Samantha

It seems that as each new year strolls by I become more and more interested and absorbed by the musical culture around me. I have gone from listening to country and classic rock on the radio, Dolly Parton eight-track tapes, Michael Jackson vinyl records, U2 cassette tapes, and endless CDs of artists like REM, Gillian Welch, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan... Now I listen more locally to musicians who perform live concerts at bars and in homes, more intimate instances of songwriting joy and performance sincerity. I love the house concert concept and this is now where I learn first about new songwriters from singers I know and appreciate already.

Here are two videos I recorded and edited of Samantha Crain at a house concert. She is accompanied by Daniel Foulks who is an exceptional fiddler and a pleasure to listen to how he complimented Samantha's well-loved songs. The second video includes clips from the 2010 winter solstice lunar eclipse and Christmas lit-trees along Western Avenue in Oklahoma City. Enjoy!





Samantha Crain with Daniel Foulks performs "Devils in Boston" and "Songs in the Night" at a Blue Moon House Concert on December 17, 2010, in Oklahoma City. Video recorded and edited by Laura Anne Heller of Blue Athena Productions.
Visit Blue Moon House Concerts on the web:
http://bluemoonhouseconcerts.moonfruit.com
Visit Samantha Crain on the web:
http://www.samanthacrain.com

Lauren Z

I'm not a big fan of slam poetry -- It's just not my style -- but I can appreciate the work of someone who stirs sincere emotion and speaks about real issues and real people. Lauren Zuniga is one of these phenomenal slam poets I love to listen to at live performances. Recently she performed at a house concert two poems which I recorded and have posted here by way of YouTube. Enjoy. Become her fan. Let her rock your world.





Lauren Zuniga performs her poems "To the Oklahoma Progressives Plotting Mass Exodus" and "Things to Do in an Ice Storm" on December 17, 2010, at a Blue Moon House Concert. Video recorded and edited by Laura Anne Heller of Blue Athena Productions.
Visit Blue Moon House Concerts on the web:
http://bluemoonhouseconcerts.moonfruit.com
Visit Lauren Zuniga on the web:
http://www.laurenzuniga.com

Athena's Arthouse

People may or may not know that I opened my own little shop on Etsy.com, Athena's Arthouse.  I have been crafting designs inspired by my surroundings, long drives through the countryside, memories, and ideas from novels and poetry.  I am using fabric cut from old t-shirts, jeans, pants, skirts, dresses, blouses, sheets, pillowcases, etc... Anything that can't seem to serve it's intended purpose and can be recycled into a new piece of art.  Some clothing I have bought from places like Goodwill or thrift shops when I noticed most of the fabric was fine except for an unsightly stain somewhere, which is why it hadn't been bought yet.  No problem, I can cut that away and use the rest of the shirt or skirt for several fiber art pieces.  I also am recycling wooden plaques that once proudly displayed brass plate awards.  I have over a hundred of these things and I am working to create each one into proud display of one of my fabric collages.

I'm new to this Etsy shop selling and to sewing in general. I am hopeful that people will like my little artworks.  Here's a link to the store: