Finally Fixed

After two years of work and planning, I finally got my fixed gear bike complete. Here is a run down of what I've got:

My dad 'borrowed' me his old frame. It is an Assenmacher handmade that he picked up used in Mt. Pleasant before I was born. It is fresh with Campy drops and British styling (which is how Assenmacher roles). I am rocking a retro Campy crank, some rusty low-end French pedals, and an 80s leather Sprint saddle (despite its name, its from France). I just got some bright orange Deep Vs. I'll still wondering if I'm gonna hook it up with some other bars.

Sadly, I got a pinch flat already!

Back from Oaxac(a)

After two weeks in Oaxaca, I am back in Michigan attempting to get things ready for the arrival of fall [not to mention an opening at the Nokomis Center on Labor Day]. Nonetheless, Oaxaca was great and I met some super rad artists. Hopefully, I will continue working with these folks and get Just Seeds down that way. Here are a couple flics from the trips.


This is me showing off my body at Monte Albán. Actually, I set up the camera for a timed shot and missed my head. I thought it looked kinda dope, though.



Being touristy at El Ex-Convento de Santo Domingo in Oaxaca de Juárez.



The entrance to the Tianguis Cultural Libertad y Resistencia. There was a graffiti 'tournament' when I was there.



Some beautiful vegan tacos with agua de jamaica! Mmmmmm.



In San Bartolo Coyotepec with Don Valente (the famous Doña Rosa's son) demonstrating his technique to get barro negro.



Renowned alebrijero Jacobo Angeles showing us how to get an animal spirit from a piece of wood. San Martín Tilcajete, Oaxaca.



Outside La Curtiduría, the artist residency + gallery I worked with in Ciudad Oaxaca.



Outside La Curtiduría, a mural for a show currently hanging about corn and food politics.



One of the cats from Lapiztola giving a demo at La Ex-Galería Azomalli.



Lapiztola work outside La Curtiduría.



Come on, that's a dope name for a band! Los Mexican Powers.



Chillin' on the beach in Bahías de Huatulco during a rain storm. The fresh fished smelled good (does this signal the end of fifteen years of vegandom?).

Tras Barrikadazz Exhibition

I am in Oaxaca teaching a course about art + social justice. Some of the folks I am working with have an opening tonight for a show called 'Tras Barrikadazz.' The arts community is super rad here, although it reminds of Santa Fe in many ways. Once I get back, I'll upload some of the flicks of street art here in Oaxaca.

TRAS BARRIKADAZZ/ BEHIND BARRICADES
July 25th, 8pm,at the former “Azomalli” Gallery (A. Gurrion #110, next to Sto. Domingo)
Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca.
This project has been created by three artistic destruction troops: LA PIZTOLA, ZZIERRARREZZIA, and ZAPE. These three agitators will release their most recent visual strategy, consisting in the use of conventional media, and also developing the concept of ¨STRUGGLE¨ on different materials and substrates. (screen-printing)
Traces of the confrontation with this gallery will be shown, ¨Keeping a cool mind and an overflown heart¨/ ¨Manteniendo la mente fría y el corazón desbordado. (Intervention art and graffiti in the three rooms).
For more information visit the following links :

http://trasbarrikadazz.blogspot.com
http://lapiztola.blogspot.com
http://colectivozape.blogspot.com
http://zzrrzz.blogspot.com

Self Help Graphics Sold!!!!

The building that has housed Self-Help Graphics, the renowned community art center in East LA, was sold earlier this week. The future of Self-Help, which has worked with many of the most prominent and progressive Chicana/o and activist artists in LA, is in question.

Stop Gentrification! Support Self-Help Graphics!

KABC television coverage of the sale.

Self Help Website

Dressed in Pink (Paper)

Favianna Rodriguez and Ray Hernández putting up images from Reproduce and Revolt at Crewest Gallery in Los Angeles. Mine is circled, yeahhh! This images is stolen without permission from Favi's website. Thanks Favi.


Fresh image, huh?

Anarcho-Syndicalist Developers?

I guess developers are even stoopider than I thought. This is a photo of a new development in the Los Altos neighborhood of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Any anarchists wanna squat in this site? It's already sportin' the red + black.

Vicente Fernández y la Doctora Torrez

This past Friday, Estrella successfully defended her dissertation (the reasons we were chillin' in Burque). From now on, y'all must call her either La Profe or Doctora. To celebrate, we went with some friends to see el mero mero of ranchera, Vicente Fernández. It was amazing!!! Chente sang most of my favorites, although he didn't sing 'El Hijo del Pueblo.' My favorite, as always, was 'El Rey.' Chente and Junior sand 'Amor de los Dos,' which was fresh, although a bit cheesy.

Throughout the entire concert, there was this vaquero in front of us that was totally pedo and kept beating his ten-gallon hat against his leg whenever Chente would sing. It was actually quite humorous.

The morning after the show, Estrella, the grrls, and I drove straight back to Michoacan del Norte (yeah, I mean Michigan). It was a crazy two days of fifteen hours worth of driving. Now that were back, I'm chillin' here for about a week and then I'm off to Oaxaca to teach and give some lectures (maybe even make a print at La Curtiduría).

¡Ahh, que chulas! Don't they look happy to be on a family trip?