anxiety. I have also read (in more esoteric text) that this type of pain is due to emotional "tears" or "rips" in the emotional body and mind state. Whatever it is was it was awful! Stranger than this was the small things that antagonized the pain like laughter and even crying which I effectively stopped doing altogether. My laughter didn't hurt but the laughter of others sometimes did. Hearing someone cry had the same effect but something changed for the first time in over a decade I cried. I just felt it was time. So I cried and cried and slowly the pain began to fade. 

On top of that I came into contact with a person who was an advisor, oil peddler, children's book fanatic, and glitter-junkie. She helped a lot. Our every phone conversations alleviated and mended the last few "rips" in my emotional shell. Furthermore, the oils seemed to have the same result. No more pain. By the time I had ordered my own supply of oils the pain was 99% gone and all the things in my life that were broken began to be fixed. The clogged bath tub that Drano for months could not fix began to flow again. The tree that I named Mkodi that sprouted the very hour that my brother died has for the pass 2 years has been dormant. I refused to throw it out so I kept watering it and watching if it would grow again. It did. Little sprigs of green and brown are finally emerging. I took note of one of the books she recommended (insisted) that I read called The Little Prince. In the book, The Prince takes care of a very vain rose and every night he puts a cover over it to protect it. So I covered my Mkodi with a self-made container. I can't claim that Mkodi feels anything except the warmth of sun rays and the quench of water sinking in potted Earth but I am sure as far as plants go it is glad to be growing again and I am happy because of that, too.

I am currently creating the final mask for a brief but potentially spectacular inaugural performance at the V2V festival this year and glitter is everywhere. Oddly enough I am no longer in good report or communication with this advisor. Every time we spoke everything I said to her was completely wrong to the point where it seemed contradictory for contradictory's sake. However, I have finally learned graciously the deeper meaning of my friend's initial statement about the way people come into our lives. 

A reason (the briefest period). 

A season (usually to complete a task). 

A lifetime (self-explanatory).

It is just odd that sometimes people enter and exit your life for a simple reason yet end up irrevocably changing it for a lifetime.                                                           

Mkodi In It's New Container                

                                                                                                                               

My Glittered-up Rug

Their Guidance Is All Around Us Even If We Don't Completely Understand.

ADDENDUM:
In March of 2011 I went into the hospital to get a few x-rays of my back. Turns out that my back is fine, however, the doctors discovered clots in my lungs and left leg. I will live and the treatments are working so maybe all that "emotional pain" had a physical source. It never hurts to be spiritual but I just wish that this had been diagnosed earlier.
N8

BIGGIE - N8 - ABSOLUTELY NO COMPARISON!!!

An associate of mine texted me saying that he had seen me in the city. I replied explaining that I was no where near the city. He laughingly texted over the pic. In my naivete I admitted that that guy sure did look like me and I ask what advertisement was that photo for? He exclaimed that it was BIGGIE SMALLS and that photo was taken at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum!
DUH!
There is like J-Lo and Miley Cyrus on both sides of the guy. Then he texted me another picture. All I have to say is I think I need to lose a few pounds (LMAO-4-REAL)!!!

N8

p.s. If you can't smile and laugh at yourself others definitely will!!! ;)

I need that suit!!!

Biggie has Miley & J-Lo in his pic and I got "Larry, Moe, and Curly" in mine...

ABSOLUTELY NO COMPARISON!!!

( STILL ROTFLMAO!!!)

second BEST

This poem is not my B.E.S.T. work but it is progress. The B.E.S.T is yet to come and I and you the reader deserve it!

The second B.E.S.T.

by Nathan Zen-Sapien

I am the "B.E.S.T." and getting Better Every Single Time.

Everything I set my mind to eventually gets done.

Those who follow me are never truly disappointed

Yet always unanimously surprised.

Spiritually and mentally I am the artist/maverick, 

The creative intellect instead of the intellectually creative.

By tarot standards I am the innocent jester and fool. 

A very intimidating man.

I am taller than average.

And bigger than most. 

I am for the most part smarter and physically larger than the societal norms that we live by.

Yet, for all these qualities I have always been the second choice;

The back-up plan.

People from business partners to friends to potential mates

Recognize that it is better to have me than not,

However, I have yet to be the first choice even amongst a limited selection.

They even (thankfully) admit I am not their first choice 

Which is honestly good because honesty (honestly) is Good!!!

I can respect that.

But the real issue is do I respect myself?

I do.

And because I do 

I can no longer physically, mentally, and/or Spiritually accept being second to the B.E.S.T. in their and my own eyes.

It is a lie.

It is without redemption.

And it makes getting Better Every Single Time damn near impossible.

Being B.E.S.T. in every situation means being intolerant of other's false perceptions of you.

Don't accept it.

In fact, change it!

So every time you face the falsehoods that others' heap you;

you will know exactly what to do.

And trust me it will get Better Every Single Time.

JERSEY PRETTY or How To Create The "TRIANGLE of DOOM"

OK. I am sitting at a table read this previous Sunday afternoon and several pages into the script one of the primary female characters is described in terms that only a man securely married to his wife of 10 years would ever utter... Jersey pretty. Quote, "... modestly stylish, Jersey pretty, (she) dashes into the room..." Now, I am not originally from NJ but upon reading this phrase (of which I was actually narrating ) I could not help but to chuckle.

There was a distinctive Femi-Naziish moan.

I looked up to see every guy in the room giggling to himself as the women recoiled uncomfortably in their chairs. I continued to narrate without incident until our first break.

OK. 3 hours later and 117 pages completed we finished the reading to a mild self-congratulatory applause. That is when it happened. "What did you mean 'Jersey pretty'?!?" one of the female readers exclaimed. My writer friend who shall remain anonymous for obvious safety reasons explained that, "She wasn't bad looking just ya' know sorta...". I sank in my seat. Fortunately, my writer friend has a lot going for him. It was basically his house! It was his script! The majority of the people present were members of his writing group! Hell, I'm the biggest dude in the room and I am sittin' on his left!!! But sitting on his right was his wife. Sitting directly across from me was one of my new actresses and associates. Sitting across from her was the only female and long time member of his writer's group. It was effectively the "TRIANGLE of DOOM" and the odds were stacked against us. We were outnumbered 3(ladies) to 8 (guys) which by gender standards might as well have been 3000 to 1.

Now, in reality, it wasn't that bad. Sure there was a ton of both giggling and explaining to which none of the women in the group were satisfied. However, in the end, the point both in context and out of context was clearly made... Jersey pretty although totally HILARIOUS just ain't that great. It is right up there with Chicago chic, New York nice, and Hollywood hot (which ain't so bad if you are into high tensile plastic (LMAO)). FYI - I do know a few Californian girls who are all natural and completely out-of-this-world!!! In fact, I know a few Jersey girls who if you called them "Jersey Pretty" could easily redefine that "giggle" factor into an "OMG" sensation. So be warned fellas it is best to stick to traditional, tried and true descriptions of our female counterparts or you may find yourself in a more vicious and metaphorically perilous "TRIANGLE of DOOM".  I know. I've been there before and I am still flinching... A little.

'Nuff' said.
N8