Wednesday, September 23, 2009

One step forward, two steps backward, one and half steps forward, and hold...

I really wanted to start this post by reciting Langston Hughes' poem, Mother to Son.  You know the one...Well, Son, I'll tell you, life for me ain't been no crystal stair...or his The Negro Speaks of Rivers...I've known rivers. I've known rivers ancient as the world...but, that would have been overly dramatic really...but the emotion in them could capture the holding patterns with the basement as well as provide some comic release. 


Did you play red light/green light as a child?  You run to get ahead only to be caught in motion and have to return to the starting line.  The Beginning Again photo album has been updated and as of today this is the progress we've made.


I did get to bask in the sunshine of Crystal Wilkinson, (Mud Man's partner) who received this year's Sallie Bingham Award from KFW.  The award recognizes a feminist artist's contributions to social change in Kentucky.  Its pretty damn awesome and the state is fortunate to have Kentucky Foundation for Women and unbelievably, since its inception, its sad to note that feminist philanthropy of this statute has not developed in other states.


Here is Crystal giving her words of acceptance followed by other photos from the event.



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There were 4 quilts hanging in this room...please note the one in the next photo.  The first name of the artist is Terry (or Terrie) and the last name, if I'm recalling right begins with a D, but I don't remember it.  The man on the couch is Muddy, my brother.  Sallie Bingham is at the other end of the couch.



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Crystal and her beautiful twin daughters.



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Crystal conversing with the Wild Woman and long standing feminist artist Mary Craik.



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This is not the house were the celebration was held...but this house is sooooooo out of place with the landscape and the older homes and land reminiscent of once prosperous farms.  Even the pockets of new subdivisions do not infringe on the landscape the way this home does.  On the few occasions I've been out this way this house always catches me off guard.  I'm driving along and the city begins to give way to acres and acres of prairie (or what feels like prairie to me) and I'm mellowing out and my imagination begins to soothe down and zen out and bam! this house rises out of nowhere and throws me for a loop!  It would be a beautiful home if surrounded by other homes of this kind of opulence, but as it stands now, its just a blight in the hood.



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Oh, did I happen to mention my niece in the postcard contest here?  I think I did...anyways she did very very well receiving the most postcards and the furthest or is it farthest away and won a 20 dollar gift certificate to spend at the book fair.  She was on cloud 9 so I heard.  Unfortunately her whole class didn't do well enough to win the pizza party.  But 84,000 thanks to you if you mailed her a card.


It seems like there was something else I wanted to share but its not coming to me.  If I remember, I'll be back.


Peace,

Oh, yeah, Sonji Hunt is blogging again!  Yea! I've missed her chatterings.  And I've signed up for GUT ART, an online class taught by Mystele...I'm in need of a diversion but with some focus so I thought GUT ART sounded like it would be the prescription I need.  Mystele's art makes me think of favorite songs and stories and 2 other favorite artists, Jonathan Green and Brian Andreas. 











12 comments:

  1. Class looks like fun. And big congrats to Crystal even though I don't know her!

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  2. I am so thrilled for Crystal. She must be quite the woman!! I also am so thrilled that your niece won the postcard contest. The power of the internet!!

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  3. Congrats to Crystal - and lovely post!

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  4. Love the dresses. Hangeth in with the basement, dahlin!

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  5. great photos in this post and the class looks wonderful. Think I may sign up for it myself - it's a good time for something like that in sync with inner directives but holding the 'unexpected' quadrant of guidance and also the collective energy of other participants.

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  6. Thanks Kristin...the class starts next week...and it looks like my workshop will take even longer...the unhired help, my youngest son, dislocated his shoulder yesterday :(

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  7. Yeap! there would have been no way for me to communicate so effectively with so many so far and wide!!! Crystal is very talented and smart and embodies earth mother qualities.

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  8. Thanks Sandra! And you are a woman who knows lovely when she see it...your jewelry is beautiful, elegant!

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  9. yeap, those dresses are scarves actually...i'm thinking its the youthfulness of being skinny hahaha

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  10. Great post Karoda! So many positive things going on in your life! Great news for Crystal and also for your niece!! I enjoyed viewing the progress of your studio. I see you opted to have the floors painted.....now I'm wishing I had done mine. Did they do the acid etching first? I know you can't wait to get back into that wonderful space. I'm jealous of those wonderful shelving units. ;-)
    xo

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  11. Congratulations to Crystal! Love seeing all the pictures; everyone looks both elegant and comfortable--quite an achievement!

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