ok…so tryin’ to sell art on the streets of Nashville is like tryin’ to sell Jewish trinkets at a Baptist convention. Just kiddin’…whatever happened to a sense of humor folks? oh well…its been a long time since I’ve felt this wonderfully hopeful, optimistic and full of beans! Years, even. so I’m just not gonna let the malcontents bring me down but its definitely time for a change and I mean a big one. A Big Easy One like…Oh and if you get a chance please pop over to http://patron21.com/users/helenbird and support original artists…there’s a few of us tryin’ real hard to make a livin’ creating a more beautiful & colourful world. thanks
Author Archives: thegraffitihunter
About thegraffitihunter
good country mornin’
good country mornin’ a video by THE GRAFFITI HUNTER on Flickr.
Like the oud and other ancient stringed instruments, our particular favourite…the banjo has a life all its own. It’s magical! ” It cheerfully & forever lovingly plays the soundtrack of our time together. A ninth-century Baghdad jurist praised the healing powers of the oud (and like such instruments), and the 19th century writer Muhammad Shihab al-Din related that it “places the temperament in equilibrium” and “calms and revives hearts”. ref: Wikipedia.
And, I believe it!
I heard recently that Lincoln kept a banjo player on hand for those ‘you can always count on ‘em, low’s. Melancholia. Lincon’s Depression. His self-proclaimed ‘black dog’.
“I found it impossible to keep my feet still or to wipe the smile off of my face during this one.”
So…Come on friends. Join us and listen for a moment and enjoy our kind of music.
“Music that reflects a life worth livin’.” Helen
red letter day
or ‘highlighted ways’
by BirdXRust 1/2013
the sense that every day’s your birthday surfaced the other day as territorial positions around the camp fire have become etched in kibble. settled over many unseen musical chairs. if the birthday girl always wins, why not make everyday your birthday?…to a poppy dawg for sure. may your calendars fill up with many…
enlightened
this photo received one of the dumbest question/comment I have ever seen…:not to sound crirical, but why do you use such harsh angles’
hmmm…not to sound critical. its like being told, we need to talk.
but, hey I’ve always likes to view everything from different angles/…kinda keeps a person well round
Why Street Art? Why Bus Stops?
Why street art?
In all artists lies the need to be appreciated. We don’t create in a vacuum, so to not have an audience to bounce off and give feed-back, makes the creative process rather maddening. After all, is not recognition the measure of success? Or at least that is what we are led to believe. I find success an elusive concept as well as attribute.
a beautifully written piece. I couldn’t agree more with you regarding appreciation vs measure of success. you describe the disconnect between the stuffy art world and street artists very well. I believe the world of street art is exploding right now & receiving much worthy attention. if you have time please visit my blog too. “you can take the artist off the street but try takin’ the street out of the artist…its an awesome place to be” Helen Bird aka thegraffitihunter.com
Reply ↓
ad infinitum
here’s a new picture I have been working on. it’s taking me forever, hence the choice of it’s title. please check out my online art gallery @
bird // purely observations // virtual gallery
thank you!
fiscal cliff notes
Money makes the world go round…well, maybe not for much longer. The late great comedian Bill Hicks once said “It’s all about money, not freedom, ya’ll, okay? Nothing to do with fuckin’ freedom. If you think you’re free, try going somewhere without fucking money, okay?”
So true, so very true. Walking to the gas station, comforted by the dark, cold glorious morning light, swinging the over used empty red cans….knowing, just knowing that someone will help.
And they always do…
It’s all about faith. Faith in others. Faith in yourself.
This morning I’m thinking…not much longer. The finishing line is finally in sight…
“you can take the artist out of the street but you’ll never take the street out of the artist”
….y’all have a warm and blessed day.
Via Flickr:
by BirdXRust 2012
its a dogs life
I have three words for you regarding pet owners, dogs in particular: ‘Best in Show’. And believe me, I mean that most affectionately. I seriously doubt there are many people out there that wouldn’t enjoy, that is get a downright hilarious kick out of the movie. whether you’re a dog lover or not. Growing up we always had a family dog, just the one. It was the ‘kids want a dog but we know we’ll wind up having to tend to them’ scenario with my parents. Of course, that’s more often than not the case, especially with school age and teen children. The last thing you want to do when you come home from school is walk the dog, vacuum up their shedding fur and fix a bowl of food…unless, like me you start sneakily smoking cigarettes when you’re 15 years old and then its a great opportunity to legitimately leave the house and take the dog out. Time to smoke a quickie and rush back to do homework. Was that wrong?
I vaguely remember our first dog, a corgi called Kim. He was pretty elderly and my Nana took care of him for the most part. As an old dog he found youngsters a bit of a pain and would nip at us periodically, just so we would leave him alone and that he could have some semblance of a quiet life.
A dog’s life…
He was always in the kitchen first thing in the morning when we were off to school. He was there waiting for us when we got off the bus and came home in the evening. And he settled down in the same spot every night at bedtime. Faithful. A constant companion. For my Nana he was someone to talk to when no one else was around, the house very still and quiet, even lonely during the day, with us at school and my parents at work. So then there comes the day when He’s not there anymore. He’s gone when we come home from school. No more happy face, anxiously waiting for us in the window. He had been taken to the vet and Dad left without Him. It’s every kid’s worse nightmare. For sure.
It wasn’t very long before we got another corgi from a very sweet family and kennel owners in Wales. They had taken in my mother during the Blitz when she was evacuated from London. My Mum, being the awesome correspondent stayed devoutly in touch with her temporary family and over the years we returned to Pembrokeshire, South West Wales for our family vacations.
The Pembrokeshire corgi is the preferred breed of Queen Elizabeth II and I believe she has about 16 corgis in her household. But that’s not why we made our second family dog one. Pembroke Welsh Corgis are very affectionate, love to be involved in the family, and tend to follow wherever their owners go. They are eager to please and since they only bark when necessary, they make for a very good watchdog.
On the left my sister Lesley, Brandy and I at our home in Newbury, Berkshire 1972
Awesome and necessary qualities for any dog.
For many years I was without a pet. I travelled a lot, worked long hours and felt it just wouldn’t be fair on the poor pookie.
So when all of a sudden I exclaimed to Vernon that I wanted (and had already spied an ad on craigslist) a small dog, there really was no discussion. He felt exactly the same. It was the first ad I saw, for a 4-year-old abandoned Maltipoo. Maltese dogs are the favoured breed of royalty and have been for centuries. Cuddly beyond belief, they are the quintessential lap dog. They have hair, not fur and never or molt. Beautiful! Poodles are the smartest of breeds and also have non shedding coats. They are fun, active dogs that are an absolute hoot to hang out with.
This hybrid breed was perfect for our gypsy artistic lifestyle! We met the lady from the animal rescue she handed the new member to our family straight to me, into my arms and up to my chest. We bonded immediately and over the past couple of months she has become an integral part of our life & family. I never thought I would hear either of us say things like ‘smootchie, woutchie…how about a little supper’. Cooing and ahhhhhing over her as if she’s a new-born baby.
But then there you go. She has become a daily tonic for me with a new name everyday…sugar pie, honeycakes, sweetie love. But mostly she answers to Poppy.
We see her as a huge spirit and that she probably rescued us…
