Take 5: Art Break Day 2011

Here is our Take 5 ARTbreak Day video debut!

This is an amazing community ARTreach event for all. Please support this ART happening by donating, reposting our video, volunteering, and of course attending the event!

I read today in the Huffington Post, the article 6 Techniques to Ignite Your Inner Creativity and Passion. The author says "Dabbling In The Arts: Our culture's overemphasis on fame and great success often turn"s people away from their creative inclinations, because they feel that if they can't reach a professional goal with their writing, singing or painting endeavors, they shouldn't bother. What they don't realize is that simply dabbling in the fine arts, with no specific goals or intentions, awakens our ability to approach life with greater openness and curiosity. In the same way that mindfulness practice jogs the areas of the brain associated with well-being, optimism and compassion for yourself and others, so, too, does immersing yourself in any artistic exploration or enjoyment jog your creativity."

As I have said in the past at the ARTcart, taking an ARTbreak for free in public space is a form of art therapy on the streets!! Take 5 ARTbreak Day is community ARTreach and healing! Love to see everyone support this awesome happening!!

Aside: My inner dwarf is cringing and having blast at knit picking at how I look in this video. I kind of look like a muppet. But, I know this project is so much larger than myself and my fragile little ego needs to be put aside. I need to promote and promote this until this event is a grand success for all of our communities. It is not about me, but is about the people and the community.

Lauren and I at Art is Moving have a grand vision of making this a global holiday.

It will be done and it already is!!

Art Review by JJ Levine

WiThin Places
JJ Levine

Sitting unassumingly at a crossroads like a seeker awaiting their next life path, the
artist watches the art exhibit unfold. Patrons arrive, some familiar with the territory being
presented, some just to immerse themselves in the creative atmosphere they love so

much. The space held together by the works of MFA graduate student, Lisa Rasmussen.
Her paintings, photographs and installations on display this evening straddle the realms
of inspiration, inner sight, and cross cultural phenomenon.

With healing light as the chosen medium, the artist openly invites anyone brave or
willing enough to trek mountain ranges of the psyche, whether that is perceived as
personal or collective. Voyagers around the room are spotted preparing to depart on
guided expeditions with individually assigned sherpas of the light, inter-dimensional,
spirit guides, wielding paint while walking between the worlds. Operating in the neo-
shamanistic world of creativity as ritual, Ms Rasmussen assigns art materials to their
appropriate posts. Lines, stains and fields come alive with pigmented intention, making

. l .

the p~rceiver's reality feel like the rug just got pulled out from underneath them.

\

Lisa's ~acred intentions are painted multi-dimensionally, making marks on canvases with
ancient symbols, and then layering over with an image that the viewer finally sees. The
'presence of the Earth Mother herself is felt sweeping to and fro on a ground of pre-
meditated archaic ecstasy'; an intersection between Spirituality, Divinity and the space-
time continuum. Her artworks, whenfeeling into them like portals, open up like
windows into alternate possibilities. While standing in front of one of Lisa's paintings, I
fell into it, falling into a wormhole showing another time and space. I saw a tunnel with a
bear's sleeping space similar to one I had seen while recently visiting Aillwee Cave in
Ireland. Upon returning to present reality, I could feel that my vision and the painting
were connected somehow, through the energetics of place and time. Some would say that
that space holds a frequency that is both emotionally and spiritually familiar.

However, be weary, young travelers, for there is a dark side to the Thin Places that we' are
shown, that may not be otherwise realized. Another side privy to the naive, the
courageous, the initiated, or even the uninitiated is that of the darkness of man's ascent
away from nature. Viewers intending to spend "Sunday afternoon in the park'", are
instead confronted with reflections of the black waters of their earthly existence..

•

Lisa Rasmussen has that angle covered as well; with artist's integrity, and angel's
guidance, she skillfully breathes life into the void. Taking the mirrors handed to
unsuspecting purveyors, the artist smashes them with subconscious, yet idyllic, imagery.
The artist personally guides the viewer into her private life of meditative memories,
artistic discipline and spiritual discovery.

1 Mircea Eliade, Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy. 1964; reprint, Princeton,
N1:Princeton University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-691-1.1942-2

2 http://en.wikipedia.orglwiki/Sunday_in_the_Park _with_George

That is Awesome! Indian Rock Eucalyptus Tree Shrine

Stream of consciousness..

Today is my Birthday and of course I had to take a mental health day off from work! Lately I have been really inspired to create tree shrines again. This one was a marker or a rite of passage for my birthday/rebirth, as well as an offering to this sacred place called Indian Rock in Berkeley.

Over the last couple months I have been walking to the Rock at least three times a week to meditate and heal. Today I thought I would pay homage to this amazing place with some ART.

When I arrived to the rock there was three people on it. I was feeling a little timid as I do not like to create my tree shrines in the public view. I love people to discover them, but I hate being watched while I create them.So I decided to walk around the rock and try find a place to create a shrine in solitude. As I was looking around I was fascinated by the little caves that exist at the bottom of the rock. It gave the sense of being at the Temple of the Moon in Peru, which was so mystical and amazing!! I have been to Peru twice and I love it!!
The little caves is were I decided to create my internal shrine. At first it was just going to be a rock shrine and then when I was walking around I discovered this Eucalyptus tree seed that was blooming like a mandala. It was fantastic. I placed the seed in the center of my eco-art and it was activated into a tree shrine. As I spent time with there, documenting the shrine I felt very connected to the internal mother Earth. Much like how I felt while I sat within the Temple of the Moon cave at the base of Huayna Picchu.

After photo documenting my Eco-Art I decided to take the seed with me and to ascend up the rock, where I began to create another shrine.







As I was photography my work, I was startled by this young rock climber. He glided by me and he seemed to just appeared from no where. He sat a short distance away from me in meditation for awhile. The rock is really a destination for a lot of folks. At all times of the day you can find people just hanging out. In groups or many times alone.



Then two young girls climbed up the rock. They were really being silly and taking goofy pictures of themselves on the rock. I decided to leave.



As I was descending the rock the girls discovered my shrine. And they exclaimed wow this is awesome! wow that is awesome!
AWESOME!! and they started taking photo's of it. I smiled within! That is what I want this art to do.

To evoke reverence for nature!