Gaga Blah Blah

All the folks at GAGA want to wish Molly a very Happy Birthday!  May this year bring to you all the joy, success and fulfillment possible.

We love you, Molly!

The GAGA crew.

Disclaimer:  Some of you have been reading this blog since we started it, and I want to thank all of you.  This is going to be an important post, and quite possibly my final one on this site.  I want to retain the right to speak plainly, so if you are offended by strong language, I apologize in advance.  I don’t want to have to monitor what I say tonight, though, so bear with me, please.

Lisa Stevens, founding member of Greater Austin Garbage Arts.

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Well, folks, we have hit the wall.  We ran a good race, we went the distance, and we failed accomplished so much in the process.  I don’t like to see life–or our experiences–as something that is either successful or a failure.  I believe that every circumstance can be one we learn from, so that is what I choose.

When we began our endeavor, we started with nothing but big ideas, a mutual love and concern for the planet, and a lot of faith.  I believe that continued and transformed faith is strong enough to buoy each of the members of GAGA to the place we each of us need to be, and to further the ideas that we launched in our little dingy of dreams.

I have learned so much about sustainability, especially at this juncture.  The exhaustion of resources can not only be applied to our environment, but to us as individuals.  If each of us come to a reasonable conclusion as to what we are able to sustain, I believe we can facilitate lasting and purposeful change.  Can I, Lisa, indefinitely sustain the support of a company which has no visible source of income?  No, I cannot.  I have a finite source from which I draw my own support, and by sharing a large percentage of that, I lose my ability to support and sustain myself.  If we draw indefinitely from the earth’s resources without a mindfulness to its finite nature, we are robbing the future ability of the planet to sustain its inhabitants.

Instead of addressing these issues in depth, however, I want to share with you some of the joys I have experienced during the past eighteen months of supporting this endeavor.  I have been proud, and feel privileged to have been an integral part of creating something that has had a positive effect on so many people, but most especially the children.  I believe that is what our greatest contribution has been in the past year and a half, and that has simply been to inspire creativity.  Use what you have; use it up.  When I was working with the children, there was a moment when I could *see* inspiration take hold of them:  their faces would actually light up, they would begin to see something in a different way, and a whole new vista opened up in their minds.  Yes, it was just some strips of fabric five minutes ago, but now?  it is a braid, and now?  an arm and leg.  And this knot?  it’s a head.  And now we put them all together…and it’s a doll.  A form, from the formless.  A creation from an idea.  That is all it takes to inspire.  Simply an idea formed into reality.

That is what GAGA was, and is.  It is not just a collection of artists and volunteers.  It is an idea made real, formed from nothing but castoff materials, repurposed tools, and a vision of something different.  We didn’t know how it would look, we just knew it had to be.  It brought together people of every persuasion, and cut through cultural boundaries.  It joined young and old, rich and poor, creatives and non-creatives alike.  We had no idea what we were doing, and yet, we knew how to do it all.

Except for running a business.  And that is where we (I) failed.  Sometimes our “all” is not enough.

We created a paradigm of business based on our individual strengths.  Philosophically, this was a fresh path compared to businesses that relied heavily on borrowing and capital.  We supported one another financially, emotionally, and physically.  Our company grew exponentially, and frankly, outgrew our ability to manage it properly.  It was not a strength any of us had, and unfortunately, it is an essential component of growing a business.  

I would love to see our efforts be transformed and somehow continued on.  I have a firm belief that our model can be replicated and could be offered as a community–or even city–program.  We need to have a resource center in Austin where the goods we collected can be repurposed; there is so much being thrown away daily, and it is up to us as a community-local and global–to halt the tide of waste being swept under the proverbial rug of our environment.  Surely there is someone out there, or some community action, which can continue the work that we have begun.

But ultimately it is up to us individually to take reasonable action.  By this I mean, what are you able to maintain for yourself?  Please, please, please be mindful of what you are throwing away!  Be mindful of what you are choosing to use on a daily basis, and what are the effects of your choices.  Take a week off from throwing out your garbage.  It’s easy to see your patterns of use if you follow this simple procedure:  Rinse your used containers, stack them, then see what your patterns of use are.  After that it is easy to see what your areas of greatest use are, then you can make thoughtful and mindful choices.  

I have had lots of people play Devil’s Advocate with me, citing that there is still plenty of land left for landfills.  This really isn’t the issue.  The issue is that for every bag of trash we throw out, seventeen bags worth of trash were spent to create that one bag.  It is the unseen effects of our consumption that are choking the life out of our future.  It is our vital resources that are compromised daily, and with compromise comes depletion, and with depletion…exhaustion.  As I have found out, there is nothing left to give when one is exhausted.  When it is our vital resources at stake, we–humans–are the ones who will ultimately be at risk.  The Earth will go on.  

I’m not sure what more I can say.  There are so many people to thank who have supported us through our journey and our process.  Austin embraced us, responded to us, and gave, gave, gave to us.  And there is a lot of stuff out there!  There is no lack of things people want to get rid of.  There is a lot of “garbage” which could be reused.  There is a lot of stuff no one knows what to do with.  We were trying to figure that out, but it became overwhelming!  What do we do with all the stuff?  I think the best we can do is keep working at it, and be mindful of what we are making more of.  Stop buying more and more crap!  Use what you have, use it up, and don’t buy more.  Make communities your focus; make home your focus; make LIFE your focus.  Teach your children how to be self-creating, not constantly relying on buying something new to fill them creatively.  They can only be filled when they are filling themselves from the infinite source of creativity:  their minds.  Nurture that spirit, and we will have a fighting chance.  A chance to preserve those things worth preserving:  water, air, earth.  

It is a beautiful planet.  Maybe our efforts were just a drop in the bucket.  But we carried those buckets, we loaded them up, unloaded them, refilled them, shared them, and now we are passing them to you.  Carry them well.  You are holding the future in your hands.

Lisa

lisaelectric@hotmail.com

Ok folks, this is a BIG weekend event for GAGA and all the GAGA Gals and Guys.

We’re giving you an all out extravaganza of fashion, fire, fun, workshops, music, vending, refreshments and MORE!!!! Join us this Saturday, May 9th, at the U.S. Art Authority.

By coming out to this, you are helping to support over 30 local artists and keep the gallery and the GAGA mission up and running.

Support local art, support recycling, support UPcycling and all the fun and creative things about the creative spark that you know and love.

We can’t wait to see you, your friends and family there, helping us celebrate our first year as a workshop, resource, gallery and gathering spot. Let’s keep it going!

- Lenell, and all the GAGA crew

Lenell in the shop!

Thanks to everyone who made last night’s GAGA Birthday celebration a success.

Fire dancing and shadow puppets with Baruzaland was a delight, and music provided by Michael Scott Parker really helped to set the party in motion.

But wait! There’s more!

Join us May 9th at U.S. Art Authority for our GAGA Gala and a full day and night of eye candy, workshops, and more entertainment that you can shake a leg to. 

Doors noon-6p: Kids FREE, Adults $5

6p-2am: Adults $10

…and we’ll be keeping Pecan Street Festival green this year. Contact me (lenell@gmail.com) for volunteer details. We’ll be rocking it GAGA style

 - Lenell

GAGA will be celebrating it’s one-year anniversary this Friday at the shop.  I find it hard to believe that a year has passed already!  I have been thinking over the past year, and think it is pretty remarkable that a shoestring operation like ours has managed to survive, especially during a downturn in the economy.  Somehow we have managed to make rent every month, pay our bills [relatively] on time, and keep growing.  Our success has not come from our sales, but from the growth of, and interest in, our workshops.  When the call goes out, GAGA mobilizes!  We have held over thirty clothing swaps, have taught over a dozen after-school classes, and I personally have taught sewing just about every Sunday afternoon for the past nine months.   We have provided “fringe” artists with not only a venue, but a place to call base, a place to feel accepted, and a place where the boundaries can be breached for the greater good.

Has it been easy?  Hell no!  But few things worthwhile seldom is.  We have all been pushed to our limits.  Why do we do it, anyway?  Does it really make that much difference?  To that question I will only say, indifference will pay a greater price.  So I keep washing my garbage, sorting it, feeling the guilt when I make purchases without full ecological integrity, and gritting my teeth when I see cardboard in the dumpsters.  We do make a difference; not just GAGA, but everyone who is becoming mindful to the global effects we make individually.

Yes, we make art from garbage.  Yes, it is a drop in the bucket.  And it is a freakishly huge bucket.  But think about this:  if the bucket were filled with pure mountain spring water, and you put an eye dropper of toxic sludge in there, would you want to drink it?  How about half an dropper full?  A quarter?  How about a drop, just one drop?  

We ALL make a difference.  If you think it doesn’t matter what you do, guess again.  Let’s all bring our buckets along, everywhere we go, and think about what you are doing to fill it for the future.  If we all make those choices, somewhere down the line that drop will become a crystal clear flowing stream, inviting you to simply cup your hands and dip out a refreshing drink.

I want to thank my partner, Molly, for all the hard work she has put in over this past year.  Molly, I, above all others, know the sacrifices you have made to see our vision become a reality.  I know what you have given up, I know how tirelessly you have worked, and I know how you have exhausted yourself for the effort.  And I also know how vitally important all of your work has been; the contacts you have made and solidified; the monumental efforts you have made to move, shift, organize, transport, and repurpose.  In my mind, you are GAGA.  There is no way I could have realized this dream without your tireless energy.  We are getting there, girl.  No doubt about it.  And when this bud opens to a full bloom, it will be because your vision was on the flower, and not the thorns.  The Earth is a better place for your being in it, and I’m not sure that truer words were ever spoken.

And last, but certainly not least, I want to thank our dedicated core members and our volunteers.  Baru, who sits shiva at the store, keeps things rolling when we can’t be there.  She makes sure the doors are actually open, the lights are on, and the essence of GAGA is duly represented.  Thank you.  You LIVE our vision, and your creative nature, natural charisma, and loyal spirit keep the home fires burning.  I’m not sure what I would have done the past few months without your energy, your input, and your willingness to invest in ways that I know stretch you, sometimes beyond reasonableness.  I hope you never think you are taken for granted.  You are not!

To Shelly, who has been there from the early days, I want to thank you for bringing your feminine energy to our labors.  The quality of your art, your designs, your input and your eye for detail give us a balance that could elude us otherwise.  Your dedication and willingness are always appreciated, and you bring a “touch of class” to the enterprise.  Thank you for showing up, for taking on a little piece of GAGA as your own, and for supporting us as much as possible.  You add so much.

Every time I work at the shop there are at least a handful of people that come in and become inspired to create, make, do and generate their own “green” project. Whether it be the local living art appreciators, the green living travelers, the info seeking educators; we always meet wonderful people here. These are folks that are already making their own creative choices or are seeking new ones to enrich their lives.

Today I have already met an organic dog treats baker (hi Lisa from Bark for Peace!), a couple on travels from CA to LA, and an Ebook editorial director (hi Abby from Books On Board!).

Abby wins the “best question of the day” award. She wanted to know what we would use old worn out books for.  I thought about a book lamp base I once saw,  Baru suggest a hide-a-way box (though her’s was made using an old cigar box),  recovering an old lampshade with pages from a book would be nice, or even making a lamp out of a book. You could use the Duct Tape Wallet pattern with pages and clear tape, or use the cigar box/ book cover idea and modify it to have straps for a really cool purse.

I really am glad she stopped in. Now I’m inspired to make something new!

Come by and see what we’ve been up to - Lenell

I’ve been buzzing around the shop for the past few days and noticed we need to get some blog action happening.

All the GAGA Gals and Guys have been super busy with projects.

We were recently at Plutopia where we got to interact with several other artists and techies that are into the green living. The SXSW Interactive event provided us a lively venue to show our wares and give workshops on re-purposing and recycling.

Many of our GAGA crew were also giving “project runway” style workshops to kids at camp that same Spring Break week. I was lucky to be a part of that. The camp was divided into 4 groups (8 kids and 2 sew-pros) and each team needed to come up with 5 outfits within two hours!

It was hectic, but everyone had a blast. I didn’t think I’d be able to pull it off with my skills still being a tad rusty, but the kids were inspirational and the teamwork was incredible.  I can only hope we’ll be doing a lot more of that in the near future. Everyone had so much fun and the kids built some much deserved confidence (and so did I).

We’re currently gearing up for Earth Day, Pecan Street Festival, and our very own GAGA Gala Anniversary!  Today was First Saturday on S. 1st too.

I figure with all the activity around town and with the shop the GAGA crew could maybe use the extra update help so here I am. I’m usually found at GAGA on Thursdays and Fridays, and all random points in between. I helped with Swap-O-Rama-Rama at Maker’s Faire in ‘07 and coordinated the volunteers in ‘08. I make recycled necktie clothes and accessories, sock critters, and repurposed material wallets.

I also help with the web stuffs!

Check out the fresh updates GAGA now provides on Facebook:

VISIT US THERE AND BECOME A FAN!

Oh, but there’s more to come! - L

Yes, life happens.  Pretty much every day.  And sometimes it gets in the way of what we want to be doing.  We have things we have to do, and we have things we haf to do.  I’m in the haf to place right now.

We are working on formulating a class schedule to begin the middle of February.  We are changing a room at the store into a classroom/workspace, so once again changes are being made.  If you have been to the store you know that it is exquisitely small, but big ideas can come out of small spaces, so I’m not worried about that.

I’m starting computer classes tomorrow, so hopefully it won’t be too long before I catch up to the rest of the world.  Sometimes I just have to take a break, take a deep breath, and catch up on my *other* life.  (I work for an accounting firm during the day, and we are gearing up for tax season, so I have to pace myself right now.)  If you want to talk trash, though, go by the store and visit with Molly.  She is the keeper of all things GAGA.  I am there Sundays for sewing, talking.

I would also like to implement a time where folks can get together and just knock around ideas about recycling, repurposing, and reinventing our current global paradigms.  (Yes, I know, BIG thinking.)  But I’d like to hear what people are thinking about.  I don’t care if they are crazy ideas or not; we are going to have to get pretty creative to give our future generations a fighting chance, don’t you think?  But I also think there are some issues that could be addressed right now with some alternative ideas.  

The new administration gives me hope.  I feel that all of us who are plunging ahead, rolling up our sleeves and getting dirty, are finally going to have a chance to be heard.  The focus has been so much on The War, that the looming environmental issues were overshadowed.  Now those of us who have been keeping a watchful eye on the situation might be able to be heard.  To have our ideas considered.  To be leaders in a the age where it is time to CLEAN THINGS UP.  This should be our primary focus.  We are in dire straits, folks, very dire.  I know I’m probably preaching to the choir here, but now is the time to move forward with solutions.  There is no time to worry and fret and discuss and take a survey and wait and wait and wait and wait.  Now is the time to come up with workable, working solutions.  

Together we will make the changes that make the difference.

Thanks so much to Jim Swift from KXAN News for interviewing us yesterday–what a surprise that was!  Molly called me and said, “Hey, you got lunch plans?” and before I knew it we were all sitting on the back porch chatting with Jim.  That was so cool!  Go here if you didn’t see the segment:  http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/Changing_minds_in_GAGA_land

But what made me the happiest was watching Baru as she described her body adornments and her work.  She really does talk with her eyes, and I think I was as captivated as Jim was.  Baru is exquisitely exotic, but her calm presence and genuine nature are just as attractive.  I wish you could have seen more of her art on the piece; her puppets are incredible, and her attention to detail is spectacular.  Her puppet shows are works of art, more like living paintings than shadows.  

I took more pictures of her last weekend but I’m having *technical difficulties* with my camera, so I will post those as soon as possible.  Darn it.

Telling Jim our story brought it back to me how truly magical this experience has been so far.  I really did post an ad on Craig’s List as many of you know already, but what you might not know is how far we have come since that connection was made.  I really didn’t know HOW I was going to do what I wanted to do, but I didn’t have time to worry about that anymore.  What I DID know was that it simply needed to be done.  

And what a time it has been!  No, we probably won’t save the planet.  But what we have done is create a community where there is a place for people like us–concerned, creative, inventive, alternative-thinking–to safely explore the possibilities…together.

Jim asked us about our business style, and how did we work things out peacefully.  The question sort of caught me off guard, because it just hasn’t been a problem.  Molly said, “We talk things out” and that is true.  I told Jim we don’t judge each other; we simply work from our individual strengths.  That is what we do best, and this is one of the reasons I love GAGA so much.  People come in to our community and offer what they can.  They volunteer, they show up for events, they make things, they hang out, they offer suggestions, they work, they play.  We are so grateful for how the local community itself has embraced us as well.  We love being in South Austin, and feel that maybe we are doing our part in some small way to keep Austin….well, Austin.  

In February we will begin teaching classes at the shop.  Check back for a listing next week.  There will be sewing lessons on several levels, a deconstruction class (with Baru) and other repurposing classes.  

Happy New Year, everyone!

Please join us at the store for our first 1st Saturday event from 12-6.  We will host a clothes swap (bring something, take something) and repurposing events.  Weather permitting, we may have a painting project as well.

Thanks to Rachel Koper for the mention in the Chronicle, too!  http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A721392  Yes, come check us out!

February will begin our new class schedule, which will be posted by mid-January.  Lots of changes at GAGA, and some exciting upcoming events.  Keep us on your radar. 

Remember, too, FREE SEWING CLASSES ON SUNDAY, 1-6.  If you have a sewing machine you want to learn to use, bring that.

See you soon.  Hope 2009 is your best year ever.