MoMA Belong Campaign

My first design internship was in the graphics department at The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History where I got a thorough education in exhibit fabrication and promotion, from putting vinyl titles on the wall to newspaper and magazine advertisements and everything in between. So, naturally I was attracted to this campaign for the Museum of Modern Art to promote membership growth. I love the bold colors and powerful message it sends. 

More images here

Musical Notation Made Graphically Beautiful

I am mesmerized by these visual representations of musical notation. Designer Laia Clos of Spain created a graphic system of musical notation called "SisTeMu." The system translates a musical score into simple geometric forms and basic printing colors. The first case study is the lead violin part of Antonio Vivaldi's  "The Four Seasons." If the international shipping didn't cost so much I'd buy one of these posters in a heartbeat. 

Camp Mabina

 I have been involved with African dance and music since age 10 when I was enrolled in a family friend's African dance class for kids. For my next birthday, I received my first African drum, a djembe from Senegal. Over the next few years that same family friend proceeded to teach me how to play the drum, focusing primarily on the left-handed parts, though recently I have begun to challenge myself to learn to play both parts at the same time with one hand.

One of the beautiful things about music is its ability to bring people together and take them somewhere else. This is the feeling people get when they are at Camp Mabina, an African dance and music camp held yearly just south of Santa Fe. There is an overwhelming sense of community throughout the camp atmosphere; whether you have been coming to camp since the beginning or are brand new to the experience, there is no doubt you will be welcomed into and engulfed in this enriching, stimulating environment. It truly is a an alternate reality and I find it exhilarating to be surrounded by so many gifted dancers, musicians, and passionate people.

I was disappointed that I was unable to attend camp full-time this year, but I was there every day I didn't have to work. I set up my tent in the orchard and proceeded to dance almost non-stop for the better part of three days and also managed to squeeze in a drum class. Over the course of the time I was there I took eight classes, the most notable, and one of my yearly favorites, Haitian dance with a teacher whose visible passion and energy exceeds what anyone thought was humanly possible.

The Ande Marimba Band is a local group from Santa Fe who played at camp last year. The four core members of the group have been playing together since before their high school days. They are, to put it simply, amazing and I have been lucky enough to become friends with one of these incredibly talented young musicians. 

For the Love of Food

I have an almost obsessive infatuation with food. Not the overindulgent, stuff-your-face kind of obsession, but rather one that engages me in the process of creating wholesome, nutritious meals with the best possible ingredients. Food that takes time to prepare usually tastes better. I've had a big aversion to fast food for a long time. The last time I ate anything close to it was a year ago, and I had absolutely no choice (driving along the Interstate does not provide many alternatives).

I have been some variation of a vegetarian for almost 6 years now. I started out by eliminating red meat from my diet, then when I went to college and started cooking for myself, I found I bought less and less meat, so I decided to make a conscious decision to stop eating it, with the exception of fish, which is the stage I have been in for the last three years. I started bookmarking and following various food blogs, some strictly vegetarian, some not. 101 Cookbooks quickly became one of my favorites; last summer I discovered this recipe for a homemade veggie burger and have yet to find one that even comes close to being more mouth-watering . The author of this blog, Heidi Swanson, has produced two cook books, Super Natural Every Day and Super Natural Cooking, which I ordered today, and cannot wait to receive. So excited to be inspired and drool over the gorgeous photography (most of it her own).     

photos via Heidi Swanson

Tales from South America

Two years ago today I jumped on a plane at six in the morning for a three-week trip to South America. Halfway through my junior year of college I learned that my school would be taking a study-abroad trip to Peru and Ecuador the following summer. The minute I saw the poster, I was there. No questions asked. I didn't care if I spent my life's savings to make the trip happen. What intrigued me first was traveling to two countries I had never been to and were known for their rich indigenous culture, diversity, and astounding geography. What caught my attention next was what I would be doing while I was there: backpacking to Machu Picchu, hiking in the Amazon Rainforest, white-water rafting in Ecuador, and visiting the Galapagos Islands.

Our first destination was Cusco, Peru, an ancient city with a starting elevation of 11,000 feet. Cusco would serve as our base camp for the trek to Machu Picchu; the adventure began immediately. At dinner one night I accidentally ordered a bottle of wine for myself. The waiter even went through the whole routine of showing me the bottle, pouring a little in my glass and waiting nervously for my approval. I didn't snap until he left the bottle on the table, still three quarters full. So much for the 5 years of Spanish in middle and high school... We were due to wake up at 4:00 the next morning to begin the four-hour car ride to the trailhead. I was supposed to live out of my medium-sized backpack for the next four days so I stuffed the bottle of wine in my duffel bag, expecting to drink it in celebration when we returned from the hike, but that never happened. The maids got a nice tip.

On the morning of the second day of the trek we awoke to the soft, hurried voices of our guides, Carlos and Edgar, repeating "wake up time" and greeting us with hot cups of coca tea (derived from the same plant used to make cocaine). It was 5:00 in the morning. We were camped at the top of the pass on the Salkantay Trail at 15,000 feet. When I stepped out of the tent there was a thin layer of frost on the outside. The day before we spent 14 hours on the trail and were told we had traveled a distance of seventeen miles, though I'm pretty sure it was more than that. Before we left the trailhead, Carlos and Edgar had told us that normally people take five days to complete this hike, whereas we were going to try to cover the same distance in three, and planted the seed in our minds that we were in over our heads. Throughout the three days we spent on the Salkantay trail there were several instances where the group doubted their preparedness for such an endeavor. Within the first hour of starting out, two people in our group got such bad altitude sickness that they had to turn back. It was a rather interesting beginning to what many had thought would be "a walk in the woods." When we ended up not being able to hike all the way to the ruins, the alternative was a nighttime ride through the Peruvian jungle in the back of a fruit truck, which was undoubtably more appealing at the time, not to mention exciting. Machu Picchu was nothing less than spectacular. The expanse of the citadel stretches far beyond what the pictures perceive. I want to do it all over again someday. 

We then traveled to the town of Puerto Maldonado in eastern Peru, where we boarded a boat that would take us up the Tambopata River to the Posada Amazonas Lodge. Again, we were only allowed one small bag (presumably our backpacks), so we ditched our luggage at the Rainforest Expeditions headquarters. The boat dropped us off on a section of muddy river bank next to a rickety staircase and a trail. Ten minutes later we arrived at the Posada Amazonas. The hotel was not what anyone had expected, but it was by far the coolest place I've ever stayed at. There is no electricity in the hotel except for the main lobby and the dining building. Everything is built above ground to protect the rainforest ecosystem. The hotel is almost completely open to the outside, and inside there are no doors, just curtains for privacy. One whole side of my room was exposed to the forest. In the bathroom I was able to see straight through the slated floor to the ground below.

Seal on the Galapagos Islands

Since the trip was a summer study abroad class, I had an assignment to create a book based on my experience of the trip. Upon my return, I made a photo essay book titled The Spiritual Landscape, which presented images in three sections: Lands Untouched, Civilization, and People.

Happy (belated) Birthday, Bob Dylan

Yesterday, one of the most prolific songwriters of the 20th century turned 70. Bob Dylan, whose real name is Robert Zimmerman, was one of the first 60s era folk/rock singer songwriters I came to love. Next to Neil Young, Dylan wins the prize for the highest number of songs by a single artist in my iTunes library. I've seen him in concert twice, but sadly both experiences were dissapointing, the first because of a poor venue, the second due to the fact that this aging legend has lost his ability to sing like he used to. But regardless, the classic recordings produce sweet melodies and intimate narratives.  

Chaco Canyon

Last weekend  I ventured to Chaco Canyon for my first camping trip of the season. Despite living in New Mexico nearly my entire life, I had never been to this incredible complex of ancient Puebloan ruins. What I find most fascinating is their deep connection and attention to the patterns of the Earth, the sky, the seasons, each other, and other surrounding complexes in the region. The Chacoans positioned and built their Great Houses in acute alignment with these natural rhythms.  I was reminded of my trip to Machu Picchu and how similar these ancient cultures are to one another in terms of their spirituality, building practices, and deep connection to humanity. I thoroughly enjoyed being unplugged for the weekend. It is interesting how we go to the outdoors to "disconnect," yet we end up discovering how to reconnect with ourselves and the world. It was a much needed break in the midst of an increasingly busy schedule.