Dichotomy of the Muse

Been inspired by a book called 'the Opium Wars', by W. Travis Hanes III and Frank Sanello, which is about two trade wars actually between China and Britain resulting in China being completely addicted to Opium (it's funny how I am reverting to books for inspiration, modern society just isn't making the cut) That and mosquito bits! And Thunderstorms, and Byzantines art. This painting below is 99% finished, I have been working on it for about a month semi-detached from the rest of the world so out of shear frustration I have been back to the seascapes:

Yarg not another re-vamp

Once again I am re-doing my website, could be necessity, could be seasonal boredom, either way hopefully the site should be faster and more streamlined. Trying to get a few more paintings finished this year, we will be in Scotland for the last two weeks, so hopefully as my teaching schedule is relatively free I will get them finished.

New CD cover completed

I have updated the Galleries section with the final designs for a small project I have just completed before the Holidays.

Yarg not another re-vamp New CD cover

Once again I am re-doing my website, could be necessity, could be seasonal boredom, either way hopefully the site should be faster and more streamlined. Trying to get a few more paintings finished this year, we will be in Scotland for the last two weeks, so hopefully as my teaching schedule is relatively free I will get them finished. I have updated the site, but still needs a little work.

Teaching going well...... need more classes

Ok so my teaching seems to be going from strength to strength, I seem to have (and hope to have) hit a plateau of good classes. However I only have a handful of classes so the need for more is omnipresent through out my painting days. Where off to Scotland in a few weeks so nothing new career wise is going to happen or be on the horizon till January, which is kind of a blessing ad a curse all at once.
Yeah the Yoga teaching really seems to have improved, I seem to have had a revelation since going on our trip to the Pocono mountains. Staying in a Yoga retreat (of sorts) eating organic food and drinking well water seems to have had a clarifying effect on all things teaching. It’s not that I learned anything new about myself or my teaching style, more I was reminded of what I was taught in the first place. For some reason I find the cold darker days 100x more inspirational and introspective, that I feel my creative side grows and is nurtured by both the changing of the season and the colours that are presented to me on a daily basis. This carries through to the Yoga teaching as I meet more people and gain more experience I seem to grow both as a teacher and as a student, willing to learn within the class room while teaching. Although I new this, was taught this by my amazing teachers, it seems to have been something that has been lost from my teachings in the summer and spring months. It really is amazing how I have come so far with both my style and confidence in the class room, but basically what I’m saying is I finally feel that what I’m doing, what I’m teaching, what I’m learning is finally going in the right direction. I just need some more classes (4 to be precise) and my bank balance will feel the same way.

- love m

ok, I

am announcing the art exhibition which I am apart of and been rabbiting about for ages, held right here under the 'healthy' Autumnal skies of New York. I know most of you might not be able to make it, but I thought I would let you all know so no-one thinks I just spend my days in strange positions and upside-down (only about 75% of the time really). But also to stop you from being pissed at me for not letting you know.

Place:
Canco lofts
50 Dey Street
Jersey City, NJ

Time:
Weekends Friday - Sunday 11-5 p.m.
through September 21st - October 20th

Why?
Well, good question I haven't really been part of an exhibition for a few years so now seemed like the right time to do so. I have four pieces in this exhibition, all seascapes of sorts, here is a link to the images

http://gallery.mac.com/moray.watsongallery

The exhibition is also being held in one of THE most amazing spaces I have seen in years, in fact it takes me back to my arty-farty Art school years. Very cool.

More:
To those folks who fancy a fall fling with some arty types there will be a Members Party on the 5th of October all are welcome, there are 44 featured artists, so will be intense. But interesting.

love
m

For the fall 2007

Exhibition in the Fall
Another Photo shoot and CD cover
Yoga with Steven's Institute of Technology

New start

August 8 2007
ok, here we go, I stupidly wiped ALL of my old news, so time for a new beginning, I will update as soon as possible. All the other pages should still be in place

PS: going to have fun with the new mac templates!

first foot forward

Back to work, I am back to the painting, I have an exhibition (group one mind, with ‘Pro-Arts’ here in Jersey City.  I have been on a bit of a sabbatical with the old painting recently (last completing a painting in March).  I have dedicated my time mostly to CD covers, a music festival and Yoga teaching.  Since March I have been teaching with NYSC and Kneaded Bodywork's in NYC and soon to be ‘Steven's Institute of Technology’.  Maria played saxophone and sung in Natchez Mississippi and David’s CD cover is going down a storm.  So yes finally back to the paintings with an exhibition burning my ass in the direction of hard work.
Will update as soon as I have anything new.

Love -m
PS: the Yog will be the place for old news from now on.

Stupid

ok, here we go, I stupidly wiped ALL of my old news, so time for a new beginning, I will update as soon as possible.  All the other pages should still be in place

Exhibited-ed-en-ing, eh!

Exhibited-ed-en-ing, eh!

New event on the horizon, an exhibition of some things I have painted (and not just doors and walls) will be in the offing in the near future, will let you know when, where and how.

Love

m

It’s finally over

Crikey, it's 5am and I've just finished the last Harry Potter book, how did that happen?

Awful

I don't know what's more awful! The inane twittering, the negative bitchy men or the story itself ................. perhaps this modern day media Cerberus will divour itself and crap out another 'fox' puppy!

Dead Revolution

posting two video's from Ed Harcourts last album (which I would highly recommend), Mainly so I can find them also(as I don't think they where ever released in the US), but also to share some wonderfully creative music videos.

Love
m

What-er, what is it good for

Passing on some interesting information with regards to water!. This information isn’t necessarily new, but it is important. So I am going to share and filter some information direct from ‘the Laughing Lotus’ website (the mother ship of all Yoga studio that I trained with in New York city) with regards to buying, selling and drinking water from plastic bottles.

love
m

WHY we will no longer be offering bottled water…

As we become more aware of the connections bottled water has to serious environmental issues, we are taking steps towards good environmental stewardship.

There are a few important things to understand about bottled water in terms of what it means for our health and the health of the planet:

1. Plastic is made of toxic chemicals. It leaches into the water.

“In simple terms, plastic is a petroleum-based mix of monomers that become polymers, to which additional chemicals are added for suppleness, inflammability, and other qualities.”

Many plastic drink containers are made with (PET) polyethylene terephthalate. Small amounts are released into the drinks. Studies have shown PET is carginogenic.

Harder plastic water bottles are made with Bisphenol A (BPA)

“Scientists are discovering it can wreak stunning havoc in the body.”

“Most alarming, these chemicals may disrupt the endocrine system—the delicately balanced set of hormones and glands that affect virtually every organ and cell—by mimicking the female hormone estrogen.” (Also you should know that nearly all cans contain a plastic liner made of BPA.)

2. Plastic never biodegrades, well practically, it’s with us for well over a hundred years.

It just breaks down into smaller pieces. Clear water bottles have to be made with new plastic (you can’t get a clean, clear plastic recycled plastic). With each recycling the materials degrade, and are more likely to leach into the substance it contains.

3. Plastic is polluting our oceans and waterways.

There are 46,000 pieces of plastic in every square mile of ocean. Marine life is suffering and the plastic is entering our food chain.

So the point is we don’t want to encourage the making of more plastic!!

4. Water it is the ecological basis of all life. Just as we have a right to life, to being alive, we have a right to water.

By buying water we participate in the privatization of water and promote its status as a commodity when it should be a public good, available to all.

Water is mother nature’s gift to us which we must take care of by being good water stewards!

My new hero

Hay Weehawkin!

Sleep Qucomolito, sleep!

Thank you 'Saturday night live', thank you ......... you really feel my pain!

I love a good ‘shat’ in the morning

not one, not two, but three Shatners, I love William Shatner, talk about a man who can do no wrong, he even managed to have his own TV show with the word 'hooker' in the title, a crusader Pushing envelopes!

I have been having a few flashbacks to some odd times in my life recently. I grew up watching the cheesy old star trek TV show and I'm starting to wonder if it may have coursed irreversible damage to who I am today. For some reason I keep doing William Shatner impressions. To all 'would be singers' out there who think they suck (or know they suck) this man gives you hope.

The final part of my 'YouTube' trilogy (be-warned there might be prequel's)

immersed

This is kind of an odd blog for me to make as I don’t really talk about Scotland so much, but for some reason I felt the need to share this video. It also kind of backs up my moan from an earlier blog concerning the weather. I have been missing the cloudy and moody weather of Scotland lately (although it is winter here) it is actually very difficult to actually see 'the sky' so I went walking in the annals of the internet and 'youtube' to find some inspiration (and not just for the ‘Wwooow-bodyform’ adverts for Aaron like usual, UK readers cringe with delight).
The video below is of the Edinburgh skyline, time-lapsed to show the wild and crazy sky that can be seen on an almost daily basis. You get the idea of the drama and the passion of movement, the dramatic and extreme light changes that influenced my childhood so much. The romantic tenure of my past really seems to have haunted and immersed my mind, my paintings and my Yoga practice of late.
Many times I’ve sat upon Arthur's seat and watched the rain clouds float by as the colours of green and blue merged into warm browns and on into the darkness as the sun sets over the distant hills. Many an evening I sat and watched the moon from my humble tenement window as the golden yellow sandstone buildings shine pale in the light against the dark overtones of the Gothic city streets. So excellently encapsulated by the Philip Glass music, it really does capture something that is unique to Scotland and Edinburgh that makes you actually miss the damp and cold.
Maybe it’s time for a trip back.........



it also captures that strange mystery cloud that emanates ominously like the 'eye of Sauron' over in Fife!

m

First Yoga related Blog

Somehow, by accident I accidentally removed my Blog, originally entitled ‘Burp’. Am quite upset about it as my iWeb program is rather temperamental to change, which is as a Yoga teacher very frustrating. As I tend to welcome change rather than eradicate the effects/feelings/and general sense of newness that comes with change.
Or is this me failing to find the need for change and the computer making the decisions for me, should I actually be welcoming the change of blog......... well yes and am embracing it.
This is the phoenix rising from the ashes of my old Blog, reborn into a Yoga journal. And that’s just what it will be a Journal of My Yoga practice and my Yoga experience, laid Bared out for all to see.
It’s time for me to get philosophical and lay out some words of wisdom, far to old for the rants and far to tired to be irritated, time to get down to work.

It’s people!

Soylent green is made of people!

You have got to be F****** kidding me!

Human Genes in Your food

I like the quote (and there are a few) "If these pharmaceutical crops end up on consumers' plates, the consequences for our health could be devastating"

Scarier still, I have been reading the 'Daily Mail'

DOOO-DOOOOO-DOOOOOOOOO

the number you are calling has not been recognised!

major unearthly rumblings a foot, I am having to get a mobile, urch, can't even say it, a mob... .belch....mobil........vomit.........I'm getting a mobile...........................AARRggggg ............................... turning green,......................................................
......................phone,
so in retaliation I have chosen the most god awful and disgusting green coloured phone out of protest! If I have to succumb to modern life, I'm going to go down with my friggin ringer off.. and in a style of my own!

Anger, Frustration........... Dognabit

I have read a lot of crap in the news this week so much so that I’m now in denial that the world beyond my own vision is real, this really takes the biscuit!

and once again under FDA seal of approval! aah the FDA were will it stop, ridalin for Hamspters, skin care for snakes?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6236231.stm

Posting the whole thing to save confusion and further annoyances

US obese dogs to get diet pills

The world's first weight-loss drug for dogs has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Slentrol, made by the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, is intended to significantly reduce the appetite and increase fat absorption in canines.

The FDA's head of veterinary medicine said the drug was a welcome addition to animal therapies because of an apparent increase in dog obesity in the US.

Americans own 65 million dogs and almost 40% of US households have one.

According to the FDA, veterinarians generally define a dog that weighs 20% more than its ideal weight as obese.

Surveys have found that approximately 5% of dogs in the US are obese, and another 20-30% are overweight, it says.

Slentrol is expected to be available in the spring and should cost between $1 and $2 a day, a Pfizer company spokeswoman said.

Side effects

The liquid drug appears to reduce the amount of fat a dog can absorb and also triggers a feeling of fullness, according to the FDA.

However, the prescription drug can also produce side effects, including loose stools, diarrhoea, vomiting, lethargy and loss of appetite.

As with humans, obesity can lead to diabetes along with heart and joint problems.

The drug will appeal to dog owners who want a fast and simple way to slim down their canine pets, Bonnie Beaver, a professor in veterinary medicine told AFP news agency.

"It's easy to say we will feed them less and exercise them more. Well, we know how well that works for us," she said.

o ah, hahah,ha..............ha .................*@#% off

Want my blogging opinion do ya?, Just walk them you lazy bastards!!!!!!!!!!!! The dogs health is the owners responsibility, if they can’t deal with it, then they shouldn’t be allowed to own one. This should not be allowed in any civilized society.

enough, enough, enough......................................... never heard such rubbish

Another New Years resolution

Positive thoughts for the day, almost every day in 2007, starting here

Day 1

yay for C town in Jersey City, you no longer smell!!

However there is always a yang

Negative thought of the day:

Day 1

What was that smell!!