Pages

Friday, August 28, 2009

Love for the MN Zoo, brown bear

I love animals and zoos. And, it had been years since I'd been to the Twin Cities' largest. So when asked, it was easy coming up with something to do outdoors on a sunny day for a special occasion.

This is my friend, the bear, at the Minnesota Zoo.



Actually, I believe this bear has many many friends. As a generally curious animal, he repeatedly hung out at the aquarium where he could interact with all the tourists. Going back and forth, back and forth.

In this video posted by the Zoo you can see my friend doing just this at about a minute and thirty.

Not only does the Zoo provide a large natural-like habitat for these playful animals, but they train and encourage them to use their senses and react to their environment.

The Zoo's Web site reads, "At the Minnesota Zoo, we encourage the bears to explore and respond to their environment for their physical, psychological, and behavioral fitness. The goal is to provide them with choices and opportunities to express behaviors that are appropriate to brown bears in the wild. Our commitment started with the planning for this exhibit and continues every day with a variety of activities.

Daily trainings encourage the bears' ability to cooperate in their care. Presenting paws, standing upright, and showing teeth on cue all correspond to important veterinary procedures for checking their health."

To read additional fun facts about this fun mammal visit the Minnesota Zoo's brown bear Animals At the Zoo pages.

If you're an animal lover like me, and like what's going on at the Minnesota Zoo, maybe (please) Donate.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Experimental art event for friends, success

Recently I held a little experimental art sale event at my apartment. Not the kind where I would self-exploit my apartment and myself into fearing life, but an intimate group to see if friends and family of friends would be interested in this sort of thing.

I've thought a lot about how crazy it is that a majority of my friends are artists in one way or another. And although I would consider myself a creative person as well, they are creative in amazing ways that I am not. I began thinking about how I may share in their experiences with them through some means of support, if in fact this is even an interest of mine. Dreams of creating a space for them to grow and do the things they love to do floored my mind. Designing a place, being the facilitator of such things and communicating to those all around.
I moved into an apartment not more than two months ago and caught myself thinking of how I might decorate and wondering what I would put on my walls. Ding, Ding, Ding! (An idea popped into my head)

What if my good friend Serena would like to decorate my walls with her photography?

What if we had an invitation for others to view and possibly purchase her artwork?

After talking to Serena who was ecstatic about the idea of an art show, I invited other friends who may want to contribute their art to the event as well.

Soon enough my fashion friend Kirby and her business partner Christina hopped on board with their fashion accessories.


My friend and former roommate Michelle who is pretty much a master, at least in my mind, at pottery and all else crafty soon followed and even brought some wonderful hand-made terrariums.

As the artists figured out their price points and sent their items to me, I bought some wine and appetizers to serve at the event and invited all our friends and family.

By design my apartment wasn't to attract a large number, but I was pleased with the number of friends and family that did come and that most purchased the hand-made goods.

Although by my expectations the event was a success, I think next time I would love to use a different space to allow free invitation for any and all.

To see fashion accessories by Kirby and Christina, visit their Etsy @ button + boo