What Holiday Owns December?

When I talk about religion and Christmas I can already here the shouts of Grinch and Bah Humbug. It's not that I dislike the holiday season it's that there are more than one holiday during this festive time of year. The Christians, especially the members of the Advent Conspiracy forget that before Christmas there was Yule, Chanukah and sometimes Ramadan. In fact Christmas was purposely made a holiday in December to coincide with the pagan festival of Yule.

Yule is the celebration of the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. The Goddess gives birth to the God. The Sun represents the God reborn. Fires are lit to welcome him. The ancient Pagans had rituals to hasten the end of winter and bring in the spring when nature’s bounty would, again, prevail. The day is a reminder that death isn’t final; there will be rebirth.

Chanukah or Hanukkah from the Hebrew word for "dedication" or "consecration", marks the re dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by the forces of the King of Syria Antiochus IV Epiphanes and commemorates the "miracle of the container of oil". According to the Talmud, at the re-dedication following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate fresh olive oil.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and indulging in anything that is in excess, from dawn until sunset. During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. Ramadan is not always in December, in fact the dates of Ramadan vary, moving forward about ten days each year as it is a moving holiday depending on the moon. But I did not want to forget this very important holiday on the Muslim calendar.

Also we have Kwanzaa, which is our newest of December holidays debuting in 1966.
Kwanzaa, is a week-long celebration held in the United States honoring African heritage and culture. It is marked by participants lighting a candle holder called a kinara. It is observed from December 26 to January 1 each year, primarily in the United States. There are seven days of celebration, featuring activities such as candle-lighting culminating in a feast and gift giving.

So you see, Christmas is not the only celebration in December.
The Colorado-based Focus on the Family is continuing its Stand for Christmas campaign to highlight the offenses of Christmas-denying retailers. According to its website, because "citizens across the nation were growing dissatisfied with the tendency of corporations to omit references to Christmas from holiday promotions. (See TIME's photoessay "Have a Very Ridiculous Christmas.")

This time of year, understanding and tolerance should be the hallmark of the season. But all around us we see more and more people being ignorant and rude in the malls. being caught up in buying that special gift for their spoiled child who already has more than they should.

When I wish someone a Happy Holiday, I am being genuine. It's not because I am anti-Christian it is just that I do not want to exclude anyone with my good tidings.

I do not expect someone to scoff at me because I did not wish them Merry Christmas. But it happens, especially in the small minded town in which I currently reside. They actually get angry and try to correct you with their Merry Christmas. And really who is actually merry?

So, during this holiday season I'd like to wish everyone who take the time to read my blog a thank you and Happy Holidays!

Condom Packaging Art Contest

Yesterday was World Aids day. A day to help raise awareness about HIV and Aids. So to promote this the Montgomery County Community College is having an art contest for condom package designs. This contest was sponsored by the Montgomery County Health Department in the hope that it will encourage college students to use a condom before engaging is sexual intercourse.

Even after taking Health 101, a great amount of college students seem to either lack knowledge of sex education or, even if they do know, don't care to use protection when they have sex. "What's the big deal with college students having sex?" you might ask. The big deal is that students are not thinking before acting, and that can lead to grave consequences. What can start out as fun can lead to sexually transmitted diseases such as herpes, gonorrhea and the HIV/AIDS virus.

According to the Center for Disease Control, 1 in 1500 college students are HIV positive. The largest groups of Americans infected with HIV are teenagers and young adults. In 2007, it was estimated that 33.2 million adults and children were living with HIV and AIDS.

With these facts, it should be clear that this is a "big deal" when it comes to colleges students having sex. So this contest seems like a great idea to raise awareness right?
Well not to everyone, ask County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel.
Joe Hoeffel stated, " I don't think the government ought to be in the condom delivery business." and he is opposed to the Montgomery County Health Commision getting involved. He actually was upset that they used tax money to support this contest. The grant money was used to rent a panel of the AIDS quilt. The amount, $500.

So if the schools cannot educate our young adults about safe sex and Aids, and the County Health Departmenst are getting blasted by small minded politicians like Hoeffel, then where do they get their facts?

That's right, other classmates and the internet. No wonder HIV and Aids is still a problem in the our colleges.

Art has always been the conscious of a society. It can take us to places of fantasy or make us think. I have always strived in my art to be socially conscious and help people see what is going on around them. Because I broach touchy, sensative subjects I too have been criticized. I applaud the Montgomery County Community Collage and the health Department and I hope the exhibition is still on display so I can actually view these condom wrapper designs and vote for my favorite.

For more information about this, check out the news report by NBC 10

Support the arts and support world Aids day. And maybe one day we can eradicate this deadly disease.

What's Perfect Anyway?

My adult life has been spent looking at the human body. Being an artist whose work revolves around the nude form, I have seen the body in all it's various incarnations, from thin to heavy, from short to tall.
A few weeks ago I went on vacation. Yes, a vacation. My first one in almost seven years. It was a cruise where we stopped at a private nude beach also Key West, and it was Fantasy Fest. For those of you who do not know what Fantasy Fest is just go to Google Images and click Fantasy Fest, then you'll know.
Anyway, on this trip I got to see people of different shapes and sizes and not only that, different attitudes. In both the beach and Key West, people were nude and in public. No one was worried that they may have eaten a bit too much at the ships buffet, no one cared that they are not in the same shape as in high school and well, no one cared what anyone else thought. Their self image was wonderful. On the beach everyone was nude so there were no awkward feelings of embarrassment. The people on the beach were enjoying the warm sun and the beautiful view and not concerned with what they looked like to others. They just were one with the moment, no hang ups at all. It was a nudist's paradise and the true nudists, as defined

"One who believes in, or practices going nude in social, nonsexualized and frequently mixed-gender groups specifically in cultures where going nude in the social situation is not the norm."

were not thinking about anything but the beauty of the day.
At Key West, it was an exhibitionists and voyeurs paradise! There were people watching people watching people. It was fun and free. I guarantee you there were bible school teachers at Fantasy Fest parading around in masks and a full mural on their bodies. The anonymity of the event made those people free.
So whether it is nude by choice or by situation, these people all were very happy with themselves. For at least these brief days, they were not thinking about what others would think of them.
Our culture is so wrapped up in this perfect unattainable beauty that eating disorders have become so common in America that 1 or 2 out of every 100 students will struggle with one. According to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health:

* It is estimated that 8 million Americans have an eating disorder – seven million women and one million men
* One in 200 American women suffers from anorexia
* Two to three in 100 American women suffers from bulimia
* Nearly half of all Americans personally know someone with an eating disorder (Note: One in five Americans suffers from mental illnesses.)
* An estimated 10 – 15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are males

This just shouldn't be.

Why are we allowing Victoria Secret and other big corporations dictate what beauty is.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and a truly beautiful person is one who can see the beauty in themselves, no mater what the scale says. As long as you are healthy, who cares if your abs are toned or gravity actually is a force you can't beat. That is without plastic surgery and that is a topic for another blog.

I have been extremely lucky to have worked with some wonderful people over the years to help create my artwork. They are in all sizes, colors and shapes, but the one common thread was that they had a wonderful self-worth.

I hope that my Red Chair Project and other photographs help people to realize that a good self image is worth it's weight in gold!

Lets Bomb the Moon

Today. I watched the most boring live feed ever. NASA sent a rocket up to the moon with about 1.5 tons of TNT. The purpose, to blow a hole in the moon to look for water below the lunar surface that could be used by astronauts on future space missions. At 730 EST the LCROSS satellite crashed into the Cabeus crater floor near the moon's south pole at around twice the speed of a bullet, followed four minutes later by a shepherding spacecraft equipped with cameras to record the impact. A NASA scientist said "If we had it (water)there, we could actually make exploration be a bit more sustainable,". "We could make fuel on the moon."
All this is a bit like Buck Rodgers and things of science fiction. But then again Buck Rodgers budget wasn't $17.6 billion, that's right BILLION.
NASA was formed in in July 1958 by the Eisenhower administration. It was all the rage especially when Kennedy said we are going to the moon. NASA had a purpose, to explore and find life on another planet, to quell the curiosity about what's up there. So now, we just blew a hole in the moon to see if it can sustain life.
Sustain life... What about life on earth? How about putting some of the 17.6 billion dollars into sustaining life here on earth. That can be put to use now, not in some distance futuristic moon commune.
I just read that there have been 134 shuttle missions since the first one in 1977. The average cost of a space shuttle mission is about $450 million. That of course if they land in Florida on the way back. That cute piggy-back ride the shuttle takes from California back to Florida if weather is bad costs another million or so.
Now that NASA has 134 missions under their belt, what does this mean to us? Not a Thing.
I won't get into the astronauts that have died during these missions, or about them at all. This is about a total waste of money that could be better spent on sustaining life on earth. Making this a better planet.
Our budget to fight AIDS is only a third more than NASA's annual budget. Finding water on the moon doesn't seem important to the farmers who need water on earth to sustain their crops to feed their families.
Is NASA now just a total waste of time, energy money and lives?
Is it still a viable government project?
Isn't there better ways to spend our tax payer dollars?
With the economy, bail outs, the cost of this senseless war, don't you think our government might at least shave a few billion from NASA's budget and let's see, feed the homeless?
Oh wait, I forgot about all the government contracts that would be lost if NASA stopped punching holes in the moon. I bet those lobbyists would be pretty upset. Or how about Oceaneering Inc. of Houston, Texas, who was award a contract of almost $10 million to make the space suits for the next planned moon mission. Planned moon mission, translation, waste of more of our money.

Again, I have to repeat, WHY are we going to the moon?
NASA's Mission Statement
* To improve life here,
* To extend life to there,
* To find life beyond.

As far as i can see it, in the 50 years that NASA has been around you think they would have been successful with at least one of their items in their mission statement.

Not Pus sized, but Average and Beautiful

I have never thought of my self as a pioneer in photography. I photograph what I am attracted to, what sparks an interest in me. I have been told for years that people like my work because my women are regular people, not super skinny models.
It is about time that the mainstream media understands that beauty comes in all sizes and shapes. Glamour Magazine's, September issue features a normal sized woman, size 12 to 14, nude in a very positive article about body image. (Glamour Magazine) I guess Glamour finally understood this and hit it perfectly. They have been flooded with emails and letters congratulating them on using 20-year-old model Lizzi Miller. Now this is the second time they used her, and she is a professional model, but the image as seen above is natural and beautiful. Showing an average woman being comfortable in her own skin.

Having a 21 year old daughter I have been concerned about the media portrayal of beauty. In my artwork, especially my Red Chair Project I try to help her and everyone interested realize that beauty and sensuality is not a size but a state of mind. A person who is comfortable with themselves is a site to behold.

When I shoot my nudes, and am looking at the images one by one, I can literally see the moment when a subject has forgotten about what she considers her problem areas. She’s stopped slouching, rounding her shoulders or even posing. Lizzi Miller is shown in such a way and she is actually the average size of an American woman. It's about time the high fashion designers, who still show bulimic, pre-pubescent, children as the ideal woman, get a clue.

We all want to look our best and stay fit and healthy and this woman is just that, attractive, fit and healthy. I just hope others take a cue from Glamour Magazine and start using real people as an example of beauty and not these over airbrushed twinkies we still see on the runways.

Now What?

It has been one month since my exhibition, "Censor This!" opened in Harrisburg, PA. My images are now all safely tucked away in my climate control storage unit, hoping to see the light of day soon, either on some collectors wall or another exhibition. But as I sit here contemplating that exhibition, I am also wondering, "What's Next?".
So much time and effort was put into "Censor This!". And now that it is just a fond memory, I feel almost depressed. I was really pumped for the show. A solo exhibition in a gallery miles from my comfort zone, I was going to shock the world and make a name for myself. But now weeks after the show, the phone hasn't rung, no offers of another exhibition have come in and I am left with an almost empty feeling.
Is this what postpartum depression feels like? (For all you women out there I am NOT equating my exhibition with the wonder of child birth. The pains are totally different and I don't have to get up at 3am to breast feed.)
I find myself in a funk, a creative void, were I have ideas of what I want to shoot but am coming up with any excuse at all not to do it.
So now the search for another spark is on. My Red Chair Project is still on going (The Red Chair Project), but with it now starting it's second year of shooting I am asking myself why I started it in the first place.

So here I sit, in my office/studio, camera collecting dust, backgrounds all rolled up and wondering if I have anything left to say and if I need to actually find a job!

Giving Nude Photography a Bad Name

Last week photographer, and I use the term loosely, Zach Hyman tried to photograph a nude model at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. He had a model hiding out in the arms and armor room until a guard turned around and started walking out, then summoned her in and had her dance around as he shot for 20 seconds. The guard saw this and now model,Kathleen “K.C.” Neill faces a charge of public lewdness.
Hyman has said he’s inspired by nude paintings at the Met and his photos are not pornographic and he has no idea why she was arrested. Her attorney, Donald Schechter says the museum is full of nude art, and to call what the model and her photographer were doing obscenity “is ridiculous.” But no one has called it pornography and this little stunt was done in full view of the museum public which included children.

As a photographer who has photographed nudes in many places, this "photographer" should have consulted with the museum staff and photographed his model after hours. Unless he wanted the shock and publicity this stunt has given him. And of course that is exactly why he did it. It wasn't to create a wonderful artistic statement, it was to get his name out in front of people and get his 15 minutes of fame. His portfolio of nudes in public is nothing more than snap shots of people stripping quickly and the shock on peoples faces when seeing the naked person.
Obviously this has been done over and over again and I don't think Hyman has added anything new to it. In fact he is one of the many reasons that photography and especially nude photography is sometimes not taken seriously.
Whether you like his body of work or not it does not change the fact that what he did in the museum was wrong.
As anyone who has read my blog in the past knows, I am all for freedom of expression. But when that expression infringes on others sensibilities, then you do not have that right. What about the rights of the parents taking their children to the museum that day. Turning a corner and seeing this naked woman dancing around the armor. How do you explain to them why their visit to a prestigious museum has now become confrontational?

As for the legal issue, I do think that the model should be cited and fined as well as Mr. Hyman. She was not intelligent enough to realize that this was nothing but a stunt so she should be penalized for stupidity along with public nudity.

Actions like this do not promote the legitimacy on nude photography, they just are another obstacle.

You can watch the news video here

I am sure we will be hearing a lot more about this and he will probably try it again in another public building. Maybe he'll bring a canvas next time and get the photographers off the hook?

By the way, the image above is not one of his, it was pulled off of a voyeur website.