Cari Cole is an award winning singer-songwriter who has captured a steadily growing audience since her 2002 debut, The Circle of Fire: an intimate and honest expression of life seen through the eyes of love. Musician, composer, poet, and singer, Cari Cole, has walked the shaman’s path to create a music and artistry that heals. ’Transformational Music’ is what listeners are calling “The Circle of Fire,” the inspirational debut CD on Amber-Allen Publishing.

Originally from Minneapolis, Cari Cole has been a musician and songwriter for most of her life, exploring a variety of musical endeavors through her early beginnings. She often found herself strumming her acoustic guitar or lugging her round-necked Dobro or mountain dulcimer to cafes and friends homes for a song or two before she was old enough to go to clubs. She sang the folk songs of Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan as she wrote her own and found her way to New York City at the age of 19 where she joined a rock and roll band.

She went on to teach voice in New York, founded her own voice studio, was a soloist in The Metro Mass Choir and performed everywhere from CBGB’s and the infamous Bitter End to Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, and The Apollo Theatre where she shared the stage with legendary singers such as Cissy Houston and Martha Wash to name a few. Although she is best known as a vocalist and songwriter, Cari is also a versatile musician: playing piano, acoustic and electric guitars, dulcimer, and flute. In the teaching arts, she is regarded as one of the most notable in voice studies, working with four-time Grammy Award winning recording artist Donald Fagen of Steely Dan and the legendary band of Journey among others.

Throughout her musical quests, Cari’s career as a singer and songwriter was always in competition with her thriving NY voice studio. She pursued her music in between sessions with students, demo~ing songs, performing and writing with other writers. After awhile, like many artists who don’t persevere in their own art, she turned to helping others instead of nurturing her own music. However, as time went on, her then fiancé, who listened to Cari sing songs night after night in her home, dared her to close her voice studio and pursue her songwriting. While at first Cole couldn’t imagine shutting her doors, she heard something in his words and hesitantly but firmly closed her studio on a mission to discover what was to come. “I knew there was a record coming and it was my deepest desire to pursue it”. In 2000, Cari’s life and work took a dramatic turn upon reading the teachings of Toltec Shaman don Miguel Ruiz, author of the NY Times bestseller “The Four Agreements”. She delved into an apprenticeship with don Miguel, from which an album and a new music was inspired. A composition written to the words of Miguel’s ’The Circle of Fire Prayer’ seeded the musical journey to come. “These songs began to pour forth, one right after the other. It was like someone turned on a fountain,” says Cole. “As the material began to manifest, it was clear that a record was in the making.”

“I started writing these songs on a private journey and never imagined I would sing them in public,” she recalls. “I wrote them as affirmations for myself”. Cole composed the lyrics without self-consciousness allowing them to flow as organically as possible. Cari’s music is a result of the deep healing and metamorphosis throughout many stages in her own life. Perhaps the most trying time for her was from the trials and tribulations of being left by her mother at age 2, and given up by her father at the age of 4. In a foster home for several years, she ended up with her aunt and uncle at the age of 5 where she lived until the age of 15 when she struck out on her own. Her personal quest for love and comfort is perhaps the main ingredient in her songwriting and reason why to this day she continues to write to heal. Cole points out, “The songs on Circle of Fire have such a positive outlook because life has many difficulties. I sing about love because that is the vibration I reach for and, I think we all, deep down reach for. That’s how my music comes to me, when I am struggling for relief and comfort… a light in dark places… ”. But if Circle of Fire isn’t meant for preaching salvation, it certainly carries an understanding that has already led audiences to identify passionately with her songs. Cole’s vulnerability and open honesty in her songwriting perhaps is why her message is so universally received.

‘The Circle of Fire’ CD was produced by producer/husband Paul St James. ‘The Circle of Fire’ is rich in instrumental texture but beautifully spacious, honoring the integrity of its songwriting, which suggests a timelessness such as Carole King’s “Tapestry” or Joni Mitchell’s “Blue”. Producer Paul St. James has created a definitive soundscape for a music that transcends trend and a record that is highly accessible while remaining true to its authenticity and intent. Rooted by Cari’s exquisite piano, acoustic guitar and gorgeous vocals, and sculpted by the fretless bass work of Paul St. James and Larry Saltzman’s (Jewel, Simon & Garfunkel) ambient guitars, the CD hosts a spectrum of musical color in arrangements of violin, native American flute, and melodic drums and percussion that flow throughout.

Cari Cole was a finalist for Best Female Artist in the IAMA Awards 2004 and as one of five finalists the IMA Awards 2004. She was on the Grammy Nominations Ballot for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for 2004, was a 2004 & 2005 ASCAPlus Award winner and received Honorable Mention in the Songprize.com Songwriting Contest in 2003 and the DiscMakers Contest of 2003. Cole graces the pages of Billboard Books author Daylle Schwartz new book “I Don’t Need a Record Deal! Your Survival Guide for the Indie Music Revolution” as an indie artist on the rise. She was selected as the AOL Musician of the Week/Tonos.com in July 2002 and debuted COF at Carnegie Hall in 2002. She has recorded and performed extensively across the U.S. and is currently in the studio writing and recording for the new record.

Cari has performed at the following venues among many others:
Carnegie Hall, NYC
Town Hall, NYC
The Apollo Theatre, NYC
Shine, NYC
Crash Mansion, NYC
Columbia University, NYC
The Bitter End, NYC
CB’s Gallery, NYC
CBGB’s, NYC
Le Bar Bat, NYC
Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, NY
The Bluebird, Nashville
Asilomar Retreat Center, Pacific Grove, CA
Center at The Peaks, Telluride, CO
The Center for Happiness, Carlsbad, CA
The Spindrifter, Kona, Hawaii
William’s Pub, Minneapolis, MN, MN

http://caricole.gaia.com/

http://www.caricole.com/interact/ContactUs.aspx

http://www.caricole.com/media/promo.aspx

Posted: January 30th, 2008 under Rooted Creatives.
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Jo Davidson is an accomplished musician, composer, producer, photographer, writer and talk show host! As the host and producer of the popular online podcast Zentertainment Talk Radio, Jo has interviewed well known authors such as Carolyn Myss (Entering the Castle), Candace Pert (The Molecules of Emotion), Dr. Larry Dossey (The Extraordinary Healing Power of Ordinary Things), Nora Ephron (When Harry Met Sally), Catherine Anne Jones (Touched by an Angel), Martha Beck (Columnist for the Oprah Magazine) and many others.

Formerly signed to Warner Chappell Music Publishing, Jo left WC to form her own publishing company, SIMPLY SAID SONGS. Her music has been featured in film and television, including All My Children, General Hospital, Felicity, Blossom (sung by Melissa Manchester), The campy cult classic Friends ‘Til The End, VH-1, MTV, NBC, OXYGEN Network, Tom and Jerry The Movie , Along For The Ride starring Melanie Griffith (the song “Ghost town”, produced and written by Jo), The Good Girl starring Jennifer Aniston (the song “I Don’t Dance”). Jo’s music has also been featured on an Oprah Winfrey compilation CD along with Rod Stewart, Bette Midler, Eric Clapton and others.

Jo wrote all of the tracks for her debut CD “Kiss Me There” and also co produced along with enginner Greg Ladanyi (Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Fleetwood Mac). Jo played the piano & keyboard tracks and recorded many of the guitar tracks. String arranger David Campbell (Alanis Morisette, The Goo Goo Dolls) contributed his talents with string arrangements for Jo’s two songs “Secrets” and “Tonite.” After signing to Edel Records in 2000, the CD was re-titled “Kiss Me There” and was released nationwide in 2001.

“Kiss Me There” was a top 20 Modern AC hit on radio and received nationwide airplay with adds in markets such as WBMX (Boston), WSSR (Tampa), WKDD (Cleveland) and WVRW (St. Louis). During this time,Jo performed at radio shows and festivals along with artists such as Nelly Furtado, Alana Davis, Better than Ezra, The Go Gos, Eagle-Eye Cherry and others artists.

In 2003, Meat Loaf recorded Jo’s song “Why Isn’t That Enough” on his “I Couldn’t Have Said It Better” album.

Jo has recorded and released two piano instrumental albums: Tell The Story – A collection of intimate piano solo compositions reminiscent of Erik Satie, and Merry Christmas and Happy New York – Brimming with nostalgia and intimacy, featuring traditional Christmas songs recorded on a vintage 1929 Steinway Grand piano in Jo’s NYC loft.

She offers private songwriting and piano lessons, record production, and piano work.

(professional bio is below)

Mp3 Review called this NYC based artist “a modern-day Marianne Faithful.” Cafe Music Network said she’s “alluring, feisty and poignant,” and Album Network called her “the real deal, a passionate singer, fluid piano player, and a kick-ass, tell-it-like-it-is songwriter!”

Jo Davidson is an accomplished musician, composer, producer, photographer, writer and talk show host! As the host and producer of the popular online podcast Zentertainment Talk Radio, Jo has interviewed well known authors such as Carolyn Myss (Entering the Castle), Candace Pert (The Molecules of Emotion), Dr. Larry Dossey (The Extraordinary Healing power of Ordinary Things), Laura Hillenbrand (Seabiscuit), Dr. Judith Orloff (Positive Energy), Martha Beck (Columnist for the Oprah Magazine) and many others.

Formerly signed to Warner Chappell Music Publishing, Jo eventually formed her own publishing company, SIMPLY SAID SONGS. Her music has been featured in television and film including VH1′s campy cult classic “Friends Til the End,” Felicity, Blossom (sung by Melissa Manchester), MTV, NBC, OXYGEN Network, Tom and Jerry The Movie (Jo’s song “All in How Much we Give” sung by Stephanie Mills), Along For The Ride starring Melanie Griffith (the song “Ghost town)”, The Good Girl starring Jennifer Aniston (the song “I Don’t Dance”). Jo’s music has also been featured on a summer giveaway Oprah Winfrey compilation CD along with Rod Stewart, Bette Midler, Eric Clapton and others.

Jo produced and recorded her debut CD KISS ME THERE along with co-producer and engineer, Greg Ladanyi (Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Fleetwood Mac).

Jo wrote and arranged the 13 tracks, performing the piano tracks on her vintage 1929 Steinway grand piano as well as performing many of the guitar tracks.

String arranger David Campbell (Alanis Morisette, The Goo Goo Dolls) contributed his talents with string arrangements for Jo’s two songs “Secrets” and “Tonite.” After signing to Edel Records in 2000, the CD originally titled Fragile Tough Girl was re-titled “Kiss Me There” and was released nationwide in 2001.

“Kiss Me There” was a top 20 Modern AC hit on radio and received nationwide airplay with adds in markets such as WBMX (Boston), WSSR (Tampa), WKDD (Cleveland) and WVRW (St. Louis). During this time, Jo performed at radio shows and festivals along with artists such as Nelly Furtado, Alana Davis, Better than Ezra, The Go Gos, Eagle-Eye Cherry and others artists.

In 2003, Meat Loaf recorded and released Jo’s song “Why Isn’t That Enough” on his album titled “I Couldn’t Have Said It Better”

Jo recorded and released two piano instrumental albums: Tell The Story – A collection of intimate piano solo compositions reminiscent of Erik Satie, and Merry Christmas and Happy New York – Brimming with nostalgia and intimacy, featuring traditional Christmas songs recorded on a vintage 1929 Steinway Grand piano in Jo’s NYC loft. “ A Top Choice” – The New York Post, 5 STARS – Albany Times Review.

In 2004, Jo released The Simply Said Sessions, which she recorded in Newport, Rhode Island along with co-producer Steve Rizzo (Kristen Hersh). The Simply Said Sessions is a collection of songs one fan described as “the musical equivalent of Monet’s Tiger Lilies.” Haunting piano melodies and vignettes, perfect for long drives and rainy days. “You could swear your living room is actually a Greenwich Village Coffee Shop and Davidson is playing in the corner… Indie-music.com.” Featuring a song about September 11 2001 which Jo witnessed from her window, titled “Bird in the Sky.” “A voice that is simply gorgeous… Beautiful piano rock in the vein of Sarah McLachlan and Vienna Tang. The melodies are haunting and will stick with you long after the CD ends.” – Collected Sounds

Jo has also produced songs for independent artists such as Jenny Bruce and Rachael Sage (the song in which Rachel won the grand prize in the John Lennon Songwriting contest). She has done voiceover work, and is also a private songwriting coach in NYC.

Jo is managed by Tommy Manzi for The Umbrella Group (Eagle-Eye Cherry, CAKE, Bebel Gilberto, Grant-Lee Philips, Neneh Cherry)

www.Jodavidson.com
www.Zentertainment.org
http://www.myspace.com/jodavidson
http://zentertainment.gaia.com/

Posted: January 24th, 2008 under Rooted Creatives.
Comments: none

If you saw 60 mins last night…we must make changes to slow down the effects of global warming!!!!! Read below how you can help.

Global warming is a dramatically urgent and serious problem. We don’t need to wait for governments to solve this problem: each one of us can bring an important help adopting a more responsible lifestyle: starting from little, everyday things. It’s the only reasonable way to save our planet, before it is too late.

Here is a list of 50 simple things that everyone can do in order to fight against and reduce the Global Warming phenomenon: some of them are at no cost, some other require a little investment but can help you save a lot of money, in the middle-long term!

Install a programmable thermostat Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill.

Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has more tips for saving energy on heating and cooling.

Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most efficient models available.

Do not leave appliances on standby Use the “on/off” function on the machine itself. A TV set that’s switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.

Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 50°C.

Move your fridge and freezer Placing them next to the cooker or boiler consumes much more energy than if they were standing on their own. For example, if you put them in a hot cellar room where the room temperature is 30-35ºC, energy use is almost double and causes an extra 160kg of CO2 emissions for fridges per year and 320kg for freezers.

Defrost old fridges and freezers regularly Even better is to replace them with newer models, which all have automatic defrost cycles and are generally up to two times more energy-efficient than their predecessors.

Don’t let heat escape from your house over a long period When airing your house, open the windows for only a few minutes. If you leave a small opening all day long, the energy needed to keep it warm inside during six cold months (10ºC or less outside temperature) would result in almost 1 ton of CO2 emissions.

Replace your old single-glazed windows with double-glazing This requires a bit of upfront investment, but will halve the energy lost through windows and pay off in the long term. If you go for the best the market has to offer (wooden-framed double-glazed units with low-emission glass and filled with argon gas), you can even save more than 70% of the energy lost.

Get a home energy audit Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy specialist.

Cover your pots while cooking Doing so can save a lot of the energy needed for preparing the dish. Even better are pressure cookers and steamers: they can save around 70%!

Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load or economy setting. There is also no need to set the temperatures high. Nowadays detergents are so efficient that they get your clothes and dishes clean at low temperatures.

Take a shower instead of a bath A shower takes up to four times less energy than a bath. To maximise the energy saving, avoid power showers and use low-flow showerheads, which are cheap and provide the same comfort.

Use less hot water It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot.

Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.

Insulate and weatherize your home Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year. Energy Efficient has more information on how to better insulate your home.

Be sure you’re recycling at home You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates. Earth 911 can help you find recycling resources in your area.

Recycle your organic waste Around 3% of the greenhouse gas emissions through the methane is released by decomposing bio-degradable waste. By recycling organic waste or composting it if you have a garden, you can help eliminate this problem! Just make sure that you compost it properly, so it decomposes with sufficient oxygen, otherwise your compost will cause methane emissions and smell foul.

Buy intelligently One bottle of 1.5l requires less energy and produces less waste than three bottles of 0.5l. As well, buy recycled paper products: it takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.

Choose products that come with little packaging and buy refills when you can You will also cut down on waste production and energy use!

Reuse your shopping bag When shopping, it saves energy and waste to use a reusable bag instead of accepting a disposable one in each shop. Waste not only discharges CO2 and methane into the atmosphere, it can also pollute the air, groundwater and soil.
Re
duce waste Most products we buy cause greenhouse gas emissions in one or another way, e.g. during production and distribution. By taking your lunch in a reusable lunch box instead of a disposable one, you save the energy needed to produce new lunch boxes.

Plant a tree A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. The Arbor Day Foundation has information on planting and provides trees you can plant with membership.

Switch to green power In many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar. The Green Power Network is a good place to start to figure out what’s available in your area.

Buy locally grown and produced foods The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.

Buy fresh foods instead of frozen Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.

Seek out and support local farmers markets They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you by one fifth. You can find a farmer’s market in your area at the USDA website.

Buy organic foods as much as possible Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!

Eat less meat Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.

Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year! Look for transit options in your area.

Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year. eRideShare.com runs a free national service connecting commuters and travelers.

Don’t leave an empty roof rack on your car This can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% due to wind resistance and the extra weight – removing it is a better idea.

Keep your car tuned up Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.

Drive carefully and do not waste fuel You can reduce CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose proper gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine brake instead of the pedal brake when possible and turn off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for more than one minute. By readjusting your driving style you can save money on both fuel and car mantainance.

Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated Proper inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!

When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid! You can find information on fuel efficiency on FuelEconomy and on GreenCars websites.

Try car sharing Need a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and insurance. Many companies – such as Flexcar – offer low emission or hybrid cars too! Also, see ZipCar.

Try telecommuting from home Telecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive every week. For more information, check out the Telework Coalition.

Fly less Air travel produces large amounts of emissions so reducing how much you fly by even one or two trips a year can reduce your emissions significantly. You can also offset your air travel by investing in renewable energy projects.

Encourage your school or business to reduce emissions You can extend your positive influence on global warming well beyond your home by actively encouraging other to take action.

Join the virtual march The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-political effort to bring people concerned about global warming together in one place. Add your voice to the hundreds of thousands of other people urging action on this issue.

Encourage the switch to renewable energy Successfully combating global warming requires a national transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. These technologies are ready to be deployed more widely but there are regulatory barriers impeding them. Take action to break down those barriers with Vote Solar.

Protect and conserve forest worldwide Forests play a critial role in global warming: they store carbon. When forests are burned or cut down, their stored carbon is release into the atmosphere – deforestation now accounts for about 20% of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Conservation International has more information on forests and global warming.

Consider the impact of your investments If you invest your money, you should consider the impact that your investments and savings will have on global warming. Check out SocialInvest and Ceres to can learn more about how to ensure your money is being invested in companies, products and projects that address issues related to climate change.

Make your city cool Cities and states around the country have taken action to stop global warming by passing innovative transportation and energy saving legislation. 194 cities nationwide representing over 40 million people have made this pledge as part of the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Find out how to make your city a cool city.

Tell Congress to act The McCain Lieberman Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act would set a firm limit on carbon dioxide emissions and then use free market incentives to lower costs, promote efficiency and spur innovation. Tell your representative to support it.

Make sure your voice is heard! Americans must have a stronger commitment from their government in order to stop global warming and implement solutions and such a commitment won’t come without a dramatic increase in citizen lobbying for new laws with teeth. Get the facts about U.S. politicians and candidates at Project Vote Smart and The League of Conservation Voters. Make sure your voice is heard by voting!

Posted: January 21st, 2008 under Green Life.
Comments: none

Looking for a chic mat bag that will represent your style in both your pilates and yoga classes? Well, grab your Unity Mat Bag from Hybrid Roots and head to the studios. Now you can flaunt your Eco-style to both classes. Our Unity Mat bag is 100% Hemp material, made in the USA supporting Fair Labor/Fair Wage. When we are going to Zen out, we believe in doing so with respect to the environment and society. Features include: Exterior Zipper Pocket Hybrid Roots Tree Charm Materials: 100% Hemp Wash Instructions: Remove cover Wash in cold water Line Dry Do NOT bleach

http://www.hybridroots.com/greengoods

Posted: January 14th, 2008 under Green Goods.
Comments: none

The much anticipated . The first release sold faster than we could supply and the reordered bags are sure to sell quickly. The seasonal color makes this edition a great accessory for all of your daily activities. Use as a handbag, gym bag, grocery bag, baby/dog bag or countless many other uses. Make a statement with Hybrid Roots and others will be envious of your Black Sustainable tote and want to get one of their own. Coming soon is our Unity mat bag(great for all mat activities including Pilates & Yoga just to name a few)

Grow~Hybrid Roots

www.hybridroots.com/greengoods

Posted: January 9th, 2008 under Green Goods.
Comments: none

Serious about taking your business to the next level? Want to make a lasting impression? Hybrid Roots has you covered. Contact Hybrid Roots today to revamp your existing marketing campaign or create a new brand image. We do it all.

Wishing you and your business an amazing 2008!

Posted: January 6th, 2008 under Green Life.
Comments: none

The following excerpt was taken from Erin Allen’s website and describes her art, concepts and style:

While studying photography in New York and San Francisco I discovered that layering my images with text and texture brought to life an image more satisfying than a photograph alone. My most complete expression continues to evolve in combining and juxtaposing a variety of images, techniques and mediums.

My creative process is one of constant inquiry, probing, and investigation. A fervent observer, I see with all of my senses. I look deeply, achingly and longingly. I was born with an urge to use obsessive documentation as a vehicle to reach constantly deeper, further, and higher. My compulsion to gather evidence of life lived through creative expression originated at the age of 7 with my daily ritual of writing in my diary, a tradition that continues to this day. My diaries are many, as are the mediums which I have accumulated to invoke, conjure, purge or reveal. Each layer, each stroke of brush, each image chosen is a continuation of proof: proof of existence, proof of growth, proof of my reachings and divings.

My spiritual path plays a large role in my creative process. While studying energy healing I began to encounter my being-ness on all levels: emotional, physical, spiritual, mental and energetic. My training led me deep into my deepest self with all of it’s shadows and light, sorrows and bliss, wounds and gifts. Within the infinite possibilities of my creativity I began to integrate all fractured parts of my self into true alignment of body, mind and soul. My spiritual practice is my centerpoint, my ultimate proof of existence, and all mediums have joined together in expression of my healing journey. Painting, image and word come together on one surface to illustrate who I am, who I am becoming, and who I long to be.

2005
Group show: Tesseract. Madrone Lounge, San Francisco.
Incognito benefit, participating artist, Santa Monica Museum of Art.

2006
Featured in Mystic Pop Magazine
Solo exhibition: Between the Opposites at Visalia Arts Center in Visalia, Ca.
July cover and featured artist in Vision Magazine
Group show: Innate. Madrone Lounge, San Francisco.
Featured in Best of California Mixed Media Artists book

2007
Group show: House. Madrone Loune, San Francisco.
Featured in Best of America Mixed Media Artists book

http://www.eallenart.com

http://erina.zaadz.com/

Posted: January 6th, 2008 under Rooted Creatives.
Comments: none