KAMIA|PULAN

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New Workshop: Creative Studio Sundays

Published by Brooke Gibbons

YOGA + MEDITATION + WRITING + ART

Hi Everyone! I am excited to be launching a new 2nd Sunday Series at the Charlotte Art League called “Creative Studio Sundays!”

Along with the wonderful yoga and meditation instructor Tamara Jefferies, I will be hosting this program at the Charlotte Art League on the 2nd Sunday of every month.

Here’s what is included:

11am-11:45am: Yoga and Meditation*
11:45am-12pm: Break/Set up tables
12pm-12:30: Discussion/Journaling prompts for the month’s theme**
12:30-2: Open Studio Art Journaling

Notes:
* I have been to Tamara’s yoga classes before and am so excited to have her be a part of this program. She offers gentle yoga that works for all ages, sizes, and abilities. She gives clear, simple instructions on how to get into a position and you are able to adjust the position based on your ability and comfort. I certainly lack flexibility in some poses, but have always felt welcome and comfortable in her classes.
**Every month we will have a theme to work with. June’s theme is “Wander” After a short discussion on the theme and some prompts to work with, we will dive into Open Studio Art Journaling where you are free to create what you wish in your art journals. All supplies are included, just bring your journal! (For those who have not attended one of my Open Studios: these gatherings bring together all different types of people and their journals. You have full use of my supplies which include glue, scissors, paints, washi tape, vintage magazines, etc. There is no instruction here but I can definitely help you out if needed. How and what you create is up to you. Some prefer mixed-media or various paints, some prefer just collage/paper and some just want to write. The fun part is being together and learning from each other!)

Cost: $25; Cash or Credit/Debit only please.
What to bring:
+ A yoga mat if you have one, if not please write to me and we will have one for you to use.
+ Your journal. If you don’t have one you can purchase one from me for $5.

You are welcome to bring food or drinks. Please no children or animals at this session, thank you.

Parking: There is metered street parking and we do have a free side parking lot. Since it is the weekend you CAN park on the other side of the lot that we share with The Charlotte Post.
Lynx Lite Rail: Our back door is the diagonally faces the Bland Street stop.

Please RSVP by contacting me directly or on Meetup.

Thank you, see you then!

Work in Progress

Published by Brooke Gibbons

I need to apply the finishing touches (aka some gloss medium) to this mixed-media collage but I’m excited to start the first in a series of collage on magazine backing boards.

This one has pieces from a 1970s Ms. Magazine, images from a 1960s children’s reading textbook, paper pieces from Flow Magazine‘s first Book for Paper Lovers, the awesome vintage LADIES stamp I picked up at Vintage Charlotte, and a paper towel that was dyed when I dipped it in watercolor-from-tubes and squished it out under a running faucet.

The Jade Buddha

Published by Brooke Gibbons

In May, the kid and I had the honor of visiting the Jade Buddha at the Minh Dang Quang Monastery on its last day here in Charlotte. Known as the “Jade Buddha for Universal Peace” it is a travelling statue over 11 feet in length and weighing in at eight tons. We had never been to this monastery in the Derita area of Charlotte before (another one of my favorite neighborhoods!) so we enjoyed walking around the grounds and exploring this peaceful place. I was happy to see my child so happy and checking out not only the Jade Buddha, but all the permanent statues around the monastery. It felt like the hottest day of the year up until that point, so we bought hats that I deemed magic because they instantly cooled us that moment we put them on.

Even though we are usually very private about our beliefs, and normally just celebrate and honor our Buddhist practice at home, it felt like such a special day to be at a Buddhist monastery with my child. We talked to the statues and thanked Buddha for his teachings and she ran around telling stories his life. The kid said it was the “best day” and I agreed.

Work + Play: Life in South End

Published by Brooke Gibbons

The Charlotte Art League is in South End, one of my favorite Charlotte neighborhoods. We have the privilege of being in an area full of good food and art galleries, and we’re within walking distance to Uptown. Our back door is a few steps from one of the lite rail stops, and we have walking trails around us, so everything is very convenient. I personally enjoy working across the street from the Common Market, so I can get a diet soda and/or mimosa any time I want. At one point South End was very industrial and now it has become gentrified, and there are apartments all around us. While I enjoy the revitalization in vibrancy from the neighborhood galleries and restaurants, I worry about the future of our own arts organization. We’re long-time renters in an old building, and honestly we can be sold (and torn down) at anytime. Our friend down the road, Price’s Chicken Coop is now dwarfed by mid-rise apartments on both sides, but its own little establishment still remains. My hope is that we, along with the other long-time places in South End can stay strong against future development. ♥

5 Favorite Things

Published by Brooke Gibbons

Paper Love: an upcoming e-course by Rachel Hazell

The art of Njideka Akunyili Crosby

“How to decolonize your yoga practice” by Susanna Barkataki

Sief H’s art and instagram feed.

Anything and everything from The Love Parcel

48 Hours in New York: Part 1

Published by Brooke Gibbons

Last month on the weekend before I turned 32, I treated myself to a 48-hour excursion to New York City. While I’d been before, this was my first time going alone. My husband’s aunt and uncle were gracious enough (as always) to let me stay with them AND give me a key so I was able to come and go as I pleased.

I arrived on a Friday afternoon and left Sunday afternoon. After landing and spending some time with the fam, I hopped on the subway to head to my favorite stores in Midtown Manhattan. The minute I sat down on the 6, I reached into my bag for my phone-as all people do-and I realized I’d left it back at the apartment. I was frantic for a second because I thought there was no way I could manage finding my way around without it. Then I reminded myself it’s hard to get lost in Manhattan, especially in Midtown where it’s still on the grid system. My second thought was an ultimate 21st Century bummed out moment: I had no way to take pictures. How will the world know what an awesome time I had???

Friday afternoon was spent in Koreatown and Bryant Park. The Kinokuniya store got rich off me spending three hours and too much money there. I finally entered the New York Public Library, which was huge and confusing but I found the bathroom and the gift shop so that’s all that mattered. I successfully found Grand Central again and made my way back up to the Upper East Side, and I ended the evening eating a tasty burger with the fam at a restaurant I can’t remember.

On Saturday I melted my phone to my torso so as not to forget it and headed down to the Village. My mom’s cousin is the long-time manager of Elephant & Castle on Greenwich Ave and he was nice enough to take me on a walking tour of the area. We departed at Washington Square and I practically ran to The Strand, which also got rich off me spending three hours and too much money there. I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the Village before heading back to catch Trainwreck (I am capable of forgetting my phone, but not that AMC giftcard my mother-in-law gave us me for Christmas. New York City movie theatre prices are no joke).

Tune in for Part 2 when I get lost in Central Park.

Bedroom Sanctuary

Published by Brooke Gibbons

I created a sanctuary in our bedroom to encourage me to hang out in the room and keep it tidy. If I respect a space, then I won’t want to trash it with yesterday’s clothes. I managed to shove the husband’s old couch up against the window, and I brought it my little Buddhist meditation center-slash-Virgin Mary shrine (Oh sweet compromise that comes with the gift of marriage!). I will admit I haven’t meditated once in that corner, but I have sat on the couch a lot this summer and somehow burned through about a dozen mediocre summer reads.

I also cleared out the space under my side of the bed (Husband the Pack Rat could use a little help under his side) and it really is nice to look down and see a clutter-free zone. I do keep a stack of magazines next to the couch and a small tub of collage supplies and journals I’ll never finish, since I am a lady of leisure. Also, comfort clutter is different from regular clutter, I swear!

Pros of the Sanctuary: Aesthetically pleasing; helps keep me organized; helps prevent me from piling clothes all over the place (most of the time) and in turn—let’s be honest here—a clean room is a sexy room. Cleanliness helps the lovemaking, y’all, at least on my easily-distracted, busy-minded end. Gone are the days of me looking up and suddenly thinking: “I think I have time to do a load of laundry after this.”

Cons of the Sanctuary: I forget to dust; I’ve hit my foot on the couch several times; the couch was bought off the side of the road many years ago by my in-laws. A drug addict sold it to them for $5. This is a true story. That isn’t the con though. The con is: what if there’s mold and I can’t see the mold and the couch is slowly killing us?? If you’re just tuning in to my neuroses, I have a fear of being killed by mold or any other silent killer like gas leaks or common monoxide. Is there an at-home silent killer lab kit I can order off the World Wide Web? Please let me know.

A Fresh Start

Published by Brooke Gibbons

Hi Everyone! I’ve consolidated Hello Urbanist and Brooke Is Far Out into one place that makes sense: Brooke Gibbons: Art + Ephemera. I’ll be ceasing operations on HU and BIFO shortly so visit me here for all things art, ephemera and everything else related to my life, work, and favorite things. This site will serve as the one-stop place for my blog, portfolio and link to my online shop (whenever that gets up and running again). All my social media links are the same though, so see you somewhere out there!