Friday, October 30, 2009

A message from Cecil Touchon

A Book About Death — Isn't Dead Yet

A message from Cecil Touchon:

A Book About Death - 2010

I am putting out an open call - please spread the word.
DEADLINE: JULY 15TH, 2010
I will be putting on a Book About Death exhibition/performance next October using the set of cards, posters, artifacts, etc. that I have and I invite everyone to send a postcard sized collage for next year's exhibition. You could also send any sort of small sized artwork,
assemblage,
poem,
objects to put in a box with other people's objects
music,
film,
story,
quote,
event score for performance,etc.

everything should say on it somewhere: A Book About Death

I will attempt to do a book around it that I will be fashioning over the course of the year. If there is anyone who is actually a good book designer and knows how to use better software than word for windows, I invite you to contact me and collaborate on the creation of the book. I want it to have many images, stories, poems, etc. - possibly a multi-volume set over the coming years. I can see that A Book About Death is going to have a long and growing life over the coming years. I invite collaborators to help out with the organizing and we'll need some performers to show up for the opening. We could also coordinate simultaneous or traveling exhibitions around the country or world.

Louise, maybe you can announce this to those who are sending things for your show at the Queens or make a flier to give out at the show there?

Send to:
A Book About Death 2010
6955 pinon street
fort worth, texas 76116

cecil

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

And life happens again.


Sitting here alone as is my custom most week nights.
It's lonely to be alone.
I'm in a funk.
The painting has been emotionally difficult to work on but I've been putting a lot of hours into it. It's 85% done. I have a conference with a teacher tomorrow... I have a quilt I have to finish... I have mail art that needs to be sent...
I am so disorganized right now. I'm about to bring the trash can up to the front door and start pitching all the stuff we don't need into it. Any good stuff I'm putting on the curb. Right now there is a nice bag of clothes out there... if you're in my neck of the woods. if no one takes it... I'll head it to the good will.
I'm resorting to this--talking to myself.
Someone told me that they enjoy seeing the sunrise... so I'm posting a pic of the sunrise two mornings ago. Enjoy.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Charleeni Ferreria

I'm working on a new piece of art. Something that I'm doing for myself. And for the children crying out from the grave. Although I fear that they are silenced. The most horrifying thing in this whole article is the fact that other children knew and her school had no clue. Recently my son came home with a head injury. It was serious enough that I had to take him to All Children's Hospital. The school not only had no clue that he got injured that day but denied that it happened because they didn't see it on a video tape of his gym class. Yes, they are taping your kids. Needless to say--my child still came home injured. This little girl was horribly abused and no one noticed. This is tragic and horrifying and senseless.



FELTONVILLE – October 23, 2009 (WPVI) — The Philadelphia District Attorney has approved murder charges in the death of a 10-year-old girl who, investigators said, was horribly abused.

Those charges were announced as police investigate the death of Charleeni Ferreria of the 4700 block of C Street.

On Thursday, police said the girl’s stepmother, Margarita Garabito, 43, and the girl’s father, Domingo Ferreira, 53, would be charged.

They were arraigned on Friday and held without bail pending a prelminary hearing on October 28th.

The medical examiner found a 7 inch cut on her head that was filled with gauze and was covered up by a hair weave. Authorities say the girl also had a broken arm and pelvis.

The M.E. also told police it was the worst case of abuse he had ever seen.

Investigators say the girl died from pneumonia and other infections after blunt-force trauma to her ribs caused a collapsed lung.

A police source says the Department of Human Services had been to Ferreria’s home before in 2006 and 2007. In a statement released Thursday afternoon, DHS commissioner Anne Marie Ambrose said:

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic death of 10 year old Charleeni Ferreria. Unfortunately state confidentiality laws prohibit us from disclosing any case related information to the public. However as the facts of this case become known to DHS, we will have lots of work to do in looking at the recent events that could have led to or have prevented this tragedy. DHS is fully cooperating with police and the district attorney’s office as they investigate this case.”

The family told police Charleeni woke up on Wednesday and told her stepmom she felt sick, and that she hit her head the night before.

Then, at around 10:30 a.m., the stepmom said she found the girl unresponsive on the bathroom floor.

Medics rushed the girl to St. Christopher’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

After an autopsy, police say the girl had been abused for years.

Authorities said she also had suffered injuries indicating that she had been sexually abused, but neither parent has been charged with a sex crime. The investigation is continuing.

On Thursday night neighbors held a prayer vigil, bringing candles, teddy bears and balloons for the girl.

Charleeni’s classmates were there, and they told Action News she would confide in them about the abuse she was suffering at home.

“She said her stepmom pulled her hair, abused her, did so many mean things to her,’ said Cheyenne Roundtree.

Another classmate said Charleeni confided in her that she was being raped by her stepbrother.

“Her brother took her upstairs one time, ‘You better come upstairs cause I need to talk to you,’ and raped her upstairs in her room,” said Joceyln Martinez.

Both girls said Charleeni begged them not to tell anyone.

Officials at Feltonville Intermediate School, where Charleeni had a good attendance record, also reported no evidence of abuse.

www.crimesceneblog.com

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

The Canvas Project Arrived Today



I got a neat book in the mail today from the ArtHouse Coop! . The book is called The Canvas Project V2: Encyclopedia. I'm on page 9 and my word is, "Asymmetrical." Perhaps a good word for my unbalanced life at present.

Monday, October 19, 2009

I think NY is wearing off...







Made my first batch of cookies since the NY trip... my poor cookie crumbs have been cookie crumb-less for over a month! Can you imagine that? Thankfully Granny has been supplying them...

Been doing a lot of mail art lately. I've engrossed myself in it. Been working on some dolls for a contest... cross your heart or fingers or what have you... and have been baking cookies--at least tonight.

Been thinking about starting a painting but it's only been thinking... sometimes I have to think for a while.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

I met Keith in NYC at the ABAD show... I made him this piece...






I made him this piece of mail art because we were standing next to each other when I looked into Bill Wilson's kitchen pantry. Where you normally see the chicken noodle soup, peas, corn, beans... there was the art of May Wilson. I fell in love right then and there... with May, Bill, the house, Ray Johnson... anyway I guess it was a "had to be there moment" and Keith was there. So I made this little number, shoved it into an XXX large ziploc bag... sewed it up and mailed it off... with lotsa stamps. I think it's a self-portrait of sorts. It was a lot of fun for me to make and I plan on doing more such projects. Who will I send them to? I want to send them to people who will keep them. Who will understand them or at least pretend to do so... That photo of me in the braids I think is 6th grade... age 11. The same age as my oldest crumbcake right now! Funny how time flies...