Christina deRoos

Summer!

Summer 2014 began with another crazy weekend of art during Bushwick Open Studios. This year Spread Art presented Transient ID: DET <-> NYC in collaboration with Indus Truck Works, Ltd.

The event built upon last year's Don't Box Me In, again including two full days of performance art. This year added a visual art show inside the box truck brought from Detroit by Indus Truck Works, and the street outside of Pine Box was closed all day Saturday, which brought many other performance artists and groups to the streets, including a full day of music curated by ThingNY.

I presented a work-in-progress version of All Systems are Inherently Unstable as part of the group show in the truck (left image below). The finished work will show at Whitdel Arts during the annual Members Show, running July 11 - August 9 (middle image below). 

        

Saturday evening, in collaboration with The Cocoon Project, I participated in Transient ID: Inside, the Future which took place at sunset. With multiple artists collaborating in an improvised multimedia setting, I contributed a real-time mix of projected visuals (right image above), including remixed documentation of Anya Liftig's performance art work, including Ancient Evenings, Feeder and Failing/Flying: The Mash.

Next up is an interactive installation on August 2 during the second annual Sidewalk Festival of Performing Arts, an outdoor celebration of site-specific performance and installation art in the heart of Detroit’s Old Redford/Brightmoor Neighborhoods.

Guest Artists for The Maze! Sat 7/28 2pm - 7pm

Spread Art takes over The Maze to present a 5 hour participatory sound & video installation @ Secret Project Robot!

With 6 projectors, multiple laptops, a PA and no time to tech, the improvised performance spectacle will begin with 2pm load in and roll until the clock strikes 7pm, or until systems crash and burn. Welcome to chaos...

Remote Control Tomato (Thomas Bell / sound & Christina deRoos / video) from 2pm - 7pm

Plus from 4pm - 6pm additional sound, video & performance artists including: Brett Zweiman / David Tamura / Robert L. Pepper from PAS / Hiroshi Shafer / and more...

More about The Maze
Trouble and Secret Project Robot Present:
The You Are Here Festival (aka the maze)
Buchwick Brooklyn, July 2012


"As a sort of anti-panopticon, the labyrinth explores the boundaries that we often take for granted about where one art community ends and another begins, while advancing the notion that the audience, itself a kind of community, should be stripped of its consumptive role and forced to discover its creative one." - The Brooklyn Rail

"(an) "anti-festival festival" in which a bevy of versatile musicians and artists play shows within the confines of this tailor-made labyrinth." - The Village Voice

More details here.

Upcoming Performance: July 28 "You Are Here"

Remote Control Tomato (Thomas Bell and I) will perform Saturday 7/28 from 6pm - 8pm at Secret Project Robot (Brooklyn, NY) as part of the You Are Here Festival aka The Maze. Six projectors!!!

The ‘You Are Here’ festival, takes place in New York City approximately once every two years. The festival consists of 4 weeks of performance and time- based arts events in a life size maze installation.

 

 

Interview: Playground Detroit

Thank you, Playground Detroit, for the interview & profile of Spread Art and our new location in Detroit. 

SPREAD ART CREATIVE INCUBATOR RELOCATES TO DETROIT FROM BROOKLYN

Spread Art is an artist-run creative incubatordesigned to foster new works through collaborations with artists, curators, and organizations from around the world. With Operations now concentrated in Detroit, (the organization just moved from NYC recently!) 

Spread Art supports emerging artists through group and solo exhibitions, music events, and performance showcases, and also facilitates opportunities for youth and adults to explore their creativity and increase self-awareness through art. Spread Art supports the creation and evolution of art festivals and cultural collaborations locally, nationally, and internationally.

PLAYGROUND DETROIT sat down with the duo behind the organization, Thomas Bell and Christina deRoos, to ask them about Spread Art and their recent re-location from Bushwick, Brooklyn, to Corktown, Detroit. The two are originally not from Detroit, or NYC, both growing up elsewhere.

PD: When was the first time you visited Detroit? What was your experience and impression of the city like?

de Roos: ”I first visited Detroit in Oct/Nov 2011. A lot of aspects reminded me of the feel of Bushwick, Brooklyn when I first moved there in 2003. I was struck by a similar sense of creative possibility, but on a much grander scale.”

Home Sweet Home: Detroit!

A lot of changes since January. I'm loving Detroit and grateful for the many new doors that are opening.

Below is news about the new home for Spread Art, an organization I co-direct with Thomas Bell. Yoga class schedule coming soon, as well as more info about artist residencies and upcoming events.

Spread Art opening new 4000 sq ft creative center in Detroit

104 Meserole St. -- Spread Art Brooklyn.
Jan 2008 to July 2012

After 4 and ½ years of successful exhibitions, events, workshops, and residencies, Spread Art has wrapped up activities at 104 Meserole Street in Brooklyn as of July 1st 2012.  It has been an amazing time with many wonderful memories and we would like to thank all of the artists who were a part of Spread Art’s events, exhibitions and residencies during our time in Brooklyn.  As one door closes however,  another is opening and in a big way.  Spread Art has moved its headquarters to Detroit and has taken on a much larger physical space. This transition enables Spread Art to continue working in collaboration with artists and spaces throughout Brooklyn and New York City, while also expanding operations and activities in Detroit.

 

3 Exhibitions - Brooklyn and Detroit

I have work in 3 shows happening now - 2 in Detroit and 1 in Brooklyn. Details below.

Art for Denitza

Exhibition at Studio 207, 20 Jay street, Brooklyn, NY, with online bidding here: www.artfordenitza.com

A fundraiser for an eleven year old girl, Denitza (Deni), whose mother, Tzveta Tocheva, was killed in Mexicantown in Detroit. Tzveta was an artist and community organizer who could always be found painting murals and co-organzing exhibitions and events in Detroit. The organizers of this show wanted to help Deni and give something back in memory of everything that Tzveta gave to the community. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to an educational fund for Deni.

I have two photographs in the show. If you are interested in purchasing them I encourage you to visit the website and participate in the fundraiser. If after the fundraiser closes you would like a print of these works in exchange for a donation to the fund for Deni, please let me know.

Inaugural exhibition @ 555 Gallery's new home

2801 West Vernor Highway; Detroit 48216; www.555arts.org

555 has a group exhibiton opening Friday 6/27 from 4pm - 2am at their new home in the former police precinct. Come check out their first exhibition in the new space!

I'm showing photography and the mixed media piece below, called "Thanks to People Like You".

Partners in Crime exhibition@ Whitdel Arts

1250 Hubbard, Suite B1; Detroit 48209; www.whitdelarts.com

Whitdel Arts presents Partners in Crime, a collaborative exhibition in which local artists were randomly paired to collaborate. 

Dynamic duos like Thelma and Louise successfully committed their crimes by making sure they knew how to do one thing - collaborate. These ladies understood that through collaboration, each partner gains from the others' talents.  This innate quality of partnership is as equally beneficial for artists. When artists work together, it creates the opportunity for networking and the exchange of ideas.  Each artist grows as new avenues of creativity are opened...and new schemes are plotted.

I was paried with Jen Boyak, and we created two pieces. Photos are below, but both are 3 dimensional works best seen in person - which you can do Saturday 6/30 or Sunday 7/7. 

I was also paired with Thomas Bell, and we presented the performance piece documented & described below.

Remote Control Tomato
Thomas Bell, sound & performance + Christina deRoos, video + Hiroshi Shafer, video
Internet performance from Detroit to Brooklyn and back again

Spread Art, Brooklyn, NY (Right screen)
Spread Art streamed in video from Whitdel Gallery in Detroit. Thomas Bell performed in response to the video. Hiroshi Shafer livestreamed video and sounds from Spread Art. All took place during Spread Art Summer Group Show V in Brooklyn, NY, part of Bushwick Open Studios 2012.

Whitdel Gallery, Detroit, MI (Left and Right screen)
Spread Art video and sounds were streamed to Whitdel Gallery. Christina deRoos created a real time video mix of artwork from the exhibition opening in Detroit (Partners in Crime), the exhibition opening in Brooklyn (Summer Group Show V), the video streaming from Spread Art, personal video files, and a live camera feed at Whitdel Arts.

 

 

Youth Photography Exchange: La Manzanilla, Mexico & Brooklyn, NY

While in La Manzanilla in April I taught a follow up photography workshop with the La Catalina Wings Scholarship students I began working with in November 2011. For this session, each student created a series of photos reflecting aspects of his/her community. The photos were to be shared with students of PS147 in Brooklyn, NY.

During the workshop we talked about things that might be similar (cars) and things that might be different (for instance sharks, as represented in the photo to the left by Citlalli). See more of the La Manzanilla students' photos here.  

 

The following week I was in Brooklyn and thanks to Ms. Cappelletto and Ms. Poley I was able to  lead two photography workshops with students at PS147 in Bushwick. We reviewed the photos from La Manzanilla students, and the Brooklyn students agreed to take a series of photos of their community to share with the students in La Manzanilla. The next day we reviewed what we saw that was similar (trees) and what was different (school buses, as represented in the photo to the right by Jil). See more of the Brooklyn students' photos here.

Both sets of photos were then shared with photography students in Rwanda, an exchange with the nonprofit Through the Eyes of Hope founded by photojournalist Linda Smith.

Thank you to everyone who helped with this latest round of workshops. It was a unique and powerful experience for the students in La Manzanilla and Brooklyn to represent their community through their own photos, and to step briefly into one another's lives through images. I am grateful for the opportunity to faciliatate this exchange, and look forward to the next creative exchange.

playing with myself playing with yourself

Thank you Anya Liftig and Thomas Bell for a great collaboration at Bronx Art Space.

 

 

Thomas Bell, Christina deRoos, Anya Liftig
April 29, 2012
Bronx Art Space

Part of ITINERANT: FESTIVAL FOR CONTEMPORARY PERFORMANCE ART

March 30th - May 12th, 2012
Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island
New York City, USA

Exhibition / Performance list updated

Today I updated the exhibition / performance list since I hadn't added anything since late 2009. I guess I've been busy.

Thank you to the many artist collaborators, curators, galleries, performance spaces, schools, students, friends and family members who enabled so much to happen. As always, extra special thanks to Thomas Bell and Roger & Carolyn deRoos, who believed in me before I believed in myself.

I'll be curious to see where the path leads from here...

Next Performance: April 29th @ Bronx Art Space

I'm looking forward to a performance collaboration with Anya Liftig and Thomas Bell on April 29th at Bronx Art Space. The event is part of Itinerant contemporary performance festival, initiated by artist Hector Canonge in 2011 and presented by QMAD (Queens Media Arts Development).

April 29th
6pm - 9pm
Bronx Art Space
305 E. 140th St., #1A, Bronx NY 10454

Directions
From Union Square: 4-5 train to 125th, transfer to 6, one stop to 3rd Ave/138th St, it's 2 blocks from there. Note there are two exits at 3rd Ave/138th, one at Alexander Ave and one at 3rd Ave.
Ring 3A if 1A does not answer.
Bronx Art Space is wheelchair accessible.

This will be the 3rd time Anya, Thomas and I have collaborated, the first time being part of Fountain Art Fair during Art Basel 2011 in Miami (video below) and more recently as part of the Compendium show at Vaudeville Park in Brooklyn (photo below). This third collaboration, however, will be first time Anya, Thomas and I will all be in the same physical space during our performance. So we've got that going for us, which is nice.

 

 

Low Lives: Occupy!

Thank you to Jorge Rojas for inviting me to co-curate Low Lives: Occupy! The event and experience were phenomenal and inspiring. Click here to watch the videos.

*****

Low Lives: Occupy! a unique one-night-only program of live performance art, happenings, and public actions, simulcast to presenting host venues around the world. Join us at the Hemispheric Institute or watch online 6pm - 10pm. All details below.

 

 

LOW LIVES: OCCUPY!
Event Date: Saturday, March 3, 2012
Event Time: 6:00 - 10:00 pm (EST)
Online: http://www.occupywithart.com/llo-live-channel/

 

 

Low Lives has partnered with Occupy with Art and The Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics to present “Low Lives: Occupy! a unique one-night-only program of live performance art, happenings, and public actions, simulcast to presenting host venues around the world. Low Lives: Occupy! will take place on Saturday, March 3, 2012 from 6 -10 pm (EST). Low Lives: Occupy! partner Mark Read of the 99% Bat Signal / The Illuminator, will contribute a special projection and performance in conjunction with Low Lives: Occupy!

Performancy Forum XX: Con(Text)

Thomas Bell and I performed last night as part of PERFORMANCY FORUM XX: Con(Text). Thank you Esther Neff, co-director of the Panoply Performance Laboratory (PPL), for including us in this opportunity.

 

PERFORMANCY FORUM XX: Con(Text)

Hector Canonge!
Ivy Castellanos!
Birgit Larson!
Ellen O’Meara!
Thomas Bell & Christina deRoos!
Meghann Snow!

AND OTHERS!!!

On Saturday, February 11, PERFORMANCY FORUM returns to the series’ fundamental form: back-to-back incendiary performances and copious amounts of Brooklyn beer!

Come sink your claws into the 20th installment of the performance and theory series PERFORMANCY FORUM! This is performance in its natural habitat. It is interdisciplinary, political, passionate, always visceral, not always 'G' rated...

8pm-midnight

$5-$10 sliding scale suggested donation

For this event, we will focus our analytic efforts in the direction of context, text, and other words with ‘x’ in them:

How and why do performance artists use text/words in their performances?
What is “subtext” in the context of each of these works?
Does text confine/dictate “meaning” and limit the possibilities for multiple interpretations of a performance? Can text be used purely as an aesthetic tool? Asemic vs. literal text vs. musical notation
How does the material (Facebook invite, this kind of blurb, etc) affect the context of the work presented? How do artists contextualize their own work through writing? What is an ‘artist’s statement’ and does it belong to us, or to industry? And so on….Please bring your questions/concerns/theories!

XXXXX.XXXXX.XXXXX.

PERFORMANCY FORUM is a clustering, condensing, and critical effort comprising interdisciplinary exhibitions (emphasis on performance art, social practices, and participatory/publicly engaged work), workshops, conferences, actions, events, and more.

PERFORMANCY FORUM began in 2009 as a project of the Panoply Performance Laboratory (PPL) while the collective was in residence at Surreal Estate. It has since become an open project, collaborating with spaces, sites, curatorial collectives, and many others to:

1.) Forge IN-PERSON relationships (including collaborations) between artists from different artistic mediums and micro-communities.

2.) Perform collective research, including drawing of parallels between current performance and social practices and attempts to locate them within historic, economic, socio-political, and aesthetic contexts.

3.) Provide a site (physical or cognitive) for complex and critical thought beyond academic and other institutional parameters, for political and cultural organization amongst artists, and for experimentation with modes, methods, and mediums in conjunction with concrete practice.

4.) Involve publics of 'artists' and 'non-artists' alike in constructive, collective, and critical analysis and debate of artistic operation.

More info and proposal guidelines at www.panoplylab.org/performancy.hmtl

Occupy 2012

Occupy Wall Street - Liberty Square - NYC - 12/31/11

More photos here.

OWS / Zucotti Park 11_14 / Brooklyn Bridge 11/15

A beautiful couple nights in NYC...More photos here.

Dimanche Rouge: Saturday Streaming Labs @ Spread Art

Spread Art participates in an afternoon of experimental performances streamed live from around the world with streamed performances from Portugal, Barbados, and Argentina (11am-12pm) followed by live performances streamed around the globe (12pm-1pm)

Join us at 104 Meserole Street, Brooklyn
Or watch online: www.livestream.com/dimancherougestream

Streaming In (11am-12pm)

->Vitor Lago Silva, “The last words of Domenico” (digital performance, Oporto, Portugal) http://thelastwordsofdomenico.wordpress.com/
->Michelle Isava, “Dagger Head Net” (performance art, Bridgetown, Barbados)
->Lorena Avallar, “La Puta Idea” (performance art, Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Streaming Out (1pm-2pm)
->Esther Neff & Brian McCorkle (Panoply Performance Laboratory)
->Anya Liftig
->Valerie Kuehne
->Remote Control Tomato (Christina deRoos & Thomas Bell)
->Collective improvisation with all artists

Panoply Performance Laboratory (Esther Neff and Brian McCorkle)
The Panoply Performance Laboratory (PPL) is a performance collective
formed in 2006 by librettist/director/video artist Esther Neff and
composer/musician/sound artist Brian McCorkle. PPL's hyper-structural
performance art projects are developed in collaboration with
individuals from many different walks of life, and through community
workshops, interviews, and other engaged practices. They often examine
complex systems and trace epistemic, emotional, and socio-political
viewpoints held by individuals and groups. Using home-made
technological set-ups, multiple languages, video, interactive and
participatory elements, field-recorded sound, and found materials, PPL
works operate across many disciplines. Their current project is a
5-episode opera called NATURE FETISH in development at University
Settlement. www.panoplylab.org

Valerie Kuehne is an electrically charged virtuoso of all purpose
cello. Dynamic performer, fearless improviser, songwriter, vocalist,
and classically trained connoisseur of Bach and Britten, Valerie can
be found playing incessant shows in NYC, where she devotes formidable
heart, intellect, creativity, and time to cross-pollinating sundry
genres. Armed with finesse, Valerie is impressively present on stage,
rendering poignant punctuations of changeable emotional weather. In
any setting, her instrument aches with human implications and fiendish
alien fuel. www.dreamzoo.bandcamp.com

Anya Liftig’s work has been featured at TATE Modern, Highways
Performance Space, Exit Art, Chashama, Surreal Estate, Eyedrum, Grace Exhibition Space, Flux Factory, Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Galapagos, The Flea, Performance Art Institute, Yale University, Center for Performance Research,INCUBATEChicago, University of Wisconsin, University of Chicago, Mess Hall, Joyce Soho and many other venues. Her work, “The Anxiety of Influence,” was an intervention into Marina Abramovic’s “The Artist is Present” retrospective at MOMA. Liftig dressed as the elder artist and sat across from her all day. Her work has been published and written about in The New York Times Magazine, Bomb, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue Italia, Marie Claire Italia, Heeb, The Other Journal, Jewcy, Mix Magazine, Next Magazine, Now and Then, Stay Thirsty, New York Magazine, Gothamist, Jezebel, Animal New York and many others. She is a graduate of Yale University and Georgia State University and has received grant and residency support from The Field, Vermont Studio Center, University of Antioquia, Casa Tres Patios-Medellin Colombia, and Flux Projects, Atlanta. www.anyaliftig.com

Remote Control Tomato (video + sound / Christina deRoos and Thomas Bell) www.christinaderoos.com. www.twin72.com

 

#OWS / Times Square / 10_15_11

Videos from Saturday evening #OWS event in NYC. Best time I've ever had in Times Square.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remote Control Tomato @ Dimanche Rouge Labs

Remote Control Tomato
Christina deRoos_video + Thomas Bell_sound + special guest Sarah Benoliel_dance

”ArtePax”
15min visual/sound/movement improvisation

Performance for Dimanche Rouge #9 – Streaming Labs
Pole Simon Le Franc, 9 rue Simon Le Franc, Paris 75004

 

Streamed from CPR - Center for Performance Research, Brooklyn, NY

dimancherouge.wordpress.com/​2011/​09/​22/​dimanche-rouge/​

:experimental documentation of experimental performance::video represents approximately 1/4 of physical performance area that was streamed live:

 

Remote Control Tomato @ Dimanche Rouge

Remote Control Tomato @ Dimanche Rouge

sound: Thomas Bell / visuals: Christina deRoos / dancer/choreographer: Laura Arend
Streamed live on the interweb.

Participating physical locations:

1. Paris, France
2. Imwinkelried
3. Kiev, Ukraine
4. Zaporizhya, Ukraine
5. Sofia, Bulgaria
6. Utah, USA
7. Castlemaine, Australia
8. Santiago de Chile, Chile
9. Wenzhou, 温州, China
10. Brooklyn, USA
11. Brisbane, Australia
12. Berlin, Germany

 

 

 

Photos: The Tronic @ Warper Party

Photos from Warper Party 8/16/11 in Brooklyn. It was damn relaxing to have an evening with nothing more than a camera to concern myself with. More photos here.

 

 
Above: Gregg Jarvis

Above: Thomas Bell

Above (L to R): Unknown dude, Thomas Bell + Gregg Jarvis = The Tronic

Recent Video Work

Below are 2 videos from recent shows. All mixes created in real-time using Isadora.

The Tronic

Spread Art

Summer Group Show IV

Brooklyn, NY

Sounds: Thomas Bell, Gregg Jarvis // Visuals: Christina deRoos

 

 

Rise Up Fallen Angel (Excerpt)

CPR - Center for Performance Research

Brooklyn, NY

Play the Moment Composers' Collective + 3 projection screens showing work from over 30 international artists.

Concept, Curator, Musician, & more: Victoria Gibson // Visual Mix: Christina deRoos

 

Photos from Saturday's American Dream rally in NYC

So this is the first thing MoveOn has done in well over a year that I've paid any attention to...let's hope a little something comes of it.

See more photos here.

Cell Photos

Cell (HTC Evo) Photos. See more here.

 

 

 

Next Show: Monday 8/2 @ The Tank

I'm performing this Monday, August 2nd @ The Tank (NYC; 45th St. b/w 8th & 9th) as part of the ongoing Creative Music Incubator series, which unites experimental sonic artists on the first Monday of every month to share creative concepts, explore new sonic possibilities and collaborate in new line ups and in unique situations. Each month is curated and hosted by a member of the NYC experimental music community.

Aug 2nd Curator and Host: Amber Brien

Line up:
Amanda Ray (vocals, electronics)
John Fell Ryan (hand percussion)
Kaoru Watanabe (fue, flutes)
Barbara Merjan (percussion)
Conrad Sparnroft (ebow guitar)
Mitch Blank (dulcimer)
Doug Principato (ebow guitar)
Mike Durek (theremin)
David B. Penn (cello)
Jennifer Leigh Aschoff (keyboards, flutes)
David Tamura (saxophone)
Thomas Bell (bass guitar)

Visuals presented by Christina deRoos

Cover $8 (donation to "The Tank" - a non-profit theatrical space) Not to worry, the drinks are super cheap.

This month there will be multiple mini groups created from the pool of musicians participating. Each mini-group will perform 5 to 10 minute mini-sets. The first half of the night will consist of groups whose members have performed together at some point in the past. The second half will consist of groups whose members have never performed together, ensuring new collaborations and sonic discoveries.

"Do You Know You're Being Recorded?"

Performance of work in progress 7/10/10
Arts@Renaissance (St. Nick's Alliance)
Bklyn, NY

Spurred by the common question: "what is and what isn’t art?," Do You Know You’re Being Recorded aims to create an experience for all involved that blurs the boundaries between stage/audience, music/sound, performance/life.

Do You Know You’re Being Recorded is a site-specific piece that will ultimately be 4 to 6 hours long. During development and when complete it will take place in traditional and nontraditional art spaces, including galleries, supermarkets, theaters, vacant lots...and we hope JFK (the airport).

Laura Arend / Thomas Bell / Christina deRoos

Born and raised in France, Laura Arend’s career began with study at the prestigious Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et Danse de Lyon. She spent a year as a dancer at the Youth Ballet of Lyon and arrived in New York in March 2010. Arend is currently working with Judith Sanchez Ruiz, and Korhan Basaran. Since May 2010 she has also been a member of the dance company « F521.i » in Paris.

Musician and visual artist Thomas Bell leads Oxygen Music Collective, consisting of over ten different musical projects dating back to 1999. The collective follows an improvised compositional approach, with past projects heavily steeped in the traditions of Funk & Free-Jazz, with tinges of Drum n Bass, Hip-Hop, & the experimental avant-garde. He also curates the Creative Music Incubator experimental music series at The Tank, and founded Spread Art, an artist-run creative space designed to foster new works through collaborations with artists and curators from around the world. twin72.com spreadart.org

Christina deRoos is a visual artist (photo/video, mixed-media, installation) who splits her time between NY and Mexico. She frequently facilitates creative projects that invite public participation and encourage community dialogue and individual self-reflection. In 2009 she founded Live Bliss, a yoga, art and community space in La Manzanilla, Jalisco, Mexico. She is also co-director of Spread Art. christinaderoos.com

*Special thanks to Chez Bushwick & Jonah Bokaer for affordable rehearsal space and equipment, and Center for Performance Research for additional low-cost rehearsal space.* chezbushwick.net cprnyc.org

Mixing Life

For my recent dive into live visual improvisation, I turned photographs I've taken into videos. Not having tons of time to prepare, I decided to pull together as diverse (albeit small) a range of content as possible. Below is what I put together, which ended up feeling/looking like a solid representation of how I experience the world - one part abstract/inexplicable perception, one part beautiful/intense travels, one part frustration/disappointment with the machinery of injustice. 

Check out the previous post if you want to see the final result, which drew from the videos below plus a few short clips of a video game, a tree, a circuit board, all mixed real time with some effects for good measure.

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Photos-->Video-->Live Performance

Video...you have been on my radar for a long time, and yet somehow we never quite introduced ourselves.

With The Tronic performing at Bent Festival, and my having 3 VJ gigs and a week of Isadora experience to my credit, I added live video improvisation to the interesting mix that is my creative output. Around this time next year I'm told there will be a video of this year's Bent Festival. I'm curious to see where this new path will have led me by then.

A week after Bent Festival opportunity knocked again...and I managed once more to make it through a set without crashing my computer. Here is a video of gig #2: Oxygen Ensemble at The Tank on May 2nd.

Note - this video has SOUND - improvised, beautiful, fresh squeezed sound - so check that your volume isn't up uP UP lest you get blown out of your chair.

Oxygen Ensemble / The Tank / NY, NY
Part of the monthly Creative Music Incubator series

Musicians:
Gregg Jarvis - drums
Thomas Bell - bass
Chris Mariner - guitar
Jason Polise - sax
On Davis- guitar
Lars - sax

Visuals:
Christina deRoos

Bushwick Is...2009

I was wandering around Bushwick today with a canvas, Sharpies, crayons, and a desire to see how folks would respond to "Bushwick Is..." Thomas Bell and I left Spread Art around 1pm with the canvas showing the boundaries of Bushwick way back when (1800s) and the boundaries of Bushwick today. We made a few stops (a pharmacy, a laundromat, a bodega) and received great input on our journey to Maria Hernandez Park (named after a woman who was shot and killed in 1989 for fighting to rid her block of drug dealers).

In the park we were overwhelmed with kids 
and also a lot of adults wanting to participate. Among them was a veteran (Iraq and Afghanistan), whose reflections on his experience returning to Bushwick, and the words he added to the canvas ("god forgive me can you") are unlikely to leave my mind anytime soon.

After the park we made our way to Brooklyn Fireproof to share the community dialogue that had happened so far and invite further participation. Brooklyn Fireproof was a location of today's BETA spaces event, described as "a one-day festival of independently curated, collaborative group exhibitions."

The "Bushwick Is..." canvas is part of an ongoing project begun in 2006 by Erin Partridge, Thomas Bell and myself. The project aims to facilitate community dialogue and self-reflection and to document moments in time as Bushwick experiences rapid gentrification.

I will add more to this post soon, but for the photos are going to have to speak for themselves as I'm in desperate need of a good night's sleep. See gobs of photos from today here.

 

Electro-Music 2009

Just before Halloween I found myself in a van heading to New Jersey for Electro-Music Fest. The destination - Bloomingdale, NJ - was as middle of nowhere as I've been in quite a long time (and that's saying something given where I've been time the last couple years)...but who cares about location when there's mind-blowing music and video? Plus the creepy deserted campsite location made for some interesting evening landscapes.

See more photos here.

Watch video of The Tronic (Gregg Jarvis & Thomas Bell) here.

HK:ArtiST

I've been providing some behind the scenes guidance to the founder of this weekend's Hell's Kitchen Artist Studio Tour. It is shaping up to be a great weekend. Check out the map of participating artists below, & learn more on the website.

"Numbers" Installation @ Chashama Film Festival

Today I finished the Numbers installation for the Chashama Film Festival. A collaboration with Thomas Bell, Numbers highlights human costs of the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan that are rarely reported in mainstream media. See photos of the process of installation as well as the final result here.

The installation consists of flag draped coffins and numbers stenciled on paper then covered with bubble wrap. The width and placement give viewers a choice between walking across and popping bubbles or making a small but extra effort to jump across and avoid interacting. This parallels the ability those of us in the United States have to avoid witnessing the impact of the government policies carried out in our name. It requires a bit of effort, although not much, to avoid the messy reality of our ongoing policies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

*****

Numbers used include:

32,907 Weight in tons of bombs dropped by the U.S. Air force in Iraq & Afghanistan through 2007

6129 American and coalition military casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan

120  American military casualties since Obama was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2009

46% The percentage of air raid casualties that are women are girls

766 The number of journalists and academics that have been killed in Iraq

1395 The number of contractor employee deaths in Iraq

102,083 Documented civilian deaths from violence in Iraq (Estimate is 93,552-102,083)

39% The percentage of air raid casualties that are children

>100 thousand The number of American military wounded

$7500 The amount the U.S. Army paid to two children whose mother was killed inside a taxi that ran a checkpoint. Both children were also in the taxi, and were shot and injured.

Thank you to Iraq Body Count, AntiWar, and iCasualties for maintaining databases that make these and many more numbers readily available.

*****

Popping bubble wrap generally evokes enthusiasm from people regardless of age. With Numbers, the excitement of walking, jumping, or otherwise popping bubbles is tempered by the reality of stepping on representations of victims of violence.

Numbers also presents an opportunity for participants to reflect upon the myriad impacts of war, including responses to loud or surprising sounds, such as the pops of bubble wrap. For child and adult survivors of war, loud noises can trigger intrusive memories, nightmares, hallucinations or flashbacks, sometimes resulting in exaggerated responses. As one Iraq veteran explains, "any little noise and I'd jump out of bed and run around the house with a gun." In the same way, the sound of an airplane flying overhead can cause stress for survivors of aerial bombings, while it is of no consequence to others. 

Lastly, Numbers is provides a visual reference point for the ongoing violence as the total number of bubbles in the installation is approximately the same as the total number of tons of bombs that have been dropped on Iraq and Afghanistan to date.

Numbers
On view Thursday, October 22 - Monday, October 26 
Part of the Chashama Film Festival
Final Cut Lounge
679 Third Avenue (at 43rd St.)
One block from Grand Central
Subway: 4,5,6,7

Spread Art @ Brooklyn Artillery

Last night was the opening of the Brooklyn Artillery show at Castle Braid. There were gobs of people, interesting art in a wide variety of mediums (video, installation, painting, photography, movement...), a lot of music, and I even managed to get my hands on a few pretzels (though to be fair I arrived 5 hours after the opening began, so presumably the bowl was filled many times before I came through).

I have collages, paintings, photography and mixed media work in Spread Art's exhibition space. The current show will be up for at least the next two weeks. Spread Art will have rotating exhibitions at Castle Braid through October 31st. Watch for a politically-infused "What Haunts Us?" Halloween show to close the space.

See photos of the current Spread Art exhibition here (more coming soon). Visit in person, weekends through October 31st: Castle Braid; 114 Troutman (between Central & Bushwick).

Above (Left to Right):

1) Cessation of Suffering, 48"x48", Acrylic & collage on panel, Thomas Bell, $1000
2) Waiting, 48"x48", Acrylic & collage on panel, Thomas Bell, $1000
3) Pain, 48"x48", Acrylic & collage on panel, Thomas Bell, $1000
4) Hope Remains, 30"x30", Acrylic, fabric, metal on canvas, Christina deRoos, $1200

September Concert @ Spread Art: 9/11/09

Friday night I participated in the September Concert at Spread Art. Responding to the theme and atmosphere of the the evening I made a mixed media piece out of dollar bills, thread and found  metal. Click the photo to see a larger version.

The September Concert is a series of free concerts, organized by individuals, schools, businesses, and associations to bring communities together, to reaffirm our hope for peace and to celebrate life and our universal humanity. Concerts are held in all areas of our city, our nation, and our world. It is a global day of music for peace, every September 11th.

The September Concert at Spread Art included live music by The Tronic (Thomas Bell and Gregg Jarvis), an ice sculpture by Thomas Bell...and me cutting up United States currency. 

See more photos from 9/11/09 at Spread Art here.

Friday, Sept 18th - Fundraiser for Rwandan Kids

Friday, September 18th Spread Art is hosting a fundraiser for Through the Eyes of Hope. I hope you to see you!

Through the Eyes of Hope:

"Encouraging children to photograph the world through their eyes"

VISION

• to provide photography classes as a means of art therapy to children around the world
• to allow children to tell their own stories through their photographs
• to provide a local trade to help children pay for school fees and food
• to celebrate and affirm children’s creativity by exhibiting their photographs in different venues throughout the world
• to bring awareness of different cultures to communities through the children’s photographs

July Newsletter - Summer of Art in NY

Below is the email newsletter that I sent a few days ago. Put your email in the cute little box if you would like to receive my future email updates (about art, yoga, Mexico, NY, and more) direct to your inbox.

 

Sign up for email updates

Saludos!

So the rain has (mostly) stopped in NY and it finally feels like summer around here. I'm grateful for the full creative plate that life served me in June and am excited about the artistic goodness in July & beyond.


The fun begins tonight with The Love Show at Spread Art in Bushwick / East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 

Friday, July 17th - Sunday, July 29th

Spread Art & iloveyou present:

The Love Show

Love as a force of good, bad, movement, height, hate, God,
passion, destruction, construction, and oppression.

Over 20 artists working in a variety of mediums, including oil,
acrylic, wood, photography, video and more.




Opening Night: Friday, July 17th 7pm - 11pm
With music by Knight & Gale and Eastern Sweats

On View: Sat, July 18th & Sun, July  19th; 12pm - 6pm

Several pieces invite your participation, and of course there will be beer, wine, and live music to make your night complete.

Here is where you will find the love...

Spread Art
104 Meserole Street
(b/w Manhattan & Leonard)
Subway: L to Montrose or J/M/Z to Lorimer

***

For those of you excited to show & sell your latest creations, check out the Call for Participants
below for the McKibbin Street Fair on Saturday, July 25th.

The street fair is presented by AKA Potion, a great cafe in Bushwick / East Williamsburg that is known for its strong support of local artists. The fair is coming up soon, but there are still opportunities to get involved.

***

Beginning in August, Thomas Bell and I will be curating the walls of the walls of Mojito Loco,, a fabulous restaurant and bar with inspirational mojitos and a mouth-watering latin fusion menu (including lots of vegetarian options). Watch for upcoming information about the first show: Spread Small Works.

***

Looking ahead to September, I'm working with Spread Art to host an exhibition / fundraiser for Through the Eyes of Hope, a nonprofit founded in 2006 by photojournalist Linda Smith to provide photography classes to kids in Rwanda. Click here for a sneak peak at the children's beautiful images.

Through the Eyes of Hope continues its program in Rwanda and has expanded to additional locations, including the Bronx. As Through the Eyes of Hope grows, they remain true to their mission to encourage children to photograph the world through their eyes.



***

Yep, a lot is on the horizon...and it comes on the heels of many fabulous things that just happened, including two days of Creative Kids on Bedford, as part of Willilamsburg Walks.

On Saturday, June 27th and Saturday, July 11th I was on Bedford Avenue with tons of art supplies to facilitate kids and adults letting their creativity flow. Both afternoons were incredibly inspiring and liberating in the way that only making art with kids can be...as they have yet to form rules or judgments about what art is.

Read more & see additional photos of Creative Kids on Bedford here.


***

Also in the just finished stage is the Summer Group Show at Spread Art. A group of artists representing a wide range of mediums displayed their take on "Improvisation." The Tronic provided live sonic variations on the theme.





















All in all summer in NY continues to unfold in ways that inspire and surprise me. There is a lot more to share, including overdue stories from spring in Mexico. Keep an eye on the Live Bliss blog for upcoming posts on the Primavera Parade in La Manzanilla (lots of kids in butterfly & Tiger costumes), plus observations about my transition from Mexico's Pacific Coast to New York's hippest borough (Brooklyn).

Hasta pronto,   
Christina

P.S. As always, please let me know what's new in your world and feel free to forward this email along to others who might be interested.

A whole lotta love at The Love Show last night

The Love Show last night was packed. It was hot, humid, and eventually rainy, yet people continued to arrive and stayed until the end to enjoy great music, good company, and most importantly to absorb over 20 different artists' take on "Love." Below are photos from the evening.

If you didn't have a chance to stop by last night, you still have time to catch some love. The Love Show is on view for one more day - tomorrow (Sunday 7/19) from 12pm - 6pm.

Many thanks to Jethro of iloveyou for curating such a fabulous show.

The Village Voice and I say Spread Art is the place to be this Friday

This week's Village Voice highlights The Love Show, opening this Friday at Spread Art, among its picks for the weekend. How sweet is that? 

Mark your calendar to help Spread the Love this Friday at 7pm by enjoying (and...hint, hint...buying) art, meeting the 20+ included artists, giving props to Jethro of iloveyou who curated the show, plus (of course) enjoying cold beer and hot music.

Here is what the Voice has to say...

The Love Show

Date/Time:Fri., July 17, 7:00pm

Price: free

I HEART LOVE

Group show displays affection, in general.

BY ARACELI CRUZ

What is love, and what does it look like? Spread Art Gallery asked artists throughout the country to submit their ideas of this complex sentiment, whether it be "love as a force of good, force of malice, force of height, of hate, a force of God, creation, destruction, oppression" and on and on. Twenty artists and designers were chosen to be a part of The Love Show—including our very own art director, Ivylise Simones—which includes a variety of mediums such as oil, acrylic, wood, photography, and more. Tonight's opening party includes a set by Knight & Gale and Eastern Sweats.

More Art with Kids = More Fun

I was back on Bedford Avenue today making art with kids as part of Williamsburg Walks. Thomas Bell and I packed gobs of art supplies onto the Spread Art & Live Bliss art cart and wheeled it through Brooklyn, from Bushwick to Williasmburg.

As soon as we were set up we had lots of art partners, some of whom were return collaborators from a couple weeks ago when we were on Bedford. With stickers, markers, colored pencils, glue sticks, glitter, pattern scissors, shells, string, and ribbon, we created a variety of colorful (and sometimes messy) wearable art.

Most of the kids that visited the Spread Art & Live Bliss booth have lived less years on the planet than they have fingers on their hands, which means they aren't concerned with questions like: "Is this art or craft?" and/or "Should I price my work based on time spent or materials cost?" It is pure fun for fun's sake, and the enthsusiasm the kid's bring to: 1) drawing on a sticker, 2) putting it on their shirt, and 3) showing the world, is absolutely contageous.

If you know of an upcoming private or public event that could benefit from a kid's art setup like this send me an email. Adding yoga and/or music to the art projects is also an option.

Below are photos from the day. Enjoy!

Above: The cart is packed & ready to leave Spread Art in Bushwick

Above: En route...

Above: As soon as we got set up we were greeted by the familiar smiling face of a girl who made art with us when we were on Bedford a couple weeks ago.

Above: A new face who assured me she is 7, although her sister was convinced she is actually only 4.

Above: Thom helping a girl put on the wearable art she created.

Above: This is the moment the top was taken off a glue stick and things got consequently got very messy and glittery.

Above: Thom adding some color to the street.

Above: Packed up and ready to roll back to Spread Art.

New Schedule & Location for Brooklyn Yoga Classes

See below for the new schedule & location for weekly drop-in classes in Bushwick / East Williasmburg. Email me if you have any questions or to be added to the list for yoga and art updates.

Click the image to see a larger version.

Click here to read more about my yoga training and teaching style.

Call for Participants! McKibbin Street Fair! Saturday, July 25th!

Collaging on Bedford: Join me this Saturday!

This Saturday from 12pm - 6pm I'll be on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (said to currently hold the title to "world's neighborhood most densely populated with artists") with collage materials and a whole lot more. Why? Because it will be fun!

I hope to see you on Saturday. If you can't make it but are interested in learning about future events like this (or booking you own), send me an email.

Creative Kids on Bedford!

Saturday, June 27th
12pm - 6pm
Bedford Avenue, between North 6th & North 7th
L train to Bedford

Facilitated by Christina deRoos / Live Bliss & Spread Art

Join us for a playful, creative afternoon of collage and bookmaking outside on Bedford Avenue, in the heart of one of the world's most inspiring neighborhoods!

Kids of all ages will enjoy mixing and matching images, adding color and text, and ultimately exploring the stories to be found their creations. Participants will be invited to display their work for the afternoon as part of an on-site exhibition that will develop and evolve throughout the day.

All necessary supplies provided, but feel free to bring along your favorite art and craft materials.

Whether you are a kid, have kids, or are a child-less adult who wants to collage in a collaborative atmosphere where age is irrelevant, I hope to see you on Saturday!

Email for more information, or call Christina: 347-526-2737

Part of Williamsburg Walks (follow the link to the left to see more of the day's activities).

June 7th, 11th & Beyond...Collaborations w/ Spread Art

I've been back in NY a few weeks now and am beginning to find my art groove along with my yoga bliss. Thanks in large part to Thomas Bell, founder of SPREAD ART, I've got a ton of projects on my creative calendar (its called a creative calendar not because it tracks art stuff, but because I usually need to be really creative to get everything done on time).

Below are details about happenings at SPREAD ART in June, beginning with "Improvisation," the '09 Summer Group Show that I'm a part of along with photographer's Irina Adam and Phil Petrocelli and 7 other artists.

"Improvisation" opens Thursday, June 11th at 6pm.

If you are around NY I hope to see you so we can improvise conversation over a glass of wine or a latte while looking at a fabulous selection of painting, collage, photography, mixed-media work, and more.

SPREAD ART is located in Bushwick/East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, at 104 Meserole Street (b/w Manhattan & Leonard). Take the L to Montrose or the J/M/Z to Lorimer.

More details about "Improvisation" are on the flyer below, which features one of my photographs (left) and an image of Phil Petrocelli's (right). Click the image for a larger view.

Prior to June 11th, how about coming to aka Potion on Sunday, June 7th at 4pm for the simultaneous opening/closing event for "The Art of Letting Go" during Bushwick Open Studios?

"The Art of Letting Go" is a collaborative mural performance led by Thomas Bell that includes myself as well as Katharine Ng, Avoid Pi, Heather Garland, and more. The image at left is a "work in progress" view from very early on. Artists have continued to add, subtract, and layer over one another's work.

Note: Don't be late for the opening/closing or you just might miss it.

In addition to the Sunday, June 7th  simultaneous opening/closing event at aka Potion (248 McKibbin Street; L to Morgan) at 4pm, "The Art of Letting Go" will be on view:

Thurs June 4th: 7am-11pm
Fri June 5th: 7am-11pm
Sat June 6th: 8am-11pm
Sun June 7th: 8am-5pm+/-

The full announcement for SPREAD ART events in June is below, and as you will see there are a ton of things happening, including music, art, and - beginning next week - I'm teaching yoga Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays at 6:30pm.

Click the images below to view them larger size.

A lot of work is going into SPREAD ART to get it ready for a summer of creative fun. I'm doing what I can to help out, and at the moment that means less time updating blogs and websites and more time painting walls and laying floors. I have many posts I'm itching to add from my last couple months in Mexico, including photos from the kid's Spring Parade and an adventure to milk cows.

Please check back periodically for updates and don't get confused when there are NY stories mixed with Mexico stories. Posts are likely to be as jumbled as a lot of my thoughts these days. Thankfully a few things remain constant whether I'm in La Manzanilla or Bushwick, such as my ongoing desire to learn to dance.

This morning I met a neighbor who offered to take me with her for a night of salsa just down the block from SPREAD ART., That, along with her immediately teaching me the basic step for Bachata, made my morning. I've got plans to recruit her to teach salsa at SPREAD, but I'll save that idea for a future post. For now its back to work on preparing for everything that's already on the creative calendar... 

"Violence Breeds Violence, But Hope Remains" @ Bridge Art Fair in Miami

I'm very excited that the painting below, "Violence Breeds Violence, But Hope Remains" is on its way to Miami to be exhibited during Bridge Art Fair. It is probably my favorite of all the paintings I have done so far.

***Huge thanks to musician/artist Thomas Bell & his NY gallery, SPREAD Art, for supporting my work and making this happen.***

“Violence Breeds Violence, But Hope Remains”
Christina deRoos
Mixed Media on Canvas
30" x 30"

Artist Statement:

“Violence Breeds Violence, But Hope Remains” was done as a meditation on the United States government’s reaction to 9/11. The texture and colors mirror the violence, struggle, and desire for power that are a part of the long history of this story, while subtle curves reflect the opportunity that is present in every moment to make a different choice, to begin a new story.  

Christina deRoos is a mixed media artist and photographer, who for the past year has split her time between New York and Mexico. The majority of her work is abstract, and has become increasingly personal over the past three years, presenting a view of the thoughts, emotions, sights, and sensations that make up her existence.

Convinced that within the individual dwells the universal, Christina explores her internal experience as a step toward understanding the world around her, and by presenting the results she hopes others may find a mirror to explore their experience as well. 

In addition to her personal work, Christina frequently facilitates creative projects that invite public participation and encourage community dialogue and individual self-reflection. This winter Christina will open LiveBliss, an art and community space in La Manzanilla, Jalisco, Mexico. 

***
Here is one of Thomas' paintings that is also traveling to Miami...

“Yellow Matter”
Thomas Bell
Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Wood
48" x 48"

Artist Statement:

In “Yellow Matter” bold fragments initially seem to be flying through a mysterious universe as if they were once part of a whole and had been shattered in space and left to drift apart.  The arrangement and interconnectedness of each fragmented particle however, leaves one to wonder if they are drifting apart or if they are coming together to form something new.  As with the universe itself, matter is transforming into and out of everything at every moment everywhere.

Most of Thomas' paintings are improvisations done to music, and are generally abstract and texture based. His painting style developed out of his understanding of jazz improvisation. Listening to mostly John Coltrane or Miles Davis, Thomas tries to capture the energy of the music and improvise the paintings to transfer the the music to canvas.

The flow of the music dictates the flow of each painting. The process is much like a free-jazz improvisation where the energy of each person performing is bound by the energy of all the others.  Each successive stroke put down on the canvas is bound by and tied to the previous, and is a reaction to what came before it. The end result is a true improvisation that expresses individual freedom, personal struggle, internal and external conflict, and that presents a highly personal view of the world, surrounding situations and a moment of existence.

Art Gotham: We Are Not Our Governments / No Somos Nuestros Gobiernos

I submitted a piece for Art Gotham's Square Foot Show. The theme Election 2008 was too much for me to pass up. Before I go any further I need to give a HUGE thank you to Rachel Seys for collaborating with me. 

The show opened last night (Saturday, 10/25) and will remain on view through November 8th. If you are in NY, I hope you will check it out. Directions & gallery hours are here. 

The piece Rachel and I created is called "We Are Not Our Governments / No Somos Nuestros Gobiernos." It is interactive, which means your participation is invited and encouraged.

You can participate in person at Art Gotham, and/or you can participate electronically. In red is the information you need to know to participate electronically.

For those of you in Mexico, you will be also be able to participate in "We Are Not Our Governments / No Somos Nuestros Gobiernos" in La Manzanilla at LiveBliss (a yoga, art and community space that I plan to open in December).

We Are Not Our Governments / No Somos Nuestros Gobiernos
Christina deRoos & Rachel Seys
Mixed Media
$450

Take One / Toma Uno

Please take a peso from the hook on the left. It is yours to keep. On the peso is either a note to you from an individual Mexican citizen, or a quote from a former Mexican president or other well-known individual. [To participate electronically, email me with the subject line "Take One / Toma Uno"]

Leave One / Deja Uno

Please write a note to on a dollar bill or a piece of paper and leave it on the hook to the right. Your note will be translated into Spanish on the reverse side and copies will be given to Mexican citizens. You are invited to leave as many dollars and/or notes as you wish. [To participate electronically, email your note to me with the subject line "Leave One / Deja Uno." Note: All participation is anonymous. Your name will not be used.]

Why Participate?

Direct communication between individuals, as opposed to government propaganda and media sensationalism, will guide us to respectful relationships and fair solutions to mutual challenges.

When governments fail to fairly represent individuals, the social contract is broken and there is no democracy. It falls to individuals to represent themselves and communicate directly from one to another.

Need another reason? Art is fun.

History

This piece was created for Art Gotham’s Election 2008 show. It was started by Christina deRoos in Jalisco, Mexico, and enhanced and assembled by Rachel Seys in Brooklyn, NY.

Participants from Mexico include individuals of diverse age ranges and backgrounds. Many have visited the United States and most have relatives living and working there. All participants agree that the outcome of the US election will have a major impact on individual Mexican citizens and the rest of the world.

Future

“We Are Not Our Governments / No Somos Nuestros Gobiernos” will remain in NY through November, at which point it will travel to Mexico and remain open for participation through May, 2009. It will return to NY in June, 2009.

Sample Notes & Quotes

The following are samples of the notes and quotes included on the pesos. The name of the person is included with the quotes. All notes were submitted anonymously.

• How long will you be a slave to money?

• It is necessary to plant good thoughts to improve what we have.

• Poor Mexico, so far from God and so close to the United States. – Porfirio Diaz

• This paper is made of trees that are slowly disappearing. I hope that the emperor of dollars also disappears.

• The dividing line between Mexico and the United States will be paid attention to at the point of my gun. – Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

• Barak Obama: Mr. Candidate, I wish you much luck with your campaign and hope that you work hard for your country so that your country and Mexico will succeed.

• Between individuals as between nations, respecting the rights of others is peace. – Benito Juarez
• You do not find true spiritual happiness with your dollar$$$.

• I ask the president and the American people not to use and discriminate against immigrants who are essentially blind and mute in the United States.

• The brave don’t assassinate. – Guillermo Prieto

Photos from Art Gotham's Election 2008 show

"We Are Not Our Governments / No Somos Nuestros Gobiernos" is in the 2nd row from the bottom and is the 2nd piece from the left.

 

 

 

Special thanks to Erin Partridge for providing these photos. Erin also participated in Art Gotham's Election 2008 show. Her piece can be seen in the photo above...look for the white eagle on a blue background.

November 16th: Yoga & Art Workshop in NY

Scorpions & Freak Outs

After a great yoga session, I came inside and found a scorpion right in the middle of my couch. I wasn't thrilled. This is day 4 in the new place and it is the 2nd scorpion I've seen. The 1st one was outside, so I'm also not liking the trend of proximity.

I caught the scorpion with a plastic container and checked to see how it was the same as or different than the others I've seen. I'm somewhere between 5 and 10 in terms of how many scorpions I've seen this summer.

Closer inspection revealed a spotted scorpion, which I'd never seen. Very odd, so I kept checking it out. After a few more moments of looking I realized, with the wave of nausea that accompanies all creepy and dangerous discoveries, that the spots were baby scorpions. Lots of them.

My understanding is that it is bad to be stung by a scorpion, and potentially life-threatening, but that being stung by a baby scorpion is worse.

Here is someone else's picture, that looks exactly like what I saw. Click it if you want to get closer.

Sometimes I wonder what the hell I'm thinking living in a rural, jungle environment. First, there are crocodiles in the mangrove at the end of Maria Asuncion (the main street in town). The crocs are huge and are known to swim in the ocean on occasion. Earlier this summer a well-loved local dog was eaten by one of the crocodiles, and I've been told this is what at least some locals do with nuisance animals - toss them to the crocodiles.

A few weeks ago I had a 3 foot snake in my house. I was working on a grant proposal, caught a movement out of the corner of my eye, chalked it up as nothing, noticed it again, looked, and saw a snake looking back at me. Yep, another summer evening in Mexico.

Thankfully, it was to my knowledge completely harmless, unlike the coral snake that was in my friends' house at the beginning of the summer and the boa that arrived at another friends' picnic. My indoor snake was the 1st one that I have seen inside, but the 4th snake that I've encountered just outside the house.

I could write a book on the spiders I've seen, of all shapes, sizes, web-building types, etc. and I've nearly become immune to the discomfort I used to feel from taking spiders webs in the face. I have yet to see a tarantula, which I understand are common. I think I'm probably just not recognizing them. I have seen a few canclos now, which are pretty freaky to me. They have front claws like scorpions and look like this (why this kid is holding one I have no clue...I grabbed the photo off the internet).

Then there are the other more-routine animals that just come in unbelievably large sizes: millipedes, praying mantuses, ants, bees, hornets, frogs...of which the brown ones are poisonous, I'm told, and should be guided from the house with a broom.

The list of new (to me) and potentially dangerous animals goes on and on. Of course the beauty of this rural, jungle, beach life is just as outsized as the animals. I've seen more variety of butterflies than I would have believed possible. The flowers and trees are ridiculous. Sunsets and moonrises are insane.

The list of incredible sights, sounds and experiences I've had is much, much longer than the "wtf!" moments. However, in the instant that I realized I was looking at a scorpion with a back full of babies, I shifted from post-yoga glow to nausea and wondered what the hell I was doing here...and if the cockroaches in NY would ever again seem freaky.

Yoga News: Winter classes in La Manzanilla, Jalisco, Mexico

I'm excited to confirm that I'll be teaching yoga in La Manzanilla this winter in a gorgeous rooftop palapa.

Starting December 1st and continuing through May or June I'll have weekly classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. I will also offer a few evening classes throughout the winter (sunset restorative yoga and other special goodness).

As if that weren't enough, I may soon have news about a Spanish Plus Yoga weeklong retreat in March.

For now, email me if you would like to be added to the list for yoga updates, or if you are in La Manzanilla and would like to attend Monday and Wednesday 10am yoga classes which will continue through the end of October.

I won't be teaching weekly yoga classes in November. Instead I am going to Patzcuaro and Janitzio for Day of the Dead and then will spend a bit of time in NY. On November 16th in NY I'll lead an art and yoga workshop exploring the theme of Balance with Erin Partridge, an artist and art therapist and constant source of creative inspiration for me both personally and through our collaboration as The Orange Matter. More details about that soon.

More Polaroids...Small enough to hang on the wall of a NY apartment

I've been spending some time with a scanner lately so the Polaroids will continue to show up here bit by bit. Its exciting to actually do something with them other than stick 'em in a portfolio and wonder if they will mold in the humidity of summer in Mexico.

See one you like? Prints are $50. Originals $150. Email with questions or to purchase.

Original image above $old. Prints available for $50.

Images from "Motion" Exhibition at NY Open Center

Finally I have those images uploaded. Wow! That took forever. One of those projects that I just kept coming back to and not quite completing. Go figure. Images are in the gallery called Motion, and I'm including them in this post because I'm on a roll!

Are prints for sale, you ask? Of course! An artist needs to sell to eat...

So how much are they? 11"x17" archival prints (meaning they last a long time) are $150. You can buy prints of anything I post on the blog and also of images that are on my website.

Email when you are ready to buy or if you have any questions (yes, other sizes are available...yes, I give discounts if you buy 3 or more prints).

Happy shopping!

Nov. 16th: Save the Date for Yoga & Art

If you are in NY, mark your calendars for Sunday, November 16th. The Orange Matter (myself and fellow artist / yogi Erin Partridge) will facilitate a yoga and art workshop exploring balance. It will be at Think Coffee, 248 Mercer Street, from 4pm - 7pm. More details to follow soon.

Motion: Summer 2008 show at NY Open Center

In July I returned to NY for the opening of a show photographs I took this past year. If you haven't seen it yet, you can still catch the show at the NY Open Center, 83 Spring Street, until July 31st.

If you can't make it to the Open Center, click on the album to the right titled "Motion" to see the photos I included. Please have a look and let me know what you think. There are 14 images total and it will take me a bit to upload them. If you don't see 14, check back soon. Asap they will all be there. Below I've posted the artist statement and the email announcement for the show.

Email me if you fall in love with an image and would like to buy a print. This is, of course, exactly what I hope will happen! ;-)

Matted and framed 16”x20” prints are $375. Unframed 16"x20" prints are $150. Other sizes are available with various prices, so the easiest thing is just to email and we can figure details out from there.

In all cases, I donate 25% to charity, so when you buy something you not only help sustain my creativity, you also help folks in Mexico or in NY, depending on which charity you choose to receive a gift. See below for more details about that.

Artist Statement

Motion

Photography by Christina deRoos

I took these photographs during a time of many planned adventures and many surprising plot twists. The main transition was my move from living in Brooklyn to living in La Manzanilla (Jalisco, Mexico). I see a wide range of emotions reflected in the series, from excitement to fear, disappointment to contentment, confusion to calm.

Living in Mexico I often hear people say “asi es la vida” (“that's life”). I love hearing this because to me it honors the roller coaster aspect of our lives without making too big a deal of it. Motion is an asi es la vida series of photographs. Rather than a tidy package, it is a more spontaneous grouping that honestly reflects my recent experiences.

While taking these photos, I spent a lot of time noticing how my life is always in motion and contemplating my different experiences of that. Sometimes the pace felt quick, with whole days or months going by in a blur. Other times life seemed to move more slowly, and occasionally a day or an hour seemed an eternity.

How I experience life is a result of my inner landscape and circumstances as much as, or perhaps more than, my external surroundings. Photography and art facilitate my exploration of internal and external landscapes and how they interact and influence one another.

Details:
All photos are printed on 11”x17” archival paper by Ken Allen Studios. Finished size (matted and framed) is 16”x20.” Matted and framed photos at this size are $375. Unframed prints are $150. Other sizes are available.

More Info:
To see more photography: www.christinaderoos.com
To see other creative endeavors & collaborations: www.theorangematter.org
Questions or comments (always welcome): chris@christinaderoos.com

25% Donated to Charity
I am pleased to donate 25% of sales to two nonprofits that provide life-changing programs to children and adults.

Creative Alternatives of New York (CANY) provides drama therapy groups to traumatized and socially underserved individuals in NY. La Catalina Educational Foundation (LCEF) provides critical educational and economic opportunities in La Manzanilla, Jalisco, Mexico. I am honored to have worked with CANY and LCEF and to have witnessed the impact of their work.

You can choose to have 25% of the purchase price donated to CANY, donated to LCEF, or shared between them.

Email Announcement

Hola!

I'm writing to invite you to the opening of Motion, an exhibition of recent photographs I took during a time of many planned adventures (including moving from Brooklyn to the Pacific Coast of Mexico) plus a number of surprising plots twists.

Living in Mexico I often hear "asi es la vida" (that's life). I love hearing this because to me it honors the roller coaster aspect of our lives without making too big a deal of it.

Motion is an asi es la vida series of photographs. Rather than a tidy package, I invite you to see a more spontaneous grouping that honestly reflects my recent experiences.

I am pleased to donate 25% of sales to two nonprofits that provide life-changing programs to children and adults. Creative Alternatives of New York (CANY) provides drama therapy groups to traumatized and socially underserved individuals in NY. La Catalina Educational Foundation (LCEF) provides critical educational and economic opportunities in La Manzanilla, Jalisco, Mexico.

I am honored to have worked with CANY and LCEF and to have witnessed the impact of their work. Below are details about the specific programs that will benefit from sales of work included in Motion.

Bonus! Irina Adam, one of my friends & favorite photographers, is also having a show at the Open Center. The opening of "Community Gardens, NYC" is also June 14th, so with one trip to you can enjoy both shows. www.irinaadam.com

Creative Alternatives of New York (CANY) is beginning two new drama therapy groups to help children traumatized by war. The first provides drama therapy groups to refugee children recently arrived in New York from war torn countries, helping the children through the challenges of relocating and  beginning new lives in New York City. The second program provides drama therapy groups to children of veterans returning from the Iraq and Afgan wars.

To learn more about these and other CANY programs, please visit www.cany.org or contact Jonathan Hilton, Executive Director, at jhilton at cany.org or 212.222.1969.

La Catalina Educational Foundation (LCEF), responding to the 40-50% drop out rate in La Manzanilla, provides an educational scholarship to an underpriviledged middle school student who excels in academics, but whose family does not have the financial means to pay for the student to continue on to high school.

In addition to tuition, the scholarship covers related expenses such as transportation (there is no local high school).

To learn more about this and other LCEF programs, please visit www.lacatalinafoundation.com or contact Dean Klompas, Program Director, at la_catalina.dean at hotmail.com.