Cyber Monday 2018 is upon us! At Community Publishing we believe that nothing makes a better holiday gift than a children’s book! Whether you have a child in your life, or you want to donate books to a school, our award winning books offer a diversity of content that will entertain and inspire any child regardless of their age or reading level.
Buy 3 Get 1 Free
Take advantage of our special deal today and buy 3 of our children’s books and get the 4th one free!! Purchase books by scrolling to the bottom of the page.
Princess Marisol & the Moon Thieves – Magical Realism from Alex Paramo
Princess Marisol & the Portal – The sequel to Princess Marisol & the Moon Thieves
Samuel’s Story – From Albuquerque’s Inaugural Poet Laureate Hakim Bellamy
Bella The Caterpillar – The Children’s Book of the Year from our (then) 7 year old author
When I was a child I would bring a work of art I made to my mom and she would proudly display it on the refrigerator. The loving act of her doing this gave me confidence in myself and pride in my work. It also encouraged me to continue being creative. The public display in the house for all the family members to see and enjoy made me feel more a part of the family. I always carry with me the love she put into appreciating my art.
In much the same way when you put out a work of art for Free Art Friday and hear back that someone picked it up and took it home for some motherly love, care and appreciation. Make some art to share and help to nurture the artist within you and put it out there to grow from the loving care of someone that will give it a home.
Find some more of my Free Art Friday Albuquerque 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.
Society is structured in such a way that there is not a lot of opportunities for us to use our imaginations. The act of making art is a chance for your imagination to come out and play. You can have the freedom to dream when you use your art supplies and come up with images that are surreal and free from the limitations of physical reality.
Our imagination helps us travel to magical lands. The art we make is the souvenirs we return with to share with others and use to help tell about our inner journey. So please consider making an art souvenir to share with someone on Free Art Friday! You are an imagination explorer and your art is the treasure you share!
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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.
It has been said that, “children, marriages, and flower gardens reflect the kind of care they get” (H. Jackson Brown). When it comes to kids too many folks spend their time planning for tomorrow rather than attending to today. A child lives in the present, they are the ultimate receptors and have a natural inclination for stimulation.
At the Rail Yards Market, they are committed to building the future by appreciating the present moments with our kids. Therefore we have plenty of exciting, stimulating activities and entertainment planned for you on Kids Day at the RYM!
Kids Powered STEAM
In the Kids Zone will feature the fine folks from the Fractal Foundation. They will be teaching kids (and adults) about what fractals are, what they are used for, and how they are made. Come on down and make your very own fractal!
In the Arts Zone they will feature Dara Saville who is the founder and primary instructor of the Albuquerque Herbalism bioregional herbal studies program. She is also the founder and director of the Yerba Mansa Project focusing on restoring native plants to the Bosque and providing educational outreach about the Bosque’s ecological importance to native plants and animals. She has an MS in Geography of the Southwest and is a graduate of Dr. Tierona Low Dog’s Foundations of Herbal Medicine Program. Find out more at www.albuquerqueherbalism.com.
Entertainment
Sweet sounds will be emanating from the Main Stage of the Rail Yards Market featuring the multi-talented Educator/Artist/Writer/Musician Seth Hoffman. Community Publishing will be publishing Seth’s bilingual multimedia book titled Janie & the Hummingbird (click link for more info). The book will feature music, art and literature from Seth’s imagination! Seth’s eclectic sounds and positive vibe is appropriate for kids of all ages: take a listen!
For the Rail Yards Market complete entertainment schedule please click here and use the calendar to navigate.
“What day is it?”
It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
My favorite day,” said Pooh.”
— A.A. Milne
Be present, be there with your kids in the trenches of their messy bedrooms, playing with them as they sift through their limitless imaginations. They are our best chance to truly change the future in a positive way! See You Sunday!
*Winnie the Pooh image is the property of A. A. Milne via the Disney Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as Multimedia Books while promoting literacy in our communities.
This summer there are so many things I have yet to experience since I have moved here 2 or so years ago. My kiddos, Tyler, Novalee and Luna are going to be exhausted. We always go to the zoo, the aquarium and hike in the Petroglyphs (with the kids saying every five seconds, “Ew! There is another centipede!!!!!!!!). My two oldest live in the Northwest so they aren’t used to all the icky bugs that dwell here. Quite frankly neither am I. Yikes…New Mexico…centipedes are super creepy.
Amusement Park
Anywho, This year we are going to Cliff’s amusement park. i have heard it is so small that it really isn’t worth going, but I say c’mon! I have been here this long and haven’t been to a cute little thing like that yet? So we will go get wet at the water side, spin on rides until we are sick and eat all kinds of kid spoiling food. Yep. I don’t care. We are going to have fun. Then we are going to the foothills to hike. They love to go hiking and Tyler has his own gear. I never knew about hiking up there until one of my friends told me about it. So i went and had a perfect moment of peace in so much chaos as of late. A giant grey, red moss covered wall rose behind me, the city was splayed out in all its tiny glory before me and I could hear perfectly the conversations that were happening. i could see the stride of people as the walked together. The uneven pace that lined up for a moment in time. It was perfect. So I am going to take my kids there. There are some amazing caves as well! So fun!
Summer Journal
Well I know so many people are going to blog about the things are going to do this summer, but I am super excited about it, so I hope you finish reading since you are so far into it anyway! =) Well we will be doing so much that this disorganized,, messy momma always needs a way to keep track of not only what the kids want to do but to keep a record of what has been done. So we always begin with a list. Since my kids are older now, they can write it out themselves and I sit there and play referee as they duke it out in silliness and overall strange ideas of both reality and physics. It is a sight to see actually- a sweet nine year old realizing he has met his match in his fiery 6 year old sister. But I have the last two years’ worth of lists and it is cute to see the evolution of their writing and maturity…or amazing strangeness really.
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Acey May was born in Yakima, Washington but raised in Iowa. She pursued an Elementary Education degree at Washington University, and was required to take an Art Instruction class, where she began to experiment with art herself. Acey realized she had a love and talent for art. Her previous doodles lead her on a path to discover a love and passion for Henna design and tattoos, which are drawn on the skin. Acey has pioneered the use of Henna techniques on a standard canvas.
Over the past month I’ve had the good fortune to be a part of so much music. It’s been my experience that music can do a world of good. I’ll begin by telling about what I’ve been doing in the schools here in Wellington.
Sometimes I visit a class or school only one time. I ask about their connection with music. “What’s your favorite song to hear?” “Does anyone in your family play an instrument?” “Do you like to sing?” “Who is your favorite musical artist or group?”
Music Conversations
We may go off on a brief tangent on any of these topics, and then I start playing a song. Often times I begin with “The Color Song.” The first part of this song I sing to them. Then, I sing the song again, and everybody helps create new verses.Finally, we all sing the new song altogether. I tell you, and it’s good fun, and it can really bring the room together.
Sometimes I play “The Color Song” on the Strumstick. I then give a brief background about myself, and the role music has played in my own life. I share how I used to be very much an introvert. I was quite shy, and I did’t connect easily with people or new situations. Music has helped me come outside of my head.
I share about how music takes down walls. Normally when we walk down the street, we typically don’t interact with strangers.
It might even feel a little bit strange or threatening if a stranger strikes up a conversation with you out of the blue. When we add a musical instrument into the equation, that wall often comes magically down.
Instrumental Role Playing
I do a role playing activity where I have one student pretend to walk past another another down the street. First, this is done with no instrument. Then they repeat the same activity where one or both will have an instrument.
Music has been part of almost every culture since the beginning of time. It’s not surprising that it “resonantes” with so many people. We talk about the different parts to a song. We listen to a song and identify the:
Next, I demonstrate building a song using the loop pedal. I start with a beat to set the rhythm. Then, I add a basic chord progression. Next, I add a simple melody. I might add some different sounds and layers to give the song texture and set the mood. Finally, with the help of the group, we add some words.
Here’s a video of me doing some song building in a bar in Wellington. I do basically the same thing in classes, though the song topic and lyrics may vary.
Collaboration
I am so impressed at the way that students are able to work together, collaborate, listen to each other, and present their creations. Some students who don’t typically get to shine became the stars of the class. Students who might not normally work together discovered that they could make incredible sounds together. Everybody got to be included, and everyone could participate in a way they felt comfortable and successful.
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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.
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.
Welcome to another exciting and informative installment of BlogBomb. The focus of this week is about the need for empathy in society and how music and art allow for this emotion to spread rapidly. Also I explore the notion of responsibility and obligation for use of this immense power.
Empathy is an emotion that is intrinsically embedded in our DNA and has allowed the human race to flourish and grow. Empathy nourishes the mind body and soul and is a super emotion with super powers that have an immense impact on ourselves and those around us. Think imagine the concept of paying it forward. Think of how it works, how it permeates outward like a bubble that wants to pop but just keeps on stretching. Yet, for some unknown reason, empathy is severely undervalued, overlooked and misunderstood. Empathy is a necessary and vital aspect of human growth and interaction and has actually been proven to be infectious.
According to Patrick Groneman “Empathy is a skill that experts from many disciplines have deemed important for personal, relationship and career success. People who are empathic tend to have better social interactions, academic performance and accomplishments at work than others. A strong sense of empathy allows children to make decisions that are right for them without hurting others or seeking approval or acceptance. This may strengthen them against negative peer pressure and a range of maladaptive behaviors such as substance abuse, bullying, narcissism, aggression or violence against others. Although some children are remarkably resilient despite abuse, neglect or other forms of mistreatment, studies suggest that “these early trauma experiences significantly increase the risk of emotional and behavioral problems later in life.”
Being a musical artist is the most satisfying thing that I do in my life. I get to create content using words and musical notes and then I get to record and perform it for people. I get to explore
emotions and feelings, deep concepts and engage in the world around me. I would even argue that musicians and artists are possibly the last bastion of the real super heroes that exist in this world. If you consider it, artists are given the unique opportunity to engage large amounts of people how clutch to your words and empathize with your emotions and stories. The real distinction is between musical artists and artists of other kinds are the way in which they connect and impact the public and shape perceptions. The true superheroes of today work with super powers creating a super world using empathy.
Artists Are Superheroes
“The artist has an important role in the world. He literally paints the future. Want something new? Want the world to go in a new direction? The only person capable of this is an artist. Whether you call him a writer, inventor, engineer, architect, illustrator, composer, or photographer, the ideas and inventions that progress mankind forward are all dreamt up into reality by some artist somewhere, whether he even thinks to call himself one or not. The Wright Brothers were artists. So were Steve Jobs, Nicola Tesla, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson and pretty much anybody else you can think of that had a positive impact on the world. You want to be an artist? You are in some excellent company.” – David Carus, from the book Super Artist – How To Take Flight As A Creator
It’s not like I run into a phone booth before every performance and emerge wearing a cape, but it does mean that a great power and great responsibility have been bestowed upon me. Art is the quintessential embodiment of our super selves and that is why empathy is so important. In order to create art that someone subjectively identifies with it is necessary to channel the empath inside of us and reach out beyond our physical self with energies. Music has been the way that I use my super powers to effect change in my community every day and empathy is the single biggest emotional component of my super skills. The thing that sets apart the artists community is the deep and honest empathy we feel for other fellow artists and also our fans and supporters. If one of my songs can directly improve and alter some person’s life in any way then I feel like I have done my ditty duties.
Empathy and Art
Artists of the world use your powers of creation for good. Make your cause a just one and always be willing to help another. People gravitate towards that positive energetic glow of sound and shapes. Harnessing them unto others should be the one true aim of an artist. Paying empathy forward to those around you will actually improve your mental health and physical well-being as well as the people you contact. I am writing this now as a reminder to myself to be more aware of being empathic too. Sometimes we let our ego get the best of us and that is not acceptable. As a final note I wanted include a track by bandwidthnoname.com about bullying. Take a moment to empathize with others and not hurt them…
FOREVER (a tribute to Amanda Todd): http://youtu.be/DaC4bee3i0U is our premix version of a song that has a great deal of meaning to us. It is a tribute about the perils of cyber bullying and the harmful the effects it has. We wrote this song to honor those who have remained silent in their suffering. BNN does NOT stand for bullying of ANY kind and we want to end the suffering.. Please help us by continuing to SHARE this link and song so we can get the word out and END CYBER BULLYING for good. Thanks for all of your help.
Nick “Furious” Meyers
Nick “Furious” Meyers is a longtime veteran of the New Mexico Music scene. Nick has worked with Community Publishing in the past, having served as the Audio Engineer on the multimedia children’s book, Fiona the Funkadelic Freckile Fairy. Nick is currently working working as the Audio Engineer on the Animated multimedia book, Bella the Caterpillar (written by 7yr old Marisol Paramo) to be published in the late Fall by 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.
Alex Paramo
This summer there are so many things I have yet to experience since I have moved here 2 or so years ago. My kiddos, Tyler, Novalee and Luna are going to be exhausted. We always go to the zoo, the aquarium and hike in the 
