correspondence

postcard from ~J, arrived 5/11/10   click for larger view

We correspond, ~J~ and I.  In many ways.  Especially the in the arena of postcards.  We've delighted in sending postcards to each other for almost as long as we've been pals.  In 1997 I traveled Mexico a bit and ~J, post graduation, went on a world tour, traveling the globe solo (what a badass).  Our postcard correspondence did thus commence.  Each postcard from ~J's global pilgrimage was a story, each image a visual treat, each arrival a quiet thrill.  For 10 years, as ~J~ and I went on to live in different places, the postcards continued.  And even after I moved to Los Angeles in 2006, and now see each other with joyful frequency , our exchange via post has never ceased.  Our on going postcard collection is as thick or thicker than ZBOOK, and certainly an extension of it.  Or more like, our books and postcards are an extension of US.  

"life"     click for larger view

Behold the postcard I got in the mail this week! Thank you ~J~   It is dated "Four, Twenty, Two Thousand and Ten" which was our ZBOOK 4EVER launch date a month ago.  Sometimes a card does like to hang out for a while before actually getting into that bluebox portal, I know how that is ~J  :)  And always the timing of arrival reveals itself to be perfect!  Just look at this image of underwater life!  Speaks directly to our ZBOOK page of THIS week, yet was chosen and written 4 weeks ago; only this week did it finally make it's way into the post.  Love it.  You know, life.  O yeah, and "life"!  This postcard's image playfully puts into perspective my sense of a subterranean realm as being a bottomless abyss.  I am seeing that it is also just fishbowl, whether ocean or any vast unknown darkness, making it manageable after all.  Instead of feeling tiny and insignificant, dive in and feel your immense divinity, bigger than life!  And then BAM! the world is in your hands.

∞ ceci
6

red ink

If you could smell this page, you might detect the faint lingering of a soul satisfying scent; like the memory of inhaling the rich perfume of a full bloomin red rose in the spring.  As Ceci brought forth her study of neurons in her last post, I call attention now to my devotion to color with all its glorious sacrifices and offerings.  Noted in Cec's post, the red ink which came in to the being of this neuron pregnated page dripped from my hand.  In fact, it flowed down the glass point of an old fashioned plume I purchased one fateful day on the westside of Melrose.  Not only was the implement an object of lust, the ink too was sultry; a small potent pot of scarlet, tinged with an olfactory hallucinagen.  That ink inspired me to great love letters as well as devoted entries in zbook and other manuscripts.  Here in "life", the glass pen was so smooth following the lines of Cec's neuron, I remember feeling intoxicated by the process. 

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 Often in these and other collaborations, each line stroke is felt with such sensuallness, the work of art becomes a means to explore the gifts of touch and sight.  The consuming lusciousness of working with the dip and flow of this pen and ink on this spread, led me to touching each image surface with the red color.  As previously mentioned, the red came in to existence years later than some of the imagery; I could guess it was in 1999 because that is when I was living with my grandmother for a spell in WestHollywood, and I was exploring the surrounding regions.  By that time in our collaboration, Cec and I had begun to really trust our give and take, trust subtlety and boldness so that we were really interacting in the artistic spaces, rather than just existing side by side.  Remnant from the early days is exposed on the left of "life" where the butterfly (Cec's drawing) and the shark (my totem) remain separate in their own corners.

Though i'd like to delve into the blues of the watercolor, my son has just awoken from deep sleep and I must bid adieu for tonight.  Bon Voyage fellow travelers.  Send a postcard.

-J.

I heart neurons

my first drawings of neurons straight from Histology textbook
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When I was living in Gudalajara, Mexico in 1999 I fell in love with neurons.  Those microscopic nerve cells that transmit information in our bodies, or in other words communicate.  Vinh, my then partner (and dear friend today) was studying medicine at the time and had given me his Histology texts because the images of the microscopic cells and tissues reminded him so much of my drawings, which at the time were made of super intricate lines with ink.  I was fascinated by these books and by the  incredible correlation between my art and the images the books revealed on the structure of our micro inner landscape.  One night I came upon the nervous system chapter and encountered neurons.  I was gripped at once; they appeared to be liitle entities, life forms with individual attitudes, identities, characters.  The nucleus of each neuron seems like an eyeball.  And that alone gives these little dudes personality.  And the fact that these cells do in fact serve as individual communicators in the body, well they might as well be their own life forms living in the galaxies inside the universe of our bodies.  I began to draw these lil' dudes of connectivity at once and incorporate them into my drawings of macro/micro worlds.  And on this page of ZBOOK, during this same time in Guad, I drew one here on the left, in purple fine point sharpie.  Years later ~J~ came in with blood red ink that set it off, connecting it with all the other life forms on the spread.

The Observer, acrylic on found wood, March 2010   click for larger view

To this day you will find neurons appear in my paintings.  What if the intelligent "life" we wonder about is not only "out there" but in here.  As we've been breaking down cells into atoms into protons and electrons into quarks and beyond we discover only more and more expanded space.  I'm fascinated by the life forms on all levels of being, inner and outer space, and what we all may have to communicate to each other. To reflect for one another in the learning about what is possible in ourselves.



∞ ceci
6

week four >> "life"

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Along the veins we travel now to "life".  Life painted in shades of blue and gray, life drawn in lines of black and red.  Sink into this spread as it draws you underwater to the silent sea bottom, where life is unfolding and bubbling.  As I become absorbed in the images here, I am drawn into the dance of the multi armed gymnast.  Her gesture lifts my own swerving chest and shoulders into the breadth of a wave.  Like kelp swaying endlessly underwater to the pulse of the current, my thoughts enter this world where sound is lit by an everpresent static.  My internal images float with this spreads suggestion to memories of existing in this undersea gallery. 

Particularly present in this moment is the feeling I still conjure up from a night dive with the UCSB scubadiving club.  Having entered the water off campus point at dusk, then swimming along a seaweed strewn pipeline to an anchored buoy; my partner and I raised to the surface to find the night had enveloped the sky.  Taking our courage, we lowered back into the dark water, with our flashlights on, following lobsters and an octopus and a pink spanish dancer... then, together, we signaled and turned out our lights.  The viscosity seemed to change in that instant.  I lost awareness of my bodies differentiation from the body of  the sea.  In that moment, life was one within and without of me.. it remains one of the most spiritually enlivening experiences of my life.  Everything was alive with pulsing light; where I thought it would be dark, it was electric.  The serenity of that experience lives with me and is pulled into being as I reflect on this weeks spread - knowing that it was surely influenced by that and other moments of tapping into the great silence of life.

One of our aims in sharing ZBOOK is pasted on this spread in the blurb at the top right (upside down from a time when we were experimenting with flipping zbook in all directions)
"Spiritual services with an enlightened touch" ...
we open this call by offering witness to your stories.

Feel free to take a moment now to pull into your presence one of your own moments of enlightenment.  Hear the silence, embrace the connectedness and see the vividness.  Then, please share a comment - share an image or a clarity of that moment in your life.  Share your healing story.

Be well and Blessings,
Jennifer

happy Mama day!

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dearest ~J~ happy mama day!

~J~ is a mother of 2 beautiful children, ~h~ is 8 and ~j~ is 3 in a couple days! ~J~ is truly the divine mama -it has been an honor and joy to witness J's opulent grace through her Being mother. The patient and ever present quality of her nurturing, the nurturing of her children's imaginations, creativity, & reverence for beauty, her devotion and earnest love for her family... ~J~ is an inspiration. Thank you ~J~ for the love you foster in your family is a gift to our planet. happy day! love u, cec

J & all~ Have you heard of StoryCorps? It's a nonproft group who has set up recording booths in public places all over the U.S. for people to freely enter in pairs to share a conversation, sharing their voices, their story.  A copy of every story is stored at Library of Congress and StoryCorps has become, since 2003, one of the largest oral history projects in U.S. history.  The project has produced a couple books, one of which just came out, called "Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps"   It shares the conversations btwn mothers & their children.  Here is an excerpt from last friday's Democracy Now! where Amy Goodman interviews the founder of StoryCorps, Dave Isay, about the book and how prevalent and endearing the voices & stories of mothers have been during this amazing adventure in the gleaning of stories.

In the celebration of storytelling and of mamas everywhere, please enjoy... Happy mama day to all!

link to this

 Happy mama day to mama Gladys and mama Lucky! We love you, we are so grateful for you!

∞ ceci

6

our companion

~J~ holding ZBOOK  click for larger view

It is lovely to share with you the open spreads of pages from ZBOOK... but how about the object of the book itself?  Here see ZBOOK in our hands.  Our fearless companion through the many ventures of our lives from 21 to 35 years of age.  The book, which ~J~ and I created and communicated through over land, sea, and time, became it self a friend, a safe and fun place to release dreams and fears and wonderment.  When it would arrive into my hands for the next round with me, it would be the sweetest reunion, like with a best friend.  ZBOOK in my bag and we'd be ready to make any ol' outing a fun adventure.  What I see, what I feel, things I find... ZBOOK would receive it all.  Whenever ~J~ and I would do a hand to hand exchange of ZBOOK, the moment would have a very special and reverent quality, with a sweet sigh of profound honor.  And a touch of giddy.  [This continues today as we exchange our current through XBOOK, which was birthed 6 years ago.]  ZBOOK has held together pretty well considering the many years of wear and tear.  We carried it in a paper sleeve for many years, which was the envelope that license plates arrive by mail in, a perfect fit.  Today ZBOOK is housed in a soft grey leather book sleeve that I found at a vintage store in the town of Joshua Tree.

ceci holding ZBOOK   click for larger view

When you hold ZBOOK in your hands there is a lovely weight to it.  Open it up to pages overflowing with textures - of found object, collage, chalk, wax, ballpoint pen, stickers and rubber cement.  There are many occurrences of shine and iridescence -via metallic inks, paints and more stickers(!)- which make the pages come alive in endless ways under all the various lights of day or night.  It is very speical for us to share ZBOOK in person.  Maybe one day the opportunity will arise for you to meet ZBOOK. 

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∞ ceci

6

rootways

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Ceci spoke the word "root" today during our backyard conversation under the blossoming pomegranate tree....a word that is sticking to my thoughts and feelings as I embrace the mad CHAOS of 'indulge'.  There is in this spread so much overlapping and crossing of lines and colors that I feel as I look into it as if I am plunging into the dirt to extract the minerals from the soil.  I want to suck in these words which we once poured onto this page in our quest to form the spark of creative collaboration.  I want to drink their vitality with my straw.  Yet, something now holds me back from disecting the ground as I am drawn to do.  My sense is that in this page, I  know there is incredible power.  There is a certain sacredness here which leads me to a much more inward reflection.  Like walking the path of a spiral on the ground, this page with so much insanity vibrating all within it leads me to want to shed the chaos, rather than focus in on it.  As i walk the spiral of my thoughts, calming, clarifying, I receive a light of inspiration from this work.   Reflecting into the biography of our work, revealing the roots of our time together and the work both visible and invisible which has proceeded through the years to bring us to this place of inspiring collaboration - it is energizing!  It is so I believe because in this process of looking back with attention to each page, yes, it is wonderful to release the stories of time and places and people, that is thrilling, and more bright for me at this moment is the exhiliration that by engaging this reflective work, we are strengthening our current and potential work with layers of energy.  Yeeha!  And so, I leave this post, looking into the image of indulge for closing revelations... and I see the cutout of computer drones, labeled buyers and sellers, and in the center, we have written, INTERPRETERS - yes, we are interpreters of our own pathways on this day.
Blessings,
-J.

trust

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Looking at this "indulge" page it's hard to know where to focus. There are so many layers of different lines, shapes, and colors, and so chaotic in relation that it reminds me of acid jazz. Makes a lot of sense though considering the very first layer of the page was a storm itself. The words of our brainstorm for our colab show Indulge, back in 1996, written the first day of sharing this co-journal (!). The energy of those days must have been imprinted on the page because the shapes and lines that eventually emerged from it are all kinds of crazed.

Indulge was our first collaboration together. The first time we were officially putting our creative synergy to work. After the initial excitement, we got to work and soon found ourselves confronted with unexpected challenges. Perhaps we had taken our special bond for granted and assumed that because our co-creative play was so fluid that our co- creative work would follow suit. But here you had two very bold and independent individuals who were used to running their own ships. We now had choices to make- together. Roles to take on and now also give up. Shapes of visions to pursue and now also compromise. I discovered that although we shared an instant soul connection and kinship, the depths of out trust were still yet to be developed. I remember feeling rather shocked and disorientated, not knowing what was occurring, not being able to recognize that it was trust that was lacking in the moments of discord. Frankly, I couldn't fathom that trust could be an issue at all between us. But I was underestimating the great undertaking it is to create in partnership. Great and noble, that is if you can create boldly and humbly at the same time, and if you can truly trust each other's instincts and the independent life of the co-process.

It was a fantastic experience, that show. A vital one for us as artists and collaborators and friends. It was our reality check that our creative working relationship was not to be assumed into existence but instead was something to be developed and honed. I grew to see that we GET to develop and strengthen our art, our collaboration, our trust-- like any composition in the making. And that is precisely what we continued to do, little by liitle, more and more, for 14 years in the creation of ZBOOK. I remember our first drawings in ZBOOK were done in separate corners, so careful not to interfere with each other. Then slowly but surely at some point beginning to intertwine. And then a few years in, bold moves began in painting or collaging on top of other images, changing the entire essence of a page. That takes trust, on both sides, to let go and let it become. And when you do give that trust and receive it, wow, it feels amazing. Amazing to allow a piece to become what it must despite the ideas of your own mind. In the last 4 years we have been bringing closure to ZBOOK together, working the pages simultaneously (after ten years of switching it back and forth over distance and time). It has been exhilarating to observe the fluidity with which we now create together, like visually finishing each other's sentences. Yes we are amazing friends, but it is the amount of time and attention we have given to our co-creative work, via ZBOOK, that has cultivated the trust that makes the level of our collaboration today possible.

Thank you ~J~ from the depths of my soul for your incredible collaboration and amazing trust. love u.

∞ ceci

6

week three>> "indulge"

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Week three, yeah!  This week we explore a page-spread that is truly at the very roots of ZBOOK.  This is a page that was marked upon on the very first day of ZBOOK's existence in 1996.  We were at Freebirds in Isla Vista (student-town adjacent to campus where we lived) having burritos and a brainstorm for our upcoming collaborative show at Gallery 1434 at UCSB.   On one side we made lists of things "to do" in preparation for the event, and on the other random bursts of words inspired by the senses, for that was what this show was about.  The show, Indulge, was an interactive experience where people could explore indulgence in taste, fragrance, color, and touch.  There were stations where you could combine different foods and focus intently on the sensory experience.  Upon entering the gallery one would receive a card with guidelines and for this the words were initially brainstormed here on this page of our co-journal, ZBOOK.  Over the years this page has obviously evolved into a visual feast, but much like the show itself, has become rather overly decadent.  One of us, in this week's posts, is sure to get into the powdered sugar floor we created for the Indulge show and how that went ;)  ...and other stories...

Plus, we'll be sharing about some current brainstorms and curiosities.  Again, we would love to hear about what you think and your stories.  Please "comment"!  And email us ...it would be fun to post about your creative adventures too!

∞ ceci

6

"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

"change of venue"

I have spent a lot of time with this page, for years now just as it appears, and it amazes me that here today the story it tells me is one I've never felt before.  Perhaps art is not so much the object that, through transformation, has been created- perhaps art, at the very essence, is the transformation of the ever changing life experience and self identities within ourselves.  Produced objects of art mirror this art inside, our incarnation of the moment, reflecting our current mind sets and axis points. A piece of art is a reference point from which we can gage ourselves.  It never changes, but we do.

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So, this is where this piece, "change of venue" is indicating I am. For, how it strikes me today is:

Communication with different dimensions.  The zodiac is an earth language for humans to speak to one another about the universe "out there" reflecting the universe "in here."  We also use our invented languages, our agreed upon codes, to attempt to connect with life out side of us, life yet to be identified.  For centuries we observe the skies for signs of interplay.  So then, who is observing us?  Is there a relationship between the spirit world and the "intelligent life."  HELLO.  Well, for today let's play, Be free, and dance upon the regenerating field of trust.  Maybe that's the most powerful form of communication. And reception. 

How does it strike you?
∞ ceci
6

Unveilings

There are many stories unfolding in the spread we call "Change of Venue". It is a very nonlinear/ cosmic feeling being expressed. Create your own story starting from any point on the spread and travel around the spread allowing the story to reveal its identity to you through each image, each line, each color.

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One reading of "change of venue" begins in the top right, where the zodiac map is swirling in vibrant colors of animals and beings. It is as though the heavens are streaming into the open mind of the goddesses green face and she is then speaking their stories, propelling the tiny vehicle (perhaps a metaphor of the soul or the human spirit) onward with the vibrations of her words. Continuing counterclockwise, the movement, the vibration, rains down in waves of graphite and purple pen, like a veil of karma. At the bottom left, Z purple sage is poised to peer through this veil with his piercing minds eye meditation, described visually here as a giant telescope. (point of interest: the extended telescope is a cutout silver razor blade from a gillette add). Through his gaze into time and space, he sees a vision of a great angel as it watches in wonderment at the play in the world below. Is this a guardian angel, and is that sadness expressed in the face... depends on your point of view I suppose. For me, right now, it is an expression of deep inhalation of the perfume of joy being released from the dance of life expressed by the girls singing near the sea.

But then again, where does this story start for you?... in the sea, in the telescope, in the callout of "hello". When we chose to make this our first Zbook4ever blog selection, it was an inspiration that came through the veil in the words written long ago on the page - can you see them?
Tell us a piece of the story your mind imagines, its quite possibly new to us too!
-J.

Z recall

Well it is definitely a trip to look at these pages and attempt to recall the origins of each element that makes up the whole. I mean there are sO many layers, added over 14 years of life! On each page, 14 years of adding something here or there. sometimes we draw, sometimes we add something found, sometimes we paint, sometimes we add a thought, or a documentation, or a totally random phrase that tickles us at the time. Or a sticker! we love stickers :) Each page has had so many incarnations. I dream of a day when we Xray ZBOOK! Like they've done with Rembrandt paintings, to see all the faces of the piece that were created underneath.

This week's spread "change of venue" is one of our faves. There are some favorite spreads that we feel truly stand as pieces on their own. It's fun to feel out what myths and stories they evoke. And over time as well. What I see/feel today in this piece is certainly something I never conceived of before in prior years, or even months! I love how art serves as a reflection to myself about where I'm at currently in my thinking and experience of life.

welcome to Z blog! Week One>> "change of venue"

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Hello world! We are so excited to present to you: Zblog from ZBOOK! We have created this blog to share with you the pages from ZBOOK which we have been creating during the last 14 years of our collaboration and friendship. We will present a page-spread (full open book spread) from ZBOOK each week as a theme for us to reflect upon as we continue on our playful way of art making, illusion breaking, photo taking, object remaking and story awakening................!

If you want to know more about us and ZBOOK, check out Z story and our bioZ. We are thrilled to be sharing this cherished and well incubated treasure that has, layer by layer, bubbled up from our co-creative synthesis, playful synergy and sacred friendship.

And we look forward to hearing from you (!) about what you are excited about, what you are making, and who you may be making it with! Please feel free to express your comments and be in contact with us. Thank you for your visits here to ZBOOK 4EVER and for your support.....!

in gratitude ∞ Jennifer & Ceci