#5 Inspiration in Your City

When told to go forth into my city and find inspiration, I did think about the city of Boston, and then I realized my own neighborhood, the very hamlet I live in is part of Boston Proper. So a quick trip to the Pond inspired this one.

When people ask me about living in JP (Jamaica Plain) I inevitably start talking about the Lantern Fest.

Now this can be confusing because in JP we love lanterns so much we actually have two lantern fests. Seriously we love the lanterns. But the autumn lantern fest was started by a woman who convinced her friends to make lanterns and walk around the pond with her. About 25 people did this and they made it a mission to one day encircle the pond with lanterns. It only took a few

years and now hundreds of people participate.

It just goes to show you one person can make a difference.

The best part? People make their own lanterns. Hundreds of home made lanterns encircle the pond every year.

Kate Shea

Hey Guys! Sorry I'm a little late on this week's design... I have no excuse other than I didn't prioritize it. Anyway, my inspiration came when I was walking through downtown Portland and I saw a window washer repelling down the side of a building. It struck me how seamlessly Portland combines wilderness and wilderness pursuits with an Urban environment. So I decided to take two Portland icons, Mount Hood and Powell books linking them with an adventurer repelling from mountain to store.

I tried to keep the whole design simple with a basic design and color scheme. I'm not sure how well it works as art, but I liked the final result. - Beth Shea

Vanessa is not a visual artist but decided to participate in this event via a poem...

Low Tide in Late July

Cold-as-tin air circulates;

The poles and safety grips are greasy from use --

The ladies, mostly older

Cackle about the weekly grocery circulars

Chime in about the upcoming elections & their favorite postal carrier;

As they rub weary hamstrings and grip tight to homemade lunches.

Hibiscus and Bougainvillea petals are scatters in the road --

Chickens and Housecats roam free;

Bicycles, scooters, skateboards,

Tourists and homeless citizens alike lug wheeled suitcases on the steaming concrete &

Look to the noontime sky, pleading for a windward island breeze.

With baited breath everyone eyes the chalky, chapped-lipped shoreline

Low tide in late July spells trouble, disaster is always one storm away.

Hundreds of matching silver-foxes with beards mill about

Ladies in pearls and cantaloupe-colored sundresses sip Rum-runners

Gnarly, aspiring surfers disembark from day cruises.

The headline in today’s paper reads: scandal, scandal

Local bank is robbed by relative of Fat-Cat Commissioner

At the time of his arrest,

Deputies found the smoking gun: the note,

“Give me all your $money in unmarked bills’

…was still in the suspect’s pocket along with bank deposit bags.

The suspect was in the Bank’s parking lot, struggling with his bike lock.

Fat-Cat Commissioner insists, “Lil’ Bubba and I have been estranged for years.”

-- Vanessa Cohen