Graffiti Follow-Up

I had to find it again, but a couple of years ago I ran across this amazing website, called Graffiti Archaeology, which has matched photos of various locations and the evolution of the graffiti found there. It is truly amazing. Check it out!
http://www.otherthings.com/grafarc/
There is one photo series in particular that is a train tunnel. The first photo taken in 1949 shows a train actually coming through it. Through the years it is fenced, then walled, all the while being covered in graffiti. A few pictures even depict some of the culprits/artists. Amazing stuff.

Graffiti=Art?

In the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, there was an article recently outlining a new rewards program for tipsters informing on graffiti taggers. The issue of graffiti has reach epidemic proportions in some areas of the Big Island, frustrating public officials and local business owners and costing a considerable amount of money to cover it. The taggers are becoming more and more bold, leaving larger tags in more prominent areas. It is an issue in Red Bluff too, with gang rivalry being expressed in tag speak. I studied graffiti a great deal for my master's thesis, and note the destructive nature of such vandalism as it instigates violence in some cases. But I also see the beauty of graffiti.

I have always been mesmerized by boxcars covered in tags, the cryptic messages, the color gradations, and the flowing design of graffiti. It is beautiful, and created using just a couple of colors and the difficult-to-control spray can. In Pahoa, there used to be a wall lining an alley (on the side of JoMaMa's, across from LaQuin's) that was a designated graffiti spot. Many local youth artists would create this cacophony of color and design. It was one of my regular pilgrimages to visit the wall, take a picture and see how it has changed. There was very little graffiti in other parts of town. The last time I was in Pahoa, the wall was white; the lovely little graffiti tradition had been lost.

Graffiti can be a major hot-button issue. So, yes, discourage the destruction of public property. Place bounties on tagger's heads if you must. But give these artists another venue to display their work. I can't say that it will eliminate their need to exhibit in more dangerous and visible locations, but it will give them a legitimate location for their work and it will not deprive the rest of us the opportunity to marvel at such gritty, interesting art.

The Great Trash Debate

Trash is the big topic in my two home towns. The Red Bluff Landfill is going to reach capacity in the very near future. It's phase two section will open at that time, which is supposed to last us until 2025. In Pahoa (Hilo) Hawaii, my other home town, the county wants to bring in a wheelabrator plant to incinerate trash and turn it to energy. It is meeting with lots of roadblocks, with arguments from the plausible (it will create more air pollution) to the ridiculous (with an incineration plant, people will stop recycling). Frankly, as far as the pollution is concerned, the trash run-off water seems to be a graver concern, and the pollution would be minimal, certainly far less than our active volcano puts out each day.

I wish that recycling was more of a priority to the average person, and that we could get away from all of our plastic use--plastic NEVER goes away. And it can only be recycled once, so those plastic grocery bags need to be reused--and reused and reused, as many times as possible. I refuse to take them at the store, but clerks always try to put stuff in them. I suppose they are easier to use than reusable bags or paper. I actually had clerks at Wal-Mart get frustrated with me, once for having to use my bags, and once because I refused bags and had her put everything back in the cart (I had left my bags in the car and bagged when I got out there). I have even had them put things with their own handles into bags for me--like gallons of milk (trying to get away from them too--plastic).

Big Island Hawaii makes recycling very difficult for the average person. You must carefully sort all of your recyclables yourself and drive them to the waste transfer station, but they don't take certain things (we tried to recycle glass liquor bottles. They would not take them). There is no home pick up (in the Puna district, anyway). People are lazy--we don't want to go to all of that effort, most especially since the government seems less than motivated to encourage it.

Victorian Homes

Red Bluff has an abundance of beautiful Victorian homes. In fact, one of our service clubs does a home tour as a fundraiser each year and showcases such homes. From my office window I can see a beautiful home, with its gingerbread trim and classically Victorian lines. Such homes are regularly depicted in paintings and photos here. Unfortunately, there are some formerly lovely homes that are rotting as they stand, or have been lost forever due to fire, decay or "modernization." It is tragic that such losses happen.

In Eureka, where I live for a short time and where many a happy family vacation took place, is the home of the Carson Mansion, a breathtaking marvel in Victorian design (it is the green beauty above). This Northern California wonder is used by a men's club and in unavailable for tours, so I have never seen the inside--which makes it all the more intriguing!

Many people, no doubt, have seen the Postcard Row of painted ladies in San Francisco. They are featured prominently in the opening of the 80's TV show Full House. San Francisco has an abundance of magnificent Victorians as well.

Anytime I am in a new town, I try to take in all of the home styles. It is amazing to visit the "old town" portions of various towns which have unique historic architecture.

Missoula Children's Theatre

Coming up April 21st-26th, the Tehama County Arts Council will once again host the Missoula Children's Theatre. The production will be The Wiz of the West, and will be an opportunity for 50+ Tehama County children to experience theatre production.

This program is really quite remarkable, in that two actor/directors come into town in a truck toting the makings of a musical. They spend a week in residence, casting local kids on Monday, rehearsing each night and performing a matinee and evening performance on Saturday. During the week they will also provide workshops at local schools on acting. While most of the children's roles are not large, each child gets exposure to what it is like to perform onstage.

The Tehama County Arts Council is offering a supplemental workshop prior to Missoula arriving that will utilize past MCT actors to teach those planning to audition for this year's production what to expect. Many children who may be afraid to attempt the audition process may feel more confident after attending the free workshop on April 12th, at 10:30 for 7th-12th graders; 11:30 for kindergarten-6th graders.

Tyvek

If you have ever built or remodeled a house, you are no doubt aware of the material Tyvek. It is a moisture barrier house wrapping material which is applied under exterior siding, etc. It is also the stuff many mailing envelopes are made of. It is also a superb art supply.

I have used it with great success at a surface to paint on. It is slightly textured and doesn't wrinkle or soak through, regardless of the viscosity of your paint. Others use it in heat applications--it tends to bubble and shrink when heat is applied, so very cool effects can be achieved. Dupont, the makers of Tyvek have realized that artists are using it in various applications and have actually developed an art supplies line. It is archival-safe, pH neutral, so it is okay to use with photos and in scrapbooking applications. It can also be sewn--it is actually used to make clothing and for quilting. It is highly durable. It is a wonderful art supply.

I am currently working through a leftover roll, inherited from my dad after he built and addition to his house. It is also great as a birdcage liner, as it is moisture resistant.

Springtime in Tehama County

Happy 1st day of Spring! Tehama County does Spring in a big way, with our orchards of plum and almond trees blooming, our tree lined streets and highways leafing out, and fields being plowed and planted. It is a beautiful place to be--though if you have seasonal allergies, stock up on antihistamines!

I happened upon this orchard near Gerber. Surprisingly, the picture was taken with my cell phone--I am forever amazed at the quality images it can capture. Obviously, I can get better with my 35mm, but not too shabby.