The Lost Tribes of New York City from Carolyn London on Vimeo.
via the science of creativity

make your own experimental music composition. I am hooked on this. can’t stop. from lullatone.
while on the subject of experimental music, I enjoyed this piece on Steve Reich on NPR.
learn how to project the morning sky into your room. I would love to do this, but my son can’t stand when you cover up the windows, he likes to be able to see his trees.
I like the way he thinks.
social designer. submit designs. get paid for your work. help the world. inspired by Marti Guixe.
a visual representation of consumer culture.

“I really think it’s important to be in a situation, both in art and in life, where you don’t understand what is going on.” ~John Cage
The quote above has really been a mantra for me for the last few years. I aim to embody it with everything I do with my work as it gets to the root of a what it means to experiment.
experiment noun |ikˈsperəmənt|
• a course of action tentatively adopted without being sure of the eventual outcome.
This is easy when it comes to parenting where everything and every stage feels like your are completely out of your element, especially early on. A great lesson in disorientation and pushing out of your comfort zone. After a while you become much more accustomed to “not knowing what you are doing” and learn to accept it in a way.
I have entered into an interesting stage with life/career, a place where I am more able to pick and choose the exact directions I want to go in (yet I am unsure exactly what direction to choose). Compared to the beginning stages this is a total luxury. Lately I have been presented with many interesting projects and I have to make decisions about which to take on and which to turn down. It is a great thing indeed and I think a sign that more and more my work is aligning with my belief system. As always I rely on the universe to help me out with many of my decisions.
But, I find myself currently at a crossroads of sorts. As I have been receiving a number of speaking engagements I am feeling that the universe is telling me to explore that realm a bit more. I feel drawn to teach in some capacity, yet I still want time to do research for books and care for my little one (I am REALLY enjoying parenting at this stage). I am VERY excited to be giving a talk in a couple of weeks to 500 educators, at the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore, (I know i have said this before but it is a dream come true for me to in some small way impact the education system in north america.)
I suppose it would help at this stage to put my wants into some kind of list so that I can manifest it in the real world. I think I have been a bit afraid of doing that because it would mean a big change on the horizon (re: relocating to a new place.) But fear has never stopped me before, so here we go (this is in part a mondo beyondo list, my husband was on the phone yesterday with Andrea and she mentioned it which reminded of it.):
1. I want to receive a regular part-time teaching opportunity at a foward thinking, well regarded institution that would allow me to teach my own methods of creative thinking as it relates to a variety of applications (design, life, social change, the environment, etc.). (my dream list: RISD, Standford Center for Design, CCA, Parsons, just to name a few.)
2. I want to live in a progressive community of like-minded (read: liberal) individuals, where I have access to good food, great schools, nature, good healthcare combined with alternative methods.
3. I want to have access to a great library (preferably at a university) where I can continue research for my books. Access to works of contemporary art would be helpful (though not mandatory).
4. I want to be in a community of like-minded parents. Regular play dates are desperately needed for my babe who has been missing out on social interaction in his age group.
5. I want to connect more with friends who I have been missing for the last couple of years.
6. I want to live in a place where I can ride my bike.
7. I want to build on my love of cooking even more.
8. I want to continue to work in the field of education in some capacity (lectures?), and infuse it with my subversive ideas. (I’m not joking).
9. I want to continue to expand my work/books into new avenues/formats. To work in a multidisciplinary way.
I know that I cannot control *how* these things come into my life. But I am excited about opening up completely to new opportunities. If you have any leads on any of these points, do not hesitate to contact me.
what’s on your list?

create your own infrastructure
inhabitants:
social organization (government?):
activities:
buildings:
economy:
arts:
weather:
food:
etc:

a few people have been asking me for the article I wrote a few years ago for How Magazine based tips for starting out as an illustrator. It’s called Draw your own Conclusion. hope you like it!