Tom Waits- Seeds on Hard Ground

 Tom Waits, a character that can simply be described in two words, professional vagabond. With suits that materialized from the hand-me-downs of the Marx Brothers and a voice like a modern day Lord Buckley, he often emerges onto the stage as if he just rode off his hangover in a railcar. Despite what you may take away from his outward appearance, this is one book that can’t be judged by its cover. 

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Tom Waits, the sculptor of words and connoisseur of literature, has reached a new chapter in his “inebriational travelogue” with his limited edition chapbook titled, Seeds on Hard Ground. Throughout his albums, Tom Waits applies his storytelling with atmospheric portrayals about humdrum conditions, and now he has contained that same pizzazz between the pages of a hard cover. The objective of this release is to raise funds for homeless services in his region and to bring attention to a growing problem in today’s hard times.

Both Waits and his record label, Anti Records, are donating all proceeds of Tom’s chapbook to Redwood Food Bank, Sonoma County’s Homeless Referral Services and Family Support Center operated by Catholic Charities. Let us acknowledge Tom’s hard work and noble efforts as he uses his artistic capabilities to help the lives within his community. Please support Tom and his work by commenting below or purchasing his book by clicking on this link: Buy Seeds on Hard Ground

Cheers!

-Ed

Finding Vivian Maier

Said to be one of America’s more insightful street photographers, Vivian Maier has had her name blazing like wildfire all over the nation. This rousing romance between an ordinary Chicago resident and her camera gives a pulsating appearance of concealed beauty within the mundane city life of local residents. With only one tenth of her work developed for public viewing, how did Vivian’s name spread from coast to coast so quickly?

Insert John Maloof, a twenty nine year old entrepreneur who bought sum 100,000 + of Vivian’s negatives and home films at an estate auction in 2007. Two years later with a room satiated with Vivian’s work and not knowing what to do with it, Maloof inquired suggestions from the audience and posted a few of Vivian’s photos on flickr. Within minutes, comments and advice were flooding his inbox of what to do with Vivian.

Now because of Maloof, Vivian’s work has been submitted for an exhibition at the Chicago Cultural Center. The exhibit is currently underway and continues through April 3^rd. Along with the exhibition, Maloof and his friend/co worker, Anthony Rydzon, are producing a book and a documentary film titled, “Finding Vivian Maier,”.

With Maloofs professional popularity growing rapidly, Mr. Maloof doesn’t believe the amount of success that Vivian’s work has received within the last 15 months. Watching a segment recently on WTTW about the discovery of Vivian’s work, he found himself in tears. He recalled thinking: “Wow! This is about something that I did.”

Currently Maloof is trying to create an institution to help set up funding for Vivian’s work. In a Q & A session with Blake Andrews, Maloof states:

I feel that there is a way to find a middle ground and perhaps set up an institution that can eventually fund itself. I think the work needs to be out there and in order to do that there needs to be an income stream to fund it. I have not committed to this model yet and will only do so if it is the best possible option for preservation and promotion of Vivian's work. This is more important to me than anything else.  

(http://blakeandrews.blogspot.com/2011/01/q-with-john-maloof.html)

As we appreciate the work of Vivian Maier and her works, let us not forget to acknowledge the motivator behind the setting, John Maloof. Post a comment below to show your appreciation.  

Cheers! -Ed

The Unfurling

The Almighty God is this omnipotent mastermind of splendor and revelation. A ubiquitous majesty, who is the creator of all beings, as it is written in the Holy Bible, allows us to have this certain free will so that we may think, speak, and create, liberally; Art is sensibly much the same. An omnipresent life form that is never created nor destroyed, it is the Alpha and the Omega that simply allows us to unfurl its hidden glory with each stroke, beat, word, shot, mold, etcetera. As we search for life’s disclosures, let us praise the artists and entrepreneurs who are using their artistic gifts to impact this world in promising ways.

We begin our journey close to my hometown in Detroit, MI. The media has told the story of this city for years as being a dilapidated trash heap void of any prosperous movements. From an outside perspective this story may be a bit non-fictional. However, VBS.TV takes us on a tour around the city in this 3 part series of DETROIT LIVES. In this series, we see the underground developments of many artistic entrepreneurs who are creating something out of nothing. We are shown the tenacity of Detroit residents and their fight to keep the city thriving.

 

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 Cheers! -Ed