Puppetry Tests 06/04/2021

I spent some time watching the videos Puran Bhat sent me to see how he manipulates the strings. I learn more each time I watch and practice. I have some basic control for walking and head movement, but I have more to learn about doing that and being able to control the hands at the same time. I saw that closing down the camera lens to f18 does give me more depth of field (more in focus) using a long lens. I used the Mamiya 210mm, Pentax 67 165mm and the Mamiya 80 1.9 (this one wide open with a single light bounced off the wall).

I adjusted the strings on Bijal a bit to connect the head/back strings with a loop to the hands. The hands can be slid on either side. I do need to figure out how to stay out of frame while puppeteering on a wider shot. From a distance, 80mm can give me a pretty good wide shot. I need something more sturdy than a chair to stand on. I think that would help me lean over, out of view of the camera. Perhaps some apple boxes?

Puppetry Tests 06/03/2021

As I build my puppetry skills, I am creating these tests to learn about puppet manipulation and filming. Here I worked on basic head, walking and some hands motion. Camera was a Sony a6500 with focal reducer. Lenses Mamiya 55mm and Pentax 67 165mm both set between f8 to f11. I was able to get deeper depth of field (more depth in focus) with the lens further away than closer up. It makes me think I may be using longer lenses where deeper depth of field is needed. I'll try larger fstops like f16 when I have more light as well.

Uyghur Genocide Awareness

So, I tried to see where I could help with raising awareness about the conditions of Uyghurs in China back when I did a series of paintings featuring cultures from the region in 2013. I held a several nights of music and storytelling around the gallery show with talks about travels and connecting around music. It was very difficult to connect to Uyghurs abroad as the Chinese government is watching and retaliating against their families. In the last few years, things have gotten even worse with so called re-education camps which are concentration camps with Uyghurs, Krygyz, Uzbeks and Kazak people from Xinjiang imprisoned, brainwashed, gang raped and murdered.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-55794071

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/10/chinas-war-on-uighur-culture/616513/

Now, there is no choice but to speak out and stop this. To start, here is a little effort I am working on: http://www.madguru.com/uyghur

Please join in. What one government does and gets away with today on one group will be emulated by others tomorrow. These innocent victims deserve human compassion that they have not been afforded over 70 years. It will take a huge and overwhelming public outcry to bolster the growing number of governments that have begun to call out this genocide and force real action and change. Please help.

Jorge Tyme Martinez

sketch I created at Temple Bar

I met Jorge years ago, at a live music spot that used to be in Santa Monica, called Temple Bar. I was there, with a tiny sketchbook and watercolor set, doing some sketches, waiting for the main act to go on. He was shooting pool with a friend, waiting for the main act as well. He started a conversation with me, talking about music and art and how I should really come check out his art some time. A few weeks later, I dropped by his home in Burbank. He pulled out a treasure trove of incredible art. He knew it was great. Everyone told him it was great, but there was something in him, that kept the work stowed away under his bed. He'd share his work. He was generous. His mother Catalina is one of the warmest and most fun loving people I have met. She has a sense of style and a love of life.With Jorge, there was music and there was making art. I would happen to run into him at music shows now and then. We would catch up a bit. He would share all kinds of music from his treasured collection. He had albums of photos with intricate cut paper bulletin boards for the kids at a center he worked at. He created pieces inspired by his favorite music, or a beautiful muse or some custom painted shoes for a friend's young child, or some letters for a beautiful woman he was crushing on.He was jubilant and endless in his love of music and the respect he had for musicians and artists. He would flit back and forth from sharing his work with pride, to regressing and shuttering it away. It took years of convincing from myself and others unknown to me to get him to show some pieces online. He put up a blog, and eventually a facebook page or two. Then he would tear it all down, disappear and be out of communication.

Our instrument collaborations.

So many of us coaxed for him to bring that larger than life personality out through his art, into the world. He resisted, but then he would do a little. He showed a piece at Cannibal Flower, a local art show which he greatly respected. He gave his art to musicians he admired. He created a beautiful portrait of Kristeen and I for our wedding. As time went on, he and his mother welcomed my wife and I into their home, for wonderful meals. We collaborated on some beautiful pieces for a gallery show. He always supported his friends and causes that he believed in. He respected the good that my wife Kristeen was doing with her project rHope and immediately started creating huge banners for us, hand made from cut paper. He would place each element whether with paper and glue or sharpies and watercolors in just the right place. His shapes, lines and colors formed impossible and beautiful intersections and layers of meaning. At times he made it look effortless, but it was a mind and hand that had been honed on creating intricate masterpieces.He supported causes like the Kidney Walk and Grand Performances. No matter how he was doing, he was always encouraging of my art. Not many who saw him jubilant at music shows would know how many challenges he faced. He passed into peace yesterday. He left the body of work of a brilliant artist, and snippets that never gave away the real story. May he rest now, without pains physical or mental. May his mistakes be forgiven and his love be appreciated. May his sweet mother Catalina, know the love of all his friends for her, just as she loves him and all of us. Thank you for the gifts you shared Tyme. Eye will miss you, but I know that you are in a better place.

LACMA with Mamiya 645

I took my Mamiya 645 out with a 35mm f3.5 lens to LACMA.

Chinatown, Los Angeles with the Mamiya 645

I really like adapting old manual lenses to my digital camera. I've been playing around with a nice Mamiya medium format lens. That lead me to be more interested in other medium format lenses. I saw a great deal on a set with a Mamiya 645 camera, ready to use with 2 additional lenses, and went for it. Unfortunately the aperture blades don't work, so I shot this wide open on the 70mm f2.8 LS lens, that I previously owned, which also, I can only shoot wide open. 3 out of 3 lenses with issues so far. Still, the lenses are really good, so I went to Chinatown in Downtown Los Angeles one evening and stayed on for a few hours of the night. I walked around with a terrible tripod, and a wonderful Mamiya 645 medium format camera, taking a shot here and there and just enjoying getting into a slightly deeper thought process than when I shoot digital.After getting the film developed, I scanned the negatives with an Epson v550 scanner, which worked beautifully. Below are my favorite shots from the roll.

I really enjoyed the process and felt like I could do with exploring black and white a lot further, before I think about color.

Classic Car Lowriders in Downtown LA

I was in Downtown Los Angeles, on a random weekend with the family to meet up with a friend. I try to bring my camera with me, as I don't get much other time to shoot photos. It's fun to just grab the camera with a single lens and see what comes of it. This day, I brought a 645 medium format Mamiya 70mm f2.8 Leaf Shutter lens, which I used on a Sony a6500 with a cheap tilt adapter. I think the lens has some issues, so I could not use it in manual mode to close down the aperture. I could only manage to switch the aperture wide open, or completely closed. I went with wide open and just increased my shutter speed and reduced ISO to 100. As we were walking around, we saw a whole caravan of beautifully customized classic cars made into low riders. Most of them parked in a lot to one side, so we walked ove and admired the cars, and I took a few photos. The tilt adapter allowed me to place some out of focus areas in portions of the frame. The minimum focus distance and the decreased field of view on a crop sensor camera forced me to move a fair distance back to get shots. Shooting cars wide open limits what I can keep in focus, so I had to work around these limitations, but I really like the lens. There is some chromatic aberration, which I could fix in post, but I love the rendering. It makes me want to try some more medium format lenses. Particularly as I use a lot of manual vintage lenses on this camera, so it is fun to explore options.

National Jubilee Arts Festival Los Angeles

Last week, I had a chance to attend the National Jubilee Arts Festival in Los Angeles as a judge. I judged visual art and performances. Above, you can see some photos from the gallery. What a beautiful event, in which a community came together to celebrate and encourage art making. My friend Karim Gowani asked if I'd like to judge some of the art and I'm glad I did. It was very inspiring to see the outpouring of volunteers and members of the Ismaili community celebrating their values through art. Judging was certainly challenging, as there was a lot of beautiful work. What I enjoyed most was talking to artists and people just there to enjoy art and support while I walked around the gallery. Thanks to Shamim, Farzana, Karim and all the other wonderful volunteers and artists who worked so hard to put it all together. I hope this is the first of many. Good luck to all those who passed this round and on to the next in Lisbon, but I hope that regardless of how a piece 'scored' that it is the thought and the process of creating that really matter.

Gibson Girl with model Marissa Gomez sketches

Another costumed session at Center Stage Gallery, featuring model Marissa Gomez as a Gibson Girl. Here are some of my sketches from the 3 hour session. Medium: markers and watercolor.

Mariachi Dancer with model Toni Czechorosky

Another costumed session at Center Stage Gallery, featuring model Toni Czechorosky, who filled in graciously as the model for the night was unable to come. Here are some of my sketches from the 3 hour session. Medium: watercolor.

Secret Agent with model Michael

Another costumed session at Center Stage Gallery, featuring model Michael, who filled in graciously as the model for the night was unable to come. As we waited, Michael, who works security at the gallery, filled in with some fun poses. Here are some of my sketches from the 3 hour session. Medium: watercolor and markers.

Cowboy with model Andy Flaster

Another costumed session at Center Stage Gallery, featuring model Andy Flaster. Here are some of my sketches from the 3 hour session. Medium: watercolor and markers.

Tree Spirit with model Mather Louth

Another costumed session at Center Stage Gallery, featuring model Mather Louth. Here are some of my sketches from the 3 hour session.

Bowler Hat Guy with model Johnathon Cripple

After a long time, I managed to squeeze in time to do some life drawing. I went to a costumed session at Center Stage Gallery, featuring model Johnathan Cripple. Here are some of my sketches from the 3 hour session.

Raza Khan

Poster from Find Raza campaign, hashtag #findraza

Raza Khan, a peace activist in Lahore disappeared on Dec 2, 2017. Raza is someone that Kristeen and I both knew and spent time with. We along with his family and friends are concerned for Raza's safety, particularly due to the climate of disappeared persons in Pakistan. Kristeen met him in India at a festival organized to bring friendship and peace relations between India and Pakistan a few years ago. Later, we both met him several times in Lahore, Pakistan while I was working on my Sufi, puppetry film.He is a humble person, cherished by the community and involved in intitiatives to help make Pakistan a place for all who call it home. Selfless people like Raza are rare, and we, as a society are in dire need of them. The culture of disappeared citizens that continues in Pakistan serves to silence the voices that are most needed, in order to promote harmony, compassion and ultimately positive political change.We urge that people and organizations place pressure on the Pakistani government to work with its intelligence agencies to locate Raza Khan and all disappeared citizens across the country, and return them to the communities and families that need them.In seeking the safe return of disappeared activists as well as journalists, we urge the government to take steps to use the resources that only it has to find and safeguard the democracy of Pakistan and remove the threat of violence for voicing opinions and creating conversations that are ultimately needed to build stronger communities.In this case, the Government of Pakistan is best in a position to find and safely return Raza and other similarly disappeared citizens. To this end, we the people of Pakistan and people of the world can make this happen by placing pressure on the Pakistani Government to find and return Raza and other disappeared people.Learn more:Find Raza Facebook PageTake action (from the page of Beena Sarwar):If you are outside the country, consider writing to the Pakistani authorities listed below and urge them to:Order an immediate investigation into Raza Khan’s fate and whereabouts, keeping his family fully informed and updated at all times.Order an immediate, impartial and independent investigation into this and all enforced disappearances, publicly disclose the findings and bring those suspected of criminal responsibility to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty;End the practice of enforced disappearances and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance;Ensure that activists, human rights defenders, journalists, academics and members of the political opposition can peacefully exercise their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association.CHIEF MINISTER OF PUNJABChief Minister Secretariat7-Club Road, GOR-1Lahore, PakistanTel: +92 42 992 04906Fax: +92 42 992 04915Twitter: @CMShehbaz / @GovtOfPunjabSalutation: Honourable Chief MinisterINSPECTOR GENERAL OF PUNJABPolice Captain (R) Arif Nawaz KhanCPO Complex,Bank Road, Old AnarkaliLahore, PakistanPhone: +92 42 992 10062Fax: +92 42 992 10064Email: psogigp.cpo@punjabpolice.gov.pkSalutation: Dear Inspector GeneralSend copies to Pakistan’s ambassadors at consulates and embassies in your country.Sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/find-raza-khan-a-social-activist-gone-missing-from-lahore?recruiter=10953615&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish

Kathputli Colony Loss and Hope

I feel at a loss. Yesterday, I read the news that residents of Kathputli Colony in Delhi, India were bulldozed out of their homes. This is a colony of artists that migrated to this unwanted space about 50 years ago. Traditional puppeteers, magicians, acrobats, fire breathers and other performers and artists have made their home, in difficult conditions, without the benefits of government services and utilities.Hesitantly, I just called Puran Bhatt. I hesitated, because I don't know what I can offer and can only imagine how many people he has spoken to already. So I called him, and his response was suprising. He spoke to me, his voice hoarse and the connection unstable over the phone. He told me that what was, was as it had to be. They did not need any funds. He has moved into the transit colony. His hopes and the hopes of his community are just that their children will be given ownership of their own homes as promised. Any support in ensuring that happens is all that he asks. Besides that, he hopes that his children and those of his community can receive modern skills training in computers, so that they can both build upon their traditions and survive in the future.These artists have weathered the changing economies that have erased much of their already modest incomes. Yet they have continued to perform, and even innovate in the art forms handed down through generations in their families. Though these same artists are paraded out to showcase Indian culture at large events and for visiting dignitaries, they have not seen the financial rewards that should accompany the rich representation of culture that is readily being foresaken for short term financial gain.So, before speaking to Puran, I was at a loss for what to do. As usual, it is the artists themselves who have provided those answers. They inspire me with their resiliance in the face of challenges that I can't fully imagine. They inspire me to continue the uphill battle of raising funds for 'Risalo', my puppetry film in collaboration with Puran Bhatt and his team.Despite not being able to get a visa to India, I worked with Puran Bhatt, from the Kathputli to create the puppets for the film over phone and email while working directly with musicians and other artists in Pakistan. My wife was in India, and she visited him and picked up the custom puppets he created along with premade puppets from Rajesh Gurjargour in Udaipur.I worked with scores of artists to put together the music, puppets and backgrounds for the film. I brought these back to Los Angeles, pieced together work, built more skills, struggled to find full time work to replenish or at least stay afloat, while writing proposals, applying for grants and seeking support to bring a small group of puppeteers from Delhi to Los Angeles to shoot the film despite political, geographical and financial barriers that keep us apart.So how can you help? Hire these traditional artists and create new opportunities. Support projects that include these artists. Share skills that could be relevant to their future. For my part, I am working to raise funds to complete 'Risalo'. In addition, I have been creating youtube videos with lessons on animation techniques in Urdu/Hindi and English.Here is a documentary on the Kathputli Colony called Tomorrow We Disappear.

Rajasthani Kathputli Watercolor Sketch

Just a practice sketch, sharing some tips with my friend Rajan.

Doctors and Engineers at Nisei Week

I went to see my friends Doctors and Engineers perform at Nisei Week. As always, they pack a lot of energy into their live performances. They are definitely a band to see live. The Nisei Week celebrations were a lot of fun with floats, music and food, in Little Tokyo, here in downtown Los Angeles.

Belle and Sebastian, Spoon at the Hollywood Bowl

Thanks to my friend Melisa, I got to enjoy Belle and Sebastian and Spoon perform at the Hollywood Bowl. What a great show. I enjoyed Kristin Kontrol's opening set too, but did not get a chance to sketch. It's been a while since I sketched at a music show. It was quite dark at the Bowl, but the music was so great, I had to try and sketch something down. In the end, I don't expect great sketches. It's more the act of creating something while in that moment that brings me this high, or this feeling of absolute bliss.

SANA Conference 2017 Sunday

Having presented the night before, I hoped to speak to more people about my puppetry film, 'Risalo', based on the poetry of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai. It's difficult to walk into a crowd, on your own, and try to ask for help. It certainly helped that a good number of people had at least seen my presentation. It's not always about trying to gain the support of hundreds of people. I feel that getting the support of key community members can really help to advocate for this effort.I went to El Dorado park at the tail end of the SANA picnic there. I thought that was a pretty great idea, to have a fun outdoor portion of the event. The weather was great and it is a beautiful park. I managed to follow up with a few people and got some suggestions on how I can leverage SANA's help a bit further. Every bit of help is appreciated. I'm really working on this by myself as I push for outside momentum to help me. There is a great deal of interest in the work that has been completed and the potential for what remains, but translating that into the resources needed to shoot the film is challenging. We take pride in culture, but what does that culture mean to us? How do we define it? What are those symbols and representations that are vital to its definition? To me, it is a support of the ideas and practices that are unique and beautiful within a community. That support must take the form of forward thinking action that takes care of those practitioners and exemplifiers of these ideals, or it will vanish into the homogeny of our every day race to make money and assimilate into purely capitalistic goals. Not everything that has value makes money. Therefore, it is up to people to value by supporting. It is very much of an up hill battle, and I do often question how much longer I should fight for it, before wrapping things up and moving on. For if a community does not place value in the future of its culture, who am I to resist it?Well, thankfully I am extremely stubborn and I tend to piece together every kind word, or thought in the direction of my efforts to motivate me to keep working, on top of every person that has made any bit of effort to help along the way. None of these people can be forgotten and neither can the value that I place in them. So I continue.I went to the evening dinner and enjoyed company with some more well wishers. Every idea and even the smallest bit of help, will inch this effort forward. There was a musical program featuring Humaira Channah, a well respected Pakistani singer. In addition to that, there was a wonderful fundraising effort, to support SANA, and even more so, educational scholarships in Sindh. It made my heart happy to see the generous outpouring of support. I taught in Universities in quite a few cities in Pakistan. I have met students from rural backgrounds for whom theirs is the first journey to higher education in their families. These students are often there despite the odds, while more financially able students don't always have the same sense of appreciation for that opportunity. It truly is life changing.I hope that in time, with continued effort, that I can complete my film, 'Risalo' and continue my efforts to support those artists who preserve, represent and share our culture, for they too work despite all odds stacked against them, to remind us of who we are and what we can become. Thanks to SANA for welcoming me and giving me a chance to share.