Wind Over Grass - blocking shape and colour

It's not that I'm absent. I'm always here. There's so much I cannot speak of. Before it was different, I was able to weave things into prosepoetry that obscured while clarifying, you know how that is.

I am doing things I want to be doing, though. Today I had my second hour editing a manuscript. I have to go to a coffee shop, be trapped with nothing else to do; it works. On this mms I give myself until the end of June, that should be amble time.

At night I spend a minimum of an hour painting. To do that has its odd requirements too, but I am able to settle myself enough to enter the paint.

There is duress. Energy, focus, not easy. Yet I am doing it - with a few tricks. Since I know myself so well I know what'll motivate and what won't.

We are our last mysteries, aren't we. Though after many years of living as who we are, we become accustomed to ourselves, and our idiosyncracies. We learn how to negotiate our devious psychic terrains, how to point ourselves in a direction, how to stay on track.

_
Wind Over Grass, 28"x22", 71x56cm, 2010, blocking shape and  colour. Photographed at night with flash, two photos merged to make it appear as it is (so far - still far to go).

                                                    

Backing Jamendo

Visit Backing Jamendo

Jamendo is community, Ai!R is right. I'd like to remain part of this beautiful community of music lovers and keep sharing our discoveries, keep sharing our music. Jamendo is not, and most likely never would be, a money-making venture. But the musical discoveries are awesome. I listen everyday to artists who've uploaded to Jamendo. Sometimes I pair songs with my prosepoem readings. I can't imagine life without this community. If we can't save Jamendo, which might be gone by the end of February without financial backers, let's save our community. Where the heart is. Our love.

                                                    

Wind Over Grass - first wash of colour

From Wind Over Grass, a painting

Wind Over Grass, 28"x22", 71x56cm, 2010, first wash of colour. Click for larger. Photographed in shadow on a sunny day. The texture of the brushstroke and colour is quite good. This painting is going to take awhile - still far to go.

                                                    

Save Jamendo

Jamendo is a community of free, legal and unlimited music published under Creative Commons licenses. It is a site where you can share your music, and freely download albums that appeal to you.

Jamendo was a discovery in the Summer of 2008 when I heard about it from a music-lover. Since then I have found much beautiful music, begun to write reviews and become part of a music community of artists and reviewers. Recently I uploaded a short album of poems, two of which had songs from albums musicians were offering through Jamendo and have been delighted and inspired by the support of this community.

I don't know how the owner and managers of Jamendo have done it, but they have created a site that is a creative symphony in itself.

Not just the music, but much of the writing I've seen at Jamendo is superlative.

Jamendo is not just another music site. It is grounded in a fair ethic towards artists, and has enabled a mutually supportive and strong music community to develop and flourish.

Jamendo's only been in existence about 8 years, and profits from licensed music is growing, as is revenue from the 'stores' artists can opt to offer along with their music. A second round of capital has not materialized. Jamendo is just beginning to fly, to really take off it needs backers.

Without solid commitment from its previous backers, and in need of two million dollars to survive at this juncture, Jamendo will disappear.


We, the users of this beautiful site, can make a difference. Let our voices be heard. Many of us are willing to pay a small yearly subscription to maintain Jamendo so that there can be continuance, so that our musical arts can flourish amidst a changing global economic model.

Let it be clear: we do not want to lose Jamendo.

News article on Jamendo from digitalmediawire, Jan 7th:

Free, Licensed Music Download Service Jamendo Seeks Buyer

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 7, 2010 - 8:33am.

Luxembourg - Jamendo, the provider of a website featuring free music downloads, published via Creative Commons licenses, is actively seeking a sale or merger of the company and has held talks with at least one suitor, TechCrunch reported.

Founded in 2000, Luxembourg-based Jamendo last raised funding in June 2007 from Mangrove Capital Partners, but has since failed in its attempts to raise a $2.15 million follow-up round.

Along with free downloads, Jamendo also operates an online marketplace where music may be licensed for use in multimedia projects, and as background music.

The company told TechCrunch the service counts 2,300 paying customers, and generated about $430,000 in 2009.