Archive Page 2
India continued …
I know I said I’d update with India images every couple of days. I didn’t exactly anticipate a such a chaotic weekend with tennis and training and printing and printing and hospital stays (yes, the dreaded food allergies). Everything has kinda thrown me outta whack. So here are a few images to glance at for now.
SVARA is finished, the India segment of my life is in the past. I have learned a vast amount over a large scale this past year. Things like editing in a group, standing up for myself, traveling alone unexpectedly, friendship, sound editing … and the list goes on … have turned themselves into pieces of knowledge and life lessons. The finale of everything India is bitter sweet of course. I am, however, excited to move forward and focus my energy on other things. I am taking the travel class next session, which means I will be spending 3 weeks somewhere else. Where this might lead me has yet to be determinded, but if you know me, it will be some funny corner of the world.
With the debut of our documentary, book, and gallery shows, complete, I can finally open up my India picture vault for show and tell. I’ll be putting up new India images every couple of days. This should last about a week.
Below is the link to our India website (SVARA). It officially launches Saturday, April 4th, 2009!! Right now there is a splash page with information about our 3 openings as well as a link to the trailer (which feels like my baby – haha).
I hope to see many of you at the opening in Santa Barbara on Thursday, April 2 and or in Ventura on Saturday, April 4th.
The past few months my life has solely consisted of India. The shows are finally around the corner! If you are able to get to Santa Barbara for the Grand Opening that would be awesome! It’s an amazing documentary that should not be missed. It will also be shown at the Ventura Opening on the 4th of April.
I know the above info is hard to read … so here it is:
Santa Barbara Grand Opening – Thursday, April 2nd, 5-10pm
7pm Svara Film Premiere, Lobero Theatre
33 East Canon Perdido Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
5-10pm Gallery Exhibit, Brooks Institute’s Gallery 27
27 East Cota Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Ventura Openings
Saturday, April 4th, 6-10pm
6pm Svara Film Screening, Iron Horse Stage 2
7-10pm Interactive Multimedia Event and Gallery Exhibit
Brooks Institute – 5301 North Ventura BLVD, Ventura, CA 93001
and
Thursday, April 9th, 5-7:30pm
Visions Gallery Exhibit
Ventura Beach Marriott – 2055 East Harbor BLVD, Ventura, CA 93001
all events are free 
the website will be up on April 2nd, but visit the splash page at: http://documentary.brooks.edu/india
the trailer will be up in a couple days (which i put together!)
Our tour guide around the gardens
little plants that are either planted or given to local schools through an outreach educational program.
Ruby trying to pull a out of the ground … weak!!
These little suckers will plug you up if you know what I mean.
Those little orange things can also be used as makeup. Our guide demonstrated by applying orange blush, eye shadow, and lipstick to Heather.
Pepper straight from the tree.
Sugarcane freshly cut for beverages
Preparation
Squeezing the juice (more commonly known as guarapo) out of the sugarcane.
Doesn’t think make you want a glass of guarapo?
I found guarapo to be quite foul tasting.
Hard alcohol known as Guaro. It is a clear liquor made from sugarcane, and therefore it supposedly has a sweeter taste than other liquors. I thought it was going to burn a hole in my esphogus and stomach. Suupposedly sweeter my ass! Never again!
On Wednesday we visited EARTH University in Guácimo, Limón, Costa Rica. EARTH University is an international, private, non-profit University EARTH University is “dedicated to education in the agricultural sciences and natural resources in order to contribute to sustainable development in the tropics by seeking a balance between agricultural production and environmental preservation.”
We had the opportunity to go into a banana farm (it was raining so I was sans camera) and then observe the processing procedure. EARTH University harvests “Earth Bananas” which are only sold at Whole Foods. It is a completely green operation and results in no waste. The empty banana stokes are turned into paper following on the University premises following the detaching of all bananas.
Here are some images from this operation …
There is an electric ‘banana tram’ that goes from the fields to the processing center. This banana farmer is towing the bananas in after the electric tram docked.
Workers cut bananas off their stocks and then tossing them into a pool of water.
The bananas are then cleaned in the water and checked by the workers at this next station.
The bananas then float to another checking station where they are put into bins and set on a conveyor belt. This water pool is kinda like a “lazy river” as a water park.
Up close and personal. The bananas are picked when they are green so when Whole Foods receives them they are not over ripe.
Each bin is weighed before the bananas are boxed.
Bananas on the tram system.
Workers boxing up the bananas in Whole Food Earth boxes.
Loading the banana stocks for transportation to the banana paper mill.
Shredded banana stocks
Large ‘paper strainer shaping things’ are dipped into the shredded banana stock which was mixed with water. This devises helps to form a shape and drains out extra water. From here the paper goes into a ringer.
Fine banana paper used as paper in notebooks etc.
Heavy banana paper used for things such as: folders, journal covers, photobook covers, etc.
Last but not least, Mr. Ryan Loughridge sporting the newest fashion statement, a fabulous mesh hairnet.
EARTH University website:http://www.earth.ac.cr/index.php
