Growing up around artist in the Bronx has taught me to appreciate art from a child. And the more I experience the more I know how important signs and photos are. How valuable music and beat is. And how much time is of the essence.  I took a course on first aid today and the instructor was telling us that when one does CPR with a defibrillator, the beat moves at the same pace as the beat in Staying Alive moves too. Not saying that  Bee Gees, the artist of Stayin’ Alive, is important for us to know, but the beat is important. Not saying that if you are having a heart attack to call on Bee Gees either. However, to know about the art of life one must know about the art of music. It becomes synonymous. Making every aspect of  art fundamental.  Artist play an essential part in our lives. This world. This earth! This universe! (You get the picture now?!)

As time moves on, art moves on and scenes change and art is sometimes valued more or less depending on the work. During the First Aid class, Mrs. Carr, the instructor kept telling the class Time is of the Essence. And I know what she meant. Life is important. Act as quickly as you can. Do what you can to save a life. But as a recent college grad and someone looking to get more out of life, I saw pass that. Since you are living make most of your ability. Make life better. Save life. Save what you can. Saving life means saving art to me. Perseverance.

When the class ended, I looked out of the window and there outside were two graffiti mural artist painting the wall. Time was of the essence. I got my camera and went out to shoot. It was not until later that I thought in dept about the artist and their value. Not everybody can do what they were doing. Very few people. Which made me want to grab my camera instantly. It also made me feel old. Because, ¡Si dios quiera one day someone will be rushing to save my work.

Moreover, the art they do is not something that will be under plastic or behind a frame in a museum, neither will it be guarded by copyright laws or the police. Their art is out in the open. And can only be preserved by people like me.

Usually when I think on this topic names like Martha Copper and even Grand Master Flash pop into my head. Scenes pop into my head also. I see humongous beat boxes and high top hair dos and images from the Bronx burning to the1990’s  fashion. And now that I am experiencing more and listening to stories from the elders in my neighborhood, the art and the culture is becoming one with me. Now names like Beat Mann (who used to tag trains in the 70’s) and Evelyn and Jr. (a couple who owns one of the biggest houses in my neighborhood who experience the art of life in the Bronx during this period ) and even Jason(mural artist, http://jasonburnz.wordpress.com/ ) and Mrs. Carr faces come to mind, making art and time and life less of a puzzle for me.

My mom woke up one summer morning during her pregnancy with my little brother.  It was beautiful outside. We couldn’t ask for more. Our home was cool. The birds were chirping and the sky was light blue. The night before we all had stayed up planning what we were going to do the next day. We already had an idea. After all we have been doing the same thing the entire summer so far playing on our block. We didn’t go to far from our house. We just hung out with the children from the neighborhood. Once in a while we would visit the library but we never went further than the library. This day we plan to take a family trip to the beach. It was my dad’s idea. He’ll always come up with these fun ideas. So we all go ready. My mom packed all a lot of light food. We all got our summer gear together. My dad wanted to go early in the morning so it would be very few people on the beach.

When we arrived there we were about the only family there. There was people on the beach but we had a lot of room to ourselves. My pops who is a photographer set his camera up and his equipment up. My mother wanted some photos of us so my dad said he will shoot us. That was his idea. My mom who is a great designer dressed us in summer colors. The photo-shoot went well. The pictures turned out amazing. By the time my dad was done with us the sun was beaming down. We had brought everything but umbrellas so my pops decided he would take us to the theater to relax. And that’s when the trouble began.

My mom didn’t want to go to the theater but my pops thought it would be a waste of money to drive all the way back home without really enjoying the town we were in. And when my mom is pregnant and is upset she start craving food. I think, just to get on my pop’s nerve because sometimes she doesn’t even eat the food. Secretly I like it when she craves because I think she craves the food she normally would tell us not to eat. Like a lot of candy and ice cream.

When we got to the theater, we didn’t even have to go inside. There was a movie showing outside. So we sat in our car and watched from there. Mom first craved hot dogs which was easy to get to from the stand near by. Then candy and soda pop. Next pretzels. My pops had no problem getting the food for her- I really mean us. Finally she asked for popcorn. And he had to walk and walk a distance. By the time he came back she wanted McDonalds and she said the popcorn tasted stale which meant that we couldn’t even eat it. The pigeons were the lucky ones.

We didn’t even get McDonalds.