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Actually working today...

2010-04-20T17:25:00.001-07:00

Actually working today...
Originally uploaded by josh lyon

Lots of reading to do... found some time to sit by the lake and do this, while getting work done. Man, I missed the sunshine.

we believe

2010-01-22T12:26:00.001-08:00

we believe, originally uploaded by jonnybaker.

cork in the lake 3

2009-07-14T12:20:00.001-07:00

cork in the lake 3, originally uploaded by josh lyon.

ahh summer...

songs of joy - julie doiron - glad to be alive

2009-04-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

Julie Doiron - Glad to be alive - TV DESSERTS ep. 8 from josh lyon on Vimeo.

We had breakfast with Julie and $100 after an amazing show at the Grad Club in Kingston... She was kind enough to let us record this song... Which I hadn't heard before that beautiful sunny day - It just happened to be on CBC as I was on my way out the door to Greg's house for breakfast, and seemed the most fitting anthem for that first warm sunny day of the year.

http://www.juliedoiron.com/

see more at the Apple Crisp Music Video Club: http://www.applecrisp.ca or http://vimeo.com/channels/applecrisp
Still photography by Jeff Barbeau: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shitshow/
Breakfast by Annie Clifford: http://www.etsy.com/profile.php?user_id=5172839

easter @ next

2009-03-27T21:45:00.002-07:00

Who Killed Davey Moore - my new animated music video for Colin Munroe

2009-03-06T06:25:00.000-08:00

Colin Munroe - Who Killed Davey Moore from josh lyon on Vimeo.

A full length animated music video for Colin Munroe's masterful re-vox of Bob Dylan's Who Killed Davey Moore.

This has been a labour of love for the past (sleepless) month of my life... I used to play bass in Colin's band and have since followed his trajectory as his musical works (which was already great) just keep getting better and better! And more and more people seem to be catching on too...

And then his manager asked me if I had interest in visually interpreting Colin's interpretation of this Bob Dylan song about a boxer... he threw a couple of ideas my way and I spent the next month or so cutting paper, shooting, animating, compositing, refining, etc. into what you see before you.

phew.

www.unsunghero.tv

www.myspace.com/colinmunroe

my new shirt

2009-02-18T17:58:00.002-08:00

so a long time ago, i made a doodle and really wanted it on a shirt... so i made it online (ah, sweet digital nothing) - and in the process unwittingly setup a store!

so now you can have one too! i even posted a second design from my clay cassette angel...

Accordion Lover by akaflk
Create personalized shirts Using www.Zazzle.com
View other Instruments T-Shirts

Cassette Tape Angel by akaflk
Design Custom Tee Shirts At zazzle.com
Browse other Cartoon Art T-Shirts

Adelaide Film Festival - Lateral Movements

2009-01-29T08:37:00.002-08:00

My video for Entire Cities' The Woods (Deep River, 2008) was selected for the Adelaide Film Festival experimental video screening titled Lateral Movement: Art and the Moving Image, curated by Dan Monceaux and Emma Sterling. If you're in Oz... head on over to Adelaide and check it out!

The Trailer:

Lateral Movement: Art & the Moving Image - Trailer from Dan Monceaux on Vimeo.

The Woods:

The Woods - Entire Cities (unofficial video) from josh lyon on Vimeo.

See more of my work at my Vimeo page or my Youtube channel.

fantastic creativity...

2009-01-25T12:21:00.002-08:00

file this amazing pixelation (stop motion with peoepl/objects) with thousands of candles movie under: "i wished i'd done it first"

see it here:
http://www.fubiz.net/blog/index.php?2008/12/22/2539-happy-new-year-by-electrabel

Ezra - the new baby boy!

2009-01-19T12:20:00.001-08:00

Ezra, originally uploaded by josh lyon.

Ezra was born at home on the 16th of January, 2009, at 2:24am, weighing 8lbs 8oz. Big sisters Hannah and Molly welcomed him the next morning... The birth went perfectly and wonderfully.

reeds - accordion improvisation #17

2008-12-12T15:46:00.000-08:00

reeds improv #17 from josh lyon on Vimeo.

Immanuel (Hope has answered) - advent Vimeo video by Samm hodges

2008-12-11T13:39:00.001-08:00

Immanuel (Hope has Answered) from samm hodges on Vimeo.

weirdly enough, a radiohead video

2008-11-25T12:05:00.001-08:00

MTV and Radiohead teamed up for an end child slavery campaign... Interesting video resulted.

via jonny baker

cassette angel

2008-11-14T08:28:00.001-08:00

cassette angel, originally uploaded by Thin Edge Puppets.

cassette angels on a concrete wall - desktop wallpaper

2008-11-11T10:56:00.001-08:00

cassette angels on a concrete wall - wallpaper, originally uploaded by Thin Edge Puppets.

working on a video concept involving these guys too... stay tuned...

Rueben's Birthday Party

2008-11-05T07:18:00.001-08:00

Rueben's Birthday Party, originally uploaded by josh lyon.

The Gertrudes - Blackbird and the cedar music video

2008-11-03T09:44:00.001-08:00

The Gertrudes' Blackbird and the Cedar from josh lyon on Vimeo.

My first "official" music video, for my band The Gertrudes. Created and directed by Lenny Epstein of Epstein Creative. Animation by me!

love your enemies - street sign hack

2008-09-30T06:58:00.003-07:00

Love this work! Via http://reubenmiller.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/08/parking-love-si.html

Banksy on the arts

2008-09-29T10:38:00.002-07:00

inflatable space

2008-09-10T11:26:00.002-07:00

Inflate is a company that makes awesome inflatable structures... would love to make a labyrinth inside one of their domes!

Also, as portable prayer tent/sacred space...

Blublu - Amazing Animated Graffiti

2008-06-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

People would like you more if...

2008-06-17T08:25:00.001-07:00

This one's for Jonny

2008-04-29T12:12:00.003-07:00

Aerotone is a fantastic online record label - all beautiful ambient and almost all free! Some of my favourite music is stuff I found here and they don't seem to want much in exchange.

Le Mepris is currently blowing my little feeble mind...

(It's for Jonny as I figure this would make a sweet 'worship trick'... I should prob. pass it his way... )

Entire Cities' Deep River - Now Available!

2008-04-15T10:52:00.006-07:00

Listen to this post!

Entire Cities' Deep River is now available! You can even get it online at Zunior.com.

"Really, I can't find anything wrong with this record, and more importantly, I don't want to. It's a great showcase of a lesser known Canadian band doing all the right things. They are trying new things, without ever drifting too far into the experimental sounds that often bog down these type of records." - Read the full review at Herohill.com

"...albums this amazing/wonderful/superb/
whatever-other-positive-adjective-you'd-ever-want-to-affix-to-an-album don't come around very often, and I sincerely hope that in a decade I'll still be able to appreciate something that strikes me as deeply as this one does." - i (heart) music

Learn more about Entire Cities at our new website: EntireCities.ca

Dear God blog

2008-04-14T12:24:00.002-07:00

'Dear God' is a (snazzy designed) prayer blog for all denominations, beliefs and non-believers. Go, read the prayers...

The Gertrudes

2008-04-09T13:42:00.002-07:00

Well, I know I do not have a vast readership and I try to keep on track, but as you (anyone) knows, I love music, it brings me joy and, well, I reckon playing music with folks is pretty darn sacred.

With that excuse, I hereby plug my newest band project: The Gertrudes.

We have a myspace where you can listen and download a song for free!

Greg Tilson and Annie Clifford are the primary song writers, we arrange collaboratively. The lineup consists of accordion, bass, keys, drums, trombone, guitars, banjo and lots of gang vocals and pretty harmonies... we're even working on an all accordion version of "Reel in the clothesline"... secret info leak... you didn't hear it here.

Check it.

Rock.

J

easter report - the house famous perspective

2008-03-27T07:39:00.004-07:00

for more info/background on the easter weekend and how it all went down, hop on over to my good friends at the house famous blog.

ps. these guys are doing some really great stuff around communal living/hospitality/general creativity and sharing of their lives... inspired/inspiring stuff!

good friday in the park - labyrinth

2008-03-24T10:22:00.002-07:00

good friday in the park - labyrinth, originally uploaded by josh lyon.

as part of a good friday installation/service in the park, we made this flagging tape labyrinth... took about 1.5 hrs to setup, and we left it in the park till easter sunday... ended up looking like laser lights in the darkness... see more pics from the event on my flickr site at flickr.com/photos/joshlyon

easter dawn

2008-03-24T08:32:00.001-07:00

easter dawn, originally uploaded by josh lyon.

he is risen...!

so, we didn't want to miss the easter dawn service put on by the catholic worker in toronto.... so we had our own down by lake ontario, at 6:15am.

people from next came out, along with an accidental double-booking from the folks at central baptist, who graciously joined in. I'm wiped, but it was worth it! Happy Easter!

apology

2008-03-24T08:28:00.001-07:00

Hi Jay,

I'm really sorry about the misuse of your photographs. I will not post the images on my blog or anywhere else... I did assume too much about a use that I thought you would approve, partially based on your posting of 2 Peter 3:10... (see Acts 4:32)

I would never assume use of anyone's artwork for commercial purposes and did not see the "all rights reserved" tag... I'll make sure to be more careful in the future and again apologize for any offense caused.

much appreciation for your work,

Josh

Good Friday and Easter Dawn

2008-03-20T14:08:00.006-07:00

It's been a real joy planning the following events with the support of the next church and the good folks around the corner at the house famous... please come!

next invites you to a family friendly service 10am at neXt church, 89 colborne street

9:00pm Good Friday Meet for a time of exploration into and reflection on the Cross of Christ. Opportunity for interactive spiritual contemplation on the meaning of Good Friday and the responses of the disciples to the Easter events. - McBurney Park (a.k.a. Skeleton Park), Kingston

Labyrinth walk, stations, communion... in a park, in the dark... dress warmly!

rain plan: lovenasium at 89 colborne street

Sunday, March 23rd - 6:15am
(sunrise projected for 7am)
Meet at Murney Tower Parking Lot - Corner of
Barrie and King St, near KGH, on the waterfront.
A celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus! Come together
with the Body of Christ to rejoice in the gift of new life . . .

Everyone is welcome to join us at neXt (89 colborne st)
for breakfast after the service between 8am and 10:30am
SUNDAY SERVICE WILL START (at neXt) AROUND 11am.

entire cities "waiting" live

2008-02-25T12:59:00.002-08:00

I got to play a set in Ottawa and in Kingston last week with my TO band - Entire Cities. Man I miss those kids... t'was a blast as always. There's nothing quite like rockin our with si and brendan while banwatt smashes stuff and tamara makes it for prettier...

Also, the new album "Deep River" is out finally! Or at least a pre-release version of it... available at shows for now. Check out the myspace for new tracks (myspace.com/entirecities)

and check out the great reviews on iheartmusic.net and herohill.com. it's not my fault they're both gushing... i'd post a bad one too if i knew about it.

attitude of gratitude - Thankscards blog

2008-02-04T09:26:00.000-08:00

My friend has setup a blog with a similar theme to the now well known Postsecret blog except that this one focuses on thanksgiving! So send her a postcard at:

Thanks Cards
P.O. Box 339
Station A
Ottawa ON
CANADA
K1N 8V3

and make sure to check out the lovely works of gratitude already in place: Thankscards Blog

Winking Circle

2008-01-11T09:29:00.001-08:00

The Winking Circle is a bunch of crazy, not-afraid-to-be-fools bunch of folks doing some really creative work to 'redeem' (their word, not mine!) their surroundings and fight attitudes of boredom and apathy...

their statement:

from winkingcircle.com

plus making some crazy art, doing wacky stunts, and making amazing art-bikes:

All things shall be made new: All things shall be redeemed!

ffffound

2007-11-27T10:32:00.000-08:00

(for some reason the image is not showing up... click on the image box above to view)

ps this is not a trick... i just can't figure out the bug right now.

on ffffound.com

Circuit style Labyrinth

2007-11-06T13:50:00.000-08:00

Vancouver School of Theology Labyrinth - I really like the circuit style design...

Also! Stumbled across thisquietarmy today... beautiful ambient guitar layers - similar to a lot of other solo guitar pedal stuff but somehow transcends the usual loopy sameness... really great + two free albums to download on the site!

oblique strategies cards

2007-10-29T13:24:00.002-07:00

a selection of my favourite cards from brian eno and peter schmidt's 'oblique strategies' card set - seen at Dale Morningstar's Gas Station Studio while mixing the Entire Cities songs for the upcoming release.

play online here: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~rf6t-tyfk/oblique.html

see info here: http://www.rtqe.net/ObliqueStrategies/

more info on Peter Schmidt here: http://peterschmidtweb.blogspot.com/

ARS ELECTRONICA 2007 - Crucifixion Artwork

2007-09-20T13:04:00.000-07:00

So I keep trying to post about Ars Electronica and never have time. Due to amazing circumstances, including the excuse of my upcoming birthday, I had the amazing privilege of attending the festival in Linz, Austria this year.

One of my favorite things that I saw was actually student work from the Digital Arts program of the University of Art in Berlin (Universitat der Kunste)... A simple cross atop an altar - but the shadow replays events from the biblical narrative!

this video is from my digital camera:

see a better hi-res full documentation video here:

http://www.oase.udk-berlin.de/~kison/sacral-design/crucifixion-film/crucifixion.html

and the full description here:

http://www.digital.udk-berlin.de/en/projects/summer06/hauptstudium/sacraldesign/cruxi.html

the work was created as part of a course called Sacral Objects. The other work can be seen here:

http://www.digital.udk-berlin.de/en/projects/summer06/hauptstudium/sacraldesign.html

Check out the Anhelus piece - A church font that fills itself by condensation, turning the atmosphere of the church and the humidity coming off the people in the room and moisture in their breath into the baptismal water... amazing idea!

prayer

2007-07-24T12:53:00.000-07:00

found here...

scientific process

2007-07-23T09:01:00.000-07:00

tangible science
unquestionable arbiter of truth
measurable quantifiable writedownable

opinionless disembodied unbiased truth
absolute
distillable

decontaminate information
from human influence

separate fleshiness from fact

make pure

We met Monday 5am please call

2007-07-20T09:29:00.001-07:00

We met Monday 5am please call, originally uploaded by anything_for_sue.

Entire Cities at the Grad Club - Bootlegs

2007-06-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

Bootlog blog bootlegged our show at the grad club and wrote nice things about the band...

Come see us again in Kingston at the Grad Club this Saturday as part of the Skeleton Park Music Festival.

simon gives 'er

2007-05-15T17:57:00.001-07:00

IMG_9491, originally uploaded by lowBoy.

don't miss this tommorow night... see below.

2007-05-09T13:05:00.000-07:00

Log and Paper Sculpture

2007-04-19T13:36:00.001-07:00

Log and Paper Sculpture, originally uploaded by josh lyon.

Easter Dawn over Toronto

2007-04-14T10:33:00.001-07:00

Easter Dawn over Toronto, originally uploaded by josh lyon.
For the third year in a row we celebrated Easter Dawn with the lovely people from the catholic worker in west Toronto...

new TO city signs

2007-04-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

see the Toronto Star story...

Divine Randomness

2007-04-13T11:43:00.001-07:00

Divine Randomness, originally uploaded by claireshegoes.

Bruce Peninsula

2007-04-03T09:07:00.001-07:00

*EDIT* - GO SEE BRUCE PENINSULA AT THE MUSIC GALLERY IN TORONTO INSTEAD - THEY CAN'T COME ON TOUR WITH US... STILL, CHECK THEM OUT! PLUS - CHECK THE ENTIRE CITIES MYSPACE FOR MORE ACCURATE TOUR RELATED UPDATES! YELLING OVER!

I can't believe we (meaning Entire Cities) get to tour with these guys... one of my favourite bands ever.

Kingston Thursday June 7th - Grad Club
Ottawa - Friday June 8th - Cafe Dekcuf
Montreal - Saturday June 9th - L'Absinthe

Bruce Peninsula - Live Video

POSTFACE - event

2007-04-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

All profits go to Freedomize trip to India...

non-stop complete bible readthrough!

2007-03-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

so i had this idea - inspired by a high school practice of watching the original star wars trilogy back to back - that i wanted, at some point in my life, to hole up in a room somewhere and read the entire bible non-stop with a group of other crazy people.

something about doing it all at once - no breaks - is very exciting to me.

well, i mentioned it to some people at church (freedomize.com) and they ran with it. so this weekend, Wednesday March 28th to Saturday March 31st, the readthrough will be happening at St Stephens in the fields on the north end of kensington market. stop by any time. sadly, i won't be able to camp out so i'll have to set this up again sometime... new babies, older child, etc. I'll be there as much as possible. according to recordings that you can buy it should take about 73 hours or so.

but - *exciting* - the whole thing will be recorded and i hope that it will also be posted online at some point.

winter - don valley

2007-03-20T08:01:00.001-07:00

don valley, originally uploaded by josh lyon.

i never thought leaving this city would be as hard as it is... as much as there is a lot to look forward to in kingston, the thought of leaving really is tearing at me in strange ways. the house in which both my kids were born, both of our two church communities where we have grown and loved and learned and changed, the hustle and bustle - big city excitement - never sleeping, always something happening somewhere, a ridiculous number of amazing people who i love more and more each day... you don't really realise how attached you are to people and to a place until you take seriously the idea of leaving...

man...

i (heart) music dot net - Entire Cities review

2007-03-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

from iheartmusic.net, a review of our unreleased album possibility and one of the sweetest things anyone has said about our little band:

Pitter-Patter: Entire Cities (The Central, with The Thurstons and Andyland)

They don't even have an EP to their names yet, but the songs on their Myspace suggest Entire Cities might come up with one of the best albums of the year. Imagine a twangier version of Sufjan, and that's what you have here.

Stream Entire Cities on their Myspace

peace like no other

2007-02-21T08:50:00.001-08:00

naptime, originally uploaded by josh lyon.

there really is nothing else like this. mental exhaustion, insane responsibility, socially overwhelming, getting soaked in breastmilk poop and urine (amongst other things!) . . .

and yet these moments are worth it all and so much more!

for unto us a child is born!

2007-02-13T10:31:00.001-08:00

being amazing, originally uploaded by josh lyon.

molly jean peppley lyon born feb 12th 2007, weighing 9 pounds even. all is well.

thanks be to god!

jesus and spidey

2007-02-10T14:39:00.001-08:00

Jesus and Spiderman exchange a knowing look...., originally uploaded by shadowplay.

found on flickr.com

si takes a break

2007-02-02T10:12:00.001-08:00

si takes a break, originally uploaded by josh lyon.

entire cities recording day... for the coffee demo (FREE [secret]GIVEAWAY at WAVELENGTH this sunday the 4th!)... oh what fun. and a long day. mostly i just love this pic of simon.

see myspace.com/entirecities for some other songs.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

2007-01-30T08:23:00.000-08:00

Opening this week in Toronto:

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
New Works on Paper by Shari-Anne Gibson

Feb 1-11, 2007
Opening Feb 1, 7-10pm
Katharine Mulherin's Sideshow
1080 Queen St. West

Hours: Wed-Sun 12-5pm

Entire Cities at the Drake - (photo by Jen S.)

2007-01-13T10:34:00.001-08:00

Entire Cities at the Drake - (photo by Jen S.), originally uploaded by josh lyon.

a sweet moment... the more music in my life, the better. there's nothing quite like it - esp. moments like this. or 'Come on up to the House' with Paul at the Supermarket the following night...

new years at the cottage

2007-01-07T19:08:00.001-08:00

new years at the cottage, originally uploaded by josh lyon.

abi and simon by the fire... as usual, new years was rung in with much pots and pans banging and other such merriment. although this time we also read a screenplay and played thicket in the soggy snow... yours truly was reiging champ.... not to boast or nuthin'.

Christmas eve at the cottage

2006-12-26T08:24:00.000-08:00

as per family tradition we gather up at my parents cottage (off the grid - woodstove and candlelight and lake water only) on christmas eve...

cottage on Christmas eve through trees
Originally uploaded by josh lyon.

invisble college courses

2006-12-26T08:09:00.000-08:00

From invisiblecollege.ca, the non-school my parents run in Kingston, ON:

Living Lightly: Rediscovering Sabbath in a 24/7 World
Find it hard to say “no” to more work in a crazy-busy world? Ever wondered what it means that God rested after creating the earth? Only PEI has no Sunday trading—does anyone care any more? What if the earth and our own bodies have built-in rhythms for work-and-rest that cause breakdown when they’re disturbed? How vital are pausing, playing, recreation, celebration and embracing life?

Explore these themes through provocative plenary presentations, written materials and interactive small-group discussion in a five-week evening course. No assignments or credit. Think, talk, question, explore…

Who is the course for?
Anyone who puzzles about a proper balance in life and wants a fresh perspective on priorities. Anyone who wonders if the Bible says anything about corporate time, burn-out or life in fast lanes. Anyone wanting to get in synch with the spirit of deep heaven.

Check out the new course listings at invisiblecollege.ca for upcoming courses...

Encarna 2006

2006-11-28T17:55:00.000-08:00

My friend Andrew sent me this... If you can make it, check it out - i saw pics from last year's even that looked amazing!

This is just a quick note to let you know about thisyear's ENCARNA Christmas Worship Installation. It's happening on Fri. Dec. 15 and Sat. Dec. 16, doors open from 7pm-10pm, at St. James United Church (306 Parkside Dr., Waterdown, ON).

ENCARNA is a emerging church style worship event. Participants engage with different interactive and contemplative stations, all at their own pace and direction, bringing people in touch with the Christmas story. There is no preaching, singing, bulletins or ministers. If people want to pray, reflect, discuss,just listen to the music, engage, or not, that's up to each person.

ENCARNA is alternative engagement with the Christmas story - different, perhaps more artsy and postmodern, than your regular pageants orcantatas. For a better sense of what ENCARNA is and if you'dlike to check it out, go to www.myspace.com/christmas_encarna. Last year was the first year we did this event, and we're hoping you'll help us build off the successes of last year. Many people told us it was a deeply meaningful experience, helping them prepare for Christmas. If you know anyone who would be interested in coming to ENCARNA, please pass the word on to them as well. Blessings and peace for this Christmas.

In Christ,
Andrew Hyde
St. James United Church

gospel according to tom

2006-11-22T09:41:00.000-08:00

so i've been on a tom waits kick of late and i am very excited about the upcoming orphans 3-disc set... recently compiled a little liturgy of tom waits tunes which i thought i would share with the world. if i really had the time this would be a podcast, but it's not, it's a list:

Invocation: "Come on up to the house" (Mule Variations)
Creed: "Everything you can think" (Alice)
Confession: "Chocolate Jesus"* (Mule Variations)
Absolution: "Sins" (Real Gone)
Closing: "Way down in the hole" (live version from Big Time)
Blessing: "Jesus Gonna be here" (Bone Machine, although the blind boys of alabama do a great cover too)

any other suggestions...? I've been thinking about doing this with other bands too... any suggestions? (btw. they don't have to use so much religious language for this to work...)

* the real genius of this song is the rooster crowing throughout... think about it.

Truth, Lies and Plastic Eyes

2006-11-16T12:50:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was the amazing art talks series at ICS sponsored by Imago... Betty Spackman was there to speak about her book: A Profound Weakness: Christians and Kitsch
and her talk was entitled: "Truth, Lies and Plastic Eyes."

Betty had a lot of great things to say and it was nice to see her in person having heard so much from Adrienne Chaplin about her and looking at her work as part of an independent study while I was at OCAD. I have been wanting to write a response to the weekend but haven't had a chance yet so instead I'll post some of my favourite quotes/ideas that came out of the talk and discussions. They are as close to verbatim as possible... I take any responsibility for transcribing them inaccurately - please notify me if I say you said something you didn't. If these don't make sense out of context - also my fault...

"Instead of walking the streets with [Christ],
we hide him in our churches
and drag people in to see Him."
- Betty Spackman

"Christian Kitsch = Faith in drag."
- Betty Spackman

"Truth is what is true but not necessarily factual."
- Madeline L'engle

"Kitsch offers paradise now, bypassing the 'not yet'."
- not sure who said that

"Rational Christians who are emotionally starved turn to Kitsch"
- not sure about this one either

"We are the message - not the objects we create"
- Betty Spackman (on whether art itself can be "Christian")

"Aspire not for greatness but to be the humblest, . . .
creating with joy and freedom, as a child. . ."
- Betty Spackman

Betty also talked about learning the language of the culture around you... which is good, but are you doing it only so you can say what you want to say or so you can listen? Her example was from a missionary in a foreign culture context but she applied it also to the arts...

Another thing that I loved that she said... She compared making art to the feeding of the 5000. Jesus asks what we've got and we respond "I don't have enough. You take it and break it." and then we see what he does with it. Our responsibility falls not in having to feed everyone or make the perfect work of art or craft the most clever message... but simply to offer all that we have, acknowledging our insufficiency and let Jesus do the rest. And somehow, 5000 are fed.

read some other people's notes on Betty here.

sign of the day...

2006-11-16T12:14:00.000-08:00

one of the many religious slogans
Originally uploaded by sue the potter.

my parents took this on vacation...

amen.

found

2006-11-14T09:55:00.000-08:00

found
Originally uploaded by josh lyon.

FREE HUGS

2006-10-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

the music may be a bit too sappy... but nice concept.

toying with public space/personal boundaries...

One by One art show

2006-10-02T14:03:00.000-07:00

DSC03769.JPG
Originally uploaded by froesebydesign.

some buddies from Freedomize put on an art/fashion show to raise funds for some good cause and i missed it. but my wife got to go. and some of the art rocked. it was all formatted 1" x 1"... check out the lego ghandi too. and i can't find the website with all the details hence the sketchy 'for some good cause' line.

but i really like this piece of work and i have no idea who did it. if anyone knows, please leave a comment or email me... thanks.

here's the lego ghandi:

DSC03784.JPG
Originally uploaded by froesebydesign.

rockin' in the K-Town

2006-10-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

Sick as a dog, playing bass at the Merchant Taphouse in Kingston during 'showcase' week with Colin Munroe.

I didn't pass out or fall over! yeah!

btw. we're playing the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto this week on Thursday opening for Ninja Tunes own Pop Levi. come on out and support local music!

rockin' the supermarket

2006-09-25T14:39:00.000-07:00

IMGP2937
Originally uploaded by josh lyon.

on tour with colin, rockin the supermarket on sept 12th. thanks to everyone who came out - what an amazing audience for our third show ever! 150 people? and all cheering like banshees? you kids are too kind. check out colin on myspace (www.myspace.com/colinmunroe) if you want to hear the sort of thing we're rocking. i don't feel bad plugging him coz he rocks and i'm just the bass player. but yeah, i like to thing i help bring the rock to the live show... even from behind my dark curtain. yeah, that's me on the right of the shot.

"pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" - the wizard, from the wizard of Oz.

falling in love... with design

2006-09-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

every now and then, i stumble accross someone or something so inspiring it winds up on this ol' blog... my poor, sad, neglected blog. i miss this thing.

but you can't/shouldn't miss this:

design, i love.
music, i love.

myspace, thankyou.

moremusic: Lots of upcoming shows!

2006-08-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

So I'm playing bass with Colin Munroe and we're finally touring! check out http://myspace.com/colinmunroe for details... we'll be in Kingston, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, London, etc. around the second week of sept. come out if you can - tell everyone else to come too! rockpoptacular!

Also, my other band (Entire Cities) has some Toronto area shows (ie next saturday - aug 26th)... check out http://myspace.com/entirecities for details... mmm... psychadelic alt-country mayhem!

come out and support live music... rock on.

with love from yer friendly neighbourhood rockstyle lifestar.

soldierman

2006-08-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

soldierman
Originally uploaded by josh lyon.

found this little toy soldier beside this demolition site near our house... the elements of the picture just somehow seemed to fit together too well.

54cr3d 5p4c3?

everybody sing: summertime, and the blogger is lazy...

2006-07-10T13:53:00.000-07:00

so, it's summer... i was hoping to keep this blog up more faithfully through the summer months but yet again sunshine calls and i have no internet at home and for some reason don't like spending my extra hours at work to keep this up. i have hundreds of things to post about 'coz i'm finally done school and out and about but don't really want to sit in front of the screen... apparently there's a way you can just call in yer blog posts on the phone - but only in the states. too bad.

anyway, latest news is that I'm touring with a band this summer and into the fall, as the bass player no less... (check out Colin Munroe on Myspace) so that should be fun - so glad to be playing music all the time finally! I'll try to keep updating the blog whenever I can and from the road but we'll see how that goes! anyway, i don't mind if y'all don't check back 'till the fall - i'm sure no one feels all that let down but apologies if you are... see you on the flipside!

4:30am - Shots fired...

2006-06-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

Image from Toronto Star, basically taken from our front steps.

How you see the world is forever changed when you have a kid.

How you see the world the day that you are awoken at 4:30am by the sound of gunfire on the street in front of the house where you are trying to raise that child is a change that I had no pregnancy holding time during which I could at least grow acustomed to the idea.

Once before I was woken in the wee hours of the morning by what sounded like a round being fired out of some kind of handgun - exactly 6 bangs followed by a woman's scream. Of course that turned out to simply be an exploding power transformer the night the ice fell in the great ice storm that hit parts of Ontario and Quebec a few years back. And the screaming, no doubt someone surprised by the lights going out in a very dramatic fashion.

But Thursday morning was not like that. Although the sounds sounded a lot less like movie gunfire than the transformer did, as I leapt from my bed, I was greeted by the sight of a cop in the middle of the road holding a shotgun... I tried to convince my wife it was simply firecrackers but she didn't buy it. She was out of the bed before I was.

Having experienced firsthand cops firing weapons at citizens during the FTAA protests in Quebec, I have been wary of them ever since... Since Quebec City I have always felt somewhat betrayed by the police and our government - I thought we had a right to peaceful protest but the taste and sting of teargas had lead me to think otherwise.

For the first time in many years, as the cop with the shotgun glanced around nervously at the dark edges of the building across the street, I really understood that they do truly 'serve and protect' far more than I would ever be able to. That cops life was on the line to protect me and my little family - his very life... Obviously that was not his main concern, he was trying to round up a man on the loose, firing at cops and ambulances, having just shot a man a few blocks away. But as a citizen, I thanked God then and there for people who are willing to take on the task of trying to make our streets safe, whether or not i always agree with their methods, attitudes and tactics.

And I prayed for courage in those officers to do their job nobly and peacefully, even in the face of this awful situation. You could see in their stance and hear in their voices that they were afraid (probably as much of simply having to wield deadly force as the potential threat on their own lives) and yet they faced what they had to, thank God...

In Canada, we're the lucky ones. We rarely wake to such things, rarely live in such proximity to threats like that (although it seems, sadly, to be coming more common in Toronto)... I don't think living on our street will ever seem quite so safe. Even last night the darkness brought chills and that funny feeling - peering a little harder into those shadows... looking a little more cautiously at those passing on the street...

(Although yesterday morning I also finally got to talk to neighbours we've been saying hi to for a few months and haven't yet had a good excuse to converse with - funny how crisis bonds people. One of them quipped that, like the house that Garp buys in the John Irving novel "The World according to Garp", our house had been pre-disastered now, less likely for something like that to occur again!)

I don't really know how to sum this all up in the context of this blog... and yet, like most things for me it connects. Violation of the safety of my family in the little space we call home... somehow in some way I don't understand... things have changed... I have changed...

weird days man, weird days.

read the news story here...

pentecost recycling

2006-06-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

so last year i posted a flash piece for pentecost (posted here) and just recieved some fresh comments... for those of you interested in using the piece tommorow if it's not too late, simply click on the link in the other post and exchange the '.html' extension in the address bar with '.swf'

(this is usually the easiest way of stealing/using/borrowing flash files. if the naming system is not so straight forward you can always go to VIEW SOURCE and search for '.swf' and then copy the address from the html. while some people may not like you stealing their flash, feel free to borrow mine any time, just let me know it's being used - i always like to hear about and support other peoples creative ventures!)

now that you've learned something, here's the shortcut anyway to save you the trouble: pentecost flash file. of course you'll still need to right click or control click and save target as... as well as having a flash player installed on yer church's computer.

josh lyon remixed by josh lyon

2006-05-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

so i discovered another josh lyon on the interweb (owner of joshlyon.com) and was much amused to find out that he also makes music (posted on sparklyfresh.com). so i decided to take one of his tracks (called 'future' as i recall) and remix it. go look for the original on his site and check out my remix here: future remixed (josh lyon vs josh lyon).

lamb in the city

2006-05-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

hannah-lamb
Originally uploaded by josh lyon.

these lambs are all over our neighborhood (east side of downtown toronto)... i really like spotting them hiding under bridges, sheltering from the weather.

felted womb

2006-05-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

womb-hannah
Originally uploaded by josh lyon.

my wife made this beautiful art piece over an excersize ball out of a whole lot of raw and died wool - mostly shaped in the shower due to the need for a lot of hot water in the felting process!

labyrinth coffee table

2006-05-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

labyrinth
Originally uploaded by josh lyon.

this labyrinth table is in the window of a design store called 'space' on queen street east right near our house... i really like this table though it does remind me of the ikea labyrinth rug that i'm not so sure about.

prayer/wish forward

2006-05-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

i got this prayer in an email forward explaining that you are to make a wish, prayer the prayer and then pass it on... why a prayer for contentment would be accompanied with 'wishing' is beyond me - but here's the prayer anyway:

St. Theresa's Prayer:

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that
has been given to you....
May you be content knowing you are a child of God....
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom
to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.

NT Wright Revival (updated)

2006-05-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

IMG_0127
Originally uploaded by nathancolquhoun.

last night in toronto, 'the bish' kak NT Wright spoke at a club called revival... at an event organized by Empire Remixed. so when I arrived someone asked me if I was a big NT fan. I admitted that I'd never read anything of his and that I was really there mostly coz cool people told me about it and that I should probably go (thanks mr. rennie).

anyway, having attended and not really liking the idea of being a fan, I'd have to say I'm on my way to being converted... really appreciated his thoughts and theology, certainly a cat worth looking up and reading more of. I have a few questions regarding his answer to a question (asked by John Franklin of Imago) about the role of art in the church which I guess I'll have to email 'the Bish' about after I get a hold of and read the chapter entitled 'Beauty' from his new book. Anyone got a copy they want to lend me?

see more pics from the event here: nathan's flickr pics and/or read more about it here on nathan's blog.

woodland labyrinth

2006-05-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

woodland labyrinth
Originally uploaded by jonnybaker.

jonny baker posted this to flickr... maybe a design i might imitate at the in-laws farm where I promised to help them build a labyrinth on their property sometime... don't know the location but it looks loverly!

He is risen!

2006-04-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter yo.

Spent good friday eve at the Labyrinth at the eaton centre... beautiful time with 8 other freedomizers and simon. we shared communion and prayerwalked meditating on Gethsemene on the way in - praying with Christ in the garden, and on the way out prayed with peter in the courtyard facing the questions of the world acknowledging or denying christ, feeling betrayed and facing his own betrayal... based on a short reflection I wrote for the event. Thick fog descended on us during the walk (which took the better part of 1.5 hours for everyone to complete) and even thunder, lightning and a brief but heavy downpour - and no one quit or walked away despite the rain. amazing and powerful. many thanks to those who came out.

Easter sunday we joined the Catholic worker community in toronto for their easter dawn celebration. we biked down to the waterfront east of toronto, leaving our house at 4am and packing up little Hannah in a borrowed bike trailer. the ride took the better part of an hour and the service was beautiful and refreshing... the sun rise was glorious too! what a way to celebrate! after breakfast we recovered with an extended nap before heading to freedomize for the evening service... which was also a lovely celebration. I finally broke lent post-church with some fine white wine I got as a Christmas present... (thanks val) and shared it with the in-laws who arrived to visit.

He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

It's OVER!

2006-04-06T11:46:00.000-07:00

well, i handed it in. i am now forever 'ficially done at OCAD. yea!

i am excited; one new thing and one old thing.

2006-04-05T17:49:00.000-07:00

two things i am very excited about: an event in toronto called NIDUS

AND

tommorow at noon I hand in my final assignment for OCAD and then graduate... after 5 long years IT'S OVER!!!

okay THREE THINGS:

I can't wait 'till easter... don't tell anyone but today I was playing piano and singing easter hymns... bellowing "up from the grave he arose" at the top of my little lungs - my favourite easter-only-song as a small child.

temptation in the brewery

2006-03-22T07:42:00.000-08:00

I gave up alcohol for lent and then was scheduled to work st paddy's day at a local brewery. i thought that was pretty funny until it was one of the most stressful days of my life (due to the work, not the abundance of drinking, yeasty smells, and free beer potentially available to me!)

thanks to jonny for posting this lenten meditation which I love...

yesterday birds... (spring sprung?)

2006-03-16T12:23:00.000-08:00

yesterday i heard the craziest sound from within our apartment... i went to investigate and opened the back porch door to see thousands of starlings in the tree above my head... it was such a fantastic cacophony i went to get my minidisc recorder immediately: and now i share the sound of spring with you, my friend, the internet.

many birds tweeting

I also am currently working on a new song. It's my best ever. Let me know what you think internet?

new ambient track

breakfast, haircuts and sunglasses

2006-03-14T11:21:00.000-08:00

breakfast2
Originally uploaded by josh lyon.

last night we cut our hair off... cork and i. needless to say, hannah was a little surprised this morning... so we celebrated at breakfast

another pic of our haircuts...

videoblog - hannah's entry

2006-03-14T10:46:00.000-08:00

my digital still camera (christmas yay!) does video... my daughter wanted to see herself blinking so we shot this video... she also dressed up as a bird one morning (or rather, it was the only way I could get clothes on her - playing dressup). this may seem tangential - i have no real justification for posting it here - other than an interest in videoblogging and the potential thereof.

postsecret blog

2006-03-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

postsecret is a collection of mailed in handmade postcards revealing untold secrets anonymously to the world.

looking for collaborators/co-conspirators

2006-03-07T08:10:00.000-08:00

here is my latest musical offering to the world accompanied by an offer/request: anyone looking for soundtrack/backing track/ambient music/custom built electronica? i post what i can and what I like to my myspace account, but i make all sorts for all sorts. I'm up for the challenge: are you?

beautiful Lent illustrations/reflections by Si Smith

2006-03-06T07:50:00.000-08:00

from 40 by Si Smith.

church 2.0 - same ol' deal?

2006-02-28T10:07:00.000-08:00

in response to a post by jonny baker about church 2.0 I wrote the following:

i've been thinking a lot about this idea of community/people as content and something just struck me: in the wikipedia of the world, we christians are the definition of christianity and who christ is. constantly updated and morphing - many voices changing it all the time, but ultimately the world's understanding of christ is framed through us.

not a new concept, but new terminology.

which is simultaneously a scary and reassuring point - get your voice out there! contribute - if you don't like the cultural understanding of Christianity, help bring it back!

ex-building in toronto

2006-02-28T09:35:00.000-08:00

ghosthouse
Originally uploaded by josh lyon.

i've always loved ex-buildings, and the stains they leave, expecially when they were built first and added on to, then removed leaving scars in the newer building's side. the sun was in the perfect spot the other day to describe the dimension of a possible foundation...

words made from flickr pics

2006-02-28T09:07:00.000-08:00

code auto generated at http://metaatem.net/words/

love in the face of violence

2006-02-25T11:56:00.000-08:00

After having seen Paradise Now and feeling very ignorant in my understanding of the Palestine/Israel conflict, I am trying to do as much reading and research as I can on what seems like a very devicive issue - especially in Christian circles... I'm currently reading a book by a Palestinian Melkite Christian Priest, Abuna Elias Chacour, entitled We belong to the land about his experiences in Israel. Just wanted to share the following quote which I found so simple yet so striking:

"The answer to hatred and violence is a genuine, personal initiative completely independent from the reaction to violence. Respecting human rights and protecting human life should never be a reaction to violence, but should arise out of one's love for human beings, for life.

This is the message of the man from Galilee. Jesus Christ teaches us today, as he did two thousand years ago in this very place, that we are not to love people out of charity or for Jesus' sake, as if others were a tool, an instrument, or a tunnel to pass through to reach the goal. Rather, the other - the Jew, the Palestinian, the American, the Muslim, the Christian - is to be loved becauase that person is loveable as who he or she is. We are to love as God loves. God's love is unconditional and sacrificial. God is love."

sheer volume (of sites unseen)

2006-02-23T13:49:00.000-08:00

Sites Unseen has the most incredible list - so vast! - of christian related anything. found some cool bands, still browsing the rest. I had to post it, not so much for the content as the connectivity - this is the web after all... I'd love to see a map of the interconnectivity of all these links as a tagcloud or like something from visualcomplexity which is a network of maps of networks.

stillnotstill - beautiful meditative video art

2006-02-21T08:25:00.000-08:00

still not still by Sue Costabile is one of the most beautiful pieces of video art I have seen in a long time... paired with lovely audio work by AGF. She does most of her work live using Jitter (part of Max/MSP). check out minimoviemovement too for more of their collaborations... inspiring lovely stuff.