Posted by ws1 on: Fri 22nd Jan, 2010

Well, El Nino's personality has gone from relatively boring (sun, clouds, sun), to crazy-as-an-astronaut-diaper this week. One minute, it'll be sunny, and the next; dumping rain. Then sunny again, then windy, then drizzly...and then... a freaking waterspout.  

A mysterious wind event took some trees down on Haley, and some tiles from a few rooftops downtown.  We've also had a weird indecisive cold spell, rivers for creeks, and giant hepatitis filled chocolate waves (see some of my fellow amazingly intelligent surfer brethren below).  

Here are a few photos I took during the last day or two, complete with big waves and Mission Creek nastiness letting out into the Pacific.  If the storm continues,  maybe I'll grow some cojones and get a pic of a waterspout and some lighting.  Or maybe I'll just run the other direction.

Mission Creek Letting out into the Pacific.

Snow in the Mountains over Santa Barbara.

There are about 2 or 3 boats washed ashore in the distance. I was amazed how much sports equipment was floating in the shallows.

This one really gets at the color of the stuff coming out of Mission Creek.

And of course Sandspit was cranking.  The surfers are getting their stoke on before realizing they have Hepatitis AND sinus staph infections.

Keep in mind those little specks at the base of the wave are surfers.. 

Pretty. Wait. Did I just see a syringe?   

More Sandspit Backwash.

Looking past the Santa Barbara Zoo to the mountains above Montecito and Carp.

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Tags: santa barbara storm photos 2010, el nino, santa barbara, sbnews, mission creek, debris, pollution, chocolate water, sandspit going off, backwash, surfers, surfing, hepatitis, staph, rain, storm, waterspout, tornado, goleta, photos, pics, images

Posted by ws1 on: Wed 20th Jan, 2010

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Tags: santa barbara stagehands strike, metropolitan theaters, arlington, chapala, el nino, rain, downpour, drenched strikers, demonstrators, santa barbara, state street, sbnews, santa barbara independent, indy

Posted by ws1 on: Tue 19th Jan, 2010

Just in case you didn't know..

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Tags: graffiti, arrellaga, onramp, northbound, santa barbara, goleta, westside

Posted by ws1 on: Fri 15th Jan, 2010

If you want to help the victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti, here are a a few ways to do it. Starting with Santa Barbara's own Direct Relief International, which is already doing great work in the region. Here is a link to their donation page.

Doctors Without Borders is also using a dynamic (and apparently very efficient) method to set up impromptu hospitals using reusable, inflatable lifeboat material. Their donation page is here. Pretty smart.

The Clinton Global Initiative is also very active in providing supplies and fund-raising support for earthquake victims.

One can only hope that after the dust clears, and (thousands of) bodies are buried, that the global community can help the people of Haiti rebuild in a more robust and sustainable way.

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Tags: santa barbara, support for haiti earthquake victims, direct relief international, goleta, port au prince, non-profit, donate, help, aid, support, doctors without borders

Posted by ws1 on: Thu 7th Jan, 2010

This picture is from the back of the room (at CAF) during the 'Amazing Animated Jukebox Vol 2' show (consisting of animated videos compiled by Ted Mills for 2010's first Forum Lounge).  The show consisted of a series of hand-picked music videos with exceptional/artful and progressive animation.

This reminded me of how easy I have it as a mostly still visual artist. Animators work their asses off.

For example, Birdy Nam Nam's video directed/created (?) by Willy Sweeny (see first video below) was a very interesting and artful combination of elements I can't even begin to describe here ('cause I'd say something unintelligible like retro-HeMan-Atari lasers meets acid-trip-orbiting-sugarcube-shooting-katchina-hero narrative).

I think I was more-or-less smitten by everything except for the very last video of the evening (not to be confused with the last video on this page), which felt a little too similar to a lot of post-modern animation that I've seen (think hairy, slimy, extra-appendage-laiden, crooked toothed cartoon characters). I can't remember the name of the artist or director at the moment, but  I was slightly sad to see it end on that note. I'm being nit-picky though.  It was an impressive and fun show.   

I've embedded a few of the highlights below (though there were a few more that I'll have to look up because I stupidly didn't take notes).  

Birdy Nam Nam - The Parachute Ending

"Myriad Harbor" by the New Pornographers

"E-Pro" by Beck

"Happy Up Here" by Ryoskopp

"Evil Bee" by Menomena

My apologies for not including more of the director/animator credits.. If I can, I'll ask Mr. Mills for the playlist.

Here are some more pics:

Categories:

Tags: contemporary art, santa barbara, CAF, contemporary arts forum, animated jukebox, ted mills, videos, animation

Posted by ws1 on: Mon 4th Jan, 2010

I went to the 7:30 set, which was complete with one Stevie Wonder arrangement + 2 by James brown. Didn't catch the names of the others, but jazz enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike seemed very pleased. Great show.