Autumn Dawn

Once rain comes, it’s autumn’s dawn

Sacred Mountain – Cougar Run

Into the sky – the arrow flies

Warrior Revenge

Savage Eye –

Prudent but Loyal

The Eagle will fly

Hawk to meet the Ancestors

To protect the skies

Buffalo to feed the hunger of man

Teepee paintings

In Vision I touched with my hand

Hold Selah in the heart of the night

Bring the Sky Angel to morning light

The dew in the meadow

Selah, Sing Selah

Once the Rain Comes

It’s Autumn’s Dawn

Twilight bestowed on children’s eyes

Selah Cry

Tear of Beloved

To Live to Love

To Love Selah

Cry – Die – Cry

Live life to sigh

To Cry

To Die

To you, my mother

To you, my mother

Whether the rain falls

or the sun shines

you are in my heart

to live and breathe

Each day you are alive

In the moment

of harshness

I said some things

that I did not mean

and all the while

I was loving you.

You are a windsong

a sonnet, a poem writer

a storyteller and a friend

I love you

to the very end.

— For Carolyn’s mother, deceased May 8, 2009.

The Beginning 

Would you take a gift in hand

and leave it in the sand?

Unopened? Unused? Would you?

Would you take a heart away

have nothing to say

not even goodbye?

Would you? Could you?

I never believed it would be

like this –

It hurts –

Eternally –

No one to see –

I will rediscover

my dignity

Carolyn Havenhill is a survivor of domestic violence and currently incarcerated at the Central California Women’s Facility (part of the U.S. prison system) for a crime which she regrets. She’s working to transform her life through writing and education, and would love to network with other writers. She’s seeking a volunteer editor to take a look at her poetry to prepare it for publication, as well as further submission opportunities.

You may find more of her story at www.freebatteredwomen.org and/or through searching her name online.

She may be reached through this address (postal mail is the best way to reach U.S. prisoners):

Carolyn Havenhill

W-57827

514-01-04L

Central California Women’s Facility

P.O. Box 1508

Chowchilla, CA 93610

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I put my finger in
and feel the tug
while the water runs up my hand.

I pull away startled.
Notice something different: a surprise.

Tingling sparking,
water moving,
electric.

I put my hand in.
It washes my arm.
I can feel it’s living.
The water is alive.

I put my toes in to
feel it crawling, sneaking up me.

Finally, I take a sip and can feel it
within me.

A new drink for a new person
as it changes from
the inside out.

Glorious firework reaction,
wash over me.

The Lab is seeking visual art, literary, and performance submissions for a group exhibition uncovering the shadow side of art.

Of particular interest are proposals that investigate negative astral correspondences in art history. We are looking for two- and three-dimensional pieces, video, installation, interactive, and experimental works involving anarchic local counterculture rituals, nihilist esoterica, and a generally arcane aesthetic.

Submissions must be received by June 1, 2010. Please do not send packages that must be signed for upon delivery, or that must be picked up from the post office.

To submit, please send:

• 5 − 7 images: jpeg or gif, Mac formatted, no larger than 1MB each, on CD (no FTP or YouSendIt)

-or-

• 3 − 5 pages of manuscript or manuscript excerpt: 2 hard copies and a Word doc or pdf on CD

-or-

• Up to 3 video samples — we will watch the first five minutes of each

(Please note: while we will review artist websites if you submit a link, we do not currently accept online file transfers such as DropBox or Box.net. Thank you for your flexibility.)

• An artist statement

• A CV or résumé

• Complete contact info

• A SASE if you would like your materials returned

Please send materials to:

The Lab
Attn: Black Lab
2948 Sixteenth Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

As I was walking to my car last week after teaching junior high school, I noticed a rectangular bush with two Easter Lilies hiding in it. I started thinking about Easter approaching and how there can be such anguish and such joy all wrapped up in one Holiday. Life is like that. Sometimes the sunshine and the joy is hidden for a season. Sometimes all we see in front of us is a cruel cross. Yet, if we believe that He has risen indeed and He is alive, all things in our lives have the potential to become joyful and new. As we realize He did something for us we could never do for ourselves, we rejoice in His love and we want to share it with others. We want them to know His power to raise them up to new heights of joy and belief. When all I see in front of me is confusion, I begin to praise the one who is all powerful and all knowing. Often, the greatest joys in our lives are hidden in Christ.

Patsy Ledbetter welcomes the chance to network with other writers and is hosting a Writers’ Brunch at her San Lorenzo, California home the morning of Saturday, May 15th. She may be reached at patsyled@sbcglobal.net

Ruben Monakhov on the concept behind the still life series:

Almost every piece of figurative art could be considered as a still life, no matter what the artist paints. For the viewer it’s a set of recognizable objects placed within a certain background, so they feel they know what they’re seeing.
But I’ve decided to show the viewers, that their knowledge of the surrounding world is incomplete — there are still some things which viewers don’t notice.

For example, we often take perspective for granted. Perspective not only helps us to see space, but also changes the character of things around us. So, without the element of perspective it can be difficult to recognize some of the objects on my still lifes.

Ruben lives in Russia and may be reached at rubenm.spb.ru@gmail.com or through his website, http://rubenm.spb.ru He welcomes the opportunity to receive feedback on his work and network with other artists.

Masonville

A chilling breeze of air skims the surface of a moonlit ocean.  It blows inland from the gulf.

It seeps through corn meadows, 
It tapers around old cedar trees.
The trees combust into the night, exploding with thunder,  dissolving and collapsing into a fiery soup.

Breezes are pushed up, vaulted high over  burning trees and into a cloud formation.  The fires go out as  clouds hover and mass, anticipating this new breeze, awaiting its arrival.
Thirstily, greedily, instantly, the new winds are absorbed.

Daybreak in the stratosphere,
Misty forms abound.  Cotton candy castles slowly rotate and glide.
Woolen capes flutter above long vaporous
gowns that twinkle and tremble with an irridescent splendor.
Such a frothy promenade,
Drifting westward, at a most stately pace.

Look
Down
Down, far below this feathery ceiling,
Where the black becomes blue
Where the blue goes to white
Where the white moves into yellow
And the yellow begins to heat
With all the promising, resonant oranges
of dawn.

It is there
Where the broad palms of the sun caress the cherubs’ cheek of earth
It is there you will find the town of Masonville.

People ready themselves for their morning routines.  Rollers are being removed from overworked hair.  Permanent-Press pants are being re-ironed.  Children are being overfed, then overdressed for school.
The rugged Cassidy Mountains are now ornamented by newly painted homes
Full of loving, hopeful, fearful families.

Floyd Logan has lived various places within the United States and currently makes his home in San Rafael, north of San Francisco. He would love to hear from, be mentored by, and network with other writers, and is currently seeking publication opportunities. Logan may be reached at floydlogan08@webtv.net 

Want your artwork hanging in reputable art galleries?

Hear directly from art galleries about what they are looking for

and what they expect in a professional artist.

“RISE ABOVE THE CROWD: Presenting Yourself as a Professional Artist”

– Insight from local art gallery directors on what galleries are looking for and how to approach them

with GUEST SPEAKERS: Deborah Jean Harmon of Hang Art gallery (www.hangart.com), Steven Lopez of

ArtZone 461 gallery (www.artzone461.com), and Olivia Ongpin ofFabric8 gallery (www.fabric8.com)

Wednesday, April 28th, 7-9PM

at ARC STUDIOS & GALLERY, 1246 Folsom Street, San Francisco /www.arcsf.net

ADMISSION: $20 at the door

www.SFArtistNetwork.org

* Synchronized Chaos Editor’s Note – we are not affiliated with Stephen Wagner or the SF Artist Network as a magazine, but I personally have heard him speak on marketing and he was quite knowledgeable and well-prepared. This is a great deal compared to getting this information from art school or other classes. Highly recommended for aspiring artists and those early in their careers.