The Walls Project #15 - Gettin' out there with art for Baton Rouge

Through a 225 Magazine online posting about volunteer opportunities in Baton Rouge last week, I discovered the good work of the Walls Project.  This past Saturday over 100 volunteers gathered throughout the day at BREC's Gayosa Park to create a group mural painting.  I arrived mid-morning with my husband, two daughters and a friend, and stayed a handful of hours working alongside and meeting people who care about the direction of Baton Rouge's growth.  How valuable to engage in the arts and contribute to our community.  It really was a great time and I loved that my children were hands on!

I'm very excited to have met talented artists and awesome individuals with the Walls Project.  Executive Director, Casey Phillips, Creative Director of the Elevators Project, Raina Wirta, and Alexis Stephenson and Melisa Rad of the Elevators Project.

#goBR

 

The creative space of vision and action.  Raina Wirta's concept notebook.

Melisa Rad, of Elevators Project, preps an empty wall with guiding lines of tape.

Raina Wirta, of the Elevators Project, adds elements to the wall section representing a city grid.

Casey Phillips, Executive Director of the Walls Project.  He speaks so well about the efforts and purpose of the Walls Project.  Be sure to watch his interview with The Advocate http://bcove.me/qxm57kfq.

Raina Wirta stands near the "X and O" wall section.  She spoke of the value in taking an artistic concept and putting it in the hands and expressions of the community.

Alexis Stephenson, Elevators Project Artist, adds a peace sign while feeling great about the wall's progess.

Volunteers Meagan Simone and Antoinette Johnson (left to right) both discovered the Walls Project by walking into the downtown office with their curiosity on different occasions. They share great enthusiasm for the work.

Walls Project members

Eric Stewart, Elevators Project, holds painted tape guides freshly pulled from the wall.  

The collection is a piece of art in itself.

David Chemin, BREC Park Ranger, on site at Gayosa Park to assist with support.

Be sure to check out and appreciate the work done by local papers, The Advocate, and NOLA.com - Baton Rouge.

The Advocate:  http://theadvocate.com/home/9680298-125/brs-gayosa-park-gets-walls
Well done video interview with Casey Phillips by Advocate's photographer, Travis Spradling: http://bcove.me/qxm57kfq

NOLA.com - Baton Rouge, photographs by Brianna Paciorka:  http://www.nola.com/living/baton-rouge/index.ssf/2014/07/volunteers_help_create_new_wal.html

City grid evolution

Lanie Skaggs works on the wall of an abandoned garage which faces the park.

Look for the Good

Mr. Ben's "Look for the Good" landscape equipment trailer sign had faded to black since photographing it about two years ago.  It was great to discover today that it's come back to life, with some added flower power, too.  :))

Learn more about the original shot and back story.

 #BatonRouge

1000!!

Today the students I teach completed folding and stringing 1000 peace cranes!!  They started folding in January after learning that their other teacher had cancer.  As they finished, it was so great to know that these cranes of hope were now celebration cranes as the cancer activity is gone.  :)))  The kids felt really great about their accomplishment.  I'm moved by what they've done.  :)))

#origami, #cranes, #cancer, #1000, #lightforafriend

Rebirth!!!

Had some great news to celebrate, and no better way to do it than with the Rebirth Brass Band.  A dear friend found out the results of his PET scan after a stretch of intense treatments for his cancer over the past handful of months.  Amazingly so, he is clear!  Joy in dance with the sounds of Rebirth was absolutely fantastic.

#RebirthBrassBand, #blackandwhite

Throughthecrowdphotography.com

May 14, 2014:   AKA "I dream of a photo pit pass" and/or "If I was only taller with an awesome pro lens." LOL.  I can't help but chuckle as I finally pull a late one to jump back into my Fest photos and process.  I have some great shots, but dang, what a challenge to shoot through the crowd.   More to follow, and this one definitely captures my view and the back and forth of bodies in front of me.  After looking at so many, and the others do have a clearer view, I'm nearly attached to the foreground blur.  Certainly it's a great exercise in making the most of what you've got.

The Bruuuuuce crowd!

Bike Baton Rouge's Bike Friendly Awards

It feels promising to sit here and post, once again, a cycling related set.  Baton Rouge is moving forward is committing to city improvements which promote cycling, and on Wednesday night Bike Baton Rouge (BBR) held their 2nd annual awards event recognizing those making a difference.  Their Bike Friendly Awards was held at the Downtown Capitol Welcome Center, which is a great space on River Road.  I was invited by my friend and BBR Secretary, Kelli Gilbert, and was more than interested and appreciative to attend.

Familiar faces from the Baton Rouge cycling scene were there, as well as others from Lafayette and New Orleans.  Mayor Kip Holden, not in attendance, had been awarded on Sunday for being supportive.  Details and updates were shared about the city-wide bike lane installation plans.  I was impressed that this is no longer just a vision, but things are really happening.  Yes, it was agreed, that there is a lot of more work to be done, but it's reassuring to know that legislation and community action make an impact.

Learn more about what's happening with cycling in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Lafayette by visiting these organizations.  I've also listed other key players in building a cycling culture.

Bike Baton Rouge
Bike Easy, New Orleans
Bike Lafayette
Center for Planning Excellence
Chelsea's Cafe

2nd Annual Cubs Bike Rodeo

A reflector take away for all participants completing the educational bike tasks.

Today I attended the Second Annual Cubs Bike Rodeo held by LSU's University Lab School.  A good friend of mine, who's a dedicated supporter of cycling here in Baton Rouge, helped organize the event.  It's designed to educate children, as well as their families, about safe bike riding practices.  Children visited 10 different stations, run by volunteers, and completed different cycling related tasks.  They engaged in bike maintenance, helmet fitting, balancing skills, quick braking, correct hand signal use, reading road signs, responding to shout outs while in motion, keeping control while turning or with one hand.  Participants walked away with a great learning experience as well as a very cool bike reflector promoting the use of alternate forms of transportation to school.  Kudos to the organizers and the volunteers for teaching our kids and encouraging smart bike usage in our city!

 Mike Bitton helps adjust a helmet for just the right fit.
Last year Mike received the first Velo Lousiane 2013 Bicycle Ambassador Award
http://irenekatophotos.blogspot.com/2013/04/velo-louisiane-2013-bicycle-ambassador.html

 Volunteers worked 10 different stations designed to teach young cyclists safe bike riding skills.

Very attentive and caring while helping the kids.

 Myra Broussard (left), LSU's Lab School Principal, with a young cyclist and Jennie Kluse (right), Bike Rodeo organizer.

The awesome team of organizers and volunteers dedicated to teaching youth about safe cycling practices.

#BatonRouge, #bicycling, #LSU, #LabSchool, #safety, #MikeBitton, #transportation

Roar!

#children, #silhouette, #LSU

Jude!

I captured this moment as a 'Royal Photographer' during the Krewe of Southdowns Mardi Gras Parade.  It was taken during the "King's Pee", when the parade stops rolling and the dignitaries take care of themselves properly.  During the 15 minute break, I had enough time to run into a friend's house on the same street for a quick drink and bathroom visit myself, and on the way back to the floats, I truly stumbled over this beautiful moment and young man in the middle of the road.  It was nothing even close to quiet as parade marchers socialized and danced in the street.  The scene was fantastic, and I took just two shots as he rested and his friends started cheering him on as I photographed from the ground.  I'm happy to have gotten his name and shared my contact info with him.  He emailed me as promised, and I'll be sending this image his way.  Enjoy, Jude!!  I really appreciate that we crossed paths.  :))


#MardiGras, #bike, #Southdowns, #parade

Camellia presentation

This.

#camellia, #children, #creativity, #cross-process

If we could talk to the animals

 What would they say about living in the Global Wildlife Center in Louisiana?

Smell that pink!

After a day of teaching and zooming off to take my girls to their afternoon activity, moments of quiet refuel me.  I hadn't been taking the time to still myself lately, but on this given day my body and mind made me stop.  I sat in the car for about 20 minutes or so allowing myself to do nothing but sit.  The late afternoon was so lovely that I finally got out for a little walk, and found myself gravitating towards and strolling through blooming Japanese magnolias.  So, so fragrant and welcoming, and once again I allowed myself just to be, looking up at the blue sky with them enjoying their beauty and floral expressions.  Not having my DSLR was fine, but I couldn't resist taking a few pics with my cellphone.  I really enjoyed myself and appreciated.  I topped off the experience with a treat at a local restaurant - an Abita Andygator beer with 1/2 dozen raw oysters.  Ah...required rejuvenation of spirit.

Bounce!!

This is what freezing rain looks like on a trampoline.  More is a comin'!

Our back yard was as far as I ventured out today as the area dealt with freezing rain and very cold temps all afternoon.  The kids and their friends loved the post jump effects on the trampoline, and I did my best to grab a shot of the spray of the tiny ice balls.

The wait

Baby Kennedy

I had the pleasure of walking home on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon.  It's a 4.5 mile distance that would take up to 1.5 hours, but with all of the stopping and appreciating of the city's nooks and crannies, it took twice as long.  

During a stop at Whole Foods for refueling, a sweet woman holding the tiniest of babies smiled at me more than a few times as we sat outside eating.  She was wonderful with her golden smile, bright red lips, and genuine happiness with the child.  Her daughter, the mother of the baby, was with her, and both had such a spirit about them as they sat and enjoyed their togetherness.

Thank you Ciera and Vanessa for allowing me to take your pictures!  I really enjoyed meeting you and Kennedy.  You are very kind and beautiful

Cradle

#lightforafriend

3.09.14:  I enter this on the eve that a good friend enters another round of cancer treatments.  May all powers of goodness generated by us be directed towards him and his healing. May love and light surround him.

I took this shot with him in mind as I stood in a park here in Baton Rouge watching the moon rise.  It just took a few steps of repositioning to have the moon held by the pine tree.  The feeling of being cradled and cared for is beyond any other.  

Energies of the Universe, please be with my friend and his family.

Ice Art

When I heard that Baton Rouge temps were dropping below freezing, I took advantage of the teaching opportunity to investigate ice with our elementary students. We rarely experience such cold temps and the children's experience with the process of water freezing was minimal. Some had never even watched the slow process of ice cubes being made because of the convenience of refrigerators with automatic ice makers.

After a discussion about at which temps, Fahrenheit and Celcius, water froze and other variables that may effect the process, their task was to select a container, add the amount of H2O they thought would freeze, and an optimal location in the yard. Some added special touches of leaves and pebbles to their creations, too. The next morning when coming into school they were very excited to take a look at the results. To our surprise, each amount of water in different shaped containers did in fact freeze. Some not 100%, but everyone was happy to have something to hold up to the sun and enjoy.  :))

I'm hoping that this is something they'll be inspired to do on their own at home the next time freezing temps come around.  They're pretty and fun!