Meet Queen Andrea

While touring the Bonnaroo grounds on Thursday to see how the set-up process is turning out, I met Queen Andrea. You are probably scratching your head thinking, “She is not really a queen is she?”

While Andrea von Bujdoss is not actually royalty, she is known as the queen of graffiti. Because of her artwork, she is called Queen Andrea. Evidenlty, the graphic designer from New York, learned from some of the most prolific old school graffiti writers in our era.

The New York based artist was chosen to design and paint a massive water feature on the 700-acres that make up Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee. Her design, complete with black lights at night, will be in the round watering basin where concert goers will cool off during the heat of the event which takes place June 11th through the 14th.

Each year, the festival brings in about 100,000 visitors from as far away as Japan and as close as Nashville. This year, some of the big names include Billy Joel, Mumford and Sons, Ben Folds and even Slayer. 

Vietnam and back by 19.5 years old

Vietnam lasted until 1975, this man was only 18 when he was sent in to help as troops were starting to pack up and leave in 1974. He had just joined the military and spent several months in Vietnam and was then back to America. He told me that it was in Vietnam during his time in the service that he started drinking heavily and using drugs. "Everyone did it," he told me. "I did it too to cope with what I was seeing and to feel better," he told me. 

After spending time overseas, he eventually found his way to Nashville. He said, "Look around, I got caught up in this lifestyle and couldn't stop - My health is poor today, but I feel better every single day now that I have stopped." 

"I have been sober for a little over three and a half years now," He told me as he held a sign asking for help in the downtown lights of Nashville, TN.

The children of the world

“It's the children the world almost breaks who grow up to save it.” ― Frank Warren, Post Secret

I shot this in Haiti with my Fuji X100s

Staring blankly at life

We handed him a case of Chef Boyardee Meatballs and as he picked it up and walked off into the woods, I could not help but to notice his expression never changed. He lives in the woods, surrounded by about ten other men and women in tents... and nature. 

“The loneliest moment in someone’s life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

For some reason, he reminded me of a middle aged George Carlin

I saw his happy smile as he drank and I instantly went to a 2004 George Carlin quote I once heard. “I think the warning labels on alcoholic beverages are too bland. They should be more vivid. Here is one I would suggest: "Alcohol will turn you into the same asshole your father was.” ― George Carlin

George Carlin is one of those comedians who made sense in what he said from time to time, you just have to know when to laugh and when to listen. Carlin, who I liked because of a record my parents had where he rattled through the seven dirty words, died at age 71 in 2008. As some recall, Carlin was known to have an addiction to  alcohol and Vicodin. 

Children of a Third World

I shot these in Haiti.

"What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like." - Saint Augustine

Hope for tomorrow

 88-Year old peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh stated, "Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today." 

I shot this photo in a small village of Haiti while surrounded by children wanting to hold my camera. Each grabbing for it as I snapped. Most of the children were smiling, eager to have their photo made as if they had never seen a camera. 

In this village, there was no electricity, no running water, no TV or radio. 

Haiti on a Wednesday afternoon

Brad Pitt once stated, "Let us be the ones who say we do not accept that a child dies every three seconds simply because he does not have the drugs you and I have. Let us be the ones to say we are not satisfied that your place of birth determines your right to life. Let us be outraged, let us be loud, let us be bold."

Thank you God for the food

Today, I hit the woods next to a set of railroad tracks with an F-250 Ford Truck filled with food. The coolest thing I heard this afternoon: "Man, I just prayed for food a little while ago, you guys are an answer to my prayers." I then noticed this man quickly walked around to the front of my truck where he was out of view of the others in our group. He held his hands out stretched and thanked God.

In case you are wondering, the tattoos in the center of his chest are brand new, that is why they were so shiny. A guy at his campsite did them.

New York in the Rain

New York is such a fascinating place. Even at midnight in the rain, I still find it mesmerizing. 

American screen writer Truman Capote famously stated,  "New York is the only real city-city." Capote died at the young age of 59 in 1984.  

Children know no disparity

"If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children." -  Gandhi

Mom washing clothes

While I was walking through a village in Haiti, I noticed a group of women surrounded by buckets of well water. They were all sitting around washing their clothes as the children played in the background. It was like stepping back in time.

The moms were talking, laughing and carrying on. After a load of clothes were clean, they would make their way to the clothing line and hang them to dry. If only I knew what they were talking about.

I wonder if they are a fan of good ole’ Joyce Meyer who stated, “It's so important to realize that every time you get upset, it drains your emotional energy. Losing your cool makes you tired. Getting angry a lot messes with your health.” These moms looked happy! 

Smiles of Haitian Children

I love the smiling faces of children in Haiti. Furthermore, some photos are just supposed to be in color. 

“Never give up on hope. Most of the greatest achievements of humanity were accomplished by tired, discouraged people who never gave up on hope. Anything is possible...if you truly believe.” ― Timothy Pina, Hearts for Haiti