NOLA Volunteer Trip #3 - Xmas 2007

I just returned last week from my 3rd amazing trip to NOLA for volunteering.
There are many stories to be shared and a rediculous amount of pictures.

I've begun uploading the pics to my flickr site, but the really good ones i am
posting last, because I want those to be the ones people see when they initially
go to the page. I'll also have as many smaller sets posted so they are grouped
in a theme or place etc. Hopefully the balance will be up by Jan. 12. There will
even be some comparison shots!

I spent a lot of time documenting the people, places, and projects I have previously
worked on in April 2007, and Dec. 2006 in order to track the progress and be
able to show people what "progress" actually is. Some of the homes I gutted have
not been touched for the most part since last december. Others have begun having
drywall done, and i'm hopeful that Pam's House is close to being moved into.
Unfortunately she was the one person i didn't have an address for, which makes
it very difficult to locate her house. One house we drywalled in april is now
being lived in, while another is having carpet put down.....basically untouched
in 8 months.

I spent 2 or 3 hours almost every night talking with the residents who eat dinner
and hang out at Camp Hope.

Anthony, Tommy, Joyce, Steve Gonzalez, John Wilkes Booth, Dagmar, Murial,
.....and those whose names escape me for some reason.

I also went out and saw some real jazz music on frenchman street.

There was the xmas dinner at camp hope, the santa/presents/meal event at
the St. Bernard Community Center, working with ACORN, St. Bernard Project,
Common Ground, and staying at Camp Hope the entire 10 days.

I will post other items on this blog and need to update the links and volunteer
info as well as video and book suggestions.

I hope to have many volunteers and residents contribute their stories to this blog.

I've found that seattle is fairly unaware regarding the current conditions.
The rest of the country probably is too, but I have to focus on my little corner of
the country first.

So my new years plans are to take time off from the print zero stuff......the big
print exchange organizing and gallery shows that i do in my studio will be put
on the back burner so I can focus on creating a body of work in response to my
recent trip, maybe get some guerilla style art or propoganda put together for
postering the city. There is the keeping in contact with people that I am going
to do...which means hand written letters sent via the real mail.....

If you are reading this or linking me please drop me a line.....I have no idea if
anyone even checks this thing out or not.

Cheers,

brian