August 2005 Archives
Sunset on the freeway
My prayers go out to those who have suffered from Hurricane Katrina. I keep watching the footage of all of the poor people who have nowhere to go. I just keep thinking that not everyone has been found yet and there is no where to bury the dead.
Please donate if you can...
Before- Moe Moe
After- Jackie
What does Jackie do when Moe Moe gives her a perfectly good ottoman? She covers it with a serape, sucka!
Market Street, San Francisco
Sometimes I want to run away. Leave all my responsibilities and fade into oblivion. I dream that I will run away to New Mexico or somewhere else where the land is beautiful and sell my art and live in a small adobe house where no one would know me. There I would hone my artistic skills and spend most days searching for inspiration and work on it until I was satisfied. Then I would drive in my truck for hours and take pictures and come home and cook with interesting ingredients cause I had the time.
If only I had the time to run away...
mural across from Homeboy's
Apparently even commisioned art on blank walls is going to be censored and given guidlelines so that nothing resembles graffitti. Nevermind that fact that graffitti is a form of art- because the police chief says it doesn't look like art to him. And since he is the police chief and an art critic- business owners in Boyle Heights may soon have the option of white washing their walls or having an art group picked by the city to redo a mural on their walls. Some rules are just dumb. Don't our officials have anything better to worry about? Honestly people... You can read the article here.
Homeboy Industries- East LA
Friday, my sister and I went on a whirlwind of t-shirt making errands. We visited American Apparel (sweat shop free shirts) and picked out the shirts we are printing on. We climbed up seven flights of steep stairs because we couldn't figure out the scary elevator and arrived tired at the show room, where I wanted to buy everything. Lauren, being the logical one, told me that we would expand slowly- so we are starting with men's shirts (not to worry ladies, we have smalls and they are a more unisex fit) and some jersey scarves. Later we will add various women's shirts, babies and hopefully a shirt solely for charity.
Luckily our silk screener is three minutes away from American Apparel. We are using Homeboy Industries, which was started by a priest to counter-act all the gangs that were running rampant in the area. He got behind the idea of jobs not jails- and so founded Homeboy and it has been doing so well that it has spawned a bakery, a maintence business, and a cafe and catering service. It only took a couple of minutes to get our order taken care of and we were informed that the shirts would be ready by the 2nd of September, which is actually soon. Very exciting...
So now all I have to do is talk to the sticker guy, the website guy, get another permit so I can eventually sell at the swapmeet and then do the promotional mailers. We are half way there... But its happening...
When we all get together hilarity ensues. I never laugh as hard as I do when I am with them. Funny how we all have vastly different personalities and we all get along for the most part. I was thinking the other day- that I if I made a makeup line (I think I have been looking at the Sephora catalog too long) I would have lip glosses all dedicated to Heidy, Elyssa, Moe Moe, Kin,Liz and Antrice. They would all correspond to their personality of course. Heidy would be a natural color but with a sweet and tangy frangrance and taste. Moe Moe's would be bolder, more dramatic and smell like mango, Kin's would be light and airy and the color would look universally good on everybody. Elyssa's would be sassy and a little sour tasting and Liz's would be vibrant and sweet and Antrice (who isn't pictured- tear) would be crazy and fun with a very bold color.
We could call it the Girls of Voz? What do you think- a little crazy I know. But I am going to be a mogul by the age of 35- so I have to get going.
Yes, Moe Moe is now in Singapore. Moe Moe has left the building per se. But I assured her like I assured myself that she would be back. She can't leave all of us- we are too cool and she would miss us too much. Besides the fact that what I says goes- and with that she will be back and better than ever.
Jazz the black and white in black and white...
What I am listening to: Black Eyed Peas- Monkey Business (hip pop but I am feeling it- Lauren and I saw them in concert and they were tight as hell- if I was in a group I would want it to theirs) and Afu Ra
What I am doing: cleaning the never ending junk yard I call a room
What I am watching: a rerun of Miami Ink- I love this show. I want more tattoos. I would get my whole body if I could. I think I would at least
Why I am happy: my dad's old truck is fixed and all it needed was new brakes, and oil change and a new battery. Now its time to pimp that ride- well just a little bit.
What I am sketching: Sticker designs for Voz Clothing & Art
LA buildings...
I have found that the weirdest looking people are usually the nicest. The punk next to you with a mohawk and too many piercings to count- yeah he probably visits his grandma every weekend. That girl with blue hair and black makeup all over her face- yeah she volunteers at battered women shelters after her regular job. That cholo who looks intimidating- he raises his younger siblings and never complains. I have known these three people in my life and I know that they were constantly misjudged because of their appearances.
The same goes for me too. When I had a lot of piercings I realized that I was treated much differently than when I took most of them out. Sales people would be really rude or not wait on as a last resort (and it could be because I am latina too). And all the while I would forget what was on my face because inside I was still the same person. Its a funny world.
So if this means that I am only friends with the so-called "weird" looking people then so be it. Cause truth be told they are the nicest ones. And I would like to think that I am included in that group too...
Tinkerbell on La Brea, LA
The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it. -- Anonymous
I can honestly say that I am living myself for me. I used to dream and then treat it as such- just a dream. My dreams were so far off and too complicated, too hard. It is only now that I realize that I can make my dreams a reality, not simply by wishing and making countless lists but by working hard and being focused. The funny thing is that my dad had two pieces of advice whenever I had a problem. They were "Just do the best you can, that's all anyone can do" and "you just need to focus, Jaclyn." Apparently it has taken 24 years but I can now focus. Don't I get get a gold star for that?
Malibu Blur
" It is better to die on your feet, than to live on your knees " Emiliano Zapata
Amen to that man...
Bubbles in color...
And I am back. Well sort of. I will be back in my house this weekend with a new bathroom tambien.
So much has happened recently. My sister and I have started a t-shirt line called Voz Clothing & Art. So I am putting together a small business along with a new website that I hope to start soon. Thing should be up by the end of this month- I hope. Wish us luck....
