Dec 31, 2010

Crunk


Emily, Leah, The Shark, and Matt @ Pal's Clubhouse 

One of the "magic" features of Holga cameras is their capacity for multiple exposures.  Most cameras  advance film automatically, but Holgas require a manual twist of the spool to differentiate individual frames of film.  If one is artistically savvy, they could forgo advancing the reel and use the multiple exposure technique to create surreal works of High Art.  Or, if one is completely and utterly crunk and spaces out the basic necessity of advancing film entirely,  they may create surreal works of HIGH art.   

The latter happened to me between 3 am & 5 am at this raging house party.  I remember bits and pieces of these interactions, but not in vivid detail.  Here is the rundown of what went down:

1)  Emily (pink hair/glasses) and I blew each other's minds with Folk music trivia.  I told her that Elizabeth Cotton was Pete Seeger's nanny and taught him how to play guitar when he was a child.  KABOOM!  She responded by turning me on to a sister act called Yvon & Yvette, who are world famous gospel singers and also conjoined twins.  KABOOM!

2)  Leah (highlighted in green) told me her family history.  She is descended from the original owners of Quaker Oats.  At one point, the Quaker Oats C.E.O also owned a lion, whose grave she visited as a child.  All I could think about was that Quaker guy from the oatmeal boxes, wearing his tricornered hat and strutting about the amber waves of grain with his faithful lion by his side. 

3)  The Shark (look for him in the center) was this flamboyantly gay Asian dude who had a cool pompadour and a leather jacket.  He looked like he just walked off the set of West Side Story.  I don't recall his name or what we talked about, but I do remember him screaming, "Why the FUCK does everyone always talk about HOW COOL MY HAIR IS?!?!"  

4)Matt displayed his cards from behind a door he saw leaning against the porch.  Neither of us thought to ask why there was a door leaning against the porch.  It certainly wasn't there earlier in the evening.

Ah, revelry!  Have a great New Year's Eve everybody and crunk wisely, if not responsibly!


Dec 30, 2010

The Snake We Ride

Kaydia Briggs @ Pal's Clubhouse

The background of this photo is kinda blah, but Kaydia's smile lights it up!  This gal is down; she understands what it means to "ride the snake".  The central card she holds is traditionally called The Wheel of Fortune, but I affectionately call it "The Ride the Snake Card".  In the Grand Etteilla series, the wheel is a bizarre rendition of an ouroboros, the archetypal symbol of a serpent devouring it's own tail.  This specific wheel/ouroboros connects the cyclical movement of time with the cyclical movement of the mind; our experience of the world as it relates to the ebb and flow of conscious and unconscious processes.  In Jungian theory, the mind is like the crank on an old movie projector:  As the crank of the unconscious turns, it's interior becomes known through the projection on the screen.  Through the projections of the ego and the attitudes which you ascribe on the world,  the unconscious becomes conscious.  Similarly, synchronicity occurs when an underlying pattern makes itself known through chance, through co-incidents, revealing organizing principles that transcend simple cause/effect... chaos as the unconsciousness of temporal reality.  

But that's pure abstraction.  The snake we ride is beyond words and concepts; it's a cosmic thing.  Kaydia knew right away what I meant; she knew it in her heart.  She lives it, she digs it, she rolls with it.  Attitude is the serpent's saddle and an open-mind is it's reins.  Drugs help too if you're heir to The Lizard King.  With or without "better living through chemistry", we're all first class passengers on the slithering wave.  The question is:  Do we resist?  Or do we ride?   

Dec 28, 2010

Horse + Feathers

Justin Ringle @ Doug Fir

Sam Cooper, Nathan Crockett, and Catherine Odell @ Doug Fir

Horse Feathers may just be the hardest working band in the PDX indie-folk circuit.  2010 marked the release of their third album, "Thistled Spring", as well as a slew of European tour dates and stateside shows.   After their sold-out run at the Doug Fir, they would have only a few days to cool their jets before hitting the road again for a wrap-up tour of the West Coast.  
This session was unique in that I did not have to interpret any of their Tarot spreads.  Nate (a.k.a Sgt. Pepper-era Paul McCartney) asked if he could read the cards for the band.  He had no idea what the Tarot represents symbolically, but used his "beginner's mind" and sharp wit to provide some hilarious (and passable) interpretations for the group.  Being obliged to add context, I surmised that the cards were advising Horse Feathers to listen to Kanye West's  cra-mazing new album, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" and consider moving their fragile, forlorn tunes forward towards the brave, new world of Folk-Crunk.  So far, they have yet to heed the call of Yeezy, but I'm still pushing.  Why?  Because Horsefeathers are a band of badasses.  They might sing bitterweet songs about heartbreak and doomed love and all that, but just look at them:  Justin practically radiates inspiration like he was Chernobyl; Nate and Cat look deadly serious and ready to fucking rule this gig; and Sam... well he's so badass, he can fall asleep in the middle of a photo shoot.  That's how Horse Feathers roll.  Mr. West, where you at?    

Dec 25, 2010

Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus... In Fact, There Are Many of Them and They're All Drunk

Rich Mackin @ Paul Bunyan

Ah, it's that time of year again... gifts, goodwill, lights and tinsel, roving posses of drunken Santas meandering through the streets.  I met Rich at Santacon, a holiday themed barhop that is nothing short of excess.  Rich is a Zen Buddhist, social organizer, musician and all around rabble-rouser.   In the days following Santacon he had scheduled a meditation retreat, so he described his holiday season thusly:  "Debauchery>Intense Inner Experience>Debauchery>Shopping".  Now that's holiday spirit!

Mauricio & Gang @ Paul Bunyan

Merry Xmas everyone!  Hope your holiday is as festive as Pimp Nicholas and his entourage!


Patriot

                                  Sgt.  Micaiah Dutt @ His Home                            

This is the type of picture you should carry in your glovebox at all times.  If you get pulled over on some desolate stretch of highway, you can say, "Sorry officer I can't find my proof of insurance, but here's a picture of a Marine in front of a Christmas tree!"  The sheer patriotism alone will overwhelm the patrolman, possibly bringing tears to his eyes,  and he'll let you go along your merry way.

Micaiah Dutt contains multitudes:  Soldier, social theorist, international playboy, hardcore atheist, theologian, black sheep of the Military-Industrial Complex, bookworm, and all around free spirit.  Dude's an ox, a jarhead with a sharp mind.  In the course of a conversation he is apt to explain Pagan influences in Christian ceremony (Christmas trees), recount the utter dickishness of Blackwater operatives in Iraq (Marines HATE Blackwater), or regale you with a hilarious story about attempting to use a Kuwaiti toilet.  Micaiah currently works in the propaganda industry (PsyOps) and is partly responsible for grounding North Korea's airforce.  The man has scruples though and he stands by them; he follows no leader blindly.  He may be complicit with the system, but he's critiquing it from the inside out, changing it piece by piece through information, history, and humor.  Respect to him & respect to the guys and gals spending their Xmas in some god damned warzone.

Dec 24, 2010

Candy Cane


Laura Willette @ Pal's Clubhouse

"Hey, you look like a candy cane!  Can I take picture of you holding some tarot cards?"
"Um.... YES!"
Smooth.  Olivia's cards (The Empress, The Five of Wands) form a paradox of conflict within support, the grand conundrum of "selling out".  Hypocrisy is enmeshed in the human condition, it's at the core of Nature, so we might as own it.  Olivia associated "selling out" with her modeling career.  Modeling is her bread and butter, she loves it, but acknowledges it's dangerous tendency to manufacture desire.  She is saddened by people's desperation to conform to phantasms... torturing their body for a "beauty" they will never own, embracing annorexia, bulimia, and depression over the thought of being ugly.  Women (and men) transforming themselves into candy canes:  shiny, rail thin, saccharin fetish objects.

But Olivia's beauty is her own.  I had a wonderful time talking with her and was struck by how joyful she is, laughing and smiling even in the midst of a slightly heavy conversation.  She keeps it real and treats herself well, which I think is the most any of us can do in this world of contradictions.

Dec 22, 2010

Andre the Giant Has a Cousin

Stirling Myles@ Mississippi Studios

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you "dapper lad" and ever-evolving artist, Stirling Myles,.  I lived with this guy back in Colorado when he was fronting "tragically beautiful" post-art/rock band Strangers Die Everyday.    When I moved to PDX a few years back he let me crash at his pad and introduced me to a bunch of people who have since become friends. Stirling has seen some of the most fascinating art and some of the most fascinating bullshit of my life and we've had a lot of fun times together so I could go on a long time describing him.  I'll leave it at this:  He is a distant relative of Andre The Giant, was once cursed by a Tanzanian soap opera he found on the bus (Jahari!), and he currently sings and plays guitar in "tragically beautiful" folk band, Alameda.

Dec 21, 2010

Texans

 Lauren & Andrew @ Jolly Roger

When Lauren and Andrew told me they were Texas natives, I thought they would have to be from Austin.  Nope, they were from Dallas.  When I think of Texans, I think of good old boys who'll shake me down at Subway if I don't order American cheese.  These two were way cool, so I guess Texas has a silver-lining.  I met Lauren and Andrew  at the Jolly Roger where they were watching their Cowboys play the New Orleans Saints.  I jokingly asked if they had it in extra hard for The Saints because of all the Katrina evacuees who made a permanent home in Dallas after the levees broke.  What they have a moral compass too?  It was like an alternate universe!  These two almost made me a Dallas fan, but when New Orleans eked out a win  I was glad for them.  Sports are probably the only bright spot the Gulf has right now      

Help!

 
Geoff Brandenburg @ Goodfoot

Some of my musician friends joke that they are actually in the t-shirt business.  Big money there:  Fans are more likely to buy an image of the band that they can flaunt in real time, rather than an album they can stream for free online. Geoff is one of the artists behind the screen.  He is a freelance illustrator and owns a printshop called Saint Valentine Clothing.  Even though Portland is supersaturated with bands, Geoff says that gigs are sporadic.  He works hard and keeps the wheels turning, but transforming graphics into profits is easier for musicians in the t-shirt industry than for printers in the t-shirt industry.   Geoff's cards didn't lend any insight to this high stakes world of graphic design, but they did indicate a great propensity for love.  He's been single for a while (the curse of art!), but his spread is encouragement to put himself out there.  In conjunction the cards he's holding  (The High Priestess, Ace of Cups, Queen of Cups) represent a transformation from a period of deep introspection to deep intimacy, so long as Geoff put's himself out there.

Dec 20, 2010

Doot! Doot!

Yuko Koshinuma @ Mississippi Studios

I met Yuko last summer through my buddy Celso, when the two of them showed up at my Naked Bike Ride Pre-Party.  It was pretty wild:  whiskey and body painting and all of us stripping down in the front yard to the delight/chagrin of not-so-shocked onlookers.  She didn't make it to the even-wilder after-party (of which there is still a sizable pink paint stain in my back yard).  This photo was taken when I finally ran into her again several months later.  We caught up about the ride and she told me she had a great time, even though she was really nervous beforehand at first.  I told her about how our friend Jonas broke his collarbone and was rescued by a naked paramedic.  Despite her willingness to attend the Naked Bike Ride again, Yuko won't be around for it because she is returning to Japan before then.  Maybe there's one in Tokyo?


Anarchist Portrait

Macio @ The Water Heater

Macio represents AK Press, a worker-owned collective dedicated to the distribution of free press and independent media.  Some of the titles I saw at the AK table included:  Pretty in Punk, Macho Sluts, Vulvamorphia, Black Bloc/White Riot, Geek Mafia, and Granny Made Me an Anarchist.  Quality reads, all, and many more.  At first, Macio was hesitant to have his "anarchist portrait" taken; he's a little camera-shy.  I offered to obscure his face for the sake of anonymity and he decided to roll with it:  "Nah, it's fine.  You can get my face too."  Whether he thought I was a bluebottle or a tourist at first doesn't matter, he rolled with it, so props to him & props to AK.  It's a dangerous world for those who utilize the First Amendment with earnestness and conviction, especially those deemed radical in the eyes of the Military-Industrial Complex.        

Anarchist Child Care

Orin @ The Water Heater

These kids today with their Pokemon and their Magic Cards and their pet rats.  They're so hyper!  These two were just bouncing off the walls, moving, moving moving... it's amazing they stood still for a photo at all.  I talked to Orin at the children's area at an Anarchist Book Fair.  The place was thrashed:  Crayons, paper and cards all scattered about; the rat peeing uncomfortably close to a half-eaten hot dog.   After a prolonged series of distractions, the kids finally posed for a photo.  I like Orin's style, but was kinda taken aback when he demanded to see the picture I had just shot. I explained that I don't use a digital camera, but film that'd have to be developed before he could see it.  He didn't buy it and refused to give the cards back until he could see his picture.  His chaperones tried to reason with him, but he would not release the hostages.  A deal was brokered when I offered him a slip of paper with my blog address on it, pinky swore that it was legit, and swapped him the info for the captive cards.  He was tempered, but stern:  "If this is a website that hurts my mom and dad's computer... you will REGRET the day you asked me to pick tarot cards!" he chided as he clomped away back to his friends.  

Dec 19, 2010

Fame

  Rosa Lee @ Director Park

Rosa Lee joked that she will make my project famous.  Her face graces the placard of PDX bloodmobiles, so she has the ubiquity and star-power I need to draw the masses far and wide!  Only problem is, her face doesn't appear too clearly in this picture, so the instant recognition I was counting on is kaput.  If you're curious what Rosa Lee, the face of the Red Cross, looks like, I guess you'll have to give blood.  Sorry.

For Marx

Camille @ 37th & Hawthorne

"What do you think about the student demonstrations in Europe?" Camille asked as I was walking home from a prolonged experience in a sensory deprivation tank.  Canvassers don't usually get much attention from me, but I was feeling floaty and the question intrigued me, so I stopped.   "I don't know too much about that.  I heard that there were some protests in France, but they're always protesting over there."  Camille informed me about the tuition hikes for students, which has rallied them to organize with workers and take to the streets.  Why don't we do that in America?  This led into a spiraling conversation about alienation, exploitation, apathy,  political alternatives to oligarchy, Socialism as a vehicle to the stateless state, May '68, The Great Babylonian Con, Sex at Dawn, on and on.  It was a fascinating and genuine dialogue; true political action.  Camille was out on behalf of the ISO, distributing a grassroots newspaper called Socialist Worker and exemplifying the effort needed for true political change.           

Comrade

Christopher Kingman @ Jam On Hawthorne

During my wild ride at Naropa University, I organized a subversive art group called Secret Theatre.  Christopher would often join our sporadic gatherings of junior anarchists and collaborate, as well as critique our agenda.  He is a hyper-intellectual social theorist, well-read from Artaud to Žižek, and has one of the largest collections of underground music I have ever seen.  Word on the street is he rules the dance floor too.  Chris lives in Seattle now, but I bumped into him randomly as he was waited among Jam's weekend crowd.  He was fascinated to hear that Žižek's Plague of Fantasies  helped me stop smoking and was happy to collaborate on yet another art project.

Dec 18, 2010

"You Don't Even Know"

  Luz Elena Mendoza @ Doug Fir Lounge

This photo was taken minutes after Luz's band, Y La Bamba, finished playing a sold-out gig at the Doug Fir.  She was absolutely vibrant coming off the stage and was down to celebrate by pulling some Tarot cards with me.  She took the ritual very seriously, explaining to me that Tarot requires a profound connection, "a marriage", between the reader and the cards.  She had me hold the cards in my left hand as she cut the deck, shuffled and picked.  When she pulled the Five of Swords, she nearly flipped her lid.  Upon this card "Death" is written.  Death has apparently been  a consistant theme with Luz:  "I always pick the Death card," she told me, "You don't even know how great this is.  You don't even know".  She was even more radiant than before, as though the personal profundity of the cards had interwoven with the rapture of playing music and brought her to that higher place.  It was a very genuine moment.  She returned the cards and as she was leaving, she clutched my arm and looked at me intently.  With an air of mystery and deep conviction, she whispered:  "Thank you... You don't even know".

Memories

                                          Rob & Serena @ Back Stage

Back Stage is one of the most deceptive bars in Portland.  From the outside, it seems to be just another hole in the wall, but the interior is HUGE:  Seven stories from floor to ceiling to be exact.  The mural behind Rob and Serena is an impressive 20' by 20' and was commissioned as a tribute to the collective memory of the historic Bagdad Theatre (to which Back Stage is adjoined, hence the name).  This snapshot captures a merging between old memories and new.  It was Rob's birthday and he was here celebrating the occasion with his friends.  To commemorate the moment, I offered Rob and Serena a tarot reading and took their photo.  In a sense, our experience together is now part of the mural, linked into the ongoing story of the historic venue in a collaboration between artifacts.

Dec 16, 2010

Hope

                                        Maria @ Belmont Stumptown

As an addendum to the previous post, I'd like to note that the cards Unknown is holding (The Star, The Ace of Coins) have a simple theme of hope and potential.  When the world shits on you, you can deal with it with optimism or cynicism.  Perception shapes your ability to move throughout the world.  Central City Concern recognizes self-defeating (and self-deflating) attitudes as a major factor in chronic poverty or homelessness.  Besides providing shelter and employment, they offer a sense of community, shared resolve, and support.  They want to provide solutions, not just a cot for a night and some gruel.  Maria is the volunteer coordinator for CCC.  When I met her she was reading a book about Woodstock and was fascinated by music as an organizing principle.  She is very enthusiastic about her work, not only believing that rallying people for a common cause can change the world, but acts on it.

Dec 15, 2010

Unknown

Unknown @ Junction 205 & SE Division

This is a man whose name I'll never know because I forgot to ask.  He'd been out on this shitty little corner for hours trying to spange some booze money and had completely lost track of time.  It was now the middle of the night, freezing cold and misty, with nothing but oncoming headlights and idling engines to stir his hopes.  In a tormented way, he downplayed his situation:  "I'm just a drunk," he told me, "90% of the people you see out here are heroin addicts."  By the tone of his voice, it was unclear if he was edifying me or warning me.

When he picked his cards he didn't even look at them; he simply tucked his cardboard sign between his knees and held the cards up trembling, facing me dead on with this slightly resigned stare.  The desperation was palpable, but he didn't ask for anything.  I thought about offering him my soggy gloves, but I don't have a missionary's lack of self preservation.  Instead, I gave him a couple bucks for a beer.  How is it supposed to be?  Ethics are elastic, but these people on the streets are real.

Crafty Wonderland

                                            Zach @ Crafty Wonderland

If you're going to shop for gifts, shop local.  Crafty Wonderland is a pop up store that's temporarily installed in a vacant storefront on SW 10th & Yamhill.  It is part of an effort by the Regional Arts & Culture Council and the City of Portland to keep the holiday dollars circulating in the city and generate income for PDX'x so-called "creative class".   It's a standard model of urban renewal to create temporary spaces/shops in uninhabited storefronts.  The city creates a more welcoming atmosphere to impress tourists with, the artists get to make a buck, and more local businesses benefit from the money that is kept in local circulation.  It's a class act-- an economy that supports local business and supports the arts goes a long way rejuvenating burnt-out industrial cities.

The Squirrel Whisperer

Will @ Laurelhurst Park

"You can tell it's gonna be a snowy winter," Will said as he approached me.  "How's that?" I asked.  "Because the squirrels are building huts," he replied.  He led me to an old growth maple and pointed out a crude canopy of sticks at the base of the tree.  Under this stacking, I could see acorns, berries and mushrooms scattered within. Almost every tree in this particular grove had a similar nest at the trunk.  Will theorized that the squirrels were fortuitously cacheing their foodstuff to ensure easy access during heavy snowfall.  Has anyone heard of squirrels doing this before?  These canopies were all over the place and it's hard to imagine even the crunchiest of hippies taking the time to make these little havens.

Dec 14, 2010

Lo-Fi

Wilson @ Common Grounds

Two of Wilson's cards focus on intellectual pursuits, the other was the Queen of Cups, so innocent and fair and ripe with feeling.  As I was interpreting the symbols, he mentioned that he is a student and is currently writing his thesis on Nabokov's Lolita.  Now I've never read Lolita myself, but I hear it's pretty dishy.  I found it funny that the cards project the theme like a little snapshot of his thought process.  It also reminds us not to lose track of emotional intuition during an intense phase of highly analytical work.  

That said, my preparedness was a mess this day.  As I took my camera out to photograph Wilson, I found that the back of my Holga had popped off in transport, possibly overexposing the film and destroying all the pictures I had taken over the weekend.  Fuck.  I also realized I had misplaced my flashbulb.  Fuck.  I took the picture anyway using long exposure, but was prepared for a letdown.  Thankfully, I only lost one picture due to the handy paperbacking on 120mm film and found my flash later that night.  Hassles make good lessons, but embarrassing situations.

Sisters

                         Whitney & Jesse @ Jolly Roger (Thanksgiving 2010)

The 3 of Cups appeared in the hands of both sisters.  Among it's representations is the psychic imprint of childhood love--  those naive and wonderful (or terrifying) dreams that are the psychological kernels of our future relationships.  I met Whitney and Jesse at the Jolly Roger, as they were Giving Thanks for Whitney's recent marriage.  It was a significant occasion to draw a card that harkens back to innocent love.  Imagine all the experiences shared between these two as they grew up together; their crushes, their first boyfriends, the inevitable dramas... all the adventures of growing up together.    3 of Cups provided a beautiful recognition of Whitney and Jesse's closeness, the intimacy between two siblings, a profoundest love, that however often acknowledged, is always there.

"Bosched It"

Sarah & Joe @ Jolly Roger (Thanksgiving 2010)

Joe & Sarah came to The Jolly Roger to watch the Thanksgiving Day Cowboys/Saints game.   Sarah was at an impasse because she was torn between eating dinner with her best friend's family and spending time with her mountain man. By the time I met her, however, she was absolutely schloshed on gin.  "I bosched it!" she sadly repeated each time she received a disapproving text.  Joe kept coddling her telling everyone within earshot that she "is the most beautiful woman in Portland".   Head over heels for her, he was, but they're relationship was platonic.

Sarah & Joe had both been homeless at various points in their lives.  They both have roofs now, but were deeply dismayed by the lacking availability of shelter for homeless families.  According to Joe, perpetually homeless parents, including those hard-working folks down on their luck, are often forced to enter their children in Foster care to provide a semblance of stability.  Their sentiment was heartfelt; they disagreed that children should be separated from their parents, simply due to a lack of essential services.  Portland Homeless Family Solutions is one of the few nonprofits addressing the problem, but overall. the problem has gone by more or less unaddressed.            

Dec 13, 2010

Celebration Tabernacle

                                           Dre @ Celebration Tabernacle (Thanksgiving 2010)

In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have been playing with Tarot cards in a church.  Celebration Tabernacle had a Thanksgiving Potluck this year and I thought bringing them some apple cider would be a kind gesture, since they were providing free meals to people.  I hung out for a while and listened to tunes and drank coffee.   A variety of people were gathered there, but few were willing to impose their fate upon the devil's playing cards.  Dre was cool with it though-- he did it for art.  He was there taking photos too, using a sweet Canon digital and a giant zoom lens.  Much nicer rig than mine.

Unfortunately, my good time at Celebration ended abruptly when I was asked to leave.  I was talking with this older gentleman, Phillipe, as he gazed fixedly at The Judgement card.  He just stared and stared and didn't really share his thoughts on it, but was obviously contemplating the religious overtones of it.  The card features an angel with a trumpet blasting the dead out of the grave; an image straight out of The Book of Revelations.  Ironically, during this meditation on judgement, two volunteer Christians came and told me that I could not display my cards in their church and that I would have to leave.  I was fine with that, but still tried to convince Phillipe to let me take his portrait before I shipped out.  He declined.  "I want no association with what you are doing," he told me, as the faithful guardians hovered over my shoulder impatiently.   So no deal.  Community is thicker than than my silly project, I might be sacrilegious, but at least I can respect that.

Dec 12, 2010

Pastor Ken

                                        Ken Biornstad @ 28th & SE Ash St.

Ken is an old friend of mine from Eldorado Springs, CO.  He is one of the most down to earth people I've ever known, but when he moved to the Oregon coast a few years back I lost touch with him.  Until now.  I was hanging out outside my work one afternoon and I was surprised to see Ken come walking down the street.  Ken told me that he is currently a pastor at a small church in Waldport, OR, but is abdicating his position because of the "very different views" between himself and the congregation.   This doesn't surprise me because Ken does not preach conservatism in the slightest.  He is about love, spiritual growth, caring for others, and preserving the natural environment.

Ken chose to present his cards in front of these blue bricks as though it were a mugshot.  His perspective brought to mind the question of free will vs. fate.   I doubt Ken would deny the potential for an individual to take action in their own life, but as a man of the cloth, he believes all actions are dictated by God.  To hold up the cards as a prisoner begs the question:  Who's running the show?  Do we write the narrative of our own lives or are we simply prisoners of an omnipresent ultra-consciousness?   Regardless of opinion, no one can deny that the world moves in mysterious ways.   It was good to run into you, Ken.  Godspeed!

Transcending Locality

                                             Andrew Auble @ His Studio

I had been wanting to check out Andrew's art for a while and visiting his studio was a great opportunity to see his work and do a little tarot.  Andrew's current project is a series of acrylic paintings that synthesize elements of archetypal imagery into new forms.  Ideally each painting conveys a trace of the original character, yet transcends cultural aesthetics into a fresh vision of the archetype.  Some of the imagery he uses includes:  Javanese shadow puppets, corporate security envelopes, 17th century O'Neil harps, head dresses, and East Indian art of the Pahari period.

Archetypes are fluid beasts; they merge across traditions and evolve to fit each successive generation. Without succumbing to it, his paintings are indicative of the information age:  technology allows us to  transcend locality and enables unprecedented cross-cultural influence.  Andrew's work is a reverberation of this world of merging cultures, illustrating the question of whether this generation's art will be of shared humanity or shared homogeny.

Siren Songs

 
Uma & Gabriel @ SE 37th & Hawthorne

I met Uma and Gabriel while they were busking on Hawthorne.  They were visiting from Olympia, WA and like many seasoned travelers they seemed to understand that soaking in the atmosphere of a single corner can be more gratifying than frenetically dashing from one landmark to another.  They hadn't made much money yet, but were having fun playing "siren songs" and chatting with passerby.  While shuffling the cards,  Gabriel mentioned that he was really hoping to pick The Fool.  He has deep affinity with the little dog that appears on the Rider-Waite version, even having a tattoo of it to serve as his "constant companion and protector".  He didn't pick The Fool this time around, but Uma did.  Since the aspect of companionship was the major association Gabriel was making at the time, it feels more appropriate that way.

Dec 11, 2010

Buddha Eyes

 Aimee Amparo @ Hawthorne Tiny's

 This encounter is all the proof I need to know the Tarot is magik.  I first noticed Aimee as she was singing a quiet song and playing her ukelele in the corner of Tiny's outdoor patio.  I was transfixed by her sound and captivated by her knapsack, which had Buddha eyes painted on it.  I complimented her voice and we started chatting.   Suddenly her eyes brightened as she noticed the book I had been reading:  The Way of the Tarot by Alejandro Jodorowsky.  She reached into her Thangka embued knapsack and pulled out the exact same book!  This led to a diamond-studded conversation, an amazing dialogue that spanned Jodorowsky's radical films, art, music, alchemy, magikal New Orleans, and, of course, the multifaceted symbols and structures of Tarot.  For me, it was one of those conversations where time slips and a complete presence with the other person supersedes the distractions of internal/external chatter.   This photo is the trace of this wonderful synchronicity.  She told me that our encounter was my project telling me that I'm on the right track.  I take that to heart, thanks Aimee!

Wild at Heart

 Kai & Nia @ Portland Central Library

These kids are adorable.  I asked their mom for permission to take their picture with some tarot cards and she was pleased to oblige.  Kai and Nia play with Animal Spirit cards at home, which I gather  combines tarot technique and Native American symbology.  The kids picked their cards and the little girl, Nia, was visibly excited to pick the Queen of Wands (the country lady).  "Yes!" she exclaimed as she flipped the card over and she showed it off to her brother and her mom.   There was no need to tell her what the card represents; she already knew.

Dec 9, 2010

East & West

                                      Michael @ Central Library

This guy has a good attitude, I like this guy.   Michael pulled his cards at a Sand Mandala jam at the library and I asked him where he wanted his picture taken.  There was rich scenery all around:  Buddhist monks meditatively scraping particles of sand into intricate designs, portraits of Dalai Lama, artifacts from Lhasa enclosed in glass cases.  Despite all that trippy contemplative stuff, he chose to have his picture taken in front of some sourpuss in a gold frame.  I asked him why? and he said, "Because he's straight as FUCK!" and he let out a maniacally cheerful belly  laugh.  That's just cool.

Dec 7, 2010

Branches Above, Branches Below

Greg Foster @ Laurelhurst Park

I was walking through Laurehurst and I saw this dude dancing around a tree.  He was actually practicing a martial art called Baguazhang, which flows like Tai Chi only quicker, like a dance with the world.  One of the cards he drew (the 10 of coins) elaborated on this theme; we talked about how material reality is effected by consciousness and how particular paradigms mold consciousness in their image.  The closer one gets to the edge of that paradigm the opening of new consciousness begins and the world seems to communicate with them in a whole new way.  The universe wants to play, but is waiting for you to put down the rule book. 

 We talked about nature, grassroots tactics for real political change, and the privatization of water rights.  He told me about Bull Run Watershed, the primary source of Portland's drinking water.  Rull Run is an incredibly pure source, filtered by pine needles and all, but recent attempts to privatize it have brought about contentious litigations.  In lockstep with capital interests, Portland Water Bureau has attempted to regulate fluoridation in the water supply, despite it's above average purity.  I don't know too much about these issues, myself, but check out Citizens for Portland's Water for a broader perspective.

Dec 6, 2010

The Moon

                                            Alison Gayne @ Splendorporium

I don't usually go to art openings at places called "Splendorporium", but this particular evening showcased local artists' renditions of tarot cards, so how could I resist?  An added bonus was that a few of my friends had work up, including Alison Gayne, whose painting reinterprets "The Moon", an archetypal symbol that illuminates the dark pastures of the unconscious.   Here she is in front of her canvas, presenting the three random cards she picked, which just so happened to include... "The Moon".   Vegas would put the odds of that at  1 to 26, but archetypes do not operate on statistics, they operate on synchronicity.   It's as if "The Moon" was waiting for this particular encounter to reveal a glimpse of the mystery at the heart of the tarot, the dream logic that underscores our lives in the profoundest ways without us even knowing.

Dec 5, 2010

Raise

Raise @ Slow Bar

"Hesitate and you lose your chance at divinity."  I was smoking under an awning  on Grand Ave. and this guy, Raise, ambled up and asked me for a cigarette.  I liked his style and wanted to take his picture, but he was wearing a pin on his lapel that said "Kill Hippies".  I gave him a smoke, but hesitated on asking him to participate in my project,  thinking he wouldn't be interested because tarot is hippie shit,  He walked a little ways down the street and sat down at an outdoor patio and lit up.  Since he seemed to be chilling out waiting for someone,  I decided to try to rally hin  At first, he was trepidatious about the whole deal,  but I told him that the main reason I wanted to take his portrait was because of his cool Kangol hat and the Kill Hippies pin.  He was flattered I guess, so we chilled out and had a decent conversation until the phone call he was waiting on hit.

Post-Satyricon

                                       Sam Henry @ My Father's Place

Sam Henry is kind of a big deal in Portland's underground music scene.   He was a drummer for Wipers, an o.g. punk band that has influenced countless rockers, most notably Nirvana, Mudhoney, The Melvins, and Dinosaur Jr.  I met Sam by chance at My Father's Place, where he was drinking Hot Toddies to nurse a sore throat.  His voice was raw from a wild weekend at  Satyricon, where he had sat in on the final gigs at the now defunct venue.  I had no idea who he was when I met him and probably still wouldn't if the bartender hadn't played one of his songs for me after Sam left.  Dude was incredibly humble, hilarious, and optimistic that punk will survive and even flourish despite the demise of its premier West Coast venue.

Dec 2, 2010

La Calavera Catrina

                               Adriene Cruz @ Dia De Los Muertos Shrine


According to the novel little handbook that is included in the Grand Etteilla tarot, the cards Adriene chose foretold a meeting with an unsavory priest.  As a recovering Catholic, she got a laugh out of this prediction, remembering the hypocrisy and authoritarian attitude that she experienced in the fold.  Adriene now explores spirituality in other forms and expresses herself through her mind-blowingly intricate textile art.  Interestingly, her quilts share similar qualities as her portrait:  warm colors, interesting amalgamations, an air of mystery... her quilts are way less blurry than this photo though. 

"Whored Out"

Ann Heideman @ Cargo


Ann reads Tarot every First Thursday at Cargo (that weird international knick-knack shop on 13th & Flanders).  She invited me there for a free tarot reading and I was genuinely impressed with how professional she is.  Her insightfulness and succinct explanations inspired a lot of perspective, both personally and in terms of this project.  After my reading, I saw a woman who I had photographed earlier in the evening.  I took her to Ann's table, thinking that I had brought a potential customer.  Instead this participant asked Ann to interpret the cards that she had picked out earlier from my deck.  Ann was was happy to help, even though she jokingly accused me of "whoring her out".  I'm not quite up to being a tarot pimp, but collaboration is key.  Ann rocks the tarot, even when using unfamiliar imagery.  Go see her next First Thursday and for a small donation, you will get a superb reading!  

Humble Beginnings


                                     Jen Woodall @ Mississippi Studios

Jen plays bass clarinet for the Portland band, Alameda.  After being introduced by a mutual friend, she agreed to be the first participant in my photo experiment.  It was a rocky start:  I didn't have a clue how to read tarot cards and I had very little experience shooting with a Holga camera.  That became pretty obvious when I took her photo with the lens cap on!  She was cool though.  We reshot the picture and had fun interpreting the cards using a handy little book that was packaged with the deck.  According to this outdated tract, the card in the middle (ace of cups) means to "partake in gastronomical delights".  She told me she had eaten a huge meal that evening, so the cards must be true!