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While I couldn’t do too much sitting when I hurt my back, I could do some standing activities. So I made fig-plum jam and have ever since been enjoying this tasty treat: blue cheese and warmed fig-plum jam on crackers. I know this isn’t really in the spirit of this blog, but I love this so much, I thought I would share. The recipe for the jam is after the jump. Continue Reading »

I recently have gotten back in touch with one of my old sculpture professors at UVA who I think is sortof great and who has now taken on a new name: Boriska (his real name is Bill). Now I know that is an aside, but a good one. So he sends me stuff now and then about his/UVA’s goings on and this one seems neat: “SSSUN” “Baking Bread Burning Bush” Friday, Halloween, Oct. 31, 2008, 12:00 Noon. Andre Rublev Courtyard of Ruffin Hall, UVA Studio Art, north slope of Carr’s Hill near Beta Bridge “SSSUN” “Baking Bread Burning Bush” is a performance event where 100+ Mirrors held by 100+ participants will direct the energy of the SUN to Bake Bread and Create Fire. This event is free and open to the public who are invited to participate by bringing a mirror. (The use of 100 mirrors free to first 100 participants) Schedule: 11:30 AM doors open 12:00 solar oven ignited, bread baked 12:30 PM 100 + mirrors ignite Fire 1:00 PM Bread is eaten and Celebration extends outward throughout the World Full Sun is required for this event. Cloud cover postpones this event to the next sunny business day: Monday, Nov. 3, Tuesday, Nov. 4 etc. This event is given to the world by “SSSUN” (Solar Sculptors + Scientists United Now) Anchored in the UVA Sculpture Department.

We realized that after two years, it is about time to make it easier on people to look through all the issues we’ve done so far. So we made a back issues page! Check it out.

I hurt my back so have been having trouble sitting, which makes computer work challenging. But I am starting to get back (pun not intended) to regular-ness and am playing a bit of catchup. So here are photos of our really nice day in Dolores Park on September 27th for The Expo for Independent Arts and Media. We shared a table with the lovely ladies Jessie and Bird from Trash Mashup. “Trash Mash-Up is a community art project. Using disposable materials, collected before they enter the waste stream, participants construct “Maskostumes” which are original pageant masks and costumes inspired by traditions from around the world.” We also got to meet many interesting people, tell a lot of people about our project, and listen to our friend Uni sing her heart out.

Here’s another art subscription! When we first envisioned The Present Group, we thought that if we were sucessful, then other people would emulate us and there would be a ripple effect causing a whole wave of different art subscriptions- all with different interests and groups represented. Though I’m not sure we’re ready to call ourselves a complete sucess, or that we can take credit for an idea that surely is in the air, the idea of the art subscription does seem to be a catchy one. Here’s the most recent one we’ve found: Little Bird Limited Their wording is a little familiar, I have to say, but all in all we’re excited to see the art world expanding to reach more people at a lower cost. Welcome Little bird! UPDATE: Just got an email from Little Bird:

We noticed the present group on our analytics site and when we clicked the link we noticed your blog post. We were mortified to read about the similarities. We actually pay a freelance local writer to write out our press and content for the Littlebird Limited. So we had no idea. We read all about your subscription and re read what we had written and there is no doubt that the person who wrote for us ,for sure borrowed your text. We apologize for this, truly. We are currently working to change our text . That was not our intention to start our press like this. Although the text is the same the idea is not as grand as yours and we hope maybe to get to that level and we hope you take no offense.