Arte Soy

Archive for July, 2008

Jul 12th 2008 Trees, Marvelous Trees

It’s Saturday again, which means it’s been a week since the inception of artesoy. Woohoo!!

Today I explored more of the same part of Coconut Grove as last week. Little did I know what was in store for me this time out. I headed down Tiger Tail, took a random left, and at the end of a block or two I stumbled upon the very same tree that I highlighted in my first blog. Cool, I thought, this is a good sign. I got to say hello to my new friend, which also served as a guidepost for what was to come. A turn or two and I was heading down Seminole street.

Right from the start, with the corner lot, I was enchanted. And as I continued down the street and began taking the whole thing in, I darn near fell under a spell. I doubt the photos I took can do it justice. Let’s upload them and see…

I’m afraid not. At least you might get an idea, though. Try and imagine the rest. Or go see them for yourself!

No Comments » Posted by admin / Joshua Mapp Weiss and Uncategorized

Jul 10th 2008 Friend, Musician, Mystic

I am fortunate to be able to say that I have several friends who play music and who cut a mystical figure, as it were. I suppose music tends to bring out a bit of the mystic in us all. I mean, anytime we’re feeling the energy and the rhythm, and we instinctively want to move our bodies…well, that’s mystical to me.

Yet if there’s a person in my life who has earned the title, it’s Erik Thompson Green. By day, Erik is a trusted and time-tested Production Assistant extraordinaire. He’s got years of experience — far more than most in a role generally seen as a stepping stone on the way to more glamorous, albeit compromising, ones.

Thing is, Erik has an addiction, er…calling. He loves to tap into the current, or the ether, or whatever it is that sweeps him up in it. Whether it’s rolling around in the surf, contact juggling, playing his bamboo sax or his cans, or engaging in a number of peculiarly creative pastimes, Erik is all about going for it with his entire being. And the more kindred spirits who are ready to get in on the fun, the merrier, so long as they’re respectful and conscious of one another. If you check out a full-moon jam on Miami Beach, chances are you’ll find him there, doing his thing.

2 Comments » Posted by admin / Erik Thompson-Green and Joshua Mapp Weiss and Music

Jul 8th 2008 La biblioteca de Coral Gables

This is a lovely little sanctuary. It felt subversive when I took out my camera and began shooting.

No Comments » Posted by admin / Joshua Mapp Weiss and Photography

Jul 8th 2008 On Blogging

Well it’s been a few days now and I’m still here, hehe. I’ve been checking out themes and wondering whether I can use my own photos instead of the ones that come with the code. I’m also not sure what add-ons or plug-ins I want/need, and if/how they can be integrated into themes.

As for the process, I get the feeling this will do wonders for my writing. I hope so. In any case, I find myself going over the few things I’ve written thus far, touching them up here and there. I’d like to more or less capture the essence of a particular thought the first time out, so that any edits are mostly cosmetic. Still, little things — how they’re said or whether they’re said at all — can mean a lot, especially when writing about people.

2 Comments » Posted by admin / Joshua Mapp Weiss and Uncategorized

Jul 6th 2008 Today and Yesterday

It’s a rainy day, although the sky appears to be clearing, as is usual in our fair city. I’ve always liked the way Miami’s frequent rain showers give a much needed counterpoint to the hot sun. Yesterday was similar, and being that it was Saturday AND that I’m on vacation, I took the liberty to wander out of our apartment to get some fresh air and explore a little bit. I”m always looking for a creative interlude, a moment in time and space where I can let go of worldly stuff and just take in the moment, and nature. And, ideally, enter into a creative space. So, armed with my digital camera, my guitar in the trunk of my car, I began exploring a nearby neighborhood.

Coconut Grove has some of the coolest little and not-so-little houses that are like jungle hideaways, surrounded by all manner of trees and foliage. This particular tree blew my mind, it’s trunk is so wide and full of curious twists and turns.

After taking in this extraordinary specimen and the empty lot opposite it (a luscious property that I fantasized owning and turning into my own little paradise), I continued on and found a few more treasures, of which I took more photos (below), before settling beside another rather large, empty, verdant lot. Here, I managed to pen a few lines that I’m developing into a song (below).