Artist-led tours: all roads lead to NAAM

Got a question? Say it to my face -- I dare ya. Ask me anything... about my art.

This is your friendly reminder/invitation to join me for a tour of You're Not From Around Here, Are You? at the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM). I have to say, I get something out of it too. Hearing your interpretations of the works in this exhibit is kind of like taking a road trip with you as my guide. Details:

Hope to see you soon!

Safety zones, in black and white

Can I just tell you how cool it is to do a collaborative piece of art... with people you haven't even met yet? I heart you, mystery chalkboard writers.

Inside the You're Not From Around Here, Are You? exhibit, you literally have permission to write on (part of) the wall. For this art installation, I'd like you to share your personal safe space... and if that doesn't exist around here, I'd like you to share a specific place you don't feel safe.

Loving the results so far... here's a few to check out.

From Patricia A.: "People say so many negative things about my hometown, White Center, but I love our diversity and being unincorporated! Being multiethnic, I feel safe in diverse cities."

Anonymous comment: "I am from Balto., MD. Have lived in Seattle for 20+ years. I do not feel safe anywhere. As a black woman "feeling" safe is a luxury I can't afford. One must always be on her guard."

Anonymous comment: "Born in Yakima moved to Seattle in 1950 in the CD moved back in 2010."

If you can join us on the weekend of December 16th and 17th, you can make your own contribution to this art installation! Please let us know you'll be attending the artist-led tour that  day; RSVP on the Facebook Event page. Hope to see your thoughts on the wall soon, in black & white.

Book of Bulmash, chapter 95

Chapter 95

Photo credit: Library of Congress

1. "O Mother!" cried the nine-year-old child. "I have great need of apparel which beareth the image of my school mascot!"
2. "Therefore must thou complete the order form so I may bring it to school on this, the day of deadline."
3. The mother half-pretended not to hear the boy's plea,
4. For her ears were still ringing with his most recent morning tantrum.
5. Then the mother replied to her son, "Thou seemest not to understand a fundamental principle of obtaining thy heart's desire;
6. "Namely, that one must not enrage the person whom you beseech for a favor."
7. And thus the mother closed her ears to the child's renewed howling.
8. She delivered him unto the place of learning, as was her duty.
9. But as she returned to their home to perform her ablutions before journeying to her place of employ, the mother reconsidered.
10. For was this day not the eve of giving thanks?
11. Should she not be grateful that her child had not enraged his teacher as well, and set the teacher's heart against him in the classroom?
12. Indeed, should the mother not give praise to The One for the continued good health of her children and her husband?
13. "I shall not acknowledge to my son that I have ordered his apparel," she grumbled to herself. "For that would send The Wrong Message regarding his behavior."
14. Nevertheless the mother did swallow her pride, and wrote out the necessary cheque of payment to the school's PTA