March 27, 2010

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Programmed the Sunday Gospel Set. This set, #42 (amazingly), is mostly urban contemporary, code words for black, current and commercial; fusing R&B, funk, soul and hip-hop elements in a powerful blend. Yolanada Adams in, Kirk Franklin out and a spectrum of testifying in between.

The photograph above is of a mural painted on a utility (traffic light, I think) box in Jamaica Plain. It's a map of the nearby streets, with no names or symbols used. Overlaid are the shifting shadows of bare winter tree branches. To me it's a totally satisfying work of art. See another, maybe even better, view of the mural in the March 19 journal entry below. That image will be on the April 15 Roofscape cover, so you'll also get a sneak peak.



Image ... Mural by Elizebeth Nicholson and Hilary Alder. On a utility box at Lamartine and Boylston Streets, Jamaica Plain across from the Stony Brook T Station.

March 19, 2010

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Pete and I are working on a project at The Brewery complex in JP. It's a dense warren of various thriving small businesses located in the old Haffenreffer Brewery on Amory Street near the Stony Brook T stop. The area used to be the center of the German immigrant community in Boston and there were five breweries close by, of which Haffenreffer was the largest, along with other homey amenities of Germanic life - musical societies, social clubs, schools, etc.

The brand no longer exists, or at least not here, replaced by Sam Adams Beer, The Jamaica Plain School of Dance, Ula's Cafe, Bikes Not Bombs, Mike's Gym, Boston Pretzel Bakery, Milky Way Cafe, Bella Luna, etc. - 50 businesses in all employing 250 people. It's a really pleasant place with constant coming and going and Ula's is always packed. Good pea soup, almost as good as Charlie's. And the sun is out, spring is here. Smiling, relaxed faces everywhere after this rough winter.

Image ... Mural by Elizebeth Nicholson and Hilary Alder. On a utility box at Lamartine and Boylston Streets, Jamaica Plain across from the Stony Brook T Station.