Art and Bears.

Should have posted this yesterday.

So, I spent a couple hours down at FedEx Forum with the guys from the Grizzlies marketing department. We shot the cannon from multiple locations inside of the Forum, literally trying to reach for the rafters. We came pretty close.. not bad for a cannon designed to fire paint and water balloons instead of t-shirts.

We are going to talk on Tuesday again, they want to formulate some ideas.. and I have some of my own.

Some people have said that my project and the Grizzlies would not be compatible. I think otherwise. Here's why.

Since the Grizzlies came to town, they have participated in many different community activities which have benefited the city. They sponsor clean-ups, schools, sports, and educational programs. The main focus of my project is art and city beautification. However, there is the direct impact of bringing nature and ecology to the forefront and into these neglected urban neighborhoods. As I have said many times, when a young child experiences nature right outside their front door, be it flowers or the wildlife attracted by them, it puts a spark of eco-consciousness in their mind which no television program or classroom experience can replicate.

Also, for a revitalization of the arts community to fully take hold in Memphis, we need to bring up a generation of people from all races, creeds,and socio-economic groups which have appreciation for the arts. There are tons of groups in Memphis trying to affect this change, I would like to think I am contributing to this as well. By expanding the project, I can cover more ground.. literally and figuratively.

Just my 2 cents.