To see my photo set of Mariela’s graduation from San José State University CLICK HERE.
Tristesse / Joie
I’ve been experimenting with gradients and blending options in photoshop lately. Anyone got any tips?
I’m going to be posting some photos from Mariela’s graduation in the next 24 hours.
Peace,
Rio
Bizarro World
Today my world is upside down. The state Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, which means equal marriage rights have been deprived from all Californians. I am ashamed to be a Californian right now. Fuck!
It wasn’t long after I heard the news about this that I was directed to a well written and thoughtful editorial by Meghan McCain advocating for equal marriage rights in New York.
What kind of Bizarro world are we trapped in when the most Gay-friendly state in the nation deprives its citizens of rights and we have republicans giving articulated arguments for equality? Fuck! My mind is blown.
Real talk: This is some bullshit y’all; we need to get off Obama’s jock and pressure him into fighting for equal rights for ALL of us.
Even more ashamed of my patriarchal heterosexual privileges than usual,
Rio
Graduate Girl
Today Mariela graduates with her Masters in Social Work from San José State University. This is the biggest milestone in our 9 year relationship and I am so proud of her. A wise woman once said, You want to fuck with the eagles, you have to learn to fly. Right now my baby is flyin’ high.
Peace,
Rio
A quick update
I just found this on flickr, I think my big head creeps into the frame a couple of times. Check out Santigold’s two back up dancers (the rest of the people she pulled up on stage).
Peace,
Rio
Ringin’ in my ears
My ears are still ringing from seeing Santigold (formerly Santogold) and Amanda Blank at the Warfield last night. It was an amazing show that I’m still trying process, here are some highlights:
-There was a fight right next to us, this group of tall arrogant pricks tried to push their way to the front of the stage and this amazing group of badass Latina lesbians beat the shit out of them. It was a sight to truly behold, as many times as I’ve seen assholes rudely push their way to the front of a concert I’ve never seen them put in check like this-it was quite fulfilling. Shouts to that posse of homegirls that threw down.
-To the left of Mariela and I was the posse mentioned above, to our right was a couple in their 50’s. It felt reassuring that we weren’t the oldest ones there and that this couple could dress up and get wild at a concert like this.
-Amanda Blank was the bomb diggity. I’ve been following her since I heard Bump on the first Spank Rock album back in the day. Her show was all new material so I was totally unfamiliar with everything she performed; it was a mix of pop music with the occasional x-rated rap thrown in. She busted out with the most adorable White-girl dance moves during her performance, she moved just like Sarah Jessica Parker in Girls Just Want to Have Fun.
-Santigold singled out someone in the crowd who was waving a Wesleyan soccer jersey. Like my homegirl Lex, Santigold is a Wesleyan alumni. She talked about the recent shooting death of Wesleyan student Johanna Justin-Jinich and requested a moment of silence in recognition of her.
-Santigold’s two back-up singers/dancers were amazing. They busted out with all sorts of moves but their faces remained completely blank and stoic for the entire show, it must have been an extreme effort on their part to keep their faces from changing while they moved like that.
-Santigold closed the show by bringing out Amanda Blank and performing their mash-up of LL Cool J’s I Need Love and I’m a Lady with Amanda rapping LL’s verses. They then performed Spank Rock’s B.O.O.T.A.Y. (itself an homage to 2 Live Crew’s Too Much Booty) and eveyone danced their asses off.
Peace,
Rio
FREE DOWNLOADS
To download Amanda Blank’s Might Like You Better follow the link on the image above.
To download Santigold’s Your Voice follow the link on the image above.
While on the subject of Amanda Blank, I’ve been looking for an excuse to share this video of Amanda Blank, Spank Rock, and Benny Blanco sharing their Top 10 songs to do it to. Amanda is hilarious in it and there’s a great clip of her rappin’ in the end. Enjoy!
Vodpod videos no longer available.
We are The Rathboners
So I have been virtually absent from online activity for the last two weeks. I wish I could attribute it to something dramatic or catastrophic but the truth is I bought an HDTV and a Playstation 3 (160GB, natch) and I’ve been way too occupied with it. As I type this I’m watching John Cusack and Hilary Duff in War Inc. on blu-ray with it. I’ve been playing Fallout 3 and the “art game” Flower.
Even when I leave the houseI still end up on the PS3, I recently went to a birthday party for my friend Carina and we ended up playing Rock Band all night long. Our group was named The Rathboners Named in honor of Carina’s love of actor Jackson Rathbone. Here we are in action below performing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Maps.
I’m back on my art game, just after I reach the next level in Fallout 3.
Peace,
Rio
Happy Mother’s Day!
My mom was an artistic troublemaker even back in the day. Here she is stirring up the pot at the age of 18. Her contempt of elbow paintings runs concurrent of some of my own opinions about art. She really is my mom!
Today we went out for breakfast with Mariela and then saw Star Trek at the Empire in West Portal. I think we both shed a little tear during Leonard Nimoy’s narration at the end. Happy Mother’s Day and live long & prosper y’all.
Peace,
Rio
The Return of the Great Tortilla Conspiracy, TONIGHT!
If you’re in Berkeley, come by and enjoy some free tortilla art with us tonight.
Reclaiming the Animated Gif Part 3
In these early days of May there’s a lot pushed on us that will supposedly make me proud to be Mexican (er, Chicano). I can appreciate the politics of May 1st but when it comes to Cinco de Mayo I usually associate it with simplifying history, beer ads, and drunk college kids. I’m all for gettin’ sauced up now and then but please don’t do that shit in the name of my people.
That said, what’s made me proud to be Mexican American recently is the work of Mexican artist Jaime Martinez. With all the writing I’ve done about animated gifs so far I was excited to discover that these works of art were done by a Mexicano. I’m not sure what technique he uses for capturing his images, if he’s quick on the draw with the shutter or he uses multiple cameras. His methods give them the visual depth of old fashioned stereograms.
According to his site, Jaime Martínez was born in Monterrey México (1978) and he is currently living in Mexico City. His art sheds light on the potential of animated gifs. These mind-blowing images are truly state of the art. Enjoy.
Peace,
Rio
Graphic Art, Tortillas, Comics, and Troublemaking 