Hi, I’m Carlos and I’m a workaholic that’s right, I got time to find time to figure out just how to work more before I clock out and the sun goes down… When I get up, I hustle was taught to not figure yourself out of the fight until the final bell sounds – and right now I am fighting for my life. I, am happy to have your workload if you can’t handle it – I will get it done on my lunch hour how’s that for food for thought? I thought, we were all put here to hustle? no? Yes, I rest, when my eyes are closed and one day, that will be infinitely so – so, when I am extinct… no longer a creature of creativity
and callused hands, no longer a man but dust to dust – and so I shall return. until then, I burn, the wick at both ends until it scorches between the tips of my digits – and look back at the product post putting in work and observe the fruits of this labor. It tastes like: sweat like blood like tears like pride – I swallow it proudly. Hi, My name is Carlos and I’m a workaholic – I choose not to recover, but rather to announce the fact that I am proud of just how much I can get done while there’s still sun, and or by the light of the moon –
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Carlos Contreras has been recognized as a national champion performance poet. He got his start in the area of competitive spoken word, or Slam Poetry. He is currently the Marketing Director for the City of Albuquerque, a community organizer and Programming Manager at Tractor Brewery Wells Park. He is the Founder of Imma Star Productions which is dedicated to promoting Poetry, Journalism, Activism, and Humanism. He grew up and resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico. READ MORE
Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as multimedia books while promoting literacy in our communities. #JoinOurCommunity at http://communitypublishing.org We are proud to be From the Community For the Community!
Your Art Makes the World A Better Place by Stephanie Galloway
People often wonder what they can do to make a positive difference in the world. One way to make the world better is sharing art! Art can bring a smile to people’s faces and let them know that they are loved! When someone finds your art on Free Art Friday it lets them know that someone cares about them.
You taking the time to make a piece of art for them to find shows them that they are worthy of your time. This act of kindness is so much bigger than just one person and the grandness of its impact can be felt by the entire world!
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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 Books while promoting literacy in our communities.
Spring is here and more people are venturing outdoors to enjoy the beauty in their surroundings! They are looking at the blooming trees and the flowers coming up from the ground. A perfect time and place to add some of your art work into the mix.
While there eyes are enjoying the majestic visions part of that vision will also be the art you put out for Free Art Friday! What a great place for art to be, among the flowers and trees that make people happy ☺ So please share your art today!
Please check out some more of my Free Art Friday articles here. Thank you for supporting local arts!
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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 Books while promoting literacy in our communities.
Anyone old enough to remember the 1998 movie, Night at the Roxbury will surely remember how the lead characters played by Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell dance ridiculously to the Haddaway song with the title, “What is Love.” But really, what is love? Have you ever thought about it? I have.
With all due respect to everyone’s faith, paradigm, culture, public and personal beliefs (or lack thereof), I believe and teach my 7 year old daughter that God is Love. But what does that mean? A quick perusal on Merriam Websters Online Dictionary comes up with 9 definitions (not to mention all the sub-definitions). Definition number 4 is closest to my personal definition of Love, “unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.” Personally I would replace: the good of another with the good of all.
A Labor of Love
The Rail Yards Market has been a labor of love for all that have been involved in taking it from idea to reality. Fueled by our desire to bring life back to the Rail Yards, and inspired to make our community a more vibrant one, volunteers from all walks of life spend their week planning, meeting and working together to make the RYM the wonderful nexus of our city that it has become. On Sunday mornings, we gather at 6:00 am, look each other in the eye and face-down a 11 hour day together! If that is not Love, then I don’t know what is!
Native Health Initiative
The Native Health Initiative (NHI) is a love-funded, love inspired organization dedicated to addressing health inequities through “Loving Service (a human-to-human element of wanting to serve others, volunteerism).”
“Today is a day to celebrate the work in NM that is love-funded, love-inspired, and which uses love as a framework for healing our world and communities. We feel that money/grants/power, etc. lack the transformative power that love holds to address the injustices we find in our state and world. We want to inspire and encourage you today to see the beauty and power that love has to heal our world, hoping that by us celebrating love today we will begin to find new ways tomorrow and beyond to orient our work likewise!”
Love Inspired Community Groups
“A day to celebrate the work in NM that is love-funded, love-inspired, and which uses love as a framework for healing our world and communities. We want to inspire and encourage you to see the beauty and power that love has to heal our world, hoping that by celebrating love we will begin to find new ways to orient our work likewise!
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When we as a society make room for art, we are creating a welcoming space for it to exist in an environment with public art, shows that we care about creativity and expression. That is one of the primary goals of Free Art Friday.
Making room for art also lets citizens know that their talents and contributions are valued and appreciated. This nurturing of creativity incubates ideas that benefit and improve the standard of living for the entire community! Raising awareness about local art and artists is what motivates me with my work at Free Art Friday Albuquerque.
Make space for art and it will give you a place to call home!
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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 Books while promoting literacy in our communities.
For a long time now, Alex has been telling me that I should share with Community Publishing a “little something” and finally here I go. The delay was not due to lack of ideas. In this last 3 years since I departed from Albuquerque I have been gathering thoughts, images, memories, sounds, and points view.
I have been pulling the trigger of my pen so slowly that I have forgotten I was doing it, so slowly the piece of paper was able to escape without marks. All of the sudden, as predicted, I can´t stop writing many things at once. I find myself pouring all out on the screen. I have to hit enter and find new room in this virtual paper. Wow, it is fun. I will read it later, gotta keep the flow.
But wait a sec, I was going to start somewhere. Yes, I was going to start right at the end.
Looking back, now. Looking at me looking back through the glass of a window inside this bus taking my south to the border. The border that separated one chapter from the next, yet at that moment unknown.
Me, looking back, waving at my brother at a gas station. Breathing and having one thought in each in and out. I was on a bus taking me to move back to Argentina after ten years living in Albuquerque. The Albuquerque in New Mexico, not the one on T.V.. Ten years in each blow of air.
2003 Albuquerque Destiny
Really want to know my story?: – mother fell in love with gringo. Then, moved to Cali but he got a job at the University of New Mexico (yes, it could have been Oklahoma or Tennessee, or Indiana or…). Things didn’t work out but a few years later she was working at the university and a big crisis hit Argentina. I was 19 years old and like many Argentineans wanted to destroy the political class. About 30% unemployment and many sad things forced us to take a decision. Go to Spain with our dad and like him hope for the best, stay in an out-of-control Argentina by myself, or move to ALBUQUERQUE (I was the only person I knew at that time that even knew of this city).
Yes you guess, I moved to Albuquerque. I would learn some basic English and then, in about 2 years go back to Argentina or in the worst case scenario, go to Spain. Basically, I just wanted to be in my home, in La Boca, Buenos Aires, Argentina, with my high school friends and my projects after high school.
2 years became almost ten. Soon became surrounded by a capoeira school filled with great people that despite the language barrier help my brother and I fill as at home as possible. Interestingly, all of us where practicing an art form that was foreign. A Brazilian art form practiced by gringos, Argentineans, Mexicans in Albuquerque, New Mexico that doesn’t look even close to Rio de Janeiro or Bahia. But there, we were doing our very best to make any capoerista proud. Hell we trained hard and tried to learn everything about the subculture of capoeira. If you don’t know anything about it, I recommend you look it up, there are some videos online ☺
Well, that was home, going from the house to capoeira as much as possible. Trying to communicate and play birimbau at sunset on a summer afternoon right on route 66. There it was this young guy from the bottom of the continent, learning English, using his funny accent as a weapon to attract ladies (thank God for giving me a foreign accent!!), and playing capoeira while thinking of home.
Went to college. American girlfriend, Colombian, Mexican, American, Colombian, Brazilian. Mmm great times… Oh, that was the time I really learned English. First, lunch time. God I just wanted a sandwich. “I say tomato you say…” yes, it took me a really long time to get a sub. Sometimes after a few tries the guy would start talking back to me in Spanish (and I got upset and no, it is not funny). 😉
Then the parties – check back next week!
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Sebastian Pais was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is a professional translator, musician, radio personality and actor. In April, 2014 he was named Director for Latin American & Bilingual Initiatives at Community Publishing.
Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as Multimedia Books while promoting literacy in our communities.
It’s hard to say whether or not the decision was right. Nevertheless, it was the one I made, and now I was in a pickle, and must simply deal with what was unfolding. I had left Albuquerque feeling excited about finally heading out on the road, but also feeling rather unprepared for the journey I was setting out on. There were so many loose ends dangling about on this project, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it would all come unraveled at any moment. I was nervous and apprehensive about the whole project from the very start, but I was determined to carry it out, nonetheless. And now, there I was in a park in the middle of San Diego, having barely slept the nighty before because I was concerned about the safety, and legality, of where I had pitched my tent. It was Sunday morning and I was desperately searching for my wallet. I couldn’t believe this was happening. Had those kids, who passed by several times during the night, stolen my wallet? Or, had it fallen out, unnoticed, when I was searching for spots to pitch my tent?
Like any good, high level game, my little adventure started off with a doozie of a challenge, and the challenges have continued to show up at every turn. The biggest challenge, has been related to one very specific thing, generating revenue. I am, after all, out here for the very purpose of creating Rev anew – that would be me transforming myself into a financially successful professional artist. This has proven to be a tough endeavor for me, even under the best of circumstances. I have been working toward this goal for 20 years now, and have yet to get there. Admittedly, I have rather odd methods and approaches to this goal. And, this journey is no different.
I set this mission up to be a sink or swim operation, a do-or-die kind of scenario, one that would propel me out of my comfort zone, into unfamiliar territory, where I would be forced to engage in rapid development of my show, myself as an entertainer, and my skills at getting strangers to give me money for the presentation of my art. This has proven to be a quite effective training program. I have had to experiment and explore, live and direct, in front of masses of people, most of whom aren’t really paying much attention to me, unless I provide some hook to draw them in. And, once I have their attention, I have the added challenge of inspiring them to open up their wallets and give me some of their money. So far, I have performed this task far below the level of expectation I had set for myself.
I made the decision to engage in the mission of going on the road with the skeletal elements of my newly created pop-up dragon didgeridoo show (rather impressive skeletal elements, but skeletal elements no less), and nothing more than a vague plan to find appropriate places to present, and develop, my act, mostly through the medium of street performance (aka Busking). The reason I chose this mission, and set it up in such a way that would require me to succeed in order for the journey to be completed, is because it is my route to the next level. Time to up my game.
I am now sitting in a coffee shop on Sunset Boulevard staring out the window – “HOLLYWOOD” looms on the mountainside directly in front of me. Across the street a homeless man, head bowed, sitting on a stoop, picks at his shirt. The next table over an older gentleman is discussing homelessness with his friend. Everywhere I go in LA, homelessness abounds.
My buddy tells me that the homeless population in LA is equivalent to the entire population of Santa Fe. I am taken back for a moment to the home of my childhood, where the HOLLYWOOD sign appeared regularly before my eyes through the glow of a TV screen. Hollywood was the home of the rich and famous, a place that represented fame and fortune, a place I never imagined myself spending any amount of time in. And now, here I am, staying at my buddy’s in Hollywood, sitting at a Starbucks on Sunset Boulevard, and providing entertainment on the boardwalk of Venice Beach. In relation to the entertainment industry, for which this place is so well known, I am the homeless man, begging for change on the street corner, with my cute little pop up show. And yet, my fortune, even if I fail at this mission, is far greater than the actual homeless man I see across the street. I have a home to return to, whether I fail or succeed.
Successful Rebounds
I have the resources to rebound from failure, if it occurs. If this project does come unravelled, I know there are people who’ve got my back. But, this was not always the case. The last time I was at Venice Beach, 20 years ago, I was a broken, wandering fool, living out of a 1969 VW microbus, with no idea of what I had to offer the world, and no community to support me through my struggles. Today I am a Wizard, and by that I mean a one-of-a-kind artist with a special blend of magic, and I’m out there on the boardwalk of Venice Beach learning how to share that magic with the world, and discovering how to go about being financially rewarded for doing so.
My journey will take me north, along the pacific coast, soon. I know that I will have made significant improvement in my presentation and revenue generation wizardry by the time I leave LA. Venice Beach has been a very good training ground and a terrific work environment. I love that it has been my “office”, for this brief moment. Truth is, I’ve always been a bit of a beach bum, with the unfortunate fate of being born, raised, and living most of my life in the desert. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my desert home. But, there has always been a longing deep inside of me to live by the ocean. Thankfully, I’m getting a little taste of that now.
The challenges that have come my way on this journey have truly strengthened me and taught me things I would not have learned otherwise. I am grateful for then all. I am, however, quite ready for a break through in the area of Rev-e-nue generation. May it come soon! Regardless of when, or if, that breakthrough arrives I shall press forward with all the determination of a Wizard who knows his role and the mission set before him. And, I shall wield my magic with all of the finesse and grace that has become mine through the many challenges and struggles I have been through thus far.
I shall also continue to report here, each week, on the progress and developments of this journey, and to offer insights and musings, with the hope of inspiring others to follow their own magic, and make it happen.
I never found my wallet.
The one & only ~ Rev LeReve Tsolwizar
Footnote: After having dinner with my buddy, Roo, we passed by the homeless man I had seen while at Starbucks. Roo asked the man, “Do you smoke?’ The man replied, “yes”. Roo then handed him half a dozen cigarettes, and I handed him the fortune cookie I was holding and said to him, “I know it’s not much brother, but may good fortune come your way!” He graciously accepted the gifts and said, “And, good fortune to the both of you too, sir!”
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One of my visions when I started Free Art Friday Albuquerque is to have a diverse range of arts included in the art sharing. There are many possibilities when it comes to giving art for Free Art Friday! It is not limited to a painting or drawing but may also can included music, poetry, sculpture and other forms of art, basically any piece of art that can be easily taken by the finder without damaging the space it is placed in.
I would like to see more kinds of art shared for Free Art Friday so as a challenge to myself for the next Free Art Friday I will be putting out some art in town that is not a painting or drawing. I also feel this idea will also help me to think more creatively by taking me out of my usual art medium.
I hope this will inspire others to think outside of the art box when think about their creative endeavors and the wonder talents inside everyone yet to be discovered! “No one has ever become poor by giving”-Anne Frank
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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.
Location, location, location! One of added benefits for the artist participating in Free Art Friday Albuquerqueis that they can have control over the setting of where they put their art and use that as another way to reach a particular audience or accent a statement the art is making.
In this way the place the art is left can function much like the stage settings in a play, highlighting the actor which in this case is a piece of art. One of the most beautiful things about Albuquerque is the diversity of our community and what better way to celebrate that then with art!
Another way the area the art is put can be utilized is including the natural world. Seeing art in a natural setting is a beautiful thing! Placing art in a natural setting demonstrates the connection and relationship art has with nature. There is aesthetics in nature and in art and this commonality bonds them together.
I often will leave a Free Art Friday piece in a tree or in the grass and it looks like it belongs there. It brings attention to the art already present in nature and creates an appreciation in the observer/art finder for the planet they live on.
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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.
Bring adventure to your art! There is a feeling of excitement that is experienced when participating in Free Art Friday! The chance for the artist to have fun mapping out where they would like to leave their piece and letting spontaneity happen.
It is a similar to the feeling one gets when they are preparing to give a birthday or holiday gift to someone. The gift remains hidden until that magic moment when it meets the receiver! When someone knows that there was someone out there that put care, time and planning into making and putting out the art it makes them feel even more special when they find it. Being able to give your art a chance to reach people in such a way takes it on an adventure with purpose.
Some Fridays I choose a spot that is part of my daily route and other Fridays I intentionally take myself to an area that I don’t regularly visit which keeps thing fresh and new for me.
This city has many wonderful places and in my search for a location to drop my art I have found places I would have never discovered otherwise! Happy Free Art Friday Albuquerque ! Hope the day finds you with more art in your life.
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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.
Carlos Contreras has been recognized as a national champion performance poet. He got his start in the area of competitive spoken word, or Slam Poetry. He is currently the Marketing Director for the City of Albuquerque, a community organizer and Programming Manager at Tractor Brewery Wells Park. He is the Founder of Imma Star Productions which is dedicated to promoting Poetry, Journalism, Activism, and Humanism. He grew up and resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico. READ MORE
Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as multimedia books while promoting literacy in our communities. #JoinOurCommunity at http://communitypublishing.org
Making room for art also lets citizens know that their talents and contributions are valued and appreciated. This nurturing of creativity incubates ideas that benefit and improve the standard of living for the entire community! Raising awareness about local art and artists is what motivates me with my work at 
The one & only ~ Rev LeReve Tsolwizar
Location, location, location! One of added benefits for the artist participating in 
It is a similar to the feeling one gets when they are preparing to give a birthday or holiday gift to someone. The gift remains hidden until that magic moment when it meets the receiver! When someone knows that there was someone out there that put care, time and planning into making and putting out the art it makes them feel even more special when they find it. Being able to give your art a chance to reach people in such a way takes it on an adventure with purpose.
