CREATIVE CURRENTS

Here's the first post of my post-graduation life -- one that will begin with a year of art in the nation's service in the service of all nations.  Thanks to the wonderful Martin A. Dale award provided by Princeton University, I will begin my journey.  Feel free to read about my story.

The goals of creating Creative Currents is to paint as many murals as possible in hospitals and shelters across the NY/NJ area.  My hope is that the paintings will bring joy to the residents, patients, workers, doctors, nurses, and family members who spend time in what can be otherwise bleak buildings.  I want to beautify the environment to stimulate the imagination, relax the nerves, and provide hope.

Check out the "Current Projects" sidebar for sketches, stories, and pictures of each project.

Ironman for Haiti Update

I wanted to let you all know that I survived Ironman St. George last Saturday.  Despite the fact that Utah had a heat wave on race day (95 degrees) that basically negated all the training I did in New Jersey's 35 degree weather, and despite Utah's hills which are most certainly twice the size of NJ's hills, I finished forty five minutes ahead of my projected time.  The swim was a crazy mass start of people kicking and squirming over each other.  During the bike ride I got made fun of for having so many cliff bars tapped to my bike.  The run was brutal but I finished the 140.6 mile race in 14 hours 14 minutes.  If you need to remember what the heck an Ironman is, here is the official video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs6vD1GMgDU&feature=fvst

The best part about the race?  We raised $3,500 dollars for Foundation for Peace.  I traveled with Foundation to Haiti during August 2010, and left feeling convicted I had not done enough to help the people there.  Foundation is working on numerous projects from medical centers to keeping kids in school; and they are, in general, amazing people doing great things.  I'll send out another update email with how the money gets used to make a huge difference in Haiti.  


Thanks again for your encouragement.  I couldn't have done it without you.

WNPR

Creative Currents and Jazz Theodicy make it onto WNPR!  The PJS section begins at 6:13 and I speak at 23:46!

http://www.yourpublicmedia.org/content/wnpr/where-we-live-local-art-activates-change