Bad Spirit visits me in Mali

In Mali, a Himba tribe shaman told me about this really bad spirit.

Find out what happened to me as a result at my Artist’s Talk on Nov. 4 at 4:00pm 
Camerawork Gallery
Legacy Emanuel Medical Lorenzen Conference Center
301 N. Graham St.
Portland, OR 97227

Believe me, it’s magic.

My Personal God and the lion

The Karo tribe elders told me that each person has a Personal God to watch over them. That night a lion came roaring through the village right past my little tent with me in it. Man, did I hope that my Personal God was watching over me right then.

Both the Karo and Hamar tribes believe that each person has an invisible Personal God that hovers over them. While the Personal God is suppose to warn the person about any danger, one elder confided that his God must have been looking the other way when a snake bit the elder. 

Ten years ago Oregon The Taste of Wine came out. It's the book I'm most proud of creating. 

Oregon the Taste of Wine was first published in 2008. The publisher printed a second edition, with a few updates, a couple of years later. A second printing for a picture wine book is like finding a 1787 Chateau Margaux, just not as expensive.

Plus, it won all kinds of awards including Gold Medal for Best Regional Book and even snobby Wine Spectator called it "one of the best reads for wine lovers." 

 

Richard Sommer, founder of Hillcrest winery and rightfully founder of Oregon's modern wine industry, shows off a new camera to Dyson DeMara, who bought and continues production at Hillcrest.

And, it's still relevant today with surprising stories from folks like Richard Sommer, who had bottled Pinot years before Papa Pinot, who usually gets the credit. 

 

Milky Way above Willamette Valley Vineyards Winery.

A big thanks to Jim Bernau and all the kind people who taught me the taste difference between California Ripple and Oregon Pinot noir.

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A beginner seeks guide book to god-like powers

About 65,000 years ago a few Homo sapiens left Africa to populate our planet. In that time we sapiens have developed almost god-like powers over other animals and our environment.
 

What do you think these African Mursi tribe warriors see?

After 18 years of looking back onto the world from remote African tribes, I wonder, do we sapiens have the wisdom to wield our powers? Where's the instruction manual?

www.FiveFingerProject.org

 

Struck by Creativity Freeze

While creating this image, I choked up. I was totally afraid to make a mistake. I couldn't continue.

Chief Bolugedong dreamed his grandfather told him to take care of the orphans in the tribe. Africa, Ethiopia, Omo region, Suri tribe. 

I'd been working on this piece for days. It's about the Suri Tribe Chief who dreamed his grandfather told him to care for the tribal orphans. When I dropped in the perfect photograph with a child from my files, I started to like the myth image. 

Then, I froze, afraid to do anything else to it. 

Fortunately, the next morning a little inner voice said, "Hey, Janis, it's not precious. It's just art. So finish it. Surprise yourself." 

Do other artists choke up, afraid to make a mistake, afraid to continue? 

www.FiveFingersProject.org 

We all have at least two languages

Yesterday, while listening to the news, it dawned on me that we can speak two languages: The language of the world and the language of the soul.

 

 

• I was thinking in the language of the world when I asked the remote Konso tribe elders what advice they would give world leaders. 

 

• Amazingly, one elder answered in the language of the soul: “We are all made by God. We are all the same. No mater what your tribe, no mater what your religion, we all bleed the same color blood.”

 

Then he raised his hand with fingers outstretched to conclude: “We all have five fingers.”