Light/Breezes

Light/Breezes
SUNRISE AT DEATH VALLEY-Photo by Tom Cochrun
Showing posts with label public art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label public art. Show all posts

Monday, April 9, 2018

The "Rap" Back and In The Funk Zone

    There is a lot to like about Santa Barbara's funk zone, not the least of which is building art.
  A more extensive look follows, but first, the old goats respond. The Rap back--

**The Text below**

    Frequent readers may recall in the previous post I discussed how our old goats coffee dialectic/cafe debate, populated by a diverse group, was at least civil unlike the wide divergence almost every where else you look these days.
    None of the group seemed to take offense to my characterizations, however Ray, our resident historian responded with verse. BTW Ray has offered up other ditties showing that he could make a run at song writing as a twilight career. 
    I see the group would prefer to be known as the Illuminati instead of old goats. My only retort is a small edit. He noted that my court skills were unknown at Butler U (I was accepted there) but it should read Ball State U, from whence I graduated.  He's right though.  My hoops skills were left for Industrial, Church and Y leagues.
    Thanks Ray, and Illuminati pals. This is a keepsake the kids will find in my files.

the funk
    Santa Barbara's "Funk Zone," between the Pacific, the 101 and adjacent to the Amtrak station is a warren of cafes, wine rooms, galleries, restaurants, boutiques, bistros and plenty to look at. 
      An old warehouse and industrial district, enlivened.






     These 8 x 8 portraits are of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Frida Kahlo, Yauyoi Kusama, Diego Rivera, Ai Wei Wei. They were done by students and guest muralist David Flores. 




   And then near the Santa Barbara farmers market is another eye appealing bit of public art, on a private home.



     After living in the mid-west my one regret about California is the brevity of the green season. So, enjoy a couple more scenes from nearby.


The Text
Tom came out of Indiana
a sharpened pencil in his hand
vowing to excoriate
every villain in the land

Calif. welcomed him
with widely opened arms
recognizing instantly
those sophisticated charms

He's a Hoosier and a Scot
a journalist most refined
but ignore required readings
and your faults could be defined

At Butler U his court skills
were remarkably unknown
those letters of recruitment
Vanished in the Twilight Zone

you know he's quite the wordsmith
dedicated to the truth
but exhibit mental weakness
and he'll shred you skin and tooth-

He is a well known resident
of many halls of fame
but are those hefty entry fees
just another elitist game?

Tom's an author and a blogger
of national reputation
But I suspect Ms. Lana
supervised his maturation

He's a critic of our president
our "national benefactor"
insisting that insanity
might be a slight distractor

No more distant projects
might an editor seek to send
For we could not tolerate
the loss of such a friend.

Ray Maijala
The Illuminati
 Janos
Dick
Dino
Julie
     See you down the trail.