this is a speech i gave at Saturday night's Art as Action celebration - I wanted to share it here as well . . . the event was amazing, it was a truly magical night.  www.artasaction.org

art can change the world.  in these dark and desperate times, this feels like a lofty and naive statement, even for a dreamer like me.  art can change the world.  ( Read more... )

this is from an email written by Kristina of Musical Missions about her experience in Syria - very much applies to the ideas of the social impact of belief and action:

When you hear the word "Syria" what thoughts and feelings come to mind? Are they warm and fuzzy thoughts, or thoughts with a bit of fear?  If there is some fear in those thoughts ( Read more... )

Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.

::: Rumi :::

I'm on the patch right now. It releases small dosages of approval until I no longer crave it, and then I'm gonna rip it off.

- Ellen DeGeneres

Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes.
You are free.
::: Jim Morrison :::

"the silence of good people is worse than the actions of bad people"

- Zoya (Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan)

Working on our own consciousness is the most important thing that we are doing at any moment, and being love is
a supreme creative act.
::: Ram Dass :::

The creative process is a cocktail of instinct, skill, culture and a highly creative feverishness. It is not like a drug; it is a particular state when everything happens very quickly, a mixture ( Read more... )

"creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.

art is knowing which ones to keep."

- Scott Adams

I think the twentieth century is just that.. the process of artists rushing through the world and finding some part of the non-art world and bringing it into the art world, minus its context.

::: Tony Cragg :::

Someone whispered in my ear
“It’s not like it was before”

I don’t know what happened here
I guess we just got bored

The good old days
Well I suppose, I’m glad they’re behind us now

The only thing worse than growing up
Is never quite learning how

Late at night we toss and we turn
Lay awake ‘til dawn
We close our eyes as the sun comes up we’re gone

- ( Read more... )