Month: July 2021

Fernando Rebolloso: Breakbeat/ Progressive DJ

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dallcineye@icloud.com 

*Breakbeats play in the background.* 

Me: Hello Everyone, today we will be interviewing Fernando Rebolloso. Fernando, can you please introduce yourself and your social media accounts. 

Fernando: Yes, my name is Mr.Rebelloso, also known as Medicine man or AKA. Blue Honey. Anyways the only social media account that I have is a sound cloud. You can type in my name in there. I’ll help you spell it out, Mr.Rebolloso, and you can find my mixes on there and whatnot, my music. Mostly my mixes, though.

Blue Honey

Me: Woohoo. What first sparked your interest in electronic music?

Fernando: Well, I was actually a kid when I first heard electronic music in the ’90s. I used to stay up until the middle of the night until 3 am with a tape recorder and tape deck trying to listen to Jam and Z 90, Alice DJ and Eiffle 65, all the European or just old school techno that everybody knows in the ’90s, you know the famous stuff. Then, later on in my early teens, I started going to raves, and that’s what sparked my interest. I went to Monster Massive. Monster Massive I saw DJ Ressa at Monster Massive, and he was killin’ it, and I was like, that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life, even if it’s a hobby or whatnot because people grow out of things or whatnot. But I’m still doing it, and I love playing electronic music, and my favorite genre is break beats, and my favorite artist is DJ Icey, and he is one of the artists that I love. He actually inspired me a lot in mixing and trying to produce and make remixes. 

Me: How did you start DJ’ing? 

Fernando: How did I start Dj’ing, well, I had a friend named DJ Drips in high school and I didn’t have no gear because my family was poor so I went to his family all the time because they had a lot of instruments and everything because they were churchgoers and his dad did the sound, so his dad had a lot of sound instruments and I got a lot of DJ gear and sound equipment, so his son and I started DJing together, but not really, he was really into hip hop, and I was into electronic music so he would let me come over and jam out and use his gear. Then, when I was like 19-20, I bought my own set of DJ gear. I started on STR-80s, and it had a little reverse switch and a bent tonearm, a one-a-be technique back then. And then I started playing records, and that’s how I started DJing in my early teens and twenties or whatnot. 

Me: Awesome. What technology and programs do you use now? 

Fernando: Right now I use, Serato and Pioneer. Those two. I like using the CDJ’s from the Pioneer record box. I’m pretty well versed because I grew up with the technology and the bugs that they’ve been trying to fix and all that stuff, and ya, those are the main two programs I’ve been trying to use, a record box and scratch Serrato. 

Me: What inspires your music?

Fernando: What inspires my music? Well, that’s a tough question to answer. I believe everything that is going on in my life helps me write a story every time I Dj. But that’s when I’m doing like a programmed mix or a freestyle mix that everyone can enjoy on sound cloud. But when I go out DJ, freestyle, I’m mostly in the party mood and just want to see everyone’s booty shake. That’s what inspires me when I play live. 

Me: I feel that. Where have you performed?

Fernando: I’ve performed a lot in San Diego, CA. I was one of the founders of Danksgiving San Diego for nine years. Rufio, you might recognize that name in San Diego. He’s the other founder. I’ve played at Spin Nightclub, I’ve played at the Fire Circle, I’ve played at Youtopia for a lot of years. In the beginning of my career, I played at a venue called Theater X. I was an intermission DJ. And also an after party DJ, in their underground storage area. There was like a staircase going underneath the building. I don’t know what you’d call that but anyways, a lot of places like that: small venues, small parties, the Jumping Turtle in San Marcos, CA. I played the Onyx room one time but mostly just a lot of random dessert parties, the Indigo Vertex, a lot of things like that. 

Me: Cool! How has your style changed over the years? 

Fernando: Well, I used to play a lot of acid breaks, but now I play a lot of booty breaks and quick mixing like hip hop style because I believe that today’s youth is so used to watching videos online and their attention span can’t keep attention to whatever they’re listening to- I totally forgot the question. 

Me: It was, ‘how has your style changed?’

Fernando: Sorry, I’m a little stoned. It’s changed a lot from progressive to party, back to progressive. It’s like I said earlier on in the interview, it depends on how I feel and what’s going on in my life-

Me: -a wide range of genres. 

Fernando: Oh yeah, exactly, you know Natascha. You’ve seen me play Drum and Bass, House.

Me: Some Oldies and Hip Hop stuff. How does your location and environment influence your music? You’ve gone through that a little bit, but do you feel differently in the desert than you would in Oceanside by the beach? What kind of genres and type of music interests you when you’re in these environments and locations? 

Fernando: That does influence me a lot. When I’m in the desert, I feel more spiritual, and I feel more at one with myself for some reason. If I’m in an earthy environment, you know I am Hispanic, so anything tropical, that helps out a lot for sure. I play more jungly music, whatever is more earthy like the greenery around me and the ocean as well. I try to play more progressive when I’m on the ocean. Super progressive because the ocean helps me out a lot. 

Me: Oh, I love that. What effects do you want your music to have on people besides shaking ass on the dance floor? What do you want them to walk away with? 

Fernando: I want them to walk away with being happy. Or at least to say, Ohhh that was sickkkk. You know how you guys feel when you walk away from a sick ass DJ playing. I get that effect as well. Mostly I want them to walk away with a feeling of being fucking happy. I don’t know how to describe it. It may be progressive because I use progressive music in my booty breaks. I just want them to walk away with a good experience and that they had a good time on the dance floor, and that they communicated with people or whatever they’re trying to do. Mostly happy I guess.

Me: How does music influence your life? What changes does it bring into your world? 

Fernando: Music has done a lot to me and my life. When I was a kid, I started off with classical music and then branched off into jazz, then rock, then hip hop, then punk, then street punk, and also like industrial and all that other stuff. It has a big influence on my life, and if music hasn’t been in my life, I’d probably be dead right now. To be honest, you know what I mean.

Me: It’s a lifesaver. 

Fernando: There you go. It is a lifesaver. Thank you, Natascha. 

Me: How does your lifestyle influence your music?

Fernando: My lifestyle is definitely pretty crazy right now. It influences my music a lot. Like I said, whatever I’m going through it helps me channel what I’m going through.

Me: How would you describe your lifestyle?

Fernando: Right now? As a nomad, as a traveler, a traveling musician maybe. That’s what I think. That’s all that I can describe as my lifestyle—living one day at a time and living to the fullest. 

Me: What advice do you have for novice DJ’s? 

Fernando: Umm, practice, practice, practice, and play from your heart. That’s all I can really say about that. There may be some people that don’t like you playing from you’re heart, but then you’re going to reconnect to that one person that is having trouble in their lives, that needs you in their life. If you can change one person’s mind on the dancefloor, I feel like that’s all you really need. It’s great. I don’t know.

Mr.Rebolloso at a Triptych Event.

Me: That’s beautifully said. Where can we catch you next? 

Fernando: Right now, I’m just doing online stuff. I’m hoping you can catch me back live anywhere, San Diego or in Eureka, CA, because right now I’m traveling between Southern and Northern California. I don’t know yet. I’ll keep you guys posted on my sound cloud. That’s all I can say is that you can catch me online right now until somebody books me again because of COVID and everything. You know how the world is. 

Me: Check out Fernando on his sound cloud and book him! Thank you, everyone, for tuning in, and thank you, Fernando! 

Fernando: Thank you, Natascha.

Me: I appreciate you. 

Interview with Impressionist, Acrylic Painter, Ceak Kytrell

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Ceak Kytrell

Eureka, CA: July 7, 2021: I met Ceak (pronounced like seek) painting on 2nd Street and F in downtown Eureka during the wind down of COVID about a month and a half ago. His outgoing personality and welcoming smile easily draws in anyone passing by. Hours can be spent, staring at his artwork, deciphering the larger picture. I had the opportunity to interview Ceak at my home while he was working on a tribute piece to African American Women athletes, starring Sha’Carri Richardson. This is what Ceak had to share.

Ceak, Monday’s with Michaele, and Myself in downtown Eureka.


Me: Today, we will be interviewing Ceak. Please introduce yourself and your social media accounts.


Ceak: Hello, my name is Ceak.I am a visual artist that uses paints, more than likely acrylic paints. You can find me on Instagram at @CeakKytrelll and @Visions_Channels_.


Me: Thank you very much! Where are you from?


Ceak: I am originally from Virginia, North of the seven cities. Shout out to them. Do I miss it? No. But, it’s cool to visit my peoples whenever I can.


Me: What is your history in art?

Ceak Kytrell


Ceak: My history in art is pretty much. I grew up drawing a whole lot in school when I was a young whooper snapper. I just sort of, I didn’t take any classes. It was just something I really loved doing. It gave me motivation and gave me energy. It gives me the feeling of life, pretty much, when I do it, and people like it, so I keep doing it.


Me: That’s beautiful. What style do you paint?


Ceak: Well, I don’t know, really. There’s a couple people that say I’m an impressionist. There’s a couple of people that say Im a comic. I do a whole lot of cartoon work or whatever. I just do what feels right as far as the colors is concerned.


Me: Can you tell us more about the colors?


Ceak: Well, for me, when many people ask me which my favorite one is, I can’t really say just one color because literally all of them. It takes every color in the spectrum to make what is so called one color, red, green, blue, yellow. Any color, it needs every color, every shade, every hue to make that one color. I can’t really say I like either one of them. My colors on my paintings reflect that, and they just come out as far as how I feel.


Me: I know you said you use acrylics but can you tell us a little more about the project besides acrylic on canvas? What else can we see you painting on?


Ceak: You can see me painting on wood, on a school, or painting pretty much anywhere. Anywhere I get an opportunity to paint, that where I choose to paint and everything. I paint on canvas, but it’s not limited to, and I’m not in a box as far as that’s concerned. I go where the art takes me.


Me: What influences your style?


Ceak: What influences my style is, I would say, a heavy background in a whole lot of comic book art, honestly. There is this one guy named Joe Jusko which I really love the way he brings out the characters that he displays, Julie, and there’s this one artist, I can’t believe I forget, people keep saying, oh yeah, Alex Gray, people keep telling me ohh you’re just like that. I swear to god I’m not trying to be like Alex Gray. I’m nowhere near his fucking talent, but yeah, he just sort of influences the flow of my art pieces sometimes. It’s really awesome, honestly.
Me: Do you feel like your style has changed since you lived on the East Coast compared to the West Coast?
Ceak: Absolutely. When I was on the East Coast, I was doing nothing but working my fucking butt off for people who didn’t really care. Over here, it’s kind of the same, but you can kind of feel the love more so out here. But maybe for meit has just been a growing journey experience. Nobodies really got to care about you for you to make who you are, who you are, and everything. It really boils down to what you want to do. You know what I’m saying? Your passions, your life, pretty much. It really has nothing to do with anyone else but you and what you’re trying to display in your art, you know. I see some of your art and stuff, and it blows me away some of the things that you do, you know. Keep doing it, keep going. For me, it’s just, like I said, a constant maturing and growing, what I know, and incorporating what you see.


Me: That’s awesome. What gets you in a flow state-


Ceak: Hahaha,


ME: -When you’re painting for hours at a time-


Ceak: Mushrooms!! Okay, I’ll stop.


Me: No, that’s okay. Be honest with it.

Ceak Kytrell


Ceak: It definitely has a lot to do with the people that I hang around. Shout out to Joel and Carol Lily and their children. Shout out to you, too. If I get around people who are generally down for being cool like that, it really motivates me to paint and continue to shine my light, my particular light, and just have a good, good camaraderie. That’s what helps me and motivates me.


Me: That’s awesome. How long does it take you to finish a painting?


Ceak: Depending upon the size, it could take me from a week to, it can take me from even a night, depending on how motivated I am, to a week, pretty much.


Me: Is that like a medium-sized canvas or like a large-sized.


Ceak: Yeah, it’s like a medium-sized canvas.


Me: So between a day and a week?


Ceak: Mmhm.


Me: Wow. Where do you see your art career in 10 years?


Ceak: Wow, thats a good question, actually. I don’t think of the future when it comes to my art. I would like people to. I would love it if, not necessarily be known, but like, it would be nice for people to want more of my stuff honestly and constantly gravitate toward it, you know. That’s crazy. I mean, ten years…. I’m thinking five. I’m thinking like one.
Me: Okay, in five years, where do you see it in five years?


Ceak: I see myself blowing up in five years. I see a whole lot of people, literally, getting my stuff.


Me: That’s great.


Ceak: And wanting more of me.


Me: Absolutely.


Ceak: And all of that, my growth honesty, in my artwork. Maybe within five years-


Me: Well, in five years, it’s gotta look like Alex Gray.


Ceak: It has to be. It has to look like Alex Gray. Not that I’m trying to look like him but-


Me: When you’re painting everyday.


Ceak: He wants people to be influenced by his stuff, so- why not? Absolutely, I’m down. I’m definitely cool with that.


Me: Alright, we’re almost done here. Any advice to amateur artists?


Ceak: Hmm. Keep moving, keep going, don’t stop. If this is what you like to do, I know life happens, and I know that things will get in the way, but if you love doing it, don’t stop doing it. It’s the worst thing in the world. Sometimes, I’ve seen people have a great awesome talent. They show me their own stuff, or they do a little sketch, but their lives are pulling them elsewhere, and it’s okay. It’s what happens. It’s almost like a wasted god’s gift that you have, that you really need to capitalize on and that people will buy and people will gravitate to. They will love it. It’s the conundrum of the century. Life, you have all this talent. I’m not even talking about art or painting or anything. I’m talking about raw talent. They get left behind ’cause, not even left behind, but they let their artwork falter just because, simply because, quote on quote, people don’t want to buy it or see it or whatever. You should always sharpen your sharpest blade. You know what I’m saying. You should always keep it on point, on fire.

Ceak Kytrell


Me: You never know, huh?


Ceak: You never fucking know.


Me: Where can we catch you next?


Ceak: You can catch me- outside. You can probably catch me anywhere, I say anywhere, but that’s where I’m trying to take it too. I’m trying to expand beyond Arcata and Eureka. You know what I’m saying, but nine times out of ten you will see me in those areas. Yeah.


Me: Alright, thank you so much! I appreciate it! Anything else you want to add?


Ceak: I love you guys. That’s it.


Me: Until next time.

Please follow Ceak at

https://www.facebook.com/ceak.kytrell.9

IG: @Visions_channels_

@Ceakkytrell

Soft **** Reopening Arts Alive, July 2021

/ N.Pearson / 1 Comment
Augustus Clark, C Street Studios

Eureka, CA: Saturday, July 3, 2021: Eureka took a beating during COVID as businesses shut down and the northern California community became a ghost town, until last night when the streets filled with people and the buzzing of open restaurants, busy business, and the echo of street musicians sung throughout the streets. The city was alive, and the wine was flowing abundantly as out of towners and the widespread Humboldt community united between C and H street. At nine pm the shops usually close and darkness fills the town but not last night. There was a pleasant resilience to go home, and business remained open, and people continued to roam and congregate on the streets of Old Town. 

Starting on H street, I had the pleasure of stumbling into Art Center Space. The art gallery welcomes local artists to hang up their creations without a monthly fee. She asks the artist to sign a one-year contract with a 25% commission. The canvases blew me away, ranging from contemporary to abstract with no single theme. Prints in rows offered art for every type of collector to enjoy. Outside of Art Center Space, Eva Nebenzahl, a recent graduate from Humboldt State University, displayed her ceramic art. Hand-carved pieces to hold liquids of all kinds, her dedication to the trade shinned through the mugs with skulls and fish imprints and delicate, detailed leaves. Eva is on Instagram at @eva_nebenzahl. 

On F street, the next stop was Sage Clothing, which showcased their resident oil painter from Ferndale, Shawn Griggs owner of Redeye Laboratories. His surf art style is a portal to a tropical island where the waves of detail wash away all problems. His warm and welcoming personality will inspire any artist to go home and paint with oils, a medium that gives in quickly to fine detail compared to acrylic paint. You can find Shawn on Instagram @redeyelaboratories. 

Exploring Old Town is full of unique stores like Good Relations, which offered a comfortable LGBTQ environment, accompanied by exquisite tea vendors out front and an open artist studio hidden up a flight of stairs to the west. Gorgeous women (or men) wore classy lingerie and read sex-themed books through their glass windows in a steampunk/ Victorian fashion.

Lux Lounge, hidden on E street, was full of an all-women staff who pampered and gossiped every wonderer who entered. They can easily coax anyone into sitting in a chair and enjoying the amenities of the luxurious saloon. My most beloved local artist, Czeak, painted live. Last night he worked on a small-sized canvas, using a beautiful blend of reds and orange with acrylic. He painted a face emphasizing the breath in a multidimensional space. You can find Czeaks art on Instagram @visions_channels_. He is known for his unique new-age style and reasonable prices. 

After dinner at Five Eleven (I recommend skipping the Fish and Chips and jumping straight to the Flat Steak), I was fortunate enough to wander backward and come across some of the most inspiring galleries yet @ 272 C Street. Here they are offering $5 Figure Drawing Sessions on Thursdays from 7-9 (707-442-0309.) If the hallway art doesn’t catch your attention, make sure to visit Augustus Clark. The studio is full of thousands of hours of bright-colored artwork, paintings of famous musicians, popular film characters, eastern religious deities and gods, abstract statues, and 3-dimensional art. Besides his fun concepts and bright color styles, I enjoyed the multi-media elements and use of metallics and shiny paints. 

We were leaving, headed out the door, but something stopped me, and as my friends descended the stairs, I took a few more steps into the hallway to the very last door to find a studio still open. Ryan Jensen, a local impressionist oil painter from the bay area, draws his inspiration from nature, fishing, and his children. His self-portraits spoke to me and his ability to capture an image that can only be an astral projection. A thankful reminder of the great artists throughout time, Ryan’s name could easily accompany that list. 

Fertility Package

/ N.Pearson / 1 Comment

I got very exciting news last weekend that my friend is trying to conceive. I am pregnant for the first time and in my last trimester, and I couldn’t help but feel a deep connection with her longing for a child. I immediately wanted to set up a fertility care package. Influenced by my pagan practices, I researched candles, essential oils, vitamins, images, teas, and stones that contribute to conception. Here are some of my findings. 

STONES:

Stones that influence fertility include; Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Aventurine, Red Carnelian, Aquamarine, Fluorite, and Smokey Quartz. If you believe in the influence of stones, wearing these stones or having a piece on you or in a place where you see it often will manifest fertility within your life. Here is an overview of these stones.

Moonstone: (Sacral Chakra) Moonstone is known to create a happy home. It inspires passion, change, and new beginnings. This stone is known to help with circulation, skin, hair and eyes, and fertility. It will help a woman with pregnancy, childbirth, female qualities, hormones, and sexuality. It brings on compassion, calmness, and motherly qualities. It helps with oversensitivity, pessimism, and combats cycles/ repeated patterns. This stone will prepare mom to be with the qualities she needs to be birthed into motherhood. 

Rose Quartz: (Heart Chakra) Rose quartz manifests creativity. This stone is good for keeping your organs healthy. It promotes fertility and a regular menstrual cycle. It also balances the sex drive and helps overcome sexual frustration. It helps with detoxing. This stone is good for relationships, romance, love, and forgiveness. It helps with childhood trauma and emotional wounds. Rose Quartz is a good stone for mom to overcome adverse events from the past and regain sexual drive and motivation. 

Aventurine:  (Heart Chakra) Aventurine is quartz with inclusions of mica that creates a speckled effect. This stone impacts leadership skills, decisions, stress, and yin/yang balance. It’s good for your muscles and heart. Aventurine aids relaxation, protects and soothes emotions, as well as, prevents energy vampires. This stone is good for helping mom make her own decisions and pushing away all the doubters. 

Red Carnelian: (Sacral Chakra) Red Carnelian is used for emotional warmth, individuality, self-esteem, rebirth, and reincarnation. It offers courage and positive life choices, and it replaces feelings of abuse and neglect with love for life. It also promotes fertility and sexual drive, helps with lower back pain, arthritis, and depression. Red Carnelian improves mineral and vitamin absorption and ensures good blood supply to organs and tissues. This stone readies the body and heart for conception.  

  • Aquamarin auf Muskovit

Aquamarine: (Throat Chakra) Aquamarine helps with communication and courage (it takes two to tango, and this stone may help break the ice that it’s time to start a family.) It builds tolerance and responsibility, which is necessary for a mother and father’s relationship. This stone brings calmness and compassion. It also influences spiritual awareness, development and reveals the truth about yourself. Nine months of caring around a child is a spiritual journey of its own. Mom to be should be aware of herself so that she can make the journey with confidence. This stone is suitable for centering and meditation, which will help with childbirth and should be practiced throughout the pregnancy. 

Flourite: (Brow Chakra) Flourite comes in many different colors. It focuses on the mind and creates order out of chaos. It is used for decisions, relationships, and concentration. This stone is suitable for blood vessels, bones, spleen, and health issues such as early cancer, herpes, ulcers, weight gain, backache, and eating disorders. It also aides detox. This stone is suitable for meditation and helps with excitement and stress. As well as for mothers to be that have health problems that they are worried will affect or hinder childbearing. 

Smokey Quartz: (Base Chakra) Smokey Quartz is used for vitality, intuition, survival instincts, male energy, and mental activity. Being pregnant is a natural occurrence. It’s what makes us populate, yet it can be a struggle that is overwhelming emotionally and physically for mom to be. This stone dissipates negative energy. It can help with overspending and will move the mother further in life. It is suitable for physical expression and sexual significance. IT grounds, relaxes, sedates, aids in meditation and dream interpretation. I struggled with vivid dreaming throughout my pregnancy, and this stone will help the mother understand where these dreams are coming from. This stone helps with negativity, anger, depression, despair, and grief. Many first-time moms might feel like they won’t make a good mother, and this stone will help them overcome those fears. 

FERTILITY BRACELET

To make this bracelet I bought the beads from the Tailsman in downtown Eureka. I highly recommend stopping by their shop: https://talisman-beads.com/

If you would like to purchase this bracelet you can find it on Etsy @ https://www.etsy.com/listing/1045794697/fertility-bracelet

TEA: 

A good pregnancy tea mixture includes Nettle Leaf, Red Raspberry Leaf Peppermint Leaf, Red Clover Herb, Lemon Balm, and Jasmine Green Tea. 

[Disclaimer: The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.]

Nettle Leaf– Nettle Leaf is an incredibly healing plant that can be harvested along nature paths. It’s that sticky, sharp plant you’ve always avoided touching. Nettle Leaf contains vitamins A, C, D, and K. It helps boost calcium, potassium, iron, and sulfur in the body. It is excellent for fetal health! 

Red Raspberry Leaf– Red raspberry leaf tea encourages pregnancy by balancing hormones and readies the body for ovulation when taken during the follicular phase. It tones the uterus and soothes the uterine tonic.  

Peppermint Leaf– The peppermint leaf promotes fertility with Folic acid, calcium, and Vitamin A, B12, and C, along with other vitamins and minerals to create a relaxing and soothing effect. It helps to reduce stress levels and raises fertility by strengthening the female reproduction organs. It helps regulate ovulation and balances hormones. 

Red Clover Herb– Red Clover Herb improves circulation and blood flow, strengthening the uterus and ovaries. 

Lemon Balm– Lemon Balm is a strong herb to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. A woman’s body will struggle to conceive while under pressure. The body is naturally protecting itself. When mom-to-be is healthy and happy, she is more likely to conceive.

Jasmine Green Tea– Jasmine green tea works as an aromatherapy agent, soothing and relaxing the brain. It is rumored to increase sperm count for men. Green tea also increases ovulation, matures the egg, and causes the eggs to be more fertile. It reduces the damage caused by the woman’s environment with antioxidants and polyphenols while increasing immunity. 

You can purchases this Fertility Tea on Etsy @ https://www.etsy.com/listing/1045784973/fertility-tea

Sources: 

The Crystal Healer by Philip Permntt. 

https://www.charmsoflight.com/carnelian-healing-properties