Hello Friends,
This is the first update in almost a month, so not really a "week 4". I'm really sorry for dropping the ball on keeping this "Weekly". I got sick with a gum infection from a wisdom tooth end of September and had a fever for over a week. And then it took about 2 weeks to regain my strength and catch up on life. I'm finally in a good head space and will try my hardest to keep these updates weekly!
PART ONE
Start of Journal XIV
Who was I talking to about the most human human.
Who was I listening to?
"We're talking" vs "We're listening"
In the shower the thought of cave painting once again entered my minds eye - paining murals, reflecting on the symbols of my work
ancient - modern - futuristic
tribal
oracle - conduit"
PART TWO
"My grandfather was born Sept 20th 1937. I'm not sure in what town - or city - but in East Ukraine - that I'm pretty certain of. He passed away when I was a sophomore in high school in March - or April. It was a rainy spring time. I wept at his funeral. My mother posted a photograph she took of him when she was in University in NYC. When we still lived in our first house. She posted that photo the day after his birthday.
Last night I had a dream - I was talking w him - I often - somewhat often - more regularly than anyone else I guess or maybe I just remember it -
He was still alive - In my dreams he is always alive - and I'm always surprised or caught off guard . A part of me thought he wasn't alive - but here he is. Talking with me.
Last night's dream he was really close to death - and he gave me a look like - don't look at me like that. Like I'm dying. I couldn't help it.
It's powerful that I've kept him alive in me - yet always as an old man - but that's how I knew him.
I wonder - who else dreams about him? Anyone in my family?"
Photo of Vladimir Volodarskiy by his daughter, my mother, Olga Omelchenko
PART THREE
"Fatoumata Diawara's music just brought me to tears. I was listening to democracy now while washing dishes - hopefully coming off a week long illness that has felt like a total black hole of time - w some slight opportunities. But this moment - her voice pierced my heart - reminded me of the sequence in Timbuktu - and I started crying. I'm crying now."
PART FOUR
"In my dream today I was speaking with a man who has a home in the mountains - it seemed like a holy place to him - a place where one's problems could be dissolved.
PART FIVE
Finished "Heart Balance", my first mural at The Bakery. The biggest change was the addition of white flourishes, which really opened up all the energy stored in the colors and geometry. I knew white was the answer, and one of the motivations for using it was advice I got from an art teacher back in first grade. I was working on a painting of underwater fish that was meant to be in a "stain glass" style. He told me to add white to the paining to really make it pop. I didn't really understand what I was supposed to do, and he added some elements for me. It really worked, and the painting was featured in the school calendar for the month of January. It's really beautiful how advice from 19 years ago helped me find the way with this piece.
PART SIX
The Bakery Opening. I'm disappointed that I didn't take more photos and video of the work that we put in before the opening, but I'm very happy with how things went. Willow is a badass and I have really high hopes for what we can accomplish with the space.
PART SEVEN
Spent the past week working on paid project$$$ and going to screenings and parties at Yallywood Film Festival. My music video for Sequoyah, Blue Jays premiered in the music video block and I was very happy with how that went. Overall the films were really excellent and I met some talented local filmmakers. I'm feeling really good about the trajectory of my time in Atlanta so far and I'm excited to have my health back.
