STUDIO ARCHIVES

wishing you were here? suckaaaahhhs!

BON DIMANCHE! HAPPY SUNDAY!

blissfully worn out @ the bakery after our 6AM swim @ Shell / Rock Beach

Sunday, 10.27.08

I thought that I was a night owl but these guys put me to shame. After a fun Saturday night performing at BAZ, our bud and boss, Jean Marc, along with Yvon, Armel and Nathalie (members of the BAZ Crew), joined us at the band house for an all-night hang spinning tunes, singing and laughing wildly. Unfortunately, I missed all this. I was so tuckered after the gig, after a week of not being able to squeeze in a decent nap between activities, I finally crashed at 1AM. The rest of Swamp kept going without me. I heard that there was even dancing and good, classic funk involved at the Yacht Club and Casey was there to witness and get his own funky groove on.

Yvon, Nadïne & Nathalie

When I was finally awakened by mutant mosquitos who were no longer intimidated by the air conditioner, it was 5AM. Armel and Jean Marc were long gone but Yvon, Nathalie, Casey and Brian were still going strong. I joined in just in time to discuss world politics, dreams for the future and how to properly tie a sarong Polynesian-style. At first, there was talk of going home, down the street, to finally crash but then Yvon suggested we go to Shell (now Rock) Beach for a quick morning swim. It was the best idea that any of us had ever heard so we rushed to grab our swim gear and off we went.

promenade to our 6AM swim @ Shell / Rock Beach

Nathalie was so tickled that we were ALL actually going for a swim after staying up all night long, she just started giggling in the street. What awesome energy and Life. Last year, we only got to spend the last Sunday of the gig with the BAZ Crew at Shell Beach. This time around, we promised to spend as much time together as possible before and after working hours for a truly righteous hang.

waking up before the deep sleep

After the swim, which was sweet, we all walked to the bakery for coffee and a few yummy pasteries. The new favorite? Feuillete Frommage, an addictive and flaky pastery filled with a white wine & cheese paste. The rest of the day? After picking up lunch at SPAM, who is making lambi (conch) with rice & red beans today, there's talk of more swimming and a picnic at Governeur Beach, a soccer match in the afternoon and more tunes to spin but that may be the gitty chatter of the sleep deprived. We still have another week to enjoy so no hurries, no worries. Yup, I'd say it has been a pretty sweet hang so far. As for me, I need another 4 hours of sleep to feel truly human.

Until Next Time,
Sweet Dreams...

ALL BY THURSDAY

on the plane and on our way...

So, first week of the gig, we arrived in St. Maarten on Oct. 13th, hopped on a bus to the "putt-putt" plane and lifted off to St. Barth's. Brian and I were washed with sweet memories from last year while Casey was wowwing over all the lovely sights for the first time. As soon as we landed, we jumped right into it.

boarding the "putt-putt" puddle jumper

Fannie (co-proprietor of Le Bête à Z'ailes or BAZ Bar for short) picked us up from the airport and dropped us off at the band / artist house to set our luggage down and head to BAZ for our first meal. Happily, we found that pretty much the same BAZ Crew from last year are with us this time around, which makes it an even better trip already. After dinner came the walk of many back to the band house for a quick shower, then we were on! Had a great first show, took some notes for the next one and crashed out hard.

... then came Hurricane Omar...

Tuesday, 10.22.08

We heard the warnings all day long about Hurricane Omar and had planned since the day before to hit the supermarket early to stock up for the storm but "early" to St. Barth's locals prepping for a hurricane is a whole other animal. Casey made the run at around 10AM and found the shelves practically bare. Though provisions are handled in a timely manner, our neighbors mentioned that folks around here take their sweet time locking themselves behind closed doors. Everyone waits pretty much til the last minute.

Brian's Tattooed Whale - wreckage courtesy of Hurrican Omar

Since the storm wouldn't really hit until the wee hours anyway, according to the weather reports, we hit at 8:30PM as usual to a great, listening crowd. We all had a great time. Then Jean Marc gave the call to close down early and we helped the BAZ Crew pack the tables and chairs good and tight. What was insteresting for me was watching Jean Marc's Zen approach to the whole thing. As hard as he, Fannie and family have worked to make the BAZ a special place and a welcome home for its patrons, what seemed most important to him at that point was the joy of watching us all working with and for one another, the natural sense of community that quickly comes into being at times like these and that, in a little while, he would be at home with his family. Whether we woke up the next day to find something resembling a war zone, he said, or just a few chairs to pick up off the floor was no longer the point. A healthy respect for Nature's force can either leave one with a profound humility that helps the necessary movement forward or reveal the suffering of our attachments to the world of form. In that moment, he released his attachments and joined us and the BAZ Crew at the band house for our unofficial pre-hurricane party.

Once the wind started whistling though, it was time to close the doors, windows and shutters, then hold on. Just before we did all that, Brian took a few video shots of the palm trees aglow with blue lightening (will post that soon). Omar knocked hard and kept us up late that night. Thunders around here are no joke. The booming echoed back and forth like a tennis match on speed across the sky.

another wreckage courtesy of Hurrican Omar

Early the next morning, Brian was already in a boat with Jean Marc cleaning up the harbor. They, along with neighbors and the fire department (ran into our buddy, Rodri, one of the fire fighters), immediately started cleaning up. No waiting for FEMA around here. Folks just handle their business. Apart from the water and electricity taking a bit of time to get up and running again, the BAZ was in great shape and, better still, everyone's spirits were in even better shape.

members of Swampadelica & Bon Jovi's Dave Bryan jammin' @ the BAZ

Thursday, 10.24.08

The next night, Dave Bryan, keyboard player for Bon Jovi, came by the BAZ for dinner. We had a pretty hi-fi Nord keyboard on hand and when we started playing Swampadelica's "2nd Place", Dave ran up stage and immediately sat in. We threw a bunch of tunes at him and he just jammed out full-on. Dude has awesome ears! What a blast!

a blissed out Dave after solid jams w/ Swamp

All this by Thursday. Can't help but wonder what next week will bring but for now, this moment is all there is and it's right on.

mp3 downloads

We've been recording some of the performances and hope to have new tunes to share before we head back to the States next week.

Here's Casey listening back and tweaking sounds off the digital recording studio.

more to come...

updated: 11/6/08

Tweakage continues on the audio and video recordings of our jams @ BAZ. We'll be posting soon so be sure to come back for more.

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video

We'll be posting one of our jams with Dave Bryan soon as well as performances by the Trio on Swampadelica's website, myspace and, of course, here at artlives.net. We're also in the middle of filming a very silly documentary about existential yearning, so we say.

more to come...

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new paintings "made in St. Barth's"

acrylic & found objects on wood, by Nadïne LaFond © 2008

This year, I'm painting up a storm with my buddy, Jackson Questel, assemblage artist, each of us jumping into new territory. For Jackson, it was a matter of facing the studio and starting a completely new collection after a three year hiatus due to full-on fatherhood. For me it is the call to begin approaching my work with alot more intuition, using new materials (especially found objects) and finally working in larger scale.

Jackson & Nadïne in between masterpieces

It has been such a pleasure and honour for me to work side by side with Jackson at his home studio or, as Jackson would say, his "work shop". Studio begins at 10AM and has been ending at around 4:30PM / 5:30PM or so Monday through Friday during our second week here. These hours came about not due to a bunch of rigid planning and discussion but quite naturally and easily during a quick exchange the day before about the best time to begin working, which was totally flexible too. Jackson is teaching me, through his graceful ease, humor and patience, the sanity of working with purpose while allowing the moment to dictate what comes next; taking a long lunchbreak with his wife, Mireille, who has been graciously cooking beautiful meals for us day after day last week (due to a miscommunication, I missed "oyster day". Damn it!) and closing shop when the day is done. No more ridiculous, emotionally-charged all-nighters for me. It usually leads to an overworked mind and paintings anyway. I'm going home to my new studio with a new outlook.

detail of new found objects on wood assemblage
by Jackson Questel © 2008

We're all amazed at how seemingly easily Jackson assembles his work. The piece begins one way, the first arrangement bringing its own inspiration to the whole, then changes (as Mireille mentioned, perhaps three or four times over a few days or weeks) and finally comes together, which is indicated by the electric drill being fired up. I have the benefit of seeing the process unfold before my eyes so I know the thought, care and struggle that go on to bring these works to fruition. However, even then, I see it and still am in awe of the whole thing. Luckily for us, Jackson is interested in exhibiting his work in the States so they will be more easily accessible soon.

Jackson Questel in his workshop

Well collectors, I did promise you new works of art inspired by my time in St. Barth's. I will be returning to the States with new pieces that explore the ego's attachment to past and future, as inspired by the life lessons that have come to me, including those of Eckhart Tolle's teachings, and which will be the jumping off point for a new collection of works on this theme. Both Jackson and I are using the rest of this season into the winter to work on and present 20 new pieces next year. For those who are new to Jackson's assemblage, now is a good time to begin collecting pieces from his past collection and to get a jump start on the new one. Each piece is a profound lesson and will bring you countless opportunities to observe the everyday with fresh eyes and renewed spirit.

For collectors interested in the new pieces being created in St. Barth's, send a quick note to studio@artlives.net with the subject title of "St. Barth's Artwork" for more information.

updated: 11/8/08

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