"Clicking Away..."

In 1994 or 95, when Ceci and I began our sojourn in friendship love, we experienced spans of time when we would just not leave each others abodes. One such campout involved an altered state of viewing of 'The Wizard of Oz': sound turned mute, and Pink Floyd's, "Dark Side of the Moon" tuned in with the roar of the Lion - if properly situated, this is a memorable experience for anyone. For me, this movie I had known so well from childhood was transformed, opened up; and an interest in the juxtaposition of great music with film was turned topsy turvy in expanded possibilities. (I would like to give props to our dear PSL friend Hutch who was also instrumental in the film/music love affair I still revel in, by his introduction of Bernardo Bertolucci to me - muchas gracias!) I cannot help but acknowledge the Wicked Witch of the West, who is melting into the Wasps furious whirlwind of green puzzled buzz at the bottom right of "swell", as a homage to this deepening time in our uniting - and oh my, perhaps Glinda will appear down the road of weeks too.

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In this same vein of sleepovers, I do remember the shock of unbelief when "Northerns" first unveiled as a commonality of passion between Cec and I. My memory pictures me heading over to Cec's pad in IV with a quart of OJ to give her some TLC when she was not feeling well. From her nest, she called out to me to make myself at home; that I should help myself to whatever, including this or that movie available to watch, or, "there's a bunch of Northern Exposure episodes on tape in that bottom drawer".
I was stunned by this sudden mention of my recently developed TV show obsession.
I called out, "um, have we ever talked about this before?, because I LOVE Northern Exposure and you just said you have a load of episodes recorded in your collection."
And so, the cat was out of the bag, and now, here it is exposed to ZBOOk blog...
We are aficionados and connoisseurs of the 90's TV masterpiece of story and character and music, etc., etc., called 'Northern Exposure'. Here on the right page of "swell" you can read one of many quotes found in Zbook from said seasons. More on this to come, no doubt!
-off to my own destiny, -J.

"come back right here & we'll talk more"

In 1999, I lived in Guadalajara, Mexico for 6 months and taught art at an elementary school.  At the time, ZBOOK was just shy of 4 years old.  A couple months into my stay, J flew down for an awesome visit and hand delivered ZBOOK into my care for the next round.  Barely anyone had seen ZBOOK by this time; it wasn't something that we widely shared during those years.  We coveted it like the precious personal gem that it was.  

Well, one day at school the next week, I was spending my lunch hour in the school yard where my 2nd grade students had their recess.  As always, I pulled out my journal to draw or write or whatever, and on this day I also pulled out ZBOOK, which when in my procession I always had with me as well.  "Ms. Ceci! what IS thAT?" one of my students suddenly said as she appeared at my side.  "Oh, well, this is Z BOOK," I said.  A few more girls ran up and soon I had a group of them all around me with bewildered eyes.  I felt at once a calming and beautiful trust come over me.  This was a knowing that I could share ZBOOK with them and that it would be a delight.  As the girls circled around me, I told them about my dear friend Jennifer, how we met in school doing art, how we knew from the first day we connected that there was something crazy good going on and that we must create together, how we decided to begin a journal together to play and document in, and how we had been exchanging and creating this book for almost 4 years, and counting.  All this while I leafed through ZBOOK showing them the pages of drawings, words, cut out stuff, found stuff, and of course, stickers :)  Fireworks of questions and comments and ideas flurried forth from these 7 yr olds and our dialogues began to take the shape of animated paintings rather than conversations.  

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Throughout the next week I would pull out ZBOOK during lunch/recess and explore it in depth with these wonderful girls, many times one on one as they would individually take a breather from their yard play.  I began to scribe some of the things that they would say along the inner spine seams of the page-spreads.  Many of these quotes were first written on pages that were empty at the time, and the pages grew around them.  I would just randomly open the book to write these (as both J and I so often do with words in our books).  

On this page ("swell") I think there were only the small pen line drawings of the interlinked circles and triangles, when I wrote on it what little Angela said one day. The bell had chimed to end recess, right in the middle of a colorful exchange we were having about making drawings with friends.   As she got up to get in line for class I said "how about next recess?" and she said with a smile, in her excellent English, "come back right here & we'll talk more."   "Okay, Angelita, right here."  :)

∞ ceci

6

In love with the light

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I believe we have both been drawn to this weeks spread because it speaks to us of pathways. And, as week one allowed us to open the gates of arrival, shouting "hello" to our "change of venue", this piece leads us into the river of our journey. My own dive into "swell" starts at the feet - which look to me like they are a craft of transportation along a maze of incredible sights. My juicy experience in this feast of painting, collage and words is heightened by the ever changing light quality. Yes, perhaps you can imagine that in person, holding ZBOOK, the sun sticker in the middle of the left side, actually blazes with brightness at times. Unbellievably, this quality is visibly tangible in the rays which have caught a different angle of light and thus popped in the scan, as has the brilliant yellow reflection of the leaf image (also a sticker piece). And this light dance is apparent in the sunset colors on the water of the middle-right, which if memory serves me, I shaded with irridecent colored pencils - awesome tools! I actually find myself moving around in viewing this onscreen, not with the mouse, but with my head and shoulders, trying to activate that transformation of the light which is possible in person, and oddly, I feel as though that potential has been captured. Props go out to the folks at ART & SIGN for helping us transfer the object of ZBOOK into these magnificent scans for online and otherwise - Thank you! And many cheers to Gladys for years of continued support - you da best mamma!

Finally, in keeping this post dedicated to "swells" movement through light play, I can't ignore the giant multicolored fly / bee whose wings are flashing with said light. I myself am not convinced of its truthful species thus the slash. I do know that when this creature first showed up on this page, and ever since, I have found it shocking, and that shock has always manifested in a strange laugh releasing from me upon sighting - it's never not come! I must admit that I love this bug (even now, I am giggling disturbingly), for multiple reasons, one being that it lifts me in its flight; it is an unexpected vehicle for my imagination. Perhaps another day, I will expand upon my love of the bug, but for now, I leave you with a word reflection from the seem of "swell" (just in case its hard to decipher).... "come back right here, we'll talk more....LUSH".
Be Good,
-J.

week two>> "swell"

"Zis spread chose itself to present this week.  In the cosmic dance enveloping Ceci and Jennifer, there exists shade, and in this shade, there is an undeniable psychic link refreshing their connection and work together always.  So, in the quest to continue sharing ZBOOK, in the pursuit to honor the path of play and vision manifesting, these two have been led by unseeable forces TO GET HOLY and give the world "swell".
~ZBOOK

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Welcome to week two of ZBOOK 4EVER! Our launch week was sO fun, thrilling really.  It's like we are taking our creative mischief onto a new playing field, where we can play together and share the colors of our thoughts and dreams, just like in ZBOOK!  Please join us!  I can't wait to dive into this week's spread: "swell."  Again, one of our faves.  And I want to share some other stuff that's going on this week too. See you here! And thanks so much for your visits and love. Please chime in with your thoughts too in "comments."  ~ceci

in gratitude

Jennifer & Ceci