Friday, September 24, 2010

Why I Do What I Do

Behind the scenes at WDYDWYD? - Burning Man 2010
Green Monkey on duty - photo by Shawn Mac

I am BACK

and I've missed you!

I've missed reading you.

I've missed the exchange of ideas and emotions that flow so freely here.

I've missed your truth, your talent, and your humor.

I have yet to unpack, or digest all that I experienced during my absence.

Instead, I've been uploading and tweaking over 1,600 photo's taken during my week at Burning Man.

About 50 or so of those were part of a collaborative art project called Why Do You Do What You Do?

I was a contributing photographer and also a "conversationalist" - encouraging people to share their answer to Why They Do What They Do.

A strong pulse of creativity flowed from their conviction to the lens.

Here are some of my favorites....

because ART is Life

Because when I stop learning I start dying, and Burning Man forces me to learn.

...Seemed Like a Good Idea At The Time

To Experience The Self Hare Krsna Hare Rama

Because My Heart tells me to!

It's My Duty

To Leave Things A Lot Better Than I Found Them.  Or Break Them A Little Bit. 

Because I Believe in a Heaven on Earth Paradise Journey Harmony 2020

Because My Heart Tells Me To Be A Part Of The Change I Wanna See

To Find

Because My Life is a Story and I am its Author

My Life Deserves Glitter 

Because it's Fun

Life is Not a Penis.  It's Always HARD

Because it puts the heartbeat in my dance

We are a diverse bunch, wouldn't you say!  We came from all walks of life... each with a message that begged to be heard.


I too had my turn at answering Why I Do What I Do?

photo by Terri Irving Haber

19 comments:

  1. Welcome back. This is a wonderful photo collection -- I can envision these and more like them in a book.

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  2. Those were awesome. And yes, I missed you and was just thinking about you the other day. Glad you are back.

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  3. I missed you a LOT! welcome back!! the last picture, YOUR picture made me cry.. your honesty and purpose is real... it is awesome AWESOME to read you back!

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  4. Welcome back! That last picture got me right in the heart. Right in the heart, woman!

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  5. Welcome back! I don't know why but I got chills as I read each message. This is awesome.

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  6. Very moving to read all those signs...especially yours.
    Good to have you back :)

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  7. WELCOME Back, Shannon:)
    I could feel the emotions while reading each of the messages...
    But none gave me goosebumps until I read the last one...

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  8. Shannon, I too missed you very much! I agree with Katie about publishing a photography book with your photos! I haven't looked, but it seems like one specializing on Burning Man hasn't been done yet. The last one of you was beautiful, haunting, heartbreaking.....

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  9. thank you everyone! I've started catching up on blogs...but still not writing.

    in time, I'm sure I will... I have so much to say.

    These pictures are part of a collaborative art project started by Tony Deifell

    the main site is: http://www.wdydwyd.com

    I had a chance to meet Tony this year and really liked him. I also love everything about this project. and..... just as one door closes, another opens...

    will write more about this next..

    for now, time to read all of you! what have you been up to???

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  10. Welcome back from your amazing experience & thank you for sharing some of the amazing people you met along the way!

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  11. I read up on the Burning Man event. I know people who go to it and never understood it. According to the Wikipedia site it started in 1986 when Larry Harvey, Jerry James and some friends burnt a 9 foot wooden man and a small wooden dog on Baker Beach in San Francisco to show self expression.

    What did you mean by your sign "So they'll know that he LIVED ...lived and burned" ? My mind wants to tell me you're talking about Christ. Am I right?

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  12. Hi Lynn, no...... not Christ. "he" is my son, Kerry - who passed away in 2002 at the age of 23. I first went to Burning Man to honor him. My healing begins at Burning Man and I write about it in a story called Green Monkey.

    Did you're friends have a good time? what camp are they part of? we were camped at 7:35 and I and the name of our camp is/was OrphanEaters (long story).

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  13. (I never heard anything about a wooden dog)

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  14. Welcome back! Great photos and I look forward to more!

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  15. Wow, what great photos GM... you are such a blessing in so many ways.

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  16. Welcome back. I enjoyed all the messages but yours is powerful. I had never heard of Burning Man until i read your blog. Then we did an article about it. Did you see this one? http://www.insidetoronto.com/what%27s%20on/article/869784--collective-takes-interactive-art-to-burning-man

    LisaDay

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  17. LisaDay! great article....love the explaining of "its like jumping into a canvas"

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Thank you for encouraging my JOY of writing. By reading and commenting you are feeding my soul, stroking my heart, and in the end...making me a better writer.

Thank You For Encouraging My Joy of Writing

Thank You For Encouraging My Joy of Writing
greenmonkeytales@live.com

Shannon E. Kennedy

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Photo by Joan Harrison