The Other Who Shares Your Name

Last weekend I had a very weird experience. I was waiting on a lady in the shoe store that I work at (weekend job). The place was closed and she was stressed and tried to make quick decisions. Her daughter was drawing and I commented on her beautiful use of colors. When she got to the register to pay, Raul my co-worker said you are paying for this? I said no and with curiosity looked at her name. Right before me was Lisa Rasmussen another Lisa Rasmussen. It was such a weird experience. Starring at someone who has you name... they are suddenly not a stranger. It is hard to explain.
Any of folks out there experienced this? Let me know your experience? it is trippy and kind of cosmic.

Self Portraits MOMA

Rite of Passage-Don's graduation--Sista Tree Shrine Circle Activated

This work was created on May 16th 2009 at Don's graduation party from BOALT in our garden. I had amazing helpers. Little Moziel, Auntie Bella, and Don's Mom. It was so cool. I got me convert 'tree hugger' with little Moziel. You must start early you know




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Sacred Sites in the Urban Jungle

Sacred Sites in downtown Oakland was an amazing collaboration with Lauren and my students from our workshop series at Art is Moving "CLICK HERE"
It was also an continuation of my own series of Eco Art, which I call "Tree Shrines," a site specific project that I want to take around the world.'CLICK HERE" to check out some of my sites.

For me this workshop class was about honoring the trees,that are killed and used by us. We had an amazing time as a class. We created art around dead trees, phone lines (telephone poles) that intrinsically connect all of us. The funny thing is my boyfriend suggested this a year ago as a joke. In translation I love honoring the dead.
Also, an important aspect of this project is the viewer. Cliche as it is "we want them to stop and smell the roses." or just to be conscious of their environment and how little things can make a big difference. As we were created these shrines many people who walked by were smiling! One homeless guy laughed and asked us if the steel pole Lauren and Patti were making into a tree would grow.
This project as a whole is the resurrection of panspsychism.

what does panspychism mean? "CLICK HERE"
For more research on this philosophy check out this amazing book from one of my professors at JFK Christen DeQuincy. He taught an amazing class called Paradigms of Consciousness. This book takes an in depth look at panspyschism Radical Nature: Rediscovering the Soul of Matter




Lauren and I will be doing a Eco-Trail in the Bay area this month. We will be making a call out to artists. If you want to join let us know. Also, our next workshop series will be starting soon. It is fun and inspiring. We invite all to join or drop in.
"CLICK HERE"

After this class, Sacred Sites in the Urban Jungle, I will never look at telephone poles the same way ever again.

More Eco Trail Pics

Eco Trail 11/24 at Lincoln Child Center in Oakland,CA

Exploration, Connection, and Co-Creation





















This was an amazing day for my students at Lincoln. Those who attended were moved and had way to much fun. YES!
The Eco Art festival is composed of at least eighteen site-specific Eco-Art installations created by students and seven professional Eco-Artists. It was fantastic to work with this group of Eco artists. I had this vision almost a year ago and I am amazed at its manifestaion. I thank my co-collaborator Elizabeth Benson for all her heart and hard work in this event.
The festival began at 9:30 were students and staff discovered and explored the beautiful nature on Lincolns campus in the Oakland hills. A little more about the children and LCC where I teach below. Everyday that I work these extraordinary children my belief that art is transformative is affirmed. As the children walked and interacted with the trail I witnessed such joy and excitement as they engaged with nature through art. It was success and an opening for many to strengthen, awaken their relationship with Mother Earth.

Lincoln Centers Mission Statement and Description:
Lincoln Child Center prepares children with severe emotional problems to lead productive and fullfilling lives in the community, by providing children and their families with therapy and education in a healing environment
Lincoln Child Center provides educational, residential and community based treatment programs to children ages 5 through 14 years old, many suffering from abuse and neglect.


Each of the seven classrooms created tree Eco art
List participating artists :
Tree Shrines, Wishing Tree and Sister Circle activation by Lisa Rasmussen,
Poet Trees by elizaBeth Benson-Udom,
Nature Sanctuary by Zach Pine, MD,
Garbage Mural by Veronica Rivera,
Raincoat Tree by Lauren Usher,
Healing Arts Circle by Kelly Barrett,
Clay Earth Creatures by Nan La Torre,
Pine Cone Spiral by Joany Brody,
The event included poetry, and a drum and storytelling circle

Dreams come true

This is an image from my M.F.A. exhibition, which really was a dream come true. I call these triptychs "totems". More later.. hopefully two of these will be selling soon. There is interest. Cross your fingers, they are ready to be out in  the world. 

Anyway..a little bit about me  I am a artist and a world traveler.., I am  obsessed with sacred sites, nature, and the ocean. As well as shamanism and ancient esoteric and mystical philosophy. I will be graduating in June 2008 from John F Kennedy University in the school of Holism, Arts and Consciousness. A cutting edge graduate school (new paradigm thinking) and now under graduate school that produces change makers. What ever that means to you. I found it to be an amazing and transformative experience--eternal as well as external. That was a Freudian slip, I might internal...I like it.

  Currently, my paintings are being represented by the gallery Studio 333 in Sausalito, CA. The other work that I do is site specific, Earth Art which I will show and speak about in a later post. Also, I am a photographer as well as an collaborative artist. 

I am engaged in two very exciting projects with other artists. The first is the "Art is Moving", check out on this blog site! (under that title) Artist Lauren Usher and I are creating a space and face to challenge and hopefully transform perceptions of art and artist, here in our contemporary culture. 

The second project that I am involved in is the name is evolving. I call it "The Hands of Creation," which is an art project with artist/activists Janice Brewster and Nicole Chan breaking the silence of child abuse within our society. We will be doing workshops and Janice's goal is to have those participating to in vision a better world  and to create 1 million hand prints. With intention of what the world should be  for children. 

Lastly, I am a transformative arts teacher for children who are diagnosed as severely emotionally disturbed at a mental health facility in Oakland, CA. I have been there almost three years and seen what art really does it empowers, it heals, it transforms.... more discussion later..

This is my somewhat long intro...As I typing this I am beginning to understand the power of the BLOG it is telling my story ...my mythology. O...I do apologize my writing is very conversational and I frequently miss a connector words. My mind moves faster than my hand.

Please comment ...I look forward to the conversation.