New Moon Video :: Glendale

Published on October 19, 2017

In June of 2018 my family and I are moving to Costa Rica. Before we leave, my husband Hansel and I have decided to create a project together that is part love letter and part thanksgiving to the beautiful state of Arizona that we have made our home for the last 11 years.

As a family we are visiting places that are near and dear to our hearts and connecting with them in the ways we do best as individual artists — I through painting, Hansel through video and photography.

Each month we will release our video collaboration on the New Moon — which to us signifies new beginnings as well as the end of a cycle. My intention with these paintings is not to paint what I see — but rather to connect with the Earth more intimately and express my sincerest gratitude for all that this land and this time here has both taught and given me.

You can view our New Moon videos HERE.

Today I introduce our fifth video in our series: Glendale.

Today’s New Moon video was shot in Glendale, AZ at this little hide-away that is really special to me.

Every now-and-then I wake up my son Phoenix early and we go to this special spot with breakfast and a blanket to watch the sunrise over the lake.

When he was a toddler, Phoenix made his own land art there as well!

But I guess the thing I love most about this spot is that nobody is ever there!

So it always feels like my secret hide-away whenever I simply need space to myself.

When we move, gosh! I’m really going to miss it.

This project Hansel and I are doing together has really shown me how deeply we can feel a connection to a space — just as if it was a person or an animal.

What’s even more powerful to me is that the space itself doesn’t have to be breathtakingly gorgeous even.

I feel more connection to this little spot in suburbia that sits on the side of the road, then I do standing on the majestic red rocks in Sedona — which I do love dearly too of course!.

But this spot holds many memories for me. This spot helped me process through some tough times. And this spot is where I’ve shared the magic of a sunrise with my son — that’s probably the best part.

So one last thing I want to share before you watch the video is that when Hansel and I create these collaborations all I do is show up and paint. He’s in charge of shooting video and then editing it when he gets home.

This is his way of connecting to our intention.

I don’t have much say in this part of the process and so many times I’m seeing the finished version with fresh eyes.

The song he chose for today’s video is a cover of Fast Car by Tracy Chapman. It’s kind of funny to see me heading up to this little hide-away driving my car with this song going. But it’s even deeper then that.

Hansel, Phoenix, and I have this thing we do sometimes when we’re bored. We get in the car and we drive to totally random towns in Arizona and go exploring — see what interesting people, places, stores, art, or nature we can find! We always play this song with the windows down as we head out on our random adventure.

But this song also reminds me of Cleveland, Ohio — where I was born and raised. I can very clearly remember riding in the car as a kid with the windows down and my Mom playing this song too.

By the way, Tracy Chapman is from Cleveland too.

I guess it’s just another reminder on how art and life do their magic dance together — how time can sometimes be seamless.

How much beauty there is around us and in us and most of all between us.

So now that you know some of the significance behind this New Moon Video — maybe there will be some special messages locked in it for you as well.

I hope so — press play!

[vc_video link=’https://vimeo.com/238850880′]