Art: American Prayer Flags

Copyright April McDonald

Oakland artist April McDonald has kindly allowed this blog to post a virtual exhibit of her found art. It's not everybody who can turn out something so beautiful, political, powerful, and communicative with bits and pieces rescued from those who don't possess the wherewithal to see art in everyday things.

Copyright April McDonald

So much for Gertrude Stein's message about Oakland. There is a there there.

Copyright April McDonald

Armed with the everyday household implements of glue, stamps, scissors, thread, needle, and a few other materials, including rolls of felt of different colours, Ms. McDonald has found a way to create powerful images with a message:

Copyright April McDonald

Is there a gallery out there that will host these prayer flags?

Copyright April McDonald

Some of the messages are downright subversive:

Copyright April McDonald

If you know of a gallery that is looking for local artists' exhibits of their work, please let us know.



We will be posting more from this artist soon:

Copyright April McDonald

All images in this post are the property of April and Ian McDonald. Please respect their copyright, and do not reproduce these images without the express permission of the artists. Photos by Ian McDonald. Copyright April and Ian McDonald.

Margaret Cho's Queerotica

One of my all-time favorite performers is Margaret Cho. She is so damn funny. There's a great article in the 10 Oct 07 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle written by Jeff Yang.

The scene: The Zipper Factory, a Manhattan midtown-west cabaret lounge whose decor is a psychedelic blend of Weimar Republic languor and zesty queerotica.

It's late, well past the do-you-know-where-your-children-are hour, and the butts in the theater's seats are mostly male, tanned, waxed, and gymmed to perfection. Pulling back the tatty velvet curtain, Margaret Cho steps onto the stage, her face a Cheshire mask, a sly smile tweaking her lips. Flexing the mike like she's wringing a neck, she shouts out, "It's Margaret, bitch!"

And all us bitches cheer, like the bitches we are.

Tonight's show, "The Sensuous Woman," isn't like any Margaret's put on before. Billed as an "adult variety show," it features Cho and some of her personal-favorite performers, an oddball mashup of comics and dancers and bawdy wenches, no holds barred, but plenty bared.

Wanna read all of it? Go here. It's a great article.

Only wished I'd seen the show in June here in the San Francisco Bay Area ... maybe there will be a clammer for her to bring it back to San Francisco.

And I am a major nester ... don't leave home at night much anymore ... but I would for Margaret.

A visit to Margaret Cho's blog is always fun.