Tehachapi's Artist Community - grungehobbit.com

I love the new song!  Thanks again for filling in for us on the 25th at the Cellar,  They get a nice crowd there for dinner on Thurs. night...

Lauren

 I believe Sparks is a member of Burn the Witches and BECA.  She might know more about them.  Sparks???

I don't know about poetry.  I will ask my wife, her name is Diane too.   I know they do belly dancing and art.  This is a article from http://bakersfieldexpress.org/2009/10/15/womens-art-show-goes-on-despite-vandalism-theft/  at last years showing.

 “Burn her! Burn her!”

What started out as a joke – a way to get back at the discrimination and conservatism women artists felt they were experiencing in Bakersfield – has now grown so much that the annual Burn The Witch all-female group art show had to find a new venue this year.

But even that came with a price. Nearly two weeks ago, after the women had hung the first submitted art pieces on the wall to get ready for this Saturday’s event, curator Nyoka Jameson was horrified to find some of the artwork missing and vandalized.

Apparently, the two bingo groups that share the space at Westchester Hall didn’t like what they were seeing, Jameson said.

“I knew coming in that we’d be sharing with a bingo group,” she said. “But they weren’t told what kind of art we would bring. This is an uncensored show. There are nudes. There are things that could be controversial.”

After she hung some of the initial art, the Tuesday night bingo group complained, she said. So Jameson took sheets of plastic to the hall at 2801 F St. the next day and covered up the pieces she thought would be most offensive. Apparently that wasn’t enough, she said.

On Saturday, when Jameson returned to the hall, she was horrified when she entered the building.

The plastic had been removed from several pieces. Some of the art was missing from the walls and others were missing from the building entirely. She found some of the art stuffed into the equipment closet, and one large piece in the bathroom.

That one was a painted mannequin hung on a cross called “The Crucifixion of Mother Earth” by Micky Piercy. Parts of the piece were broken and the Styrofoam mannequin had dents and dings.

“I felt shock, followed by disappointment, followed by anger,” she said. “Obviously they didn’t understand the piece. But what’s painful is that they made no attempt to understand it.”

Piercy, who works for Planned Parenthood, painted the life-size mannequin to represent Mother Earth. She enjoys depicting anatomy in her art, and for this particular piece she painted a uterus with the earth inside. A tree of life is on the mannequin’s torso and a sacred heart is on her chest. On her thighs, billowing dark clouds represent smog and acid rain, and on her legs growing vines intertwine with dying vines and thorns.

“This is a parallel to the crucifixion of Christ, who was crucified by his own people,” Piercy said. “This is representative of us humans inhabiting the earth and putting it up for crucifixion.”

Looking at the piece, one would not realize the work that went into repairing it. Piercy had to replace and repair broken cardboard sun rays and re-paint over dings in the Styrofoam.

“Eventually I came to an understanding,” she said. “I don’t want to be too upset because I don’t want to cause more controversy.”

The energy in the room Wednesday during final preparations showed the strength – and stubbornness – of the women who work all year to put on this event.

“Nyoka is our hero. She is the most stubborn person in the world,” said Jennifer Raven, who curated the first three years of Burn The Witch but handed it over to Jameson when her health deteriorated due to lupus and fibromyalgia. Raven is a painter, sculptor, poet and costumer.

Raven described Jameson’s willingness to do whatever necessary to make the show go on. Two months ago, for example, when The Basement art gallery closed its venue on 19^th Street downtown, Jameson had to look for another place to hold the art show. They had outgrown their previous venue of The Empty Space theater on Oak Street and needed a roomier place.

With the help of Don Martin of Metro Galleries, Jameson was able to secure Westchester Hall. She said she’ll be looking for a new venue for next year.

Despite the bingo call numbers on the wall, Westchester Hall is a nice setting for the art show. It’s well-lit and roomy enough for the expected crowd and live performance art. With about 40 exhibitors showing multiple pieces of art, the walls are covered with about 300 works all together, Jameson said. There are paintings, sketches, sculptures, masks, textiles and costumes. Performances will include dance, live music and poetry reading.

“These women inspire me so much,” Raven said. “We all have different reasons for being here. The show has no fees. You just have to be a chick who loves art and can jump in and be willing to help make this happen.”

Jennifer Williams is glad that everything is working out for this year’s show. One of the founding artists, she had her artwork go missing entirely from the hall. After Jameson filed a police report and confronted the building owner, Williams’ pieces reappeared. The Bakersfield Police Department is investigating the case as theft and vandalism, Detective Mary DeGeare confirmed.

“It was kind of alarming,” Williams said. “It’s one thing if it’s trashed. But when it’s missing, you never know what happened. Then they just showed up again.”

She calls her pieces “story boxes.” At a craft store, she found small tombstones and coffins that open with hinges. She painted each and created tiny dioramas inside with characters and short stories. In one that required repair after the artknapping incident, a woman is accompanied by a tiger with a skeleton hand in its mouth.

“This is Gabriella,” Williams says. “She loves cats. When she got married to Mr. Catch, he said she could have any cat she wanted. So she got a tiger. At first it was OK – until the tiger started to eat the local populace. When she tried to convince him to be a vegetarian, he ate her instead.”

The art spans from whimsical to serious, and exhibitors are of all ages, skill levels and backgrounds. Visitors will be able to learn about all of the artists at the “Wall of Infamy” – where every artist’s picture and statement will be posted.

Despite all the setbacks, “I do want to do it again next year,” Jameson said. “It’s such a wonderful thing for women in this community.”

There will be three public opportunities in October to see the artwork of Burn The Witch IV. Private viewings may also be scheduled by calling Nyoka Jameson at 204-1342. For more information visitwww.myspace.com/burninginbako or e-mail burninginbako@gmail.com.

I understand you miss your younger body.  You were very pretty and sexy too.  When I was 50 I took up woodcarving.   My wife joined our local quilting club.   We have many hobbies.  Now we have the time to do the things in life we love to do.  These years have been the best years of our life. 

...and that's what keeps things interesting!

M, you never know what twists and turns a blog might take.  As long as the post stays active, it's a good thing.  Congrats Bako and Terri.  Lovely work Crossroads Artists.

I'm filling in for Max and Loren at the wine celler thursday march 25th. gotta keep my chops up

Actually, this is a blog about CrossRoads and First Friday and some very talented artists. I don't know how we got off on Spark's bod or Bako's sobriety...

Wondering if this org. has any room for poets, or if it is limited (bad word for any artist :) ) Burn the Witch sounds great, I am not familiar with it, more info?

When/where is your newest cd available? Hope we hear you in the community again soon, your music is so inspirational!

 Thank you Asher!!!  I'm proud of you too.   Thank you.  I almost lost my wife.  Scares the hell out of me.   She is my life.   I go crazy without her.   The kids deserve better from their dad too.  Telling the truth is not easy but alot better than being a lying jerk.   My wife is smart hard to compete with for a dumb jock losing his bod and good looks.  Diane says I lost my heart of gold why she married me.   I can't smoke my son has asthma.  Congratulations to you too.  

 I am truly proud of you!!! Good work! Congratulations! It is a lot of work, but hopefully every day is easier and easier for you. (I know this was a blog about Spark's bod, but I had to step in here and say something!!!)  

I am very fortunate that I was never any more than a rarely occasional social drinker, and still am. I can, however, relate to a different addiction ...4 years ago this coming May I quit smoking cigs, and that was after 30 years of a 1 to 2 pack a day habit! At the time I was diagnosed with an unrelated (to smoking) type of cancer and I figured with my surgery I had gotten a second chance at doing something right, so I seized that moment and quit smoking. 

You are doing good for yourself, and setting a great example for others too in the process ... BRAVO!

Sparks man you still look good girl. I can see you were a HEARTBREAKER.  You were 46 in this video???   You have a GREAT voice too.  I hear you singing in the video. Diane wants to go karaoking with you again she knows the lines and you have the voice.   I want to go too if you let me.  I missed all the fun.  You are fun.  WOW, Tehachapi artists are HOT HOT HOT.  Sparks, I'm 5 months sober thanks to you and your website you made for drunks like me.    I think I can go to a bar I do all the steps ask Diane.  Here the alternative AA steps Sparks made for us  drunks.  http://wud1.com/steps/Steps.htm   It works if you work it.   The email does NOT work she won't sponsor you.

Sparky! Whooo hooo! I just found this little gem and I love it!

Now, as to the weight thing, I don't want you to worry too much but I too was once that size.... those were the good ol' days!

As for now, these are good ol' days too, just relax and enjoy yourself and don't worry about the number on the tag on your jeans! And have a great time in PS and Yuma!  -- M

Thanks. i appreciate you taking the time to listen.

it means alot to me.

 I don't know how lucky the person I was flirting with was, however, I sure do miss that body.  I've always been skinny (size 27 waist levis), right up until I was 49, 3 years ago.  I'm just a bowl of jelly now (can't fit in my size 29 waist levis anymore).  Seems like it happened over night.  I put the video up on youtube to inspire me to lose weight...   as of this morning I gained 4 oz.  lololol

Oh, Kathy..., I'll be leaving this this weekend.  I'm gonna do the Dinah Shore thing for a couple days in Palm Springs before I head up to Yuma.  I don't know what my cell phone number is but once I figure it out, I'll email it to ya.   Thanks.

To be going to the 11pm show on the 13th. (Unless something changes.)

Mathnerde.  Thank you for posting the The Empty Space Link.  The Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault is an organization I'm profoundly involved in and support wholeheartedly.  

Beautiful.  Thank you for sharing your music with us. 

 OH MY, OH MY, OH MY.   Whoever you were flirting with was a lucky guy!!!!  

 Tom I tried to reply to your email but it says you do not exist.   The email you have listed on grungehobbit.com must have a typo.   If you would like to email me at grungehobbit@aol.com I will have your correct email to reply to and to update on grungehobbit.com.   In the mean while I did clean up your blog site for you.   I hope to read some more of your poetry soon!

Mel, this is me  just before I moved to Tehachapi and just days before I cut my hair.   I was flirting with someone, can't remember who, but they were nice enough to send me this little 60 second video.  Now what I want to know is when did I gain all this weight and grow boobs?   lolololololol

Cool song Terri.  

I think Rodney is an idiot... gives gays and blacks a bad name...  no one I know is proud of that bumbling drunk, nor do we use him as a symbol of peace,  BUT, that one sentence he uttered "Can't we all just get along" will be remembered for a very long time and carries an awesome message.   If it hadn't been  the situation with Rodney that created the riot, it would have been someone or something else who would have created it.   Blacks were at their breaking point, the riots were inevitable I believe.  It was a horrible time for Los Angeles, but it did change L.A. and improved the treatment of all by our Police dept. and it eventually brought us all closer together.  

Reminds me of the cross streets without traffic lights..  What... are you waiting for someone to get killed before you do what is right and put up a flipping traffic light?   "Yep",  is always the answer no matter where in the world you are.   

I won't work too hard if you don't shovel any snow.

 OK, I took the liberty of going into your post and removing the format which is the Eraser Icon on your editor.   Hope it helped.  You can play with it again when you have time.  Formatting blogs is hell I tell ya!   (smile)    Don't work too hard.