Lately, I’ve become accustomed to the way
The ground opens up and envelopes me
Each time I go out to walk the dog.
Or the broad edged silly music the wind
Makes when I run for a bus…
Things have come to that.
And now, each night I count the stars.
And each night I get the same number.
And when they will not come to be counted,
I count the holes they leave.
Nobody sings anymore.
And then last night I tiptoed up
To my daughter’s room and heard her
Talking to someone, and when I opened
The door, there was no one there…
Only she on her knees, peeking into
Her own clasped hands
“There is no depth to education without art.” – Amiri Baraka
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Amiri Baraka
“The dramatist, novelist and poet, Amiri Baraka is one of the most respected and widely published African-American writers…Amiri Baraka’s writing career spans over nearly fifty years and has mostly focused on the subjects of Black Liberation and White Racism. Today, a number of well known poems, short stories, plays and commentaries on society, music and literature are associated with his name…The literary world respects the playwright and poet, Amiri Baraka as one of the revolutionary provocateurs of African-American poetry.” Read More
Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as multimedia eBooks while promoting literacy in our communities.
Some new characters are being introduced in the ASTRO MONK saga by the names of GLOP and GUN. A thought gel and a talking gun that needs to be held.
I really had fun with this page in particular the first six panels were a blast to draw!
They feel very expressive to me. I sort of thought about making them bigger for gallery exhibition { I used to show in galleries.} but I think their good as they are.
High and Low
It’s really odd but when I dropped out of the gallery scene and just did comics I would get ” Oh now your just an illustrator”. Well no… I’m still just an artist I would say. Finally things are changing comics and illustrative works are starting to be considered more on the same level as so called high art. You see shows of this work in museum’s and galleries now where as 15 years ago these same places would have turned up there nose at this art forum.
I think people’s love of this work has demanded that the art world take a more sympathetic eye. We do live in a world that anything can be art after all. I don’t make any distinction from so called low art and high art it’s all art to me.
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New Mexico means various things for many people. Coming from NYC, I imagined New Mexico to be a dry arid land with not much greenery or plant life (much like in the Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner). Upon my arrival I was surprised when I was greeted by an overwhelmingly beautiful landscape filled with all the colors of a color wheel. Additionally, the Sunsets are filled with magic that stops you in your tracks. Being used to the mile a minute NYC environment, I was not prepared to encounter people who were polite, friendly and generous like the folks in New Mexico.
Arts & Entertainment Mecca
In addition to many home-grown artists, New Mexico attracts artists of all mediums who often make the state their home. This combination of talented folks use their many talents to create a vibrant, world-class arts and entertainment locale. So much is going on in New Mexico that it is quite difficult to keep track of it all. The folks at I am New Mexico have undertaken this incredible task. They not only cover the arts and entertainment scene but introduce the readers to the wonderful cuisine, discuss the educational institutions, serve as a multimedia events calendar and provide insights of this amazing place by locals.
Shop Local
I have discussed the benefits of shopping local several times: Economic, Cultural, Quality of Life (among other benefits). I am New Mexico promotes this cause with multimedia articles featuring local businesses as well as highlighting local cuisine and culture. In the video below I discuss the importance of shopping local with KeepitQuerque Executive Director Clifton Chadwick.
The health and vitality of our community, of New Mexico, depends on community members frequenting their local businesses, enjoying local arts and shopping local. The influx of tourists also helps New Mexico economically, The folks at I am New Mexico do an incredible job spreading the word day in and day out!
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It was a long time ago.
I have almost forgotten my dream.
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun—
My dream.
And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream.
Rose until it touched the sky—
The wall.
Shadow.
I am black.
I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me,
Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
My hands!
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand whirling dreams
Of sun!
Originally published in 1925. All Rights Reserved.
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Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. He published his first poem in 1921. He attended Columbia University, but left after one year to travel. His poetry was later promoted by Vachel Lindsay, and Hughes published his first book in 1926. He went on to write countless works of poetry, prose and plays, as well as a popular column for the Chicago Defender. He died on May 22, 1967.
Community Publishing will be publishing a Multimedia Book written and Illustrated by Seth Hoffman titled, Janie and the Hummingbird. Seth is a musician, artist and educator based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Follow his adventures here every Tuesday.
A new story is emerging in the ASTRO MONK saga. Involving a Thought Gel a Gun and a few A.C.K.Bots. This page is the start of that story. The AWAKENER finds a planet of abandoned buildings and inadvertently awakens a Gun and a Thought Gel which is a substance used in artificial intelligence in the ASTRO MONK universe.
This page is a favorite of mine when I look at it there is nothing I would change in it . It feels whole to me. It’s a rare thing when this happens. I remember the filmmaker Steven Spielberg once said that out of all the movies that he has made there is only one that he would not change a thing in. That movie was Raiders of the Lost Ark. The first of the Indiana Jones movies and one of my personal favorites of his. Feeling like you made a perfect thing just doesn’t happen a lot even to the most talented people.
Chaos
There is a lot of stuff that swirls around you and funnels in and out of you when you make something emotions ,influences, opinions (yourself and others) thoughts, stories how you feel that day utter chaos swirling around you till all those things converge into you and then pour out of you. It’s a birth. Sometimes you win sometimes you lose. But the most important thing is that you go ahead and look into that window of chaos and open it.
Page 19
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This post originally ran in June of 2014 I have been a father for 8 years now and as all parents will tell you, time definitely flies! I like to use this day not to pat myself on the back or kick my feet up and relax but rather to think about my growth as a person, father and a member of society.
Do As I Do
One thing all parents learn quickly is that in order to have your children behave in the manner you would like them to, you have to behave that way yourself. But lets take that a step further. How can the way we interact, communicate and discipline our children determine what kind of personality the child develops and what their motivation(s) in life might be?
The Good Ole Days
Many of us parents harken back to the day when we were being raised and our parents only “had to ask us once.” Amongst ourselves, us parents bemoan the fact that once upon a time kids respected their parents and if we would get out of line, well we got “pow right in the kisser.” Of course that myth is often different than the reality. If we were to ask our parents and they asked their parents, despite the spankings, we still didn’t jump when they said how high.
So as a dad my best friend is patience. I constantly toe the line between the easy way and the harder way. Wanting my daughter to listen to me, obey my directions, not because she is afraid of me but because she believes in me. It takes a very long time but teaching your children to understand their actions will give them a deeper reservoir for thought and inspire critical thinking in your child and promote empathy. Knowing that they are a part of a bigger whole will help your child figure out what path to follow in their daily lives as their interact with others and shape their world.
Dancing in the New World
If we are to build a society, change the world and fill it with folks that care about each other, then we truly need to start with our children. We need to realize that while their might be some merit to the old ways of doing things, we need to look to new ways of raising our children that emphasize understanding, peace, harmony and true respect. We must always watch our words and behavior around children. Even the most seemingly innocuous words might effect a child’s world-view.
For example at the Rail Yards Market there was a demonstration for pixilated animation and my daughter Marisol, my partner Yvette and I decided that we wanted to be animated. We wondered what should we do. We thought, “what about fight poses” and then I thought about it and said no, “there is enough violence in our society, we are going to do a dance, we need more dancing in our society.” Check out the animated video below. (Thanks to Donnine Canamara for the wonderful video).
Respect vs. Fear
Next time you get a chance and before your child misbehaves, which is inevitable, think about our current society: the chaos, conflict and tragedy. It is our creation, and we are a product of the “traditional” methods of disciplining children which bases its foundation upon fear. Now think about the world you want your children to live in and remember that they will be the architects of our future society. Give them the tools to create a world that is based upon equality, caring, giving, helping, sharing, and collaboration. Through patience during your interactions with them on those tough moments, you will be teaching them to think critically, and thoughtfully. Hopefully, with these tools, they will build a world built on empathy, filled with “true” love for all and based upon mutual respect. In the video below my little girl sings the classic Somewhere Over the Rainbow: With our help, our children can make that special place a reality.
Hello friends, it’s me Seth Hoffman (teacher/musician/songwriter) here. I’ve started this blog so folks can follow some of my adventures and discoveries while I am on my Fulbright program here in Wellington, New Zealand. I post much on Facebook, but I wanted to have an option so my well-respected non-Facebook users can also come along for the journey.
Here’s where I am right at the moment. I’m at a little work station at the lovely Wellington Public Library located at 65 Victoria Street in downtown central Wellington.
Bringing Passion into the Classroom
You’re probable wondering, “What in the heck are you doing in Wellington, New Zealand?” Well, the title of my Fulbright Project is called “Bringing Joy and Passion Back Into the Classroom.” You may likely be aware (or maybe you aren’t aware) that budgets for music and the arts in schools are being cut left and right. The focus is almost entirely on raising Standarized Test scores in reading, writing, and math.
I’m very much in favor for of students improving their reading, writing, and math skills. These are no doubt very important life and career skills. However, I believe there are other ways to go about reaching these goals. Throughout my 11 year teaching career, I have observed students thriving and becoming highly engaged through music and drama. This engagement transfers to self esteem and participation, and in the end helps the very skills these high stakes tests are assessing.
Though my focus is music, I want to advocate and encourage teachers to bring their specific passion and interests into the classroom. A highly engaged teacher will likely have highly engaged students. Whether it’s music, drama, dance, cooking, scuba diving, or gardening, there are ways to integrate any of these topics into the curriculum.
Growing Budgets for the Arts
I will be working with and observing various teachers who specialize in integrating music and other art forms in their teaching. My hope is that budgets will grow for the arts in schools everywhere, and teachers will be encouraged and supported to bring their areas of passion into the classroom.
I look forward to sharing my discoveries with you.
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Seth Hoffman
Community Publishing will be publishing a Multimedia Book written and Illustrated by Seth Hoffman titled, Janie and the Hummingbird. Seth is a musician, artist and educator based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Follow his adventures here every Tuesday.
Originally when I came up with this ASTRO MONK story I wanted it to be a story of many stories. I wanted the stories to intertwine into one. I thought this would Illustrate my point that good and bad can be a point of view.
This page is transitional. It adds another view into the ASTRO MONK saga. The A.C.K. BOT zooms through the cosmos and some sort of GLOP starts bubbling around then the AWAKENER stumbles upon a planet of things to awaken.
I love this page but as a transition goes I think the change is a bit sudden. Particulary for the AWAKENER. I think The AWAKENER could have stood more drifting and contemplation in space.
The IMPATIENT GUY
I might have been impatient to move the story along faster. I was being the guy that twirls his fingers and says ” Come on get on with the story will Yah!” So my impatient guy won out and this is what I have . I think you still get it. I feel like it could have used another scene there. But I needed to move on and thats how these things go.
Page 18
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The Grand Fantastic Life of DJ Flo Fader is a fictionalized biography of the life of Roscoe Floyd, DJ Flo Fader in multimedia eBook form. Author Alex Paramo skillfully weaves fact and fiction to produce a narrative that will have you engaged and entertained (English and Spanish version). Alex Lopez interprets the narrative using his many photographic talents. Poignant pictures push the narrative forward through emphasizing the beauty of important points and places. DJ Flo Fader personally adds his musical interpretation through his music. Many additional guest musicians/and MC’s both locally: Albuquerque Inaugural Poet Laureate Hakim Bellamy, Vocalist Xian Bass and internationally know: Masta Ace, J-Live are featured in this multi-sensory extravaganza! Our Cast:
Alex Lopez is a NYC based Photographer. He is an award-winning photographer whose notable works include his Subway Musicians, Summer in the City and Coney Islandseries respectively.
“Man, I can remember like it was yesterday when I moved to the South Bronx back in early 2000. It was crazy how I wound up living in the birthplace of hip-hop. I had just landed a great job working for Seven Heads Ent. as a college radio music promoter in D.U.M.B.O. It was perfect. I had no reservations and high motivation. This was a grand fantastic start for me. The Grand Fantastic Life of Flo Fader is almost complete. Stay tuned and shout out to Boynton Ave!”
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Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as multimedia eBooks while promoting literacy in our communities.
As I listened to the day serenade of a confused cricket
On that day the world wasn’t spinning
But the records were
Mimicking that cricket’s purpose
To reach into infinity
And come out with a happy ending to his story
He sang a song so bright
It made the Sun look like a shadow
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Stephanie Galloway
Stephanie Galloway is from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has been writing poetry since she was a child and still loves to explore the magic in words and their power to touch others deeply. She taught art to children as the Children Zone Leader of the Rail Yards Market and is the founder of Free Art Friday Albuquerque.
***** Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as multimedia eBooks while promoting literacy in our communities. We are proud to be a community partner and digital marketer at the Rail Yards Market. Community Publishing: From the Community For the Community!
Curated by Mary Ann Gilbreth, Ed.D., Department of Teacher Education, Educational Leadership and Policy, at the University of New Mexico. This collections includes the work of her students from several of her Reading Methods Classes, promoting cultural diversity in the classroom.
A new story is emerging in the 
