As a Leo and a triple fire sign, (Aries moon, Aries rising) born in the summer of love, I never really thought about what it would be like when I turned 40. It was always about summer and just happy being another year older. This year, however, not only marks a new decade in my life (whew I made it!) but also a solar and lunar eclipse this month which has heightened my sense of awareness around everything and I’ll admit it has sometimes been challenging. Last Tuesday (my actual b-day) I awoke to an overwhelming sense of gratitude and this comfortable feeling in my skin that I can’t really describe. I can only say that being surrounded by 11 of my most loving friends (+ 1 loving boyfriend + 1 loving niece) last night at dinner put me into a place where I felt like honey on a warm piece of toast–the perfect union. This 40 year old has arrived and is excited to be alive.

Oh those Japanese. Can you imagine sitting there with 138,000 recycled metro tickets and making the above piece of art? Pretty dang impressive if you ask me. Check it out. The mural 10 x 7ft, is a part of a temporary installation to celebrate the opening of Tokyo’s new Fukutoshin subway line. I’ve never been to Tokyo but it sounds cool already. As reported by PinkTentacle, “Created by volunteers from Takashimaya and other Shinjuku-area businesses, the work depicts Astro Boy, Uran, Professor Ochanomizu and Higeoyaji (Mr. Mustachio) in Shinjuku along with the new Fukutoshin train.”

More of an up close and personal view. I’m starting to see numbers…

Now I see it. Uy Vey. My grandmother would be impressed with this one. Me too.

So, Bali… I don’t quite know where to start. Bali is overwhelming in every sense. To the ear, Bali is a symphony of bells, birds, gongs and frogs (not a bad combination!) To the eye, Bali is rice paddies, coconut palms, tall mountains and crafts everywhere. Even I, someone who deals in the buying and selling of crafts, was overwhelmed by the shear amount of carved, woven, printed, cast, painted, drawn, sewn, etc. crafts that lined the roads in and out of our base in Ubud. My family and I didn’t do beaches in Bali - I’ll get to those on the island of Lombok - we did culture and art. And what culture and art! Bali is primarily Hindu. That translates into constant ceremonies and festivals, over-the-top ornamentation and design and amazing music and dance. (Above photo: author on balcony in Bali)

The landscape of Bali is one of the things that struck me the most. You hear about the rice terraces of Bali but it is quite amazing to actually see them! Our beautiful, two-level cottage was set amid the rice fields so we went to sleep with a chorus of frogs and awoke to birds and the chattering of ducks in the flooded paddies. We attended music and dance performances - sometimes by firelight only. And we visited temples around Ubud that were so unlike any place of worship - Jewish, Christian or Muslim - that I’ve ever seen.

Wood worker at Tropical Salvage production facility on the island of Java, hand carving a door made out of re-purposed wood.

The shopping in Ubud (shown at right) is totally overwhelming. Literally miles of wall to wall stone carvings. Followed by miles of wall-to-wall wood carvings. Followed by paintings, followed by batiks, etc. etc. You get the picture. I couldn’t help but think, where is all of this going? And indeed, we have read and witnessed that tourism and the craft export business is down in Indonesia. We worry about high fuel and food prices, well the same thing is happening here and it’s affected tourism on an island that relies on it in so many ways. It’s affecting the price of their crafts as well and their competitiveness in a market often dominated by cheap imitations. So, Bali needs all of us I think. To visit, to learn and to appreciate and buy their crafts. In thinking about it I can’t help but feel that we need Bali too. It is a truly amazing place that adds immeasurably to the fabric of our world - art, culture, religion. If Bali becomes poorer and less able to thrive - so do we all.

For more info on Ten Thousand Villages, click here.

–Karen LeAnn McKay

I am honored to have had two of my photos (included here) featured in the July 2008 issue of Vanity Fair Magazine. What makes the whole experience even more rewarding and affirming is that they are reflections on my travels to the wonderful island of Cuba.

In my five visits over the last three years to the controversial island, I have developed a deep love and respect for all things Cuban: the people, the easy way of life, the music, the colors, the textures, the cigars, the socialist aspect of governing (where everyone is truly equal) and of course, the mojito’s. But baseball, oddly enough, is at the center of that love. Baseball is Cuba’s national pastime, and although the game has lost some of its luster stateside, it is by far my personal national pastime.

Throughout its history in America, baseball, in a very strange way has always reflected our society. Whether you’re a fan of the game or not, subconsciously your life has been impacted by the game of baseball. Point in fact: after the vicious 9-11 attacks on our country, we were all paralyzed as to what to do next. But if you remember back, it was baseball that got our country rolling again. After taking a week or two off, the Commissioner of baseball, Bud Selig, insisted that it was time to “Play Ball” and so the games resumed, as did our lives.

In Cuba, baseball is a way of life. Now, not everyone follows the game religiously, but all Cubans are quite aware of its impact upon its society and have a profound appreciation for what the game means to the island. My Vanity Fair photos are a reflection of that love.

To read the article posted in the July issue of VF, click here.

–Byron Motley

This piece of fabulous eco-art (made out of bottle caps) “was commissioned by the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), to celebrate Charleston’s master blacksmith, Phillip Simmons, who’s work can be found all over the Charleston peninsula.” ::Via Oddity Central

So very clever, so very creative, so very eco-chic. I love this piece. Check out the various magnified views…

Oh sweet eyes…

Up close and very personal. I see Mountain Dew, Sprite and Lemon Lime Soda from the 70’s…

What a fabulous example of transforming waste into something very beautiful. We’re diggin’ it.

About the artist: Molly B. Right was born in1963, in Greensboro, NC. She has lived in Charleston, SC since 1969. She began painting in 1993, and is self-taught. Molly, you inspire us.

Thank-you Jeff.