We're All Honey and We Drip Through the Honey Chain

• Hello Hello
  Phew...where to start? It has been quite a long while since I wrote here. I am planning things in my head, tryng to figure out what exactly it is I am working on. I beleive that we are all floatng in our little leaf beds down the river; some of us sleeping, some awake, yet we are definetly all moving towards some unforseen distance. I want to sink in the sand and bask in the honey sun when I get there, you?
  Lately has been chaotic and calm as the sea all at the same time, which seems to be the way it always is. To highlight a few things:
  
  The U.S. Social Forum came to us in Detroit. It was so empowering. I attended three workshops primarily focused around issues of LGBTQI, women, feminism, and transgendered people. Of course, there were some heavy arguements and possibly a touch of self-righteousness here and there, but the overall feeling was that of unity and excitement. Electric prickles of excitement! There were fine folks from all over the country to be met and befriend, tent cities popped up around, and multi-cultural events spiced up things nicely. I particularly enjoyed the poignant and powerful Climbing Poe Tree. They recited their spoken word/music/rap in Hart Plaza and we were all healed and wept and wooped it up and laughed and felt their words and beauty within ourselves. http://www.climbingpoetree.com/live/

Cocorosie a few weeks ago! They were fresh and REfreshing. Flawless performance, sexually charged, all that you would expect. Vanessa and I with Bianca.

I've taken in 2 little little tiny Monarch butterfly eggs. My boss/friend Laurie has a wild garden leading back to her studio with lush milkweed sprinkled throughout it. Monarchs lay their single eggs on the bottoms of the milkweed leaves, so today we waded into the green sea and carefully folded up the leaves looking for silky little eggs. I've got mine carefully placed in a huge mason jar by my bed. I carried them around with me all day! I sort of feel like they should come with me wherever I go because they're fairly hearty and I want to experience every stage of their developement. I feel tremendously maternal towards them.

Art projects! Painting furniture! Beaded medicine jewlery! Dream Pillows! TRAVELING PUPPET SHOW! So many things to do...Setting myself on fire. Eradicating fear.

Re-visited The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys last night . It reminds me of my own days at a private catholic school (my brother was actually an altar boy for a few years). Like, walking through those tiled hallways in school uniforms and hanging out in the church bathroom. The stark imagery in the movie is so reminiscent of my old school and just the whole emotional feeling of it. I feel like children in private religious schools are expected to be much more "well behaved" than in some public schools. We had to walk in two neat lines of boys and girls anywhere we went, attend mass every wednesday, be clean and wear crisp uniforms, write with pens in cursive in every class, and stand when we spoke in class. It was obviously highly oppressive. I wandered through that school by msyelf so many times while I went there, especilly at night during PTA meetings when I could sneak away. I always felt so certain that it was haunted and I was intrigued with the religious statues of Our Lady of LaSalette~ and even more intrigued with the odd stories about her appearing to young children and such. I remember when I was little there was still that thing were church's doors were open all the time and you could go there to pray whenever you wanted. My mom took my brother and I there at night a few times. I remember it being really dark save for this one red candle burning. I have had a weird love/hate/obsession with the Kieran and Macaulay Culkin for a very long time. I recently saw Party Monster for the first time...




I've been feeling alot like the woman in this Diego Rivera painting lately. Its a good feeling.

I have also been re-delving into Frida Kahlo again, a woman who I feel deeply connected to.

In Greek mythology, the Sirens (Greek singular: Σειρήν Seirēn; Greek plural: Σειρῆνες Seirēnes) were three dangerous bird-women, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Roman poets placed them on an island called Sirenum scopuli. In some later, rationalized traditions the literal geography of the "flowery" island of Anthemoessa, or Anthemusa,is fixed: sometimes on Cape Pelorum and at others in the islands known as the Sirenuse, near Paestum, or in Capreae.All such locations were surrounded by cliffs and rocks. By the fourth century, when pagan beliefs gave way to Christianity, belief in literal sirens was discouraged. Although Jerome, who produced the Latin Vulgate version of the Scriptures, used the word "sirens" to translate Hebrew tenim (jackals) in Isaiah 13:22, and also to translate a word for "owls" in Jeremiah 50:39, this was explained by Ambrose to be a mere symbol or allegory for worldly temptations, and not an endorsement of the Greek myth.
Sirens continued to be used as a symbol for the dangerous temptation embodied by women regularly throughout Christian art of the medieval era; however, in the 17th century, some Jesuit writers began to assert their actual existence, including Cornelius a Lapide, who said of Woman, "her glance is that of the fabled basilisk, her voice a siren's voice—with her voice she enchants, with her beauty she deprives of reason—voice and sight alike deal destruction and death." Antonio de Lorea also argued for their existence, and Athanasius Kircher argued that compartments must have been built for them aboard Noah's Ark.

Isn't it time for Hallowe'en yet? I adore the summers...but my thoughts have been with dark woods and jack o' lanterns lately.

And, as a closer, some unknown eye candy from the world wide what-the-fuck that have me dreamin'.








Goodnight,

Madeleine

Jasmine and Honey

There's a huge jasmine bush blooming on my block. Its blossoms are overflowing and swollen to the point of hanging heavily over a tall fence and dripping onto the sidewalk. I love it. Everyone who comes over gets so excited about and runs over to rub their faces in its fingers. It is incredibly fragrant and seems to remind everyone of some sweet time in their lives. What a releif that we are still graced with beauties such as a lush jasmine bush in a world where plastic threatens to smother us and massive amounts of toxins are sloshing around in our water--life water. Poor mama Gaia.


In other news, the Gay Pride Festival was this past weekend in Ferndale. The following photographs were taken by my dad.


Beautiful.




The festival was magnificent and I was so excited and happy about the whole affiar..I felt that my heart was beating a little faster than it normally does. My friends and I took to the dance floow and I felt my own confusions dissipate; my own feeling of marginalism--of being on the edge of society...of being differernt. These feelings rose out of me like a dusty ghost, joined everyone else's fears and seemed to float away down the street leaving us all happily dancing and deeply accepting of one another--no matter where we all landed on the spectrum of sexuality. There was also an amazing glitter encrusted dance crew! So amazing! So much attitude! And loads of lovely drag kings and queens.



Sending love and peace,



Madeleine

(The black Madonna..more on her soon)

P.S. Changes to be coming soon to this blog. I will be opening an Etsy shop and selling jewlery, painted furtniture, and prints of some of my work. Stay posted!

Little furry animals

madeleine

Oh me oh my

Hello All.
Right now I am lounging on a million and one pillows on my bed. The little dollhouse window is thrown open, revealing a huge tangle of monster weeds and glowing Detroit trees. My little fan has been working overtime to cool me off, especially in the twilight hours.
This past weekend was so energetic and CRAZY that I am still, somehow, days later, both recovering and processing. This past weekend was the weekend of DEMF (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEMF)

I sometimes really wish that I had a wonderfully amazing camera and a computer-camera USB that wasn't missing in the blackhole of this old creaky house, but alas, I have neither. I suppose taking lots of pictures can sometimes take away from the experience, though.

I ended up going to DEMF all three nights, and basically kept the same clothing on all weekend (my sequin and glitter facial adornments changed alot from day-to-day though!).

And the people there- oh my! Beautiful rave godesses in tiny bikini tops, flourescent miniskirts, huge furry boots, and rainbow bracelets with day-glo dreadlocks piled high. Dirty hippies adorned in tarnished sequins, sweaty tye-dye, and printed fabrics. Huge industrial types with metal piercing, gas masks, black clothing and chains. Faery girls in faery skirts with faery wings and everyone's pupils big big big from ecstasy.

And in the middle of this big broken tantrum-throwing city, we all danced together and became one. United in booming techno. The sexual energy was palpable. It was a huge love fest and I am already excited for next year. We hosted varying groups of people on our living room floor all weekend and in the mornin', I made blueberrry pancakes for everyone- yum!

Yay! A show right down the street from me at the mysterious and wonderful Trubellplex http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trumbullplex

Poster designed by the lovely Vanessa (she is also in one of the bands playing there- River Spirit). If you're in the area, stop by--it'll be a great show.

Beautiful, luminous full moon! She comes and goes so quickly.

Peace out everyone.

Madeleine

Spookiness

Hello hello

Sweltering hot today and yesterday! That boiling drippy sizzle on asphalt/ sweaty glasses of iced tea/ ripped shorts/ fat flowers..its summertime in the city! I am feeling prickly with excitement about so many things this summer. Some of my family is coming to visit from England soon, things are blooming, love is in the air, and I am in a heavy love affair with Detroit: anxious to dip myself in more and more. DEMF is soon! So good the feel to city's raging heartbeat by the river.

Joo Howell's Flickr

Yesterday was filled with friends, hula hooping, drumming, and adventures. First it was to Dabl's African Bead Museum! I had never been there before, and Seairra told us about it. We headed there in her car with all the windows rolled down listening to Sixto Rod Riguez--yes! Dabl is this very wise very calm older man who spent 9 years transforming two buildings and a field into an entergetic, spiritual, and simply beautiful art installation. It appears out of nowhere, between crumbled buildings and unassuming traffic. He painted the sides of the buildings with bright colors and attached broken mirror shards all over them so that as you walk around, your image flits in and out of view (isn't it strange to look at yourself in a mirror while out doors?)

mbad.org

There is an African imported bead shop with hundreds of strange beads of every kind....bone, metal, charms for all sorts of things. I picked up a couple for myself and one for a special love.

The sculpture garden outside has a huge wooden demon with mirror eyes.

Then, last night I went to the Theatre Bizarre for the first time! I was driving down the State Fair St. at midnight, and was just begining to wonder if I was lost, when I saw, through the pregnant trees, yellow circus lights and heard the sounds of strange music and witchy laughter.

static photo.net I parked, Vanessa met me and ohhhhh...

Step into your dreams for an old fashioned spooky theatre of nitmarish proportions. The moon smiled shyly through the clouds and skeletons swayed in the breeze. A campfire illuminated darkly dressed zombies. Meanwhile, sexy burlesque ladies did their thing, and gruesome fake body parts were smashed. Excellent! Ghosts and strange wayfaring spirits dancing to the strange circus music. Where its All Hallows Eve all the time: my kind of place.

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The below pictures were taken last night by Vanessa.

Ooh...this gal was tantilizing.

Dream of dreams...Remember this scene in The Royal Tenebaums?

Wouldn't it just be amazing to spend the night in a Natural History Museum? If you find yourself in New York, the AMNH can organize a group sleepover in the museum for you. (http://www.amnh.org/kids/sleepovers/%20) Although, I think it would be way better if you just snuck in with one or two people and a bottle of wine. Probibly the paid sleepovers are well lit and supervised...I think wandering around with a flashlight would be much more magickal...and spooky. All those strange shadows, taxidermied beasts, suspended dinosaur bones..and the thick dusty quiet would be the best part. It would be a night that would last forever.

Today was calm and hot. I went to Cranbrook Gardens with my mom to swoon at the huge flowers and elegant sculptures. I wish I could live in a secret garden. So many faeries.

I hope you are all doing well.

peace and love

Madeleine

P.S.

Speaking of spookiness...

These two are so turned on...(hmm. Is this turning into a cocorosie fan site or what? It completly unintentional, I swear) and coming to Detroit soon!

Rachel Brice Tribal Fest '06

Old Ships/ Past Lives

I love bedrooms. The act of nesting and manifesting your own space is magickal and important and healthy. This is a post of old bedrooms I've had. I don't know why I feel compelled to put these pictures online...It feels good to share though. Every bedroom I've had (except, perhaps, the one I currently inhabit) have become ship-like and somewhat out of hand. The one I'm in now is much more clear and light, thankfully.

Old old old bedroom at my mom's house...I do miss that room. These photos are quite old. 2007. Highschool self. Taken by my dad.

Old bedroom at my dad's.

My bro as a wee one. I bought the little "vase" for my dear grandma when I was little and was deeply proud of it as I presented it to her for Christmas one year.

Wow. Don't remember it being quite this crazy. I've streamlined ALOT since. It was a jumbled sort of time in my life.

I digress...

Kitty cat pile-up. We're the luckiest to have all these kitties. From left to right its Tora, Artemis, Gray Kitty, and Ollie. (Thumby is missing)

Inside cover of A Good and Happy Child By Justin Evans. Way too scary to finish...maybe I'll try again next Hallowe'en?

El Dia de los Muertos last year.

I hope you are all well.

madeleine

P.S.