Saturday, December 30, 2006

¡Buenos dias de Guatemala!

It's my first time in Guatemala. Things are great here! Nevermind that there is a cash shortage so I have yet to see Quetzales, my bag was last seen in the front luggage room in Los Angeles, and last night I ate two bowls of delicious sopa de tortilla which, who knew, had cream in it and I'm lactose intolerant... People are kind, the weather is fantastic, and I get to rest after busy holidays in the USA. I seem to get more sleep in other countries than I can manage in my homeland. Happy New Year to people celebrating the calendar that puts us in 2007 just about now.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Concept, Design, and Status (+paper v2.5)

The first public version of The Water Project paper is now available for download as a pdf file [TheWaterProject.v2.5.pdf].

This paper, entitled The Water Project: Concept, Design, and Status, provides an overview of the project along with the project philosophy, objectives, development phases, participant roles, countries identified for the project, appproaches, funding, recent supporters, advisors, current status, art and artists, and a biography of me.

Feedback is welcome. Please send it to the email address is contained within the document. Thank you!

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Ramya's Family (+photos)

These five photos taken by Terry Berger early in my stay in Sathyamangalam show my dear friends Ramya and her sister, Yamini, along with their mother, Sumathi. This is the day they tried to teach me south Indian cooking. Missing from the photos are Ramya's wonderful Daddy Prakash & Uncle Mohan. You'll see the kitchen and main hall of Terry's apartment, which was my home base for a couple of months.

I am back in the USA now, integrating the new and the longstanding: friends, ideas, directions; reflecting on my journey; planning next steps.

Suddenly ideas explored at CIIS are hot again, such as ontology and epistemology... What is real? How do we know what we know? It is glaringly obvious after a trip abroad that societal realities are largely constructed, and therefore shifting realities involves reconstruction. What might that look like?

Up next: I intend to post here soon a draft version of a concept paper I'm working on for the water project.

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Current Intrigues

I am entering my final week of this Indian trip. I have a lot of plans, including one more visit to see Santhan the scultor, and one more visit to the hills. Kodaikanal is a possibility even though there is a high likelihood of rain. That's just the way it is this season in this part of the world.

There are some things related to the Water Project that I am keeping an eye on. Oxford Brookes University in England has a "social sculpture" program. You can get a good sense of the program by reading about Shelley Sacks, with whom I have been corresponding.

I heard about this school through a listserve from the Community Arts Network, "promoting information exchange, research and critical dialogue within the field of community-based art." This is an amazing resource.

I am also getting to know the Green Museum, run by Sam Bower, whom I had the pleasure of lunching with in California before I came to India. This is an exciting, inspiring environmental art website.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Diwali & Sculpture Exhibit (+photos)

I caught an amazing sculpture exhibit at Kashi Art Gallery in Fort Kochi the other day. Afterwords I went with the artist to visit the owners of the gallery, an Indian man and his USAmerican wife. Anoop, Dorrie, and Reghunadhan gave me loads of ideas and feedback on the Water Project.

Diwali Lunch Here are some photos from Diwali, by Terry Berger. He's actually pictured in one of them this time. See if you can find him!

I'm off tomorrow to hang out in a mud house designed by my new sculptor friend, Santhan, for his friends in Pattambi. I believe Santhan is in the process of decorating the mud walls with etched pictures.

Friday, October 20, 2006

News from Kerala

I returned to the west coast of south India, and am delighted to report that I think I have come upon a sculptor to join The Water Project! He lives in the state of Kerala, is interested in this project, has true dedication to nature, is connected in a loving community and the Periyar Tiger Reserve, and does beautiful work. I will post more soon.

For those who celebrate it, happy Diwali.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Fort Kochi (+photos)

I spent an extended weekend in Cochin, also called Kochi, originally a Dutch fort in the Indian state of Kerala. As these 20 amazing photos that Terry took share, there are fantastic arts shows to be seen there. We also strolled to Jew Town, and came upon a synagogue that was built in 1563.

Ship discharging near Fort KochiFort Kochi is near Ernakulam, which is distinguished by multiple waterways and a fun ferry system. Not all is upbeat in this water wonderland area, though. In doing some research on water pollution I came across an article about water in Ernakulam. This picture may give clues as to part of the problem... Many thanks to Terry Berger for this photo.

Monday, October 02, 2006

Abstract Art

I'd like to take my art to the next level. I visited two one-room, one-teacher art schools in Mangalore today. The first was open-air, allowing me to watch the monsoon rain as it swept through. The second was above a convenience store, the kind that sells trial-size packages of everything from detergent to the beauty aid, coconut oil. Both schools had remarkable pictures on the walls, showing great talent in watercolor, charcoal, and oils. Though the teachers were clearly successful, and graciously welcomed my interruption, I realized that I will not find what I am looking for here.

Ninety-nine of a hundred wise art teachers would say I need to go back to basics. Indeed this is what these schools offered and what these teachers advocated. But deep inside of me I know I don't have sustaining interest in the details of a snail, an eggshell, or a human face to take the time to learn how to render them recognizeably.

Discouraged from repeatedly finding myself interested in that which exists between what most people can relate to, I did a search on abstract art. Though I didn't yet find a school, I felt encouraged by Harley Hahn's "Understanding Abstract Art," and Info Please on Abstract Expressionism.

PS In my next lifetime I'd like to be a Bollywood star.

Friday, September 29, 2006

Art and Mangalore (+art)

Blue Flame by Liza BehrendtHere are two images that I created here in India, using crayons and paper, size about 18" by 24" I would guess. Thanks to Terry for taking the photos. These pictures will remain in Sathyamangalam, as Karuppusamy from READ, mentioned in the entry below called "A Few Projects," wants these for the office.

Orange and Blue by Liza BehrendtI have taken a jaunt to the west coast, on the Arabian Sea, a place called Mangalore. It is directly west of Bangalore and south of the famous Goa. So far so good, though I just arrived, on the night express. The train was super comfy in my AC Sleeper car, and I slept deeply for five or six hours after chatting with a lovely family, my traveling companions, who shared bananas and stories with me. We got in to Mangalore at 5:15am. I stayed in the station until it was light out so that I could walk by myself to find a hotel, rather than relying on booking services or rickshaw drivers. I struck it rich. For 300 rupees per night plus tax, about US$7 total, I am in complete comfort and style, and the brief, pouring rain happened just after I got inside. Plus there's this internet place in easy walking distance. God bless broadband.

Monday, September 25, 2006

Kotagiri (+photos)

Kotagiri is a hill station that I visited for a few days. I met a woman while taking a walk, and she invited me into her home. Her family spoke English well, and they were generous and kind. They gave us cuttings from their garden, including mint and something called tree tomatoe. My friend Terry took a bunch of photos that I have posted online, yipee!

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Bangalore & Mysore

The following message was added in early 2008: I have been meditating on whether to remove old postings. My perspective in some entries is that of "other" in the countries I was visiting. My orientation and voice have shifted a great deal. For the time being I have decided to leave all postings in the blog. Some of the postings in question have received praise over time, and some, although humbling now, do show what was real to me then. Please forgive any cultural insensitivities and United States Americanisms you may find. I am open to your feedback on this: send to lizabehrendt at yahoo dotcom. Thank you.


I went to Bangalore for a day. I got my computer fixed, walked around Lalbaugh Botanical Gardens with my new friend Janis, and enjoyed a bit of shopping in this mind bogglingly busy and speedily modernizing place. I am sure I inhaled the exhaust of hundreds of thousands of cars and motorbikes. They say that there are 700 new vehicles on the roads in Bangalore every day.

The gardens were my favorite. They transport you to somewhere, I don't know where, somewhere else. There are trees of many species from around the world there. I wore my churida for the first time all day yesterday, today too. I stayed overnight in an old folks home's guest room, set up by Janis because she's on their board of directors. A small, older, lively man with excellent English took care of me there, intermittently disappearing to watch a tennis match on TV, and I suspect imbibe a wee bit, in his room. I only met a couple of the residents, and they seemed happy there.

There was a great book store where I got a few mysteries, including a contemporary Indian writer's The Everest Hotel.

Now I'm in Mysore taking in a few sights, such as a Raj era palace, before heading back to Sathy. Photos are forthcoming.

Saturday, September 16, 2006

A Day of Activity

The following message was added in early 2008: I have been meditating on whether to remove old postings. My perspective in some entries is that of "other" in the countries I was visiting. My orientation and voice have shifted a great deal. For the time being I have decided to leave all postings in the blog. Some of the postings in question have received praise over time, and some, although humbling now, do show what was real to me then. Please forgive any cultural insensitivities and United States Americanisms you may find. I am open to your feedback on this: send to lizabehrendt at yahoo dotcom. Thank you.

I played cricket today, with ten neighborhood boys, aged about 8 to 15 years, and my buddy Ramya. The boys were healthy and well fed, for the most part, I sense I'm in a posh neighborhood. Later we ran running races. The oldest boy, whose English was excellent, guessed my age as 18. Bless his beautiful heart.

Later at my place, joined by four neighbor women, one holding 9-month-old Sachin, I learned Tamil dances ~ think Bollywood movies. It was vigorous and totally fun! They were great teachers and dancers, and it was easy to pick up their stylin' moves.

I also had my first solitary walk this afternoon. I had an appointment to observe an interview of a village girl, but at the last minute it was cancelled, because she wanted to go to a festival instead. I was able to sneak out therefore, and move my tall body on my own. It was heavenly to get out and walk forth in the world, unsupervised.

It is extremely challenging for me to get out on my own. I'm not allowed by Ramya, my 18 year girlfriend, to do anything like that without her. She's always itching for something fun to do, but I knew she was studying for exams and having lunch.

On the road people stared, as they typically do. I am an anomaly in so many ways. Today I had energy to smile, and mostly I got smiles back. A man on a rickety bicycle, the only kind you see, slowed and offered me a ride back to town. I would have had to perch sidesaddle on his rear bikerack. I declined, much preferring to walk, he persisted, I declined again, smiling, he hovered, and finally he rode slowly on without me. No English was exchanged, just names of towns as he tried to figure out from whence I came. His best guesses were Mysore and Bangalore, which made me chuckle, as those are like a hundred miles away. It would have been a long walk. I guess he hadn't heard about the tall foreigners in Sathy yet. Anyway as far as I know, that was the first time a man tried to pick me up in India.

I got lost coming back on my walk, missed the turn by the milk store I figure. I realized it some kilometer later, and made the best of it, feeling proud when I eventually came upon something I recognized, a sleeping pad store. I made my way back past the fruit shop, and stopped for a huge bagful of fruit, raisins, and veggies, for about US$2.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

A Few Projects

Here are a few things I'm working on:

  • phase one of a web page for a local NGO called READ (this is in draft form)
  • finding out about art schools here in India
  • scoping out the computer contracting situation here, for a few interested parties back home
  • learning about Indian sculptors

Monday, September 11, 2006

First week in Sathyamangalam


The following message was added in early 2008: I have been meditating on whether to remove old postings. My perspective in some entries is that of "other" in the countries I was visiting. My orientation and voice have shifted a great deal. For the time being I have decided to leave all postings in the blog. Some of the postings in question have received praise over time, and some, although humbling now, do show what was real to me then. Please forgive any cultural insensitivities and United States Americanisms you may find. I am open to your feedback on this: send to lizabehrendt at yahoo dotcom. Thank you.


Liza at Bhavani Reservoir I’ve been in India for a week, and it already seems natural to be here. I am comfortable and healthy in my new home in Sathyamangalam, a small town at the crossroads between Mysore, Coimbatore, Bangalore, and parts east in this southern state of Tamil Nadu. Home is a two-bedroom apartment in a four-story building with roof access that looks out over the town, much greenery, mountains and sky.

The neighbours have taken me under their wing, particularly a family of two daughters, mother, father and uncle. They keep me busy eating the many courses of food they bring daily. I am asked several times a day what I have eaten. So far this is endearing and interesting, as even the woman who cleans the floors asks me this. I’m told it’s a normal topic of conversation.

One day Ramya and Yemini, the neighbour girls, age 18 and 13 respectively, and their uncle and I went to an area that usually only villagers can go to, a nature and wildlife preserve. The uncle is the chief, hence entry. We rode comfortably for an hour or two up smooth mountain roads, expertly driven in a nice Jeep by a young man, and landed atop a flat area where doctors from nearby Coimbatore were giving free eye exams and glasses, a program of Lions Club International.

Several villagers that I saw would clearly have benefited by the free surgery they were offered, however, few would accept it. They were worried about the time it would take and missing work, but even more, they worried about organ trafficking. Perhaps they would come back with no eyes.

I have come to appreciate the constant honking of horns you hear from dawn on into the night. In the USA, horn honking to me sounds like more of reaction to a situation, something that says “F--- You.” Here it is a warning saying “watch out, don’t let me kill you.” I’m not of the illusion that value placed on life is higher here, I’m simply more tolerant of horn honking. It’s kind of sweet.

I'm making lots of pictures with crayons from home and paper bought locally for about 7 cents per sheet. The images are starting to get funky, a flow and influence of what's around me.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

CircleCenter

My dear friends at CircleCenter in Fairfax, California, USA are staying connected via a network that I hope to expand upon during my travels. Please visit CircleCenter, and create a profile (look for the login link).

Friday, August 18, 2006

Travels to India

Liza BehrendtIn a couple of weeks I am going to India. I will be living in Sathyamangalam in the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu. I am going to India in order to do my own art, and to allow an inward journey for a vision I am stewarding, to co-create a global art project in appreciation for water. As of this writing I plan to be there for two and a half months, returning in mid-November of 2006. Most of this could evolve into something altogether different. This is my first blog entry.