Photos and stories from an art therapy workshop I had the privilege to conduct in Bangalore, India, with woman from Milana, and HIV and AIDS support group.
Read MoreBIRDS NGO 5
A visit to the nursery at BIRDS, a non profit in Belgam, Karnatika, India. Nursery rhymes, duck duck goose and other adventures in photos.
Read MoreBIRDS NGO 4
I decided that I could teach the class to make the drawings I had made, and then use that as a tool to teach younger children about cleanliness and hygiene. I hope that learning to draw would interest them and the idea that they too could teach others the lessons they have learned could be very helpful as most of the children are strictly in a teacher teaches, student memorizes and regurgitates mindset.
Read MoreBIRDS NGO 3
I visited BIRDS, a non profit in Belgam, Karnatika, India and learned about the ayurvedic medicine producing plants, enjoyed lunch with local farmers and attended a local dairy collective meeting.
Read MoreBIRDS NGO 2
The younger Patilji took us, along with a local farmer and another man who knew many musicians to see a Shahnai (a high pitched wind instrument with a narrow mouth piece and large opening at the end) performance in a mandir in another village. We drove out to the Laxmi Devi Mandir. In the courtyard, children were playing around a holy tree with green bangles strung about it by grateful mothers giving thanks for their healthy babies.
Read MoreBIRDS NGO 1
A visit to BIRDS, non profit in agriculture, education and more, Belgam, Karnatika, India. Hanuman celebration
Read MoreBangalore Arts and Crafts Show
Metal sculptures, ceramic, handicrafts, live drumming, musicians, dancers, clothes, paintings and photography at a Bangalore Arts and Crafts Show in Southern India.
Read MoreBangalore
Flew in to Bangalore to visit my friend Jayashree; a documentary filmmaker I met in Los Angeles when she came for a screening of a film about HIV and Aids drugs and how companies are trying to create patents to prevent generic prescriptions. It had been over two years since we'd all seen each other, and I have to say it was great to see her, meet her other half and son.
Read MoreOld Ahmedabad
I went on the walking tour called the Ahmadabad Heritage Walk. We started in the old part of the city which I had yet to see at an incredible Mandir. The walk took us through old lanes, past people making kite string, beautiful old buildings with layers of history in their architecture. To me, the old parts of towns in Pakistan and India are the most fascinating. They may not have all the modern amenities, nor are they the best planned for modern traffic, but within that chaos is that unique identity of that city as a sort of living culture and history.
Read MoreManav Sadhana 4
I spoke to the puppeteers for a while and watched all these interesting puppets do tricks. We talked for quite a bit about history, different arts and I tried to share how what I do is very much like what he did as a puppeteer, but on a computer. For me, that was really the most exciting thing, was to sit down and speak to a wonderful puppeteer.
Read MoreManav Sadhana 3
The kids were amazing as usual and it was a tiring, but incredibly rewarding experience. I jokingly said invited myself to come eat lunch at one of the children's homes as we were leaving after the workshop and she was walking home for lunch. She said she'd ask her mom what she cooked. So many dimples and funny little toes.
Read MoreManav Sadhana 2
I had peeked into the school the day before and I can't quite describe how excited I was to share animation with them. The children I met so far have really been an energetic and amazing bunch. Many are not used to discussion questions in class so carrying on an in depth class discussion has not really worked, but they are bursting with energy, creativity and most of all a genuine desire and willingness to try new things and learn. This really does a lot to make what I am doing with the children possible.
Read MoreManav Sadhana 1
Anjali, one of the amazing people at Manav Sadhana met me and within minutes was on the phone arranging workshops with the various schools in Manav Sadhana. I was really grateful for how everyone invited me in and trusted me with their precious time and resources. It is very humbling to walk into a group of truly dedicated and amazing adults and kids and to try and share something that you hope will be worth their time.
Read MoreOld Delhi for a moment
Went to old Delhi for a bit before jumping on the train to Ahmedabad. Old Delhi certainly has a lot more interesting architecture, but it is so horribly polluted that it does not feel like a place for people to live. I'll have to explore more next time if I get a chance.
Read MoreSonu and the Taj
On the train there I saw a young boy with an impressive mustache named Sonu. Sonu, along with his drummer sister is a performer who dances and rolls through the train cars for money. It's quite sad really. These sweet children perform much the way street performing monkeys do. I hope he and his sister are well fed and loved. I asked the little sweetheart his name and he said "Sonu".
Read MoreManzil Animation Workshop in Delhi
Thanks to Kristeen Singh I had the pleasure of doing my first animation workshop in India with the amazing people at a very special org in Khan Market, called Manzil.We met up with some of the folks from Manzil at Lodhi Gardens, where there was some beautiful old architecture and a picnic for special needs kids and kids from Manzil. Afterwards, Jimmy who is volunteering there took us to Manzil's Khan Market location where we cut used paper to be used as small flipbooks for the workshop. The idea was to use readily available, recycled materials to show the kids how to create animation in a way that they could continue long after I was gone, without materials they did not have access to.
Read MoreDelhi, Nizamuddin Auliya's Dargah
So, I arrived in Delhi, tired, but happy. I went to Nizamuddin Auliya's and Amir Khusro's tombs. These are two amazing figures in the history of North Indian Classical music, Qawwali and various other forms of music.These were two important figures in the Chisti Sufi Order who are remembered not only for their musical contributions, but by people of all faiths in India for their life long efforts to bring people together.
Read MoreMoving on out
So, I moved out of my apartment in LA and took to the road...er air. I'll continue doing freelance work as I travel. It has been a crazy busy month with the Montezuma Film Festival, CTN Expo, moving out and prepping for India, but well worth it.
Read MoreSamarkand
Traveling and taking photos in Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Read MoreYongiabad Bazaar
Yongiabad Bazaar in Tashkent Uzbekistan, Photos
Read More