♥ Loving Deep Within the Armorie

The whimsical work of Stephanie Bracciano deserves a wide audience. She captures the essence of an emotion in a single moment. Her images settle within you like a poem.

I imagine Stephanie to be a deep-thinker, a wise and kind soul. Noticing the details, hearing stories that are whispered only to her. A locked box of secrets released through her art.

Whole stories of longing seem to leap out of her work, begging to be written.

What do you see in Stephanie's work?

You can destroy buildings but you can't destroy L.O.V.E.

Ai Weiwei's studio before the destruction. photo (c) The Telegraph
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was featured here already as he is a true Soldier of L.O.V.E. fighting for the rights of the unheard voices of the lost children and as a peaceful activist for freedom and democracy in China and around the world.

He uses his phenomenal art to truely make a change and is therefore seriously and constantly under the attack of Chinese authorities, where he almost lost his life being beaten down so hard on the head.

Ai Weiwei never gives up and doesn't even turn his back on China.

On January 11th, 2011 Chinese authorities took another method to bring him down. They completely destroyed his studio building in Shanghai (worth about 1 million US-$). This was probably also a reaction to Ai Weiwei's support of Nobel Peace Price winner Liu Xiaobo.

The New York Times writes about the incident:

BEIJING — The studio would have stood at the heart of an embryonic arts cluster on the outskirts of Shanghai, a draw for luminaries from around the world.

It took two years to build, and one day to tear down. (...)

“Everything is gone,” he said. “It’s all black now. They finished the job at 9 o’clock last night.” (...)


Ai Weiwei standing in the rubble of his studio in Shanghai. photo (c) Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Ai has come to see his escalating conflict with government officials over the Communist Party’s authoritarian rule as performance art. (...)

Full article here.

Meanwhile Ai Weiwei's fantastic work of Art "Sunflower Seeds" is still shown in Tate Modern in London.


This outstanding piece of Art shows hundreds of millions of Sunflower Seeds that seem to be identical but are apparently unique and handmade porcelaine in China.

As we all know about Michael Jackson's love for Sunflowers, the Sunflower Seeds represent the "seeds of love" and a basis for love to grow...


Ai Weiwei's "Sunflower Seeds" in the Turbine Hall of Tate Modern.
Watch the video about "Sunflower Seeds" here:


Let's show human rights activist Ai Weiwei and China our love and support!!! I guess you all saw what happened when the Michael Jackson bronze statue was unveiled in China recently...

Follow Ai Weiwei on Twitter: @aiww

Things I learnt this week including the fact that bus scrolls are taking over the known world

Sadly, my Fridge Chronicles did not take the blogging world by storm as intended.* But, even though they chose not to participate, many seemed to love the idea so look out for July and - EXTENDED BY POPULAR DEMAND - you can still post for June. In any case, I've learnt a lot about blogging this week, among other things...

1. Stumbleupon is a site that lets you scroll through the web on topics that interest you. It's likely to also be a great way to drive traffic to your blog if you're interested.

2. It's possible for a female, droney-voiced, rather smart redhead to become prime minister of blokey, over-excited, rather, um, cerebrally-challenged, tanned Australia. My thoughts on this are perfectly summarised in an earlier post.

3. It's estimated that dyslexia affects almost 10% of children in Australia.

4. You can't dabble in Twitter, it's an all or nothing place.

5. Kids library bags online cost over $30 (or are cheaper but so yuck)... unbelievable. Horrified, I rushed to Funky Fabrix and almost bought this lovely fabric to make my own.

6. At least 62.8%** of homes featured in Important Interior Design (IID) magazines (or 'house porn' as LOML calls them) must contain a whimsical destination bus scroll.

7. I just don't get Haiku (although Fluffy Bunnies does write some lovely ones...)

8. 'Passwords' is a really good way for Early Readers to learn their sight words. You stick words at every door in the house (hard ones at most used doors). When it's "passwords on" everyone has to say the sight word in order to get through the door. "Passwords off" means Mum gets a little break. Taking a leisurely evening stroll through the house in the same manner each night after bath is also a clever way to use the loci system for learning the words.

9. I would rather stand in line all morning than use the self-serve checkout at Woolies. It's just not right.

10. Pictory showcases the most amazing photography and the stories behind the photos. I just love it.


* Although they were not as big a bomb as that intelligent, witty, charming bastard Sir Ken Robinson.

** Please note: this statistic is made up. It means absolutely nothing and can therefore be used as a supporting fact in any argument as long as 8 glasses of wine have been consumed prior.

I stopped to talk, you had to listen.

I stopped to talk, you had to listen.

So who you're asking? Volume's increase.
All just a thriller - you want to be me?

A whisper of love. Blurring my mind.
The flower of laughter somewhere in sight.

Crucify. A lullaby. Shameful cry.
My head held high.

You call it justice. Is this the truth?
A soul of desire. Fading in doom.

Calling a number. Who's on the line?
9/11 - remember the time?

So who you're asking? When lips are sealed.
A man of wisdom, trying to heal.

If time's an illusion, so is the truth?
You're crying my tears. I'm bad. Who are you?

Am I gone? Where were you?

I am behind you, faithful and true.

Where there is love, I'll be there....

Walking to Emmaus by Fritz von Uhde
On the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35)

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.

He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"

They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"

"What things?" he asked.

"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."

He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Source: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A13-35&version=NIV

Things I learned this week including a well known truism

It's been a big week and my learnings are varied.

1. Better late than never!

2. A hagiologist chronicles the lives of saints.

3. If you discover a word that you have never seen before like hagiologist, you will invariably stumble over it time and time again in the next 48 hours.

4. Sitting in a peaceful, beautiful garden, reflecting on the road behind and the road ahead is the best form of meditation there is.

5. The GPS Navman lady is very bossy and if you disobey her stern warnings she will lead you in a merry circle as punishment.

6. There isn't a town on the East Coast of Australia that doesn't have a chinese restaurant.

7. The official ski season starts in the Snowy Mountains next weekend.

8. The paintings in the National Gallery of Australia's Masterpieces from Paris exhibition somehow looked even more interesting and vibrant than when I saw them all shuffled together at the Musee d'Orsay. Perhaps this is due to the 'important exhibition' nature of the NGA's showing.

9. I love an open road.

10. There is no place more exciting, more inspiring, more fun or more delicious than home.

Poet's Notion - Tribute to Michael Jackson

This beautiful and heartfelt tribute to Michael was written and sung by lovely MJ Fam member Carina Lanes. Michael Jackson is one of her biggest role-models.

The song "Poet's Notion" was written right after his passing when she went to Los Angeles to pay her last respects to him in July 2009. "He left us something that we can continue and with this in mind I want keep doing what I do."

Enjoy!


A Poet's Notion

It was june
and the night was quiet
i will always remember
I smelled the rain
when the news
almost made me surrender
I looked up
for the sign of a lie
praying for a wonder
I'm caught alive
in a blaze
craving for a blunder

It's a poet's notion
to fall away too soon
I fall away with you
I'll make it a better place
like you told me to
even if I fall away too

Is it too late?
am I overcome
by a rational fate?
How can turn back time
or buy eternity?
cos you're the one we need

It's a poet's notion
to fall away too soon
We fall away with you
We'll make it a better place
like you told us to
even if we fall away too
even if we fall away too
Credits:
written by Carina Lanes MySpace
arranged and produced by Muca MySpace

MJ Art - Michael Travel Into Light

click to enlarge
created from and inspired by
"HIStory - Live in Munich, 1997"
(recorded July 4 & 6th 1997, Munich, Olympic Stadium)