Welcome to a new year, a new decade, a new era and the right time for newZonia! We have all bid a fond but welcome farewell to the turbulence of 2009, a year of challenges for all of us as individuals, as a country, and world. newZonia answers those challenges with new solutions, a new engine and a new economy that allows creative commerce to flow from the middle ground of a vibrant creative community.

Ambasssador Emanuel Pimenta has created this short photographic essay to wish you a marvelous 2010!

I’d like to welcome new ambassadors Larry Flash Jenkins, Kris Lamans, and  Jeff Hutner to newZonia. Jeff authors an interesting blog, New Paradigm Digest - a window on emerging sustainable culture. He writes,”NPD is a resource for students, teachers, marketers, new product developers, researchers, trend watchers, futurists and anyone interested in monitoring evolutionary consciousness in action across disciplines, cultures and age groups.”  Jeff has very nicely blogged about newZonia, and he writes about a new film, 2012: A Time for Change, which is of great interest.

“2012: Time for Change projects a radical alternative to apocalyptic doom and gloom. Directed by Emmy Award nominee Joao Amorim, the film follows journalist Daniel Pinchbeck, author of the bestselling 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, on a quest for a new paradigm that integrates the archaic wisdom of tribal cultures with the scientific method. As conscious agents of evolution, we can redesign post-industrial society on ecological principles to make a world that works for all. Rather than breakdown and barbarism, 2012 will herald the birth of a regenerative planetary culture, where collaboration replaces competition, where exploration of psyche and spirit becomes the new cutting edge, replacing the sterile materialism that has pushed our world to the brink.”

Congrats to JennyBird Alcantara on her upcoming show at La Luz de Jesus Gallery in Los Angeles, opening on January 8. The title of this new series is “Swooning at the River of Oblivion”. In a mingling of underwater and space realms, the characters in these pieces are positioned between the waking world and the world of sleep. Inspired in part by the mythology of Nyx, the primordial goddess of nighttime, and Morpheus the Greek god of dreams, Jenny continues her exploration of dual nature.

As we approach the end of 2009, everyone’s thinking about technology and how it’s going to change our world. We at newZonia firmly believe that we can use the internet to bring creative people together to help solve global problems and to alleviate human suffering. Ambassador Jonathan Harris has just posted a series of short vignettes containing some ideas about the current state of the online world (as he sees it) and some thoughts about what that world’s future could be like.

Jonathan’s book We Feel Fine has just been published, and will be in bookstores by December 1. The 288-page book contains photographs from over 1,000 individual bloggers, statistics from over 13 million individual feelings, hundreds of infographics, dozens of back stories and in-depth profiles, and countless insights into the ups and downs of everyday life.  Thanks, Jonathan, for your fascinating work!

San Francisco’s Thrillpeddlers is being honored with this year’s Goldie Award, The San Francisco Bay Guardian’s 21st annual award for “Outstanding Local Discovery” in the arts.  Here’s how they sum up this year’s awardees: ”It’s only fitting that 2009’s Goldies feature two winners — at the very least — who aren’t averse to sporting some gold sequins on stage. Golden honey, golden Oakland: these are some of the main ingredients that have revealed themselves in an awards year that doesn’t just bend gender but rends it asunder while bringing strong expressions of the theatrical and political. This year’s winners can shred, or tear it up on stage. They can discover and reveal a place outside of society.”   Congratulations, Russell and company!

Bob Bralove has announced the release of his new duet CD with Henry Kaiser, Ultraviolet Licorice, a collection of free improvisations. Henry plays electric and acoustic guitars, and Bob plays synthesizers, samplers and acoustic piano. Blair Jackson reviews the CD on the Greatful Dead website.

We’d like to welcome our new ambassadors Patty Katz, Napalm Dragon, Linda Gass, Paul Carey and James Wanless. We so look forward to changing the world with you!

As we settle into autumn, our ambassadors are hard at work on creative projects, from haunted houses to film screenings.

Congratulations to Alex Grey on his very exciting news! The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, CoSM, recently acquired a 40 acre interfaith retreat center as a permanent home, the COSM Art Sanctuary.

Sixty-five miles north of New York City and just a 20-minute walk from the MetroNorth train stop at New Hamburg, in the town of Wappinger, CoSM will reopen a magnificent new Chapel exhibition environment for the artwork that has become a context for a growing community.

People of all ages, colors, and faiths from around the globe will pilgrimage to this place of beauty to enter into contemplative union with the artworks
and nature.

Kate Raudenbush has just installed Altered State, the 3 story laser-cut Native American inspired birdcage, first shown at the 2008 Burning Man festival, at the Sanctuary.

Nancy Denny-Phelps recently presented at the 2009 International Animation, Comics and Games Forum in Jilin, China. Please read her very entertaining account of the Forum.

Bernard Leibov will show Randy Polumbo’s work at his gallery boxoFFICE from October 28-December 19.” Polumbo recontextualizes objects, ideas and technologies, disorienting yet deeply nourishing us upon entrance to his playful and provocative world. In Satellite of Love, the artist presents fresh works that take his approach to new heights in terms of elementally charged materials, provocative forms and rich symbolism.

BoxoFFICE is dedicated to furthering contemporary art from the new American frontier. While this frontier may conjure a geographic image, it is actually a spirit that lives in many places simultaneously. The artists that BoxoFFICE cooperates with are each singular in their practice. They address a range of subjects, in a variety of media, working freely, boldly and independently.  Some are located in places that nurture the open spirit, such as Joshua Tree, California and environs. Others create their own free space within the metropolitan fabric. These artists engage a dialogue concerning freedom, choice and responsibility. And BoxoFFICE is their conduit to a wider audience.”

Art car artist and filmmaker Harrod Blank is on tour with six art cars and his new film, AutoMorphosis, with screenings in New York, Austin, Orlando, Denver, St. Louis, Dallas and Albuquerque. AUTOMORPHOSIS looks into the minds and hearts of a delightful collection of eccentrics, visionaries, and just plain folks who have transformed their autos into artworks. On a humorous and touching journey, we discover what drives the creative process for these unconventional characters.  And in the end, we find that an art car has the power to change us — to alter our view of our increasingly homogeneous world.

East Village performance artist and virtuoso “vocal acrobat” Zero Boy performed his “A Trip to Coney Island with Uncle Zero Boy” on October 16, as part of Coney Island USA’s Burlesque at the Beach.

For Halloween, ambassador Zach Morris has created a Steampunk Haunted House, working with artists Jesse Green, Liz Sargent, Barry Weil, Kryssy Wright, and the Abrons’ Urban Youth Theater. The house can be visited October 28-31 at the Abrons Art Center.

A very Happy Halloween to all!

Burning Man was, as always, amazing, inspiring, visually rich, challenging, instructive, joyful and lots of fun! It was so lovely to be in a generous creative community where gifting replaces buying and selling, and everyone’s feeling so alive and so connected. It was great to spend time with so many of our ambassadors out there! My pictures tell the story better than I can - please enjoy them. After a touch of unicorn fever, I’m now feeling inspired, rejuvenated and am ready for an action-packed fall season.

For starters, ambassador Oliver Morton’s book Eating the Sun is now available in paperback. The book is about ”how our understanding of photosynthesis might help us choose a wiser future”, Oliver writes in the introduction. His considerable research goes a long way towards bringing the proper respect to the world’s plants. Congrats, Oliver!

Joe Mangrum reports from Manhattan: “This has been a tremendous month. Starting back in August I took to the streets of New York City to create a series of sand paintings. Momentum has been building as I have made 17 of them in just a short time ranging in size from 10′ and as large as 28′ in diameter. I have worked at various locations throughout New York and continue to search for new grounds suitable for creating these very fun pieces. So much fun in fact that CNN has taken notice.

From Melitta Tchaikovsky of ArtNetwork:  ”I’m pleased to announce that my latest documentary, ”Never Again?” has been selected by two more film festivals and will be screening this month in Brooklyn, New York and in Oakland, California. ”Never Again” contains footage and interviews with Darfuri survivors in displacement camps in Sudan and Chad, refugees and activists in Europe and in Israel lending insight on what is really going on in the region revealing why this tragedy is still going on and why the international community have not been able to do enough to stop it. This film is another voice that attempts to increase awareness of this crisis that has been going on for too long, and to galvanize more viewers to get involved so they can pressure decision makers to a level that can drive them to do what is right. On Sunday, September 27th, the Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival and Lecture Series in New York hosts ”Never Again?” along with several very interesting films. Reel Sisters Film Festival is a unique event with modest advertising, and 24 very special films. I will be in Brooklyn at the screening for Q&A. I really hope you can make it. ”

Congrats to Holly Near on the release of her new CD, with Emma’s Revolution, containing tender and daring a cappella vocal arrangements of some of Holly’s most requested songs plus several new ones with simple instrumental back-up.

Musical styles range from a meditation on Study War No More to a lighthearted jazzy version of Swimming To The Other Side, a Pat Humphries’ classic. Holly includes a smart and pointed song, The Ministry of Oil, that she learned from The Prince Myshkins. There is a divine version of Sky Dances, a song by Roy Brown and Jimmy Durham, which has become a classic in Holly’s repertoire.  Sail Away Lady, a traditional song that Holly learned as a young teen, is a lovely tribute to folk legend Odetta. Between them, Holly and emma’s revolution bring new trio life to songs like Mountain Song, 1000 Grandmothers, Sing To Me The Dream, Fired Up and West Virginia Friend that Holly’s audiences have heard solo over the years.

“Many of Holly’s fans would agree that her collaborative works are among her finest, and this 2009 release is no exception - it’s stunningly beautiful. These artists - Holly, Pat Humphries and Sandy O - deliver some truly gorgeous arrangements on their 3-part harmonies, at times sounding like a full choir.” Ladyslipper Music

As I prepare to leave for Burning Man, I’m happy to let you know about this wonderful film, Creer es Crear , written by Santiago Pando, an advertising copywriter in Mexico whose life was transformed by a shamanic experience. It’s based on the idea that believing is creating, “to believe is to create.”  You can view the trailer below (in Spanish) and on the website (in English or Spanish), but in order to view the entire film you have to download it from their website. There is a link to the download at the bottom of the film; click through to find it. It truly embodies the newZonia ethos.