Headspace Magazine by Alex

SSU

MAG

SUMMER 2012

AZI

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SUMMER 2012

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10 headspace

Letter from the editor

W sections

Parking Lot

Tunes

Letter From the Editor

Festie Checklist

Comix Corner

The Vibration

Fresh joke? Summer Crossword

Rocks With A Fox Peering into Pyrite By Shawn “Fox” Rybacki

- Sonni Shine and the Underwater Sounds By Kate Lonigro - Consider the Source By Joe Gurreri

A Head of the Game Featuring Jeremiah Interviewed by Alessandro Satta

16 18

10 Plant Cloning By Tim Dougherty

Lotus Returns to Philly

Debunking the apocalypse By Tim Dougherty

City Bisco By Hassan Azeez

Munchies

Spaced Out

12 Honest Tom’s

22 Longwood Gardens Gets Lit

Heart of West Mex-Adelphia Written and interviewed by Alexandra Jenusaitis

Features

Road to the Show: The Game Written and interviewed by Tim Dougherty

Greens

A journey through the magical land of “Light” By Becky Blumenthal

23 8 Ways to Cool Down in the Summer By Mallory Smith

27 Creative Writing

Maya 2012

Intro to Psychedemia

Exploring the mind-altering world of psychedelic research By Mandie Pandarella

founder / editor -in-chief

here have the last two months gone? I don’t know about you, but my summer feels like it has disappeared into a swirling vortex of music and laughter. You better believe these next two months are jam packed with tons of fun things to do and see. So don’t let the nasty humidity and heat of summer in our mid-Atlantic region keep you cooped up in your air conditioning. Our team of Space Cadets needs to stay cool as much as the next guy does, so a focus of this issue is how to do that around here. If you have any other ideas on how to stay cool send me an e-mail at alexsatta@headspacemag.com; I swear I won’t give them away. Everyone knows how hard it is to find a good water hole that doesn’t force you to be elbow to elbow with the old guy that just turns it into a heated pool. Forced to deal with the sweltering heat, don’t forget to take the proper precautions. The sun can make a festival, but it can also break it if you underestimate it. Remember that guy who randomly handed you a bottle of water when you needed it? Be more like that guy, come prepared.

Alessandro Satta alexsatta@headspacemag.com

chief executive officer Tim Dougherty tim@headspacemag.com

creative director

Joe Gurreri joegurreri@headspacemag.com

copy editor

Becky Blumenthal becky@headspacemag.com

illustrators Ross Marinaro rmarinaroart.com John Warner jduballstars.com Kate Lonigro

graphic designers Eric Tonzola Patrick Ambrogi

contributing photographers

-Alessandro Satta

Steven Philips Jeanette Neuner Charles Mostoller Mary-Jane Hart

contributing writers

Mandie Pandarella Shawn “Fox” Rybacki Hassan Azeez Mallory Smith Becky Blumenthal Kate Lonigro Alexandra Jenusaitis

Artist’s Showcase

Featuring Nangellini By Alessandro Satta

By Kaley Iacovetta

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SUMMER 2012

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parking lot

Peering into Pyrite

Pyrite may be referred to as fool’s gold, but let’s get one thing clear; Illustrations by Ross Marinaro

We are always looking for fresh jokes! Submit them on our Facebook page and we will choose the joke with the most likes!

Summer

Down 1. Guacamole ingredient 2. A good amount 3. Cake level 4. Quality of someone who 1 2 3 4 5 6 makes a clever remark 18 5. Whirl around on one 7 foot 19 8 6. Opposite of in 7. Extra guest, your ____ 20 9 24 one 21 10 11 8. Dark meat is on these 22 12 13 9. Fancy invitation font 23 13 10. Slice of beef or fish 14 15 11. Drunk 24 16 17 12. Quite pleasant 13. Tree-hung sling 25 26 27 14. Time being 15. Popular Caribbean 28 29 dance 16. Release tension Look online for the key at 17. Edible kernel enclosed headspacemag.com in a woody shell

Crossword

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SUMMER 2012

Across 1. Hors d’oeuvres 18. Social sphere 19. Praise 20. Cultivars include: Tiger, Lemon, Tawny, and Red Magic 21. Ornamental pleat 22. Take one of these to get a tan 23. Unit of dry volume, e.g. for MD blue crabs 24. Eat too much? 25.String quartet member 26. Utensil 27. Eyelash (wink) movement 28. Fairy 29. Told, e.g. by the person mentioned in 4-down

this mineral does not fool around. I’d actually go so far as to that say pyrite is one clever stone. It has several crystal structures ranging from cubic to pyritohedral with a Mohs hardness of 6-6.5. Pyrite has to be one of the most active crystals known on Earth. It is constantly in the process of being created and destroyed, while replacing or growing with other minerals. A few common specimens include pyrite cubes, marcasite (a brittle variation of pyrite), dollars or suns (flat discs that formed in coal seams), chalcopyrite (copper & pyrite), arsenopyrite (arsenic & pyrite), and healer’s gold (magnetite & pyrite). The name “pyrite” stems from the Greek word for fire, which certainly

seems to echo through its tenacious behavior. It is appropriately classified as a crystal for Leos as it has been known to help one maintain confidence, energy, and stamina. Not surprisingly, it works fantastically with the solar plexus chakra. So if you’ve been suffering from fatigue after running around to shows and festivals this summer, I would recommend carrying a piece in your pocket. Pyrite is also well known as a grounding and protective stone. If you’ve been blowing your mind with moldavite and meteorites, pyrite will help you keep one foot on the ground. It never hurts to carry an anchor and shield while exploring more etheric realms during meditation. In fact, it’s crucial! Ancient Incas used pyrite for the purposes of divination and meditation. In Chinese mythology, it was considered a stone that would protect one from crocodile attacks. With its properties centered on protection, mental/physical agility, and its ability to infiltrate almost any rock from sedimentary to igneous, I’m going to go ahead and vote pyrite as the number one crystal ninja! I frequently meet people who favor crystals possessing properties to stimulate the higher chakras in order to reach greater levels of consciousness. It’s easy to become captivated by lucid dreaming, astral projection, connecting with the Akashic records, or contacting esoteric spirit guides.

Some of the more basic crystals can guide us on the path to our higher selves just as well as some of the more “heady” crystals. With pyrite’s great ability to shield us from negativity, it can provide a safe space to concentrate. In this safe space, we can set better intentions for ourselves and manifest our most positive goals. Here we can discover the true self and continue on our path all while being comfortable and prepared to greet any challenge with wisdom, grace, and kindness. Pyrite may seem hard and heavy, but sometimes we need its presence in our lives to learn how to grow gentler and lighter. Written by Shawn “Fox” Rybacki Photos by Jeanette Neuner

SUMMER 2012

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a head of the game

Featuring JerEmiah

HOW DID YOU COME INTO THE SCENE? When I was in 8th grade, my best friend, Daniel, got me into the Grateful Dead. His dad took us to see them at the Spectrum on 10/7/94. That was my first concert and my only time seeing the Grateful Dead. My next two shows were Ozzfest in ‘96 and Phish in ‘96. It was cool cause the Dead and Phish both encored with Johnny B. Goode on the first times that I saw them. It was very intune and I’ve been truckin’ further ever since. WHAT ASPECTS OF THE COMMUNITY KEPT YOU COMING BACK? I would definitely have to say that the music played a big part. The music never stopped, so I never stopped. The people and the friends and the family are “grate” too. I drive to a lot of shows by myself. I don’t care who’s coming with me, if I want to go, I’ll fuckin’ go. Somebody else’s decisions about going never stopped me from going.

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SUMMER 2012

WHAT’S THE FARTHEST YOU AND THE “SHIP” HAVE TRAVELED? I’ve traveled to the outer universe and back. Here on earth, I’ve travelled to Cali and been to 42 out of the 50 states. My plan is to do west coast Furthur tour: Colorado to Cali, to Oregon, and back to Cali, which is going to be one of our longest journeys.

WHAT HAVE YOU LOST AND WHAT HAVE YOU GAINED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE? I started taking life less for granted and learned a lot about love. I also learned that it could always be worse- I could have died or been left a vegetable. I lost the ability to use my legs, but what I gained was a hell of a lot more. I’ve been told that I am an inspiration to people, which is something else that I have gained. I just do what I can.

WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEWBIE ON THE SCENE? Keep love in your heart and in your head. Be safe when you travel. One big piece of advice I can give is to try and learn from the mistakes of others before you, so that you don’t have to go through it yourself.

TELL US ABOUT THE FAMOUS “SHIP”. Since I just got done spending $800 to get it back on the road, I will totally talk about the Ship. I bought my spaceship in 1999. It’s a thirteen year-old spaceship to me. It’s a 1992 Dodge Caravan. Thirteen years later, I’m still trying to make it as heady as I can. There’s a lot of stuff I haven’t done to it yet.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR ACCIDENT? August 8, 2012 is the 14 year anniversary that I’ve been rocking on for my friend Scott Walker. In 1998, a couple months after I graduated high school, Scott and I were heading up to the Gathering on the Mountain Festival in the Poconos. We had been planning on this all summer. We were young and dumb and didn’t understand the strength of the road. We never made it there. We wrecked off the road really bad. Scott flew out of the vehicle and died instantly of head trauma. I remained in the vehicle which got launched up into the air by a guard rail. The car caught air like I was in the Dukes of Hazzard or something. All of a sudden, I’m stuck at the bottom of this hill off of I-81. I got flown out by a Medivac helicopter, which probably saved my life. I had a spinal injury, open head wound, a concussion and a couple other gnarly cuts. I learned a couple weeks later that I would never

“Keep love in your heart and in your head.”

walk again. Since then I have been a very avid seat-belt supporter. “Buckle up next million miles,” I always say. The problem is that you never know when someone else is going to come along and change your entire reality.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF DRINKING BAG WINE? That’s obvious: slappin’ it, drinkin’ it and passin’ it. Interviewed by Alessandro Satta

HOW MANY STICKERS ARE ON THE “SHIP”? The guestimate to the number of stickers is between 250 and 300, but I haven’t counted them in a long time. The goal has always been for it to become one big masterpiece of stickers. One of my favorite stickers on the van is my Grateful Gump one “Life is like a Dead show, you never know what you’re gonna get. Grateful is, is Grateful does.”

ortion of

A small p

the Ship

SUMMER 2012

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Greens

PLANT CLONING

2. 3. 4. 5.

ave a specific plant that you wish you had more of? Do you have one tomato plant that does really well or a basil plant that grows like a weed? Then clone it! Even though the word cloning conjures images of mad scientists churning out an army of storm troopers, plant cloning has been used for centuries to propagate plants that have highly desirable characteristics. You can clone almost any of your favorite plants time and time again. A plant is cloned when you take a cutting from the plant and place it into water to encourage root growth. Once the plant successfully grows roots, then you can put it into dirt or even grow it hydroponically. Here, we are going to teach you how to make clones using willow water, an easy-to-make miraculous rooting solution. Willow trees contain two specific chemicals, indolebutyric acid and salicin, both of which encourage root growth and drastically increase the amount of successful clones you can make.

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SUMMER 2012

Enhance your garden with willow water Collect stems of nearly any species of willow tree. You want young firstyear twigs, with green or yellow bark; not old enough to develop brown or gray bark. Strip off and discard all of the leaves. You only want the twigs. Cut the twigs into 1” lengths until you have what looks like a pile of small matchsticks. Add enough water to barely cover your twigs and just let them soak, like “sun tea” for several days, in the room-temperature water. When the liquid develops a greenish-yellowishbrown color, rather like weak tea, you filter off the solids, keeping the liquid. It will keep in the fridge for several weeks, or may be used immediately.

ake a container for the cutting. A small cup or anything M that holds water will do. Make sure no light can get to the bottom of the container where the roots will grow, as roots grow much stronger in the dark.

ext, after you select the plant you want to clone, lovingly N called the mother plant, you’ll take the cutting. Take an Exacto knife, previously sterilized in boiling water, and cut the plant right below a spot where it branches out.

I mmediately place the cutting under water to prevent air from entering the veins of the plant, which can cause an embolism.

P eel back the outer-most layer of the plant, right above where you cut it off of the mother plant. The layer immediately underneath this contains cells that will grow into roots, so exposing this layer gives much more surface area for roots to grow.

Fill

Now

your container with willow water and immediately place the cutting into it. Make sure all of the area that you peeled back is covered in willow water.

just wait for the roots to grow before placing the cutting into your preferred growing medium. Since the plant has no roots, it will be absorbing all of its water and nutrients through its leaves until roots form. Spraying the cutting with a fine mist of water will help it survive the rooting process. If the plant starts to yellow or droop then it may need a foliar feed, where you spray a solution containing nutrients onto the leaves. Don’t overdo the foliar feeding however; a buildup of excess nutrients on the outside of the leaves can choke the plant, causing it to die. Written by Tim Dougherty Photos by Steven Philips Design by Eric Tonzola

SUMMER 2012

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Munchies

Munchies How did you create your menu? The menu started out as breakfast only. We slowly added lunch to the menu, then upon opening the store our chef, Ricky Danz, took the reins and really amped up what we were doing with his knowledgeable cooking techniques mixed with his SoCal upbringing and attitude. What makes Honest Tom’s honest? Where did that name come from? We came up with the name after many a brainstorm session. There was an exterminator around the corner named Honest Lou’s and I always kind of liked that name What kind of challenges arose in the beginning? Financial shortcomings, improper planning, inexperience, weather... I could go on forever.

munchies review

Is using locally sourced food important to you? We try to use whatever we can from the surrounding area and believe that the more local and fresh the ingredients the better the final product.

Honest Tom’s

You recently auctioned off your truck in a contest for aspiring food peddlers. What advice can you give to people just starting out? It’s a tough job, and it takes a lot of time and energy to make it work. You have to be dedicated.

Heart of West Mex-Adelphia

acos in West Philadelphia means Honest Tom’s. The bright orange storefront provides a warm welcome to hungry customers looking for some south-of-the-border grub. Tom got his start as a “food truck pioneer” serving up fresh, delicious fare in 2009. Fast forward a few years and you’ll find Honest Tom’s new home nestled in the middle of the block at 261 South 44th street. Faced with the difficult task of sampling some of the menu, I paid the cheery spot a visit. Being a taco shop I ordered accordingly and one of each taco seemed like the only way to tackle my assignment. Varieties include steak and yucca, pork, beef, chicken, sweet potato and the summer special, fish tacos. Each one comes with fresh pico de gallo and you get your choice of either corn or flour tortillas (I chose corn). My spread was quickly served up alongside healthy portions of chips and guacamole. After tasting all the little shop had to offer by way of tacos, I am happy to report that you really can’t go wrong at Honest Tom’s. The chicken, often considered a “safe” menu choice was seasoned to perfection making it my favorite pick. The fish is light and flavorful in the heat of summer and the sweet potato taco is a savory and pleasing vegetarian option. The concept of tacos is simple- the filling is key, and Honest Tom’s does not disappoint. If you find yourself looking for some early morning sustenance their breakfast tacos, over-flowing with bacon, potatoes and eggs, are not to be missed. If tacos aren’t your thing- dig into a burrito. Don’t forget to wash it all down with a Mexican soda.

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SUMMER 2012

The crew with chef Gordon Ramsay

I sat down just before the dinner rush one Wednesday night to learn more about the story behind the food. You started as a food truck. How did that come about? Two friends and I went to Austin on a motorcycle trip and ate a bunch of breakfast tacos. On the way home I was inspired to bring them back to Philadelphia.

What’s up for the future of Honest Tom’s? We have plans to take over the second floor of our current location to provide more dine-in seating options for customers Written and interviewed by Alexandra Jenusaitis Photos by Tim Dougherty

Where did the truck come from? I told a bunch of people my plan and it ended up that a friend of my brothers knew a guy who was selling his truck. I went to see the truck, and the previous owner and I became fast friends. Who was your biggest source of support and how did you assemble your team? In the beginning it was just me, my brother Matt, and my friend Erin. The three of us put a team together over the course of our first year. Had you cooked before? I cooked a little in some bars and restaurants and also took some culinary classes at Drexel. There was a large degree of trial and error in the beginning and it took some learning on the fly to eventually get things right. Why tacos? They are a crowd pleaser and have always been one of my favorite foods.

4 avocados 1 jalapeño 1 shallot 2 cloves garlic 1 large lime (juiced) Cut the avocados and take out the seeds. Dice the

jalapeño, shallot and garlic. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl to a mashed potato like consistency. Add lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy with chips.

SUMMER 2012

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tunes

Headspace’s Festie Checklist Share your most memorable festival experiences with Headspace! We will choose our favorite stories to share in the fall issue! Email us at info@headspacemag.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. Bears Picnic Laurelton, PA 8/17/2012 - 8/20/2012 Equifunk V Equinunk, PA 8/17/2012 - 8/19/2012 Philadelphia Folk Festival Schwenksville, PA 8/17/2012 - 8/19/2012 Hot August Blues and Roots Cockeysville, MD 8/18/2012 - 8/18/2012 Kind Roots III Blain , PA 8/23/2012 - 8/26/2012 Mint Green Music Festival Woodstown, NJ 8/24/2012 - 8/25/2012 Stir Fry Music Revival Wind Gap, PA 8/31/2012 - 9/2/2012 Bucks County Bluegrass Festival Morrisville, PA 9/8/2012 - 9/8/2012 Pinnacle Jam Music Festival Kempton, PA 9/14/2012 - 9/16/2012

Meeting of the Minds V East Stroudsburg, PA headspacemag.com SUMMER 2012 9/21/2012 - 9/23/2012

The Vibration KEEPING UP WITH THE LOCAL SCENE

CONSIDER THE SOURCE

SONNI SHINE AND THE UNDERWATER SOUNDS Sonni Shine and the Underwater Sounds have been mesmerizing listeners with a fresh sound influenced by a fusion of reggae, funk, dub, trip-hop and psychedelic improvisation. Lead singer and rhythm guitarist, Sonni, soulfully expresses the ups, downs, ins and outs of the journey of self-discovery in her beautiful lyrics. The Underwater Sound’s home base in Philadelphia has helped this band develop into a mature combination of pure talent. The band’s down to earth vibe and awesome connection with their fans has helped spread the word throughout the area and beyond. Catch Sonni Shine and the Underwater Sounds live at the Blockley on August 24 and at the Stir Fry Music Revival Festival on Labor Day. Why is the theme of home so prevalent in your music? Sonni: Home is a powerful place because it can be within you. We are in control of feeling at home wherever we go, wherever we may be. I was trying to remind people of this while writing those lyrics. Sean: Home can be anywhere comfortable or relaxing. It’s the place

where your friends and family can help you grow in a positive direction. What is your favorite part of playing music for people? Both: BEER TICKETS! Sonni: I feel like we’re in a relationship with them in the moment. It’s an exchange of energy going back and forth. We keep the audience dancing and their enthusiasm makes us play better. The ability to put smiles on people’s faces is a great thing. Sean: I would say the best part is seeing people get into the zone where they can cut loose and dance uninhibited. It is great to see people feeling free and enjoying themselves. You can find your copy of Que Se Queda on the web at www.underwatersounds.net, on iTunes, CDBaby, BandCamp, or Amazon.com. Written by Kate Lonigro Photo by Samuel Markey

Welcome to a new age in music. If you want a truly unbelievable, face-melting, head-banging musical experience, Consider the Source is for you. This up-and-coming band has a jaw-dropping live performance that few other bands can touch. Based out of New York City, the power trio has toured throughout the United States, the Middle East and Europe. They have even studied music in India in order to learn the complicated, unique rhythms and micro-tonal scales of the region. The mix of these influences combined with their heavy progressive psychedelic rock background makes for a very interesting sound. When asked what inspires them to write out-of-this-world music, bassist John Ferrera replied, “Everything is an inspiration, a lot of times when musicians are asked this question, they think of other musicians. Of course they are huge inspirations, but we all read a lot. We are so not rock stars. We are constantly reading backstage while other people are partying.” Guitarist Gabriel Marin uses a double neck fretless guitar with midi pickups to play sweeping heartfelt arpeggios, utilizing various synthesized

SUMMER SUMMER 2012 2012

effects to create sounds never heard before on a guitar. Bassist John Ferrara is so talented that he could arguably surpass Les Claypool or Victor Wooten instrumentally. The recently added drummer, Louis Miller, adds a strong rhythmic backbone that allows Ferrara to let loose and explore the bass as what could be considered another lead guitarist, only with some speed slapping involved. These guys will be bringing their brand of SciFi, Middle Eastern, Fusion to Catskill Chill Music Festival in Hancock, NY, on September 7. If you can’t make it to New York, you definitely won’t want to miss their return to the Blockley in Philadelphia on September 19. Written and photographed by Joe Gurreri

headspacemag.com 15 headspacemag.com 15

Goal:

Player with the most points when they get to the show, WINS. Necessary Game Items:

Oldest Player goes first Flip coin: Move 2 spaces if coin lands on heads. Move 3 spaces for tails headspacemag.com and SUMMER Collect tally points2012

Pieces: coins, bottle caps, or other random stuff in your pocket. Blank piece of paper Pen

Instructions/Rules:

SUMMER 2012 17 Illustrated by Ross Marinaro,headspacemag.com Kate Lonigro, and Joe Gurreri

tunes

FROM THE

BASEMENT TO THE

MAINSTAGE SATURDAY

SEPTEMBER

LOTUS RETURNS TO PHILLY

aturday, September 15, Philadelphia-based livetronica ensemble, Lotus, will come full circle, returning to their hometown once again. Lotus started off years back in grimy Philly basements and they are now headlining a mini festival at the historic FDR Park. With supporting acts

What excites you about this venue?

I’ve never actually been there before while it was being used as a music venue. For me, it’s really exciting to be playing a show on the home turf, especially since I’ve been a Philly resident since 1999. It’s nice that we are going to be doing our own thing. Should be a great day.

How does it feel to be playing such a big venue after starting off in Philly basements not long ago? (Chuckles) It’s pretty awesome. It’s just exciting to be playing these big shows with people filling up your entire field of vision. You know, it’s cool because playing in different parts of the country we get to play in front of lots of different sized crowds. Playing a show with a few hundred people in Arizona is a lot more intimate, but it’s nice to come home to such a huge crowd. It’s still nice to mix it up. Sometimes I like to play the smaller venues cause we get to experiment more and take more chances. But sometimes, the energy of 12,000 people just really drives you and drives the show.

So how has your summer been so far?

Well, I don’t know if you heard, but I just got married a month ago. So that was how I spent the bulk of my June, planning that and all. So that was really great. We’ve played some really good festivals. Camp Bisco was awesome. All Good was cool. Those where two of the bigger festivals we’ve played this summer. We spent a lot of time in the studio recording an album. We have recorded all the songs and the Millers are in the studio right now starting the mix down and everything. We’re moving into a new direction from the last album and I’m very excited to hear the finished product.

Photos by Charles Mostoller

headspacemag.com SUMMER 2012 18 Design by Patrick Ambrogi

[WRITTEN AND INTERVIEWED BY TIM DOUGHERTY] including Ghostland Observatory, MiMOSA, Michal Menert, and Sonic Spank, this mini fest is sure to be one hell of a show! Headspace Magazine caught up with drummer Mike Greenfield to discuss Lotus’ summer tour and their upcoming South Philly performance.

So what’s been the driving force toward a more electronic sound?

I mean, I don’t know, the Millers write all the music. I don’t know how much of a conscious decision it’s been for them, you know, I don’t think they’re looking around saying, “Hey let’s hop on this electronic bandwagon.” I think it’s just like having a giant new palate of sound that you can work with as a musician. You know these programs, like Ableton, that Jesse and Chuck, mostly Jesse, use and what the program allows you to do in a live setting has never been available to musicians before so it’s really exciting. I think it would be a detriment to have these tools and not use them. You know, on the flipside of that, there are two different schools of thought on music. There are the bands like AC/DC that make a formula of music and they stick to that and every album sounds the same. And then, there are guys like The Beatles and Miles Davis who try to re-invent themselves every album. I’m not saying we are on the same level as them, but it gives us something to aspire towards, where you are always trying to push the boundaries and try things that are new. For me as a musician, I like that we play both styles live. I think it would be boring if we just stuck to one style every show. This way we get to play some old songs and some new songs, and it makes the show more exciting. With Facebook, it’s apparent what everyone’s thinking, but we take it all with a grain of salt.

CITY BISCO

ust when you think the summer is over and outdoor festivities have come to an end, the Disco Biscuits are returning home for one last hurrah before the cold settles in. The inaugural City Bisco, which is the first time that the Biscuits will perform at the marvelous Mann Center throughout their 17-year career, is set for October 5 and 6, so mark your calendars! Opened during 1976 in the beautiful Fairmount Park in West Philadelphia, the Mann Center is Philly’s premiere performing arts center. With a capacity of around 14,000, the venue has hosted many national and world renowned artists such as: The Band, The Jerry Garcia Band, The Talking Heads, The Blues Brothers, Elton John, Van Morrison, Tom Petty, Neil Young, The Bee Gees, Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Steve Miller Band, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Al Green, Barry White, Ella Fitzgerald, and countless others. One can expect City Bisco to be a great addition to

[BY HASSAN AZEEZ] the Mann’s truly impressive history. The two-day multistage festival will mark the return of the Biscuits to their hometown for the first time in two years. Other than recent nearby shows such as the Identity Festival in Camden, NJ (August 2011), and the two nights at the Tower Theatre in Upper Darby, PA (NYE Run 2011), the last time the Biscuits played within Philadelphia city limits was the two-night Planet Anthem album release show at the TLA during March of 2010. After their Identity Festival tour, the band uncharacteristi-

cally took a small hiatus, playing only sporadic shows like the five night NYE 2012 run and the Mayan Holidaze festival in Mexico (January 2012). The Biscuits then took a half-year break until the Road to Camp and the energy packed Camp Bisco this July. With that in mind, definitely look for the Biscuits to come out swinging! Two day pass: $75 Shows: 3:00

Design by Patrick Ambrogi

Photo by Mary-Jane Hart

Anything else cool coming up?

I have some side project shows with Sucker Punch, which is myself with Marc Brownstein and Aaron Magner of the Disco Biscuits and Jamie Shields from the New Deal. We have three shows coming up in August. It should be great; how can you go wrong with players like that? It’s really nice to see Jamie back out there since the New Deal isn’t playing anymore. Umm… Red Rocks is coming up in September- that’s our favorite venue in the country to play. Then the next night, we are heading to Catskill Chill in Hancock, NY. It’s funny because that venue is actually where I went to summer camp as a kid and also where I played my first rock show ever on the same stage where I’ll be headlining a festival this year. It’s weird, you know, walking around having memories come flooding back of being there as a kid. We have plans for our New Year’s run, which haven’t been announced yet, and that should be great. Tickets: $47.55 Show: 4:00

Here is a little rundown on who will be joining in on the multi-stage festivities in Fairmount Park.

• Diplo- Based in Philadelpha - Founder/Manager of Mad Decent Record Label - Hip-Hop/ElectroHouse/Baile Funk/Dubstep/Moombahton • A-Trak- Owner of Fool’s Gold Record Label - Electrohouse/Hip-Hop • RJD2- Philadelphia Based - Hip-hop/Rock/TripHop/ Lo-fi/NuJazz/Electronica • Paper Diamond- Alex B former Bassist of Pnuma Trio and Founder of Elm & Oak Music Art & Design - Breaks/ Glitch/Hip-Hop • Aeroplane - Vito De Luca Italian-Belgian producer - Deep House/Electronica/Chill Out/Baleric Beat • Tipper - Britsh Producer - Breakbeat/Downtempo/ Hip-Hop/Glitch/IDM/Ambient • Papadosio - Formed in Athens, OH - Livetronica Band

• Tiger & Woods - NuDisco/House/Soul/Boogie • Ott and the All Seeing I (Live Band) - England - Dub/ Ambient/Psy-Dub • Brothers Past - Live Band formed and based in Philadelphia - Jamtronica/Indie Rock • Cinnamon Chasers - Live Band London, UK - Indietronica • Nadis Warriors - Live Band from Austin, TX - Livetronica/Drum&Bass/Downtempo/Psytrance • Wyllys - From Hartford, CT - Downtempo/ Drum&Bass/House • Alpha Data - From Minneapolis, MN - Breaks/ Glitch • The Manhattan Project - Live Band from Rochester, NY - Downtempo/Drum&Bass/Dub/Electro/ SUMMER 2012 headspacemag.com 19 Trance/House

spaced out

MAYA

2012

DEBUNKING THE APOCALYPSE As December 2012 approaches, prophetic tales of doom, apocalyptic end-times and catastrophic calamites are popping up left and right. The date on which the Mayan Long Count calendar restarts has become ingrained in the American psyche as ‘the day the world will end.’ Some say aliens are coming to wipe us off the planet. Others hold that the magnetic poles will shift, throwing our world into a cataclysmic spiral of destruction. Some even say that the end of the calendar signals the coming of a new age of renaissance and enlightenment of mankind. However, if you ask the curators behind the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology’s “Maya 2012: Lords of Time” exhibit regarding these apocalyptic prophecies they will tell you the Mayans never held such beliefs. “As far as the Maya were concerned, they said little or nothing about what’s going to happen with this calendrical turnover,” Anthony Aveni, Professor of Astronomy, Anthropology and Native American studies at Colgate University and author of The End of Time: The Maya Mystery of 2012, said. Dr. Aveni

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continued by saying, “the exhibition invites the visitor to explore the ancient Maya’s complex, interlocking calendar systems, which were based on an advanced understanding of astronomy and the night sky. Their most elaborate system, the long count, encompasses trillions of years, and one of its important cycles comes to a close on December 23, 2012. This is the origin of the Maya 2012 ‘endof-the-world’ phenomenon.” In fact,

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the calendar does not end; the long count calendar has no real end and no real beginning. The long count calendar starts a new cycle every 1,872,000 days or approximately once every 5,125 solar years. The current cycle ends on December 21, 2012 or as the curators of the exhibit believe, December 23, 2012. Most scholars say the long count calendar doesn’t really end on this date; it is simply the start of another cycle. The various other Mayan calendars keep going too. There are no Mayan texts which say the world will end on this date, and some Mayan inscriptions actually mention dates later than 20 2012. They don’t mention anything about cosmic vibrations, polar shifts, alien visitations or any of the other ludicrous ideas being thrown around by all the doom theorists. The entire first part of the exhibit is devoted to debunking this myth-runrampant. Only the most stubborn of believers would still think the world is going to end after seeing the facts laid out in front of them. “We want to tell the true story about the ancient Maya, their calendar, their understanding of

time, and what all this 2012 business is about,” says Simon Martin, co-curator of the exhibit. The exhibit is not only about the 2012 end-time conspiracies. The curators manage to delve deeply into Mayan culture and explain not only their calendars, but their society as a whole. The Mayan classic period lasted from A.D. 250 to 900, predating both the Aztec and Inca empires. During this time they built vast cities with huge pyramids throughout the dense tropical jungles of Central America. It’s truly astounding how little is known about the Mayans considering how long they were the primary power in Central America. After the ninth century, Mayan civilization all but disappeared. Royal monuments stopped appearing, and the population dropped rapidly and drastically for reasons unknown. Scholars posit that it could have been caused by drought, disease or even warfare. There was “evidence for the complete breakdown of the political system.” This sudden and unexplained disappearance came to be known as the ‘collapse’. The University of Pennsylvania is responsible for a large amount of the knowledge we now have concerning the Maya. Penn scholars led the excavation of Copán, Honduras, and have unearthed copious amounts of information about the Mayan culture, their obsession with time and the civilization’s mysterious collapse. While excavating Copán, scholars made many significant discoveries ranging from art to calendrical findings. They even found the tomb of the city’s first king. Dr. Loa Traxler, the exhibition curator said this exhibit, “offers visitors a rare opportunity to view spectacular examples of Classic Maya art—some of which have never before been seen outside Honduras—and delve into the Maya people’s extraordinary, layered, and shifting concepts about time. ‘MAYA 2012: Lords of Time’ uncovers a history and culture far richer and more surprising than commonly supposed.” “Maya 2012: Lords of Time” can be seen through Jan. 13, 2013, well after the supposed end-of-the-world, at the Penn Museum, located at 3260 South Street in Philadelphia. For more information about this exhibit and others visit www.pennmuseum.org. Tickets are $22.50 or $16.50 with student ID. Pay an extra $2.00 for the accompanying audio tour.

View upon entering exhibit

Caracol Altar 7, ca. 652 CE

Written By Tim Dougherty Photos by Alexandra Fleischman

Touchscreen allows visitors to uncover artifacts

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Longwood Gardens Gets Lit A journey through the magical land of “Light”

It was almost 9:15pm, and we could not miss the

fountain light show. We had just arrived at Longwood Gardens to see “Light: Installations” by Bruce Munro. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night this summer, there is a beautifully lit fountain show set to classical music. While this is not a part of Munro’s exhibition, it compliments his work exquisitely. The lit fountain show had impeccable timing, but it was lacking the excitement and uniqueness that “Light: Installations” offered. “Light: Installations” is a really special exhibit to Munro, who hails from Southwest England. This is his first solo exhibition in the United States, and it is comprised entirely of recycled and re-used materials. He explained, “I try to capture the spirit of life’s continual flux: yesterday’s rubbish is momentarily morphed into today’s art. It reinforces the idea that reality is simply a beautifully improvised dance that lives in the movement.” The exhibition is made of six outdoor installations and two within Longwood’s grand Conservatory. After the fountains, we were ready to journey throughout the massive gardens to see Munro’s installations. We walked into the Conservatory to see Munro’s indoor exhibits. Immediately, we were taken aback by “Snowballs.” This exhibit consisted of six large, hand-blown glass chandeliers that added drama to the Orangery, illuminating the green lawn and the surrounding summery plants. Right past “Snowballs” was “Light Shower,” an incredible installation of 1,650 teardrop-shaped diffusers suspended from the ceiling by fiber optic strands. “Light Shower” was even more of a treat because it is suspended over a reflecting pool, intensifying the visual experience. Upon leaving “Light Shower,” we wandered

through “Forest of Light,” a serene forest of 20,000 illuminated stems that felt like glowing, blooming flowers. For the Forest, we were invited on a golf cart to drive over to the next installation, “Water Towers,” which is hosted in the Meadow. I had seen images of “Water Towers,” but walking into the field was a truly magical experience. Unlike other installations, “Water Towers” takes you out of the formal gardens and envelops you in 69 structures built out of 17,388 1-liter recyclable bottles and 42.9 miles of bare optic wire. As you journey around Longwood, it is easy to miss the next installation, as it is not as dramatic as the others. “Candlelight” is a simple lighting of the Canopy Cathedral tree house. While not jaw-dropping, this exhibit is meant to show the softness of light in a sacred space. Down the path, we found “Field of Light.” This was by far my favorite installation. Similar to “Forest of Light,” it was made of illuminated glass spheres that appeared to be coming out of the ground, however in this case they look like they are growing on the far back of the Small Lake. With the lights reflecting flawlessly into the lake, it felt like walking through a moonlit park on a beautiful summer night. Visiting Longwood Gardens for Munro’s “Light: Installations” carries a sizable price tag at $18 per person for most nights, and $38 on Fireworks and Fountain Nights (only August 11, September 1, September 29), but it is worth every penny. Munro’s environmentally friendly light show is perfectly juxtaposed next to Longwood’s manicured formal Gardens. “Light” will be running until September 29. By Becky Blumenthal

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8 Ways To Cool Down In The City

1. Take a dip! Philadelphia’s natural swimming hole, Devil’s Pool, waits in the Wissahickon Valley Park. Here the Cresheim Creek flows through Mount Airy and pours into the Wissahickon Creek, forming a scenic spot for an outdoor swimming adventure. The 30-foot plummet from the cliff into the basin is a thrilling way to turn up the heat this summer while you cool down at the same time. Over the years, locals and visitors alike have endorsed this part of West Fairmount Park as a beautiful spot.

Treat yourself to a cold snack in your neighborhood. Everyone knows about Mister Softee, but if you want to change it up and skip the redundant, mind-numbing music, then you’ll dig these alternatives. The Capogiro Gelato Artisans have many spots in Center and University cities and even more flavors of freshly made gelato and sorbets! If you are more suited to sit down for ice cream sundaes, you will appreciate the Franklin Fountain in Old City as well as Scoop Deville’s downtown. Perhaps you want to create your own treat, in which case you will enjoy Phileo Yogurt in South Philly or Kiwi Yogurt in University City.

Make your own real fruit smoothies. Let’s be honest; these will taste just as good as ice cream or gelato and they are actually healthy for you.

Grab a couple o’ cold ones. Yes, we know that all of you Philly folk love and swear by your PBR pounders from the corner store, but there are loads of incredible microbrews awaiting you elsewhere. Be sure to look for exclusive seasonal craft beers from local favorites including Yards Brewing Company, Victory Brewing Company, and Dock Street Brewing Company.

Have a water gun fight in the backyard. Tip: it will probably kick the fun up a notch if you do this after completing number four.

Play a new game. Locate the nearest volleyball court. Come with two groups of no less than four people, taking care to arm yourselves with as much ammo (water balloons) as you can fit into two large buckets. Also, bring two full-size bed sheets.. Once there, the two opposing teams will each hold a sheet on opposite sides of the court. Each team will strategically position its members at whichever part of the sheet they choose, and serve water balloons together over the nets using the sheets. The other team uses their sheet to catch the balloon and to keep it from hitting their court and bursting all over the players. The same volleyball rules regarding serving, taking turns serving, out of bounds shots and touching the net still apply. Have fun and good luck; it can be more extreme than you think!

Hibernate in the air-conditioning at your own spot or a friend’s house until the end of the heat wave. Unless you plan on getting a job at a restaurant and hanging out in the walk-in until you get fired, this is crucial. If you think you can make it through this summer without an AC unit, buy one next winter; they will be a lot cheaper.

Open up a fire hydrant and use it as a sprinkler at your own risk. This is definitely not legal, which is kind of why it’s so fun. You’ve been warned, so don’t try to tell the coppers that we told you it was okay. If this deters you, just buy one of those spray-bottle-fan contraptions. Written by Mallory Smith

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Illustrations by Kate Lonigro

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Intro to Psychedemia

Exploring the mind-altering world of psychedelic research

Prepare your mind for a new age of mental and

spiritual enlightenment, a cultural movement of drug policy ratification, more poignantly heralded as a psychedelic renaissance. Psychedemia is a gathering of academicians for a neuropharmalogical summit, from September 27-30, at the University of Pennsylvania.

ore psychoactive drug research has been initiated in the past ten years than in the previous 40. “Psychedelics are back. To be more accurate, psychedelic research is back. To be totally factual, peer-reviewed, doubleblind, institutionally based, and federally sanctioned research on psychedelic compounds is back. The research community, of which I am a member, is enthusiastic that real research has resumed,” says James Fadiman Ph.D., author of The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide, and featured presenter at Psychedemia. The conference title “Psychedemia” is a nonce word, coined for this particular occasion, a fusion of two common words: “psychedelic” and “academia.” This event is sponsored by MAPS (the

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By Ross Marinaro

Spaced Out Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), a non-profit organization supporting public awareness of psychedelics, with a focus on the real risks and benefits of scientific research. MAPS advocates the use of psychedelics in a controlled, guided and safe research environment in order to allow relief for people with a variety of health conditions. Psychedelics help subjects cope with a diseased mental state, and the physiological response elicited from these drugs may help transform permanent afflictions into temporary ailments. Hamilton Morris stressed the importance of scientific conferences such as the University of Pennsylvania’s Psychedemia in curbing ignorance and promoting understanding within his field. “There has been a huge amount of emphasis on academia as a way of legitimating psychedelics and psychedelic research. Traditionally, they are a class of drugs that have lent themselves to a high level of wackiness, and the idea is that sober academic analysis will help disinterested parties understand the substances have important medical and scientific uses,” says Morris. Hamilton is a 25 year old psychonaut and journalist with an interesting job; he reports live on camera from the vortex of hallucinogenic hurricanes. Basically, he’s a psychedelic weatherman who takes drugs and reports on his sunny or stormy experiences in the Vice.com series entitled Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia. Hamilton will be delivering an individual presentation on Stephen Pollock’s magic truffles (Psilocybe tampanensis) on Friday September 27 at Psychedemia. The US Controlled Substances Act banned most common psychedelic drugs such as LSD, DMT, THC, mescaline, and psilocybin. Therefore, it is illegal to create, distribute, or possess any of these or other hallucinogenics under Schedule I classification. LSD and psilocybin were banned in 1966, after which psychedelic research promptly shifted to underground clandestine operations and a network of psychonauts. Alexander Schulgin, a renegade biochemist set to work synthesizing new chemicals that were structurally related to known psychedelic substances such as mescaline. By randomly moving functional groups around on the molecules, he was able to create entirely new compounds with unknowable psychoactive properties. He tested the new psychedelic derivatives on himself and a small group of fearless research collaborators. Under the tutelage of Schulgin, they carefully prodded their bodies with different dosages. His work continued for decades, and Schulgin is credited with the discovery and bioanalysis of over 230 psychoactive chemicals, including an alternative synthetic method for the production of MDMA, an active compo-

nent in the now incredibly popular street drug, ecstasy. Currently, MDMA is being utilized as a clinical treatment for PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) among US Veterans; the ninth test subject started treatment in early July. The MAPS website lists testimonials and literature reports of the healing properties of MDMA (and other psychedelics). Specific examples include relief from cancer, chronic pain, bipolar and eating disorders, Parkinson’s disease and other life-threatening illnesses. Among its many effects on the brain, MDMA has been shown to release oxytocin, a hormone that when discharged causes your body to feel steeped in the tea of love. It is the tie that binds mothers so strongly to the fruit of their womb and the thread that weaves throughout the cavernous folds of lovers’ brains, strengthening emotional bonds. Not surprising, the release of oxytocin is linked to the ingestion of MDMA, a drug evidenced as clinically beneficial for mending torn family relationships, couples therapy sessions, and end-of-life counseling to eliminate anxiety surrounding death. For thousands of years, those seeking deep, personal, lifechanging revelations or religious experiences have turned to hallucinogenic mushrooms to meet their therapeutic needs. Psilocybin is the active ingredient in many varieties of mushrooms and is the main compound responsible for the mushrooms’ healing properties. The effects of psilocybin and LSD are considered very similar and are both currently psychotherapeutics being administered to terminally ill patients experiencing anxiety and depression about their disease. It was not until September 2008, 38 years after enactment, that the FDA overturned the ban on clinical LSD research. Several programs have since been initiated including the treatment of cluster headaches, the worst form of migraine with 200 µg LSD, in a Swiss/American collaborative study. Research keeps rolling in; 2012 was a capstone year for psychedelics and momentum seems to be on the upswing. This summer, Canadian scientists were the first group in history to pinpoint the molecular avenue that cannabis plants use to string together members of the family of psychoactive substances, cannabinoids. Publishing the building blocks and teasing out intermediate products on route to cannabinoid production is a critical scientific turning point. The knowledge of cannabinoid synthesis will have a direct impact on future manufacturing and regulation of cannabis for pharmaceutical usage. An interesting side note about side-stepping legal restrictions; scientists have now demonstrated similarities between pathways in plants and yeast, meaning they

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The vast cerebral jungle is composed of ancestral timber with modern adaptations.

may be able to produce cannabinoids using yeast as an alternative source. From a fundamental standpoint, basic neuroscience research- increasing our understanding of the brain- is critical. In the past humankind has barely been able to explore, and perhaps less understand, our own mental wilderness. The vast cerebral jungle is composed of ancestral timber with modern adaptations. The human brain is staggeringly important; the organ itself consumes about 20% of your body’s fuel supply, sets us apart as a species, and defines who we are. Our minds have evolved to function as they do today on a high mental platform in the lofty atmosphere of knowledge and experience. However, only very recently has mapping the primeval forest of the brain become possible with the cartographic tools of science, brain scanning technologies such as MRI and PET. Perhaps psychoactive drugs could increase mental efficiency, joining the ranks of nootropic “smart drugs,” widely used today. Alongside naturally derived nootropics such as caffeine from coffee; or synthetics such as Ritalin, first synthesized by Novartis in 1944. Psychedelic substances can be used as probes to discover new pathways and unravel cranial mysteries to allow the mind to operate at its fullest potential. Perhaps in the future, the structure of these psychedelics will be tweaked to produce specific desired effects. For example, we may be able to specify which senses to target (visual, aural, etc.)to alter the duration (shorter or longer lasting) or even eliminate unwanted side-effects. Recently, scientists estimated that the total number of drug-like yet undiscovered medicines is more than the number of stars in the night sky. “To make the future even more interesting, those million, billion, billion, billion, billion, billion, billion new drugs waiting to be discovered, don’t take into account the potential advances in neuroscience and nanotechnology that may allow us to engineer new brain structures, expand our brain chemistry, and increase the range of our neurological abilities--allowing for even more amazing and incredible states of consciousness to become possible,” says David Jay Brown, opening presenter at Psychedemia. However, people are inevitably scared of what they can’t fully explain; a lack of scientific testing and conceptual understanding in the area of psychoactive neuroscience has struck fear into the hearts of the uncertain. Just as old horror movies with weak special effects and hidden/invisible monsters are more terrifying than new age CGI, Rod Serling’s famous Twilight Zone

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intro describes the key of imagination, which opens the door, “to a land of shadow and substance, of things and ideas, lying between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge.” These old flicks leave something for the imagination, exactly the mindset currently encountered by the general public because psychedelics represent fear of the unknown. The concept of legalization of hallucinogenic drugs induces blatant societal fears evident in the representative decisions of elected officials dictating our nation’s legislature. But perhaps these eye-opening chemicals are what people need to further mental efficiency, to open up to a new level of being where senses heighten and experiences are more piquant. After all, humans are host to billions of chemical reactions over the course of a lifetime; we are in effect a menagerie of chemical kinetics gone wild. By that rationale, what is the harm of a few more chemicals being tossed into the mix? Science is the only logical key that will be able to set the mechanisms in motion to unlock the door the government has closed on psychedelic culture. We are at the advent of societal acknowledgement -- events like Psychedemia are garnering huge support, and psychedelics may truly teeter on the precipice of public acceptance. Along with those previously mentioned, Psychedemia’s presenter line-up sports a full roster of heavy hitters, Ph.D.s and psychonauts alike. A collection of visionary art will be featured, including a black light poster session and a psychedelic culture garden. Prices are broken down by day, and the full conference is $80. Pre-sale tickets are available through the website Psychedemia. org/register.

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Written by Mandie Pandarella References http://psychedemia.org/ http://www.maps.org/research/ http://santacruz.patch.com/articles/psychedelic-medicines-of-the-future-more-undiscovered-drugs-than-starsin-the-sky http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120716151654. htm http://www.nytimes. com/2012/02/12/movies/ hamilton-morriss-webseries-hamiltons-pharmacopeia.html

Old Friend By: Kaley Iacovetta I hold too tightly to this wasteland this rotting rubble this fiendish adulteration of sacred space I always inhale too deeply The stench, now a permanent resident in my nostrils (But it’s growing on me) Death broods in every alley begging for my change between thick spats expelling slimy soul At first I’d give him a dollar Then a quarter nickel penny Then a hello a smile Now nothing head down Guilty.

I fear those Iron Vultures will swoop down and carry me off to the secret rooms trap me in darkness forever behind those false walls.

Sometimes I go downtown Study the strides, the blinks, the twitches Searching for an eye to meet mine for more than a moment Again I walk home empty. I try to avoid City Hall calculate my steps duck down cobblestone byways But it’s always lurking Stealthily slinking around the next corner

But tomorrow morning I will still grudgingly extract myself from fantasy I will walk too slow I will miss the trolley I will curse myself curse the 34 curse this godforsaken City I will start walking into the Sun on an avenue frozen in time I will look up and over and around I will see the Amish man peddling fruit I will hear the laughter of old women I will smell the warmth of humanity I will remember why I stay.

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Artist’s Showcase with

Nangellini

Integrating math into art Nangellini is a colorful vortex of art and clothing that brings life to the ridiculously commercialized South Street in Philadelphia. As one enters the store located at 832 South Street, they are almost assaulted by the beautiful and vibrant hand-made yarns and various pieces of hand-made local clothing and artwork. Nancy Nagle fills Headspace in on her inspiration and her art.

How did you get started as an artist? I’ve always been an artist. I’ve always been making mandalas or circles in one way or another. My art keeps evolving, and my store, Nangellini, gives me the opportunity to show it and hopefully move it out the door to its perfect home.

Mandalas woven by Nancy Nagle Bottom right was recently used as a prop for M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie After Earth.

What has attracted you to sacred geometry and mandalas (Sanskrit word meaning circle)? I like the place where math and art comes together. Visually, this has always appealed to me, it resonates for me, and the symmetry feels right. Humans understand this connection on a cellular level. We don’t always know why certain things resonate, but they speak to a part of us that goes past the brain and into the heart. This connection gives us a glimpse of the divine perfection of all things. How did Nangellini come about and what are you doing now? I had made so many hats; I just needed a place to sell them. That’s kind of why I opened this store. The weaving that I’m doing involves Saori style, which allows for all the imperfections that make us each unique. Saori is a Japanese technique where Sa means that there is a dignity in everyone’s individuality or uniqueness and Ori means weaving, which allows for the selvages to be imperfect. It celebrates the differences between what humans can do and what machines can do. I’m also learning a bunch of new techniques with beads. I’m not sure how it will become involved with what I’m currently doing, but they will undoubtedly become a component of the larger art. I’m also learning new spinning and weaving techniques. I like the idea of combining all these different elements that I’ve been working with into a big project, but I’m still trying to figure out what that will be. Written and interviewed by Alessandro Satta Photos by Joe Gurreri

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