Stµpa Dhøøpa †®aVel †emPle

The travel temple took it’s maiden voyage and all I can say is, “©osmic wheels” Doug and I have been wO®king hAr∂ on ge††ing the t®Avel †emple rea∂ie∂ fO® ßµ®ning mAn. We’®e hoping to pA®k on Lineage at 8′O©lo©k.

Mosaic Altars

Cactus Buddha Altar

A peek at the new mosaic altars I have been doing. To see more of the NEW altar mosaics …, go NOW ravenMosaics.
size 18″x25″ ©2009 pErryhOffman magentaRaven.com ™

Mosaic Portal

Newly grouted mosaic portal, with ganesh and buddha with birds. Handmade ceramic birds and buddhas, smalti, glass and tile.

 

Incense on fire.

Grouted the magic mosaic portal today..

Elephant power.

LOVE CARD new greeting card…

Inspired by MC Yogi !!! thank you for making this music and thank you Felicia for turning me on to this. It inspires and moves me. Thank you. Grateful…. practice and compassion……. I want this LOVE card NOW

Birds, buddhas, wars and artists, health insurance and same sex marriage…

Today, the raven leaping into flight from the telephone pole in front of our house in Santa Barbara. Relevance?! Yesterday I had health insurance for one afternoon, or the promise of it coming February first. Today my husband’s employer says NO. Yesterday I received an email from another country that made me sad… because people don’t GET IT !?! I am so bloody tired of justification for mass genocide on this planet. It’s NOT about your little country or your little religion or your big country or your big religion it’s about the world coming together in peace, to share it’s LIMITED resources, feed everyone and live happily ever after like all the REST of the animals do on the planet. Oh yes some of the animals may kill each other to eat, but NO lion or dolphin in a fish feeding frenzy or tiger or dog or rabbit or rattlesnake EVER organized genocide like the human animal. We need to stop justifying murder of ourselves. We are such idiots. We speak of god. We don’t know g_d. If we knew g_d, we’d shut our cake holes and put our weapons down and stop killing each other. The insane planet… if you believe there is g_d ?!?! Did he speak to you? Did he come to you in a dream? Did he whisper in your ear to pick up weapons? tell you to kill people that are just as afraid as you are??? just as insecure??? hungry? Now California is jam-packed with EVERY different person you can imagine. and we’re not without our problems, but we’re not all killing each other because of our god-damned religions! If we can get along, so can YOU. Your leaders are screwed up in the head… just like ours… just like theirs. I appoint Canada to make peace in the world, the only civilized country that knows how to NOT do stupid things! 

So that leads me to a video I spied on Youtube that blew me away… an event curated by non other than dAviDbOwie, here’s Laurie Anderson singing Only An Expert.

Only An Expert

Now only an expert can deal with the problem
Because half the problem is seeing the problem
And only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

So if there’s no expert dealing with the problem
It’s really actually twice the problem
Cause only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

Now in America we like solutions
We like solutions to problems
And there’s so many companies that offer solutions
Companies with names like Pet Solution
The Hair Solution. The Debt Solution. The World Solution. The Sushi Solution.
Companies with experts ready to solve the problems.
Cause only an expert can see there’s a problem
And only an expert can deal with the problem
Only and expert can deal with the problem

Now let’s say you’re invited to be on Oprah
And you don’t have a problem
But you want to go on the show, so you need a problem
So you invent a problem
But if you’re not an expert in problems
You’re probably not going to invent a very plausible problem
And so you’re probably going to get nailed
You’re going to get exposed
You’re going to have to bow down and apologize
And beg for the public’s forgiveness.
Cause only an expert can see there’s a problem
And only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

Now on these shows, the shows that try to solve your problems
The big question is always “How can I get control?
How can I take control?”
But don’t forget this is a question for the regular viewer
The person who’s barely getting by.
The person who’s watching shows about people with problems
The person who’s part of the 60% of the U.S. population
1.3 weeks away, 1.3 pay checks away from homelessness.
In other words, a person with problems.
So when experts say, “Let’s get to the root of the problem
Let’s take control of the problem
So if you take control of the problem you can solve the problem.”
Now often this doesn’t work at all because the situation is completely out of control.
Cause only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

So who are these experts?
Experts are usually self-appointed people or elected officials
Or people skilled in sales techniques, trained or self-taught
To focus on things that might be identified as problems.
Now sometimes these things are not actually problems.
But the expert is someone who studies the problem
And tries to solve the problem.
The expert is someone who carries malpractice insurance.
Because often the solution becomes the problem.
Cause only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

Now sometimes experts look for weapons.
And sometimes they look everywhere for weapons.
And sometimes when they don’t find any weapons
Sometimes other experts say, “If you haven’t found any weapons
It doesn’t mean there are no weapons.”
And other experts looking for weapons find things like cleaning fluids.
And refrigerator rods. And small magnets. And they say,
“These things may look like common objects to you
But in our opinion, they could be weapons.
Or they could be used to make weapons.
Or they could be used to ship weapons.
Or to store weapons.”
Cause only an expert can see they might be weapons
And only an expert can see they might be problems.
Cause only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

And sometimes, if it’s really really really hot.
And it’s July in January.
And there’s no more snow and huge waves are wiping out cities.
And hurricanes are everywhere.
And everyone knows it’s a problem.
But if some of the experts say it’s no problem
And other experts claim it’s no problem
Or explain why it’s no problem
Then it’s simply not a problem.
But when an expert says it’s a problem
And makes a movie and wins an Oscar about the problem
Then all the other experts have to agree that it is most likely a problem.
Cause only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

And even though a county can invade another country.
And flatten it. And ruin it. And create havoc and civil war in that other country
If the experts say that it’s not a problem
And everyone agrees that they’re experts good at seeing problems
Then invading that country is simply not a problem.
And if a country tortures people
And holds citizens without cause or trial and sets up military tribunals
This is also not a problem.
Unless there’s an expert who says it’s the beginning of a problem.
Cause only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

Only an expert can see there’s a problem
And see the problem is half the problem
And only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

HOLIDAY pARTy and art Sale in Santa Barbara

Saturday Dec. 20th from 12 til 5.
Hot cocoa and marshmallows too.

Sea Goddess

The Sea Goddess is finally finished. Happy in her repose. This mosaic was made using ceramic pieces by potter, Mayah Martin (the face, foot and hands and ear) and very small bird and seahorse tiles by were created by Perry. She is 36″x18″.

The Goddess is NOW ready to grout …tomorrow

Goddess Mosaic Evolving

Now with the tile pieces adhered… The face, hands and foot were created by Mayah Martin of Joshua Tree. My hands and feet are almost ready to FIRE.

High Desert test Site at the Wonder Valley Institute Contemptorary Art

Miracles?!?! Disappearing curators at the edge of nowhere in a cabin on the high side of the Sheep Hole Pass in wonderland… the crew shows up at the final hour… miracle. Wonder Valley Institute is living up to the name, WONDER. I must say that Chris Veit’s friends REALLY knocked themselves out hanging sheet rock and art, arranging the landscape, and setting up a stage and lights and film. Miracles?!?!?! Obama is the President… Prop 8 goes to the dogs and the lawyers… Here are some images of the installation I did in response to my anger and hurt around Prop 8 and some pics of the folks getting ready…and then a quick tour inside the cabin at WVICA.

Beginning installation with paint flying in Wonder Valley wind.

Black goddess no longer...

White and Black goddesses swathed in paint and YES signs.

Gold Goddess

Pink and Blue Goddess

My shoes..

Coyote Melon

Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No

Getting ready for films...

Preparing for night to fall on the desert cabin.

Stills from the film.

Double Exposure

Double Exposed Gold Goddess and boy.

Sillouette

Early Evening Film Test

Zaina ?!?

Inside the cabin show at WVICA

Homestead Mosaic inside the cabin... WVICA

Nicole Panter

Chris Veit getting the lights ON at WVICA

Outside TV's and ufos ?!?