Inspiration

Collaboration: Dan Saland

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“Breath”

12”x10”x5”

Black Indian Soapstone

 "For this collaborative project, I wanted to capture something that was universally felt by all people, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity or religion. Angst is shared among us all and in order to manage the dread and anxiety, we have to accept and ultimately breathe. When Jay and I spoke in more depth about our work on this project, I realized that the focus was not on the struggle of life, but rather how we deal with it. The breath offers that to us all. To breathe is to sustain life."

Dan Saland was born/raised in Northern NJ and has created various forms of art throughout his life. Since 2012, his passion has been stone sculpture. As an existential-humanistic psychologist, he finds many connections and applications between psychology andsculpting a medium that is millions of years old. Dan’s approach is one of patience and humility. The relationship that is developed with each stone and the process of sculpting itself are critical to the creative experience. Similar to the human psyche, sculpting is an evolution of formation and becoming. Dan also finds carving stone quite cathartic as the sculptural challenge leads to deep self-reflection and change.

Collaboration: Rafaela Remy Sanchez

Originally from Ft. Lauderdale Florida, Rafaela Remy Sanchez lives in Brooklyn, New York where she takes care of her plants, works at a branding agency and manages her own Instagram poetry account, rafpoemsRafpoems alters the idea of the poem away from a static presentation, to a fluid representation of thought. Through screen recordings, her followers read the poems as they’re written in real time, allowing themselves to become immersed in the creation and thought process of the poet. Rafaela’s poems are a reflection of how she views the world, both as an abstract manifestation of emotion and an amorphous sequence of actions. At times, she mixes her poems with her Hispanic heritage, using the Spanish language to express herself and connect with the sometimes distant aspects of her identity. In conjunction with her writing, Rafaela also co-leads the Women's Poetry Workshop, a free, monthly, women-only workshop focused the growth of female poets through collaborative writing and critiquing, as well as strengthening the conversation between women and the outside world through poetic dialogue. 

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Exclusive Vault Release: "Montreal"

Montreal. I wrote this song last year remembering a trip to Montreal. Not one of the easiest ones to write, but I love it. It captures loneliness in a beautifully tragic way, an honest way. This is just a demo but it’ll find it’s way home someday soon.

Tom Petty

When Tom Petty died, I was really shocked. You know the icons who made the music that shaped you are getting older, but this was different, it felt like it came out of no where. The world losing Tom coupled the pain of the tragedy in Vegas was overwhelming. I still can't believe it's real. I wrote this song that week. 

In america it seems it’s a shit show everyday

It’s harder to justify my words

Oh my little problems buried in my little mind

Trying to find meaning in my life

 

 

Natural disasters are coming even faster than we thought we would ever see

But you and your guitar

Made america feel small in a way we haven’t felt since ‘70

 

Oh my

What will we be without your song

Alright

Runnin’ down a dream out in the sun

What will we be without your song

What will we be without your song

 

February shakes, 2008

Watching the super bowl down south

A boy of 5 years looks up at his father

daddy who is that man

He said son you listen close

He writes american songs

The kind that you wanna take back home

He put him on his lap

Singing “I won’t back down”

Drinking memories through his eyes

 

Oh my

What will we be without your song

Alright

Singing “refugee” out in the sun

What will we be without your song

What will we be without your song

 

2017

Memories and dreams

Got things that I don’t need but can’t admit

Worrying about my songs

My body and my wallet

I feel like a selfish piece of shit

 

 

And now Tom Petty died

And too many mother closed the eyes of sons they sent off to watch a concert

I say what kind of america is this

still I think of women and success

Is that human or just the way it is?

 

Oh my

What will I be without your song

Alright

Runnin’ down a dream out in the sun

Oh my

What will I be without your song

Alright

Singing “refugee” out in the sun

What will I be without your song

What will I be without your song