“We have art so we may not die of reality”
~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Just ordered this book - Fruits - I’m intrigued

from Amazon -  From off the peg to off the wall, kitsch to bitch, each person bears a combination and philosophy as distinctive as DNA. All shades of aesthetic are raided, with exquisite, scrupulous attention to detail. Punk is a favorite, as is, appropriately, Vivienne Westwood, alongside Milk and Jean-Paul Gaultier, and the occasional Comme des Garçons. Many of the outfits, though, are second-hand or self-assembly, such as a skirt drooping petals of men’s silk ties, Wa-mono, when traditional Japanese clothes are topped with, say, an authentic bowler hat, EGL (elegant gothic Lolita), and a swathe of tartans, pinks, and turquoises. The most malleable feature, unsurprisingly, is hair, with dreadlocks, mohicans, back-combing, and crops dyed an irradiated spectrum. While the eye is drawn, obediently, to the mannequins, the background is often worth a look, either for the vending machines against which a number are shot, or the ubiquitous Gap store and bags, a constant reminder of the global mass market.

… the portraits gathered in photographer Shoichi Aoki’s book Fruits, from the streets of Harajuku in Tokyo, point the way to an extraordinarily imaginative and invariably stunning glut of mongrel fashion heists. A best-of collection from the fanzine of the same name, and published for the first time outside Japan, Fruits keeps its style clean: front-on, razor-sharp images, ranging from the deadpan to the manic, of the sharpest collages of sartorial influence that, usually, little money can buy.

at the Santa Fe Flea Market in Tesuque thru the end of summer. I am in booth A6 which has become both my shop and outdoor studio.

Here you will find ALL 6 of my tribal designs. Available in both the fully painted tee and the painted sleeve only tee.

The feedback has been amazing and I am discovering that men really want them too (in short sleeve).

My favorite quote so far - “Kinda like Ed Hardy - only cooler!” from a teenager

I love meeting all the people, connecting directly with the public and really showing up for my work. peace out.

That is the question.

So, I’ve been noticing a trend lately when being drawn to another artist and their work. They have something to say and are a bit controversial. Now, this doesn’t always mean that I resinate with their work but they make me think and go deep.

Photographing and video taping my press kit, pretty revealing stuff. The question keeps coming up - what do you want others to get from your art? how do you wish to inspire others?

I am a child of the 60’s, where imagination and expression had no boundaries. Free love, fairy dancing, peace, altered minds - a new way of living. Whatever you could imagine in your mind (drug altered or not) could conceivably exist.

Living near San Francisco really brought this idea home. You are limited only by your imagination.

Also, being raised in the tradition of  feng shui created a sense of awareness of energy and surroundings. Probably why I paint landscapes.

And finally, dreamtime. My dreams have always been interactive, message carriers, techni-color, visceral. My first dream while being awake happened on my 30th birthday. What an amazing gift! (Thank you Grandfather) This showed me a new way of experiencing life and off I went into unseen territory.

So, my answer is multi-dimensional. Stretch your imagination, discover your own world, pay attention to your dreams and what they show you, seek out your own vision and answers and then share them with us.

We would love to experience you!

So, the question is - What is your message?

Congratulations to Leslie M of www.leslielovesveggies.blogspot.com for winning my tshirt contest.

A big thank you to Valerie at www.sweeps4bloggers.blogspot.com for hosting the contest.

Many thanks to everyone who participated and shared their dreamtime. I loved reading everyone’s experience and it really reinforced just how important our dreams are.

I would like to share my most significant dream:

Ever since I was little my grandmother said she would come and visit me in my dreams. And she has many times.

My most significant dream happened during the time my grandmother was slowly passing away. She came to visit me while I was sleeping at a friend’s house. She stood over me wearing a large black cape and I could feel her watching me. I was in the inbetween state of sleeping and waking and remember turning over, half asleep and seeing the outline of her dark figure standing over me. I was very aware of every thought and emotion that I was experiencing. When I became fully conscious, the whole room was filled with the scent of roses. I know she was making sure I was aware of her transition and that I would be alright. And many times since, my home has filled up with the particular scent of a special incense she would burn to clear the house. Then I know she is close by.

May all your dreams come true!!!

I am slowly, slowly putting together my first press kit. And I’m so very happy with how these new promo shots came out. Working on a video next.

Not too much time for anything right now…working 7 days a week. Missing my painting but always finding time to add a little paint to my body. I’ve been coloring my skin with clay, dirt, foods, henna and paint since I was little. It feels so good! There is something natural, exotic and fundamental about it for me. It connects me to the earth, to my body, to my art and creative expression. I become part of the landscape.

Thanks Anthony for your amazing photography!

Hi Everyone!

WIN one of my hand-painted tribal/tattoo style tshirts featured on www.sweeps4bloggers.blogspot.com

Check out their site for detailed instructions, then come back here and
reply to the question below:

What is the most significant dream you’ve ever had and why?

Don’t forget to add me to your Twitter account!

Valerie at www.sweeps4bloggers.blogspot.com will choose the winner

Good Luck!!!!

REVIEW  from www.sweeps4bloggers.blogspot.com -

Chantal Monte is a talented artist living in New Mexico - her art comes from within and is a reflection of her dreams. I love the way the colors and the lines naturally flow in her paintings and in her wearable art.  You can see the influence of the teachings of her Indonesian grandmother in her style - she’s used her life experiences to create unique pieces.  She isn’t just creating products -she is creating and sharing her art.

Amy sent me a glowing testimonial along with a beautiful photo by Andrea C. Buskey 

“I get so many compliments every time I wear this shirt! And when I explain the handpainting techniques Chantal used to create it, people are in awe. I’m honored to wear the work of such a talented artist, and my life is all the more colorful for it!” –Amy R.