In Memory of Al

Today I went to the memorial service for my hebrew and Bat Mitzvah teacher, Allen Samlin. He died about a week and a half ago at the age of 80. He was an incredible person who was so passionate about what he taught. He always called me (and everyone really) "babelah". He had a raspy voice but he sung in a high high pitch. His pupils moved like they were in water. Whenever I went to their house, Al and Rose would always offer me a little nosh, a little snack. Our house has heard hours and hours of his voice singing in our house when I played the tapes of the prayers over and over learning my torah portion. Once I tried to write a biography piece about him, which turned into a piece about him and his wife, Rose, because the two are so unified in my mind. But I couldn't do it - I couldn't ask the right questions (the hard questions). I was overwhelmed by the enormity of their lives, and this impossible role I had to write it down, or distill something poinient and useful to people who don't even know them.

I guess I'm still dealing with that in my life and my work now. How can I authentically tell someone else's story, while still being true to their spirit and essence and whatever it is that I love (or hate?) about them. What is the difference between simplifying a life for the purposes of writing a story, or clarifying a theme -- an outsider picking which stories to tell and which to cut -- versus exploiting someone, or getting the whole story wrong? As I'm working on my Division III, I'm constantly trying to figure out this question -- where am I overstepping my bounds, and where am I enabling a story to be shared that would otherwise not be told?

I know I only knew a small small part of this person, but he has touched my life deeply in his dedication to everyone around him. He led his life doing exactly what he was passionate about, and loved it.

photographic evidence

FALL 2008: A SEASON OF LEARNING

The Tag Sale
There is nothing for sale at the TAG SALE. Please come and bring a piece of clothing which holds special meaning or a story within it. At the event, we will write the stories (in as vague or specific words as you would like) onto clothing TAGS and sew them into the garments. The items will be added to the clothing rack, where the community's stories will be displayed for perusal.
This will be a celebration of the humble artifacts that witness our complex lives everyday.




Secrets Under the Couch
You are invited to add a lost or secret memory to the objects lost under this couch. Please use the provided note cards.



Hopscotch
Really, the best means of travel from one part of the hallway to the eight feet in front of it.


Elsewhen, Meanwise, Otherwhere
the results of the Elsewherians Mail Art I was working on at the beginning of the semester. Check out the last image... I'm really quite proud and incredibly amazed at what came of the beautiful scraps of fabric Grant sent me, which I turned into the beginnings of a quilt, which turned into this beautiful piece of art.

2009 Hampshire College Commencement Poster Art
My submission is map - of the paths we create at Hampshire, of the identities we uncover, claim, or reinvent, of the places we've been and the places we will go. P.S. I REALLY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO USE PHOTOSHOP!


My Super-Hot Family
Thanksgiving, 2008

ONLINE: Final Project for Art, Community, and Cultural Diversity (My UMass Class)
The documentation of our one-day, bus intervention. Met at first with a harsh note from the Pionneer Valley Transit Authority, I think in the end a good ole' conversation would've set them right on what an awesome project this was.

Mobile-Installations: El Tiburon
The beginning of an evolving installation in my car. Art on the go, for those with little time to spare walking around in circles pointlessly in galleries.

{the dangling object is a kid-made "mezuzzah" I picked up after someone left it behind in the kids service from Yom Kippur. It says one thing that this kid is going to work on in the coming year, and one thing that this person is sorry for from the last year}

{navigation device. moved to a spot next to the whales because joe told me i'd die if the airbag exploded out of the steering wheel. fyi}

{bumper-stickers: "the awesomest THERAPEUTIC transport service!" "Babes not Babies" "Obama/Biden 2008"

maps charts and appendixes

{projects ongoing in pink. projects not started in blue. ideas and reoccurring (inexplicably!) concepts in purple. lines somewhat random.}


{when i put it like this, i remember i've accomplished much more than i think i have -- especially when it's late and i'm tired and still working and yet it seems that everyone else is happily on their ways to Med School. so yeah, this basically counts as a resume, right??}


{this makes me an official artist}