Kicking It In Raleigh

For the past two weeks, I have been hanging out in Raleigh, North Carolina. The last time I visited Raleigh, it was to work on a series of shoots for Wild Measure / Clyde Oak. Both Trips were fantastic opportunities to collaborate with dear friends, and to explore a city, of which I had long heard amazing stories. 

I think Raleigh has become one of my favorite cities to visit, because it is full of people who inspire me. Corey and Shelly Mason...  Enuma Okoro... the exuberant Lisa Yuboah... and my dearest Zambo and Minda ... all of these call the Raleigh area home. These gifted writers, thinkers, and passionate creatives are all powerful forces in my life- encouraging me to live boldly.

One of the goals of this trip was (as you can plainly see) to re-design the Culture Keeper site. Jordan Dale Young (of Mimeograph) as well as Mike and Megan Gilger (of The Fresh Exchange) were all extremely patient with me, as they guided me through the process. They have the ability to teach me all sorts of new things, and yet make me feel as if I was able to do it all along. Learning from them is always empowering. Whenever we are in the same place, my productivity doubles. So the new site is (almost) finished, and Jordan has a few tricks up his sleeve for Culture Keeper- namely he is designing a Culture Keeper guide, which will be published soon, and a series of curated boxes I will be sending your way. 

Days and Nights spent with Mike, Megan, and Jordan always include dancing, coffee, exploration and mischief. One particularly rainy day, we spent a few hours cavorting around Raleigh in search of treasures. We started off with coffee and treats at Yellow Dog ... met up with Jordan to explore the magical chaos of Askew-Taylor (perhaps the most amazing art supply shop I have ever seen) .... we continued on to our favorite antique store Father and Sons, and spend a few hours perusing there 3 floors of records, vintage clothing, and art .... We rested with Tea and baklava at a Turkish resturaunt.... strolled around the town poking about in various boutiques, before returning home for naps, and yes, more blogging. (we never stop). Be sure to check out Megan's post about this exact day!

Raleigh a charming mix of Old-South and New-opportunities. Last Friday I had the opportunity to attend my first Creative Mornings session there. If you are a creative type- you should definitely check to see if there is a CM group in your city. It was a great chance to hear an artist's story, and meet a lot of the rad folks who are shaking things up. 

This trip has me extremely grateful... for the kindness and hospitality of friends... for people who believe in me... for the opportunity to spend time with so many people I love. Now I am back in Chicago / Northern Indiana for a few weeks until I HEAD BACK TO PARIS! Stay tuned for new projects as I roll them out in the new Culture Keeper shop (which should be up and rolling in the next week) 

All the images in this post were captured by the incomparable Mike Gilger... you should follow his Instagram.

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

Kilim Story

On my trip to Cappadocia, Turkey this spring I had the good fortune to meet Serdal Karakus. Over the course of a week, Serdal gave me an education in Kilim rugs- the history of the weaving process, as well as an over-view of the symbology. 

It happened like this:

Ricky Cohete and I were tired of eating at tourist cafes. Simple as that. "I want to eat where someone's grandmother would eat" One of us shared out loud. We scoured the village with no luck. Before long, I saw a beautiful orange rug, and went into a shop to inquire about it. That is when I met Serdal. He had lived in Paris, and I had lived in Paris, and so we got to talking about french culture, and about rugs, and beautiful things, and French Women, and .... He invited Ricky and I to eat dinner with him. Now I am aware that this happens regularly in some cultures and settings, but each time it does, it still seems magical to me. Sharing a meal with a stranger is still about the most beautiful thing in the world. 

While we ate the dinner his mother had prepared (NO JOKE!)... we continued chatting. He explained to us a lot about Turkish culture, answering many of our questions. Eventually we got talking about rugs. He took us back into his show room and spent a few more hours teaching us about his beautiful collection of rugs. That was a dream come true as well. I have always been fascinated by tribal craftsmanship, and it was beautiful to have the nuances explained. Each piece in his shop was custom made- by a specific person- for a specific person in a specific place. Some were designed with little squares cut out to avoid a tent-pole, or with a specific pattern to reference a family member or historical event. 

Serdal has been collecting, and subsequently dealing rugs for many years. He has lived in several parts of Turkey, and can read the a Kilim rug just like a book. I have always wanted to know more about this craft, and our chance encounter was the perfect opportunity. Serdal is a kindred spirit, who is passionate about this history and story of beautiful, handmade goods. (and of course, now I know where to go for rugs)

You can find many of Serdal's rugs

here

... but of course, nothing comes close to seeing them all in person. You will have to visit 

Goreme, Cappadocia for that.  

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

Portland City Guide

This November, I had the opportunity to spend a few weeks adventuring out west and visiting Tyler Grant in Portland, Oregon. As a child, I once visited portland, during a rather magical summer vacation... and certain elements of the city have haunted my imagination ever since.

It was great to return, to see Portland as an adult, and to spend Thanksgiving with my little brother's dear friends. I also had a few weeks to explore. Here are my very favorite finds:

COURIER COFFEE- This is pretty much the only coffee place you need in Portland. Seriously. It is small, peaceful, fun, and does not have a twitter account. Do you need anything else? Oh, and they have amazing coffee. I spent an entire day there writing. Between the simple decor, folk records, and the witty banter of the baristas, I was sold. More than a coffee shop, I definitely felt that I stumbled on a hilarious secret community.

BOLLYWOOD THEATRE- Not a theatre, although they do play a fantastic loop of vintage bollywood films. B.T. Is a great indian resturaunt, serving street food in a grungy / eclectic setting. I would eat here every day if I could.

CARGO- Off the beaten path, in the Pearl District- Cargo offers foreign goods you have been craving but did not realize: Those golden cats that wave at you in chinese resturaunts, English-language copies of Mao's little red book, Brass bells from Ghana, and everything in-between. It is magical. I will return every time I visit Portland.

MACHUS- This store! omg! Clothes that I want to wear! This shop is not to everyone's taste, but as a stylist, I crave simple black pieces that are a touch extreme. Does that make sense? I thought I was crazy until I visited Machus. I am craving a few of their chic tunics.

TANNER GOODS- No trip to Portland would be complete without a visit to this iconic maker. Tanner Goods, is a portland-based leather company specializing in quality pieces that will last for generations. Their shop is staffed by super-friendly fellows, and is filled with great finds.

STEVEN ALLEN- It is probably the most perfect shop in Portland. The perfect light balance, the perfect flow, the perfect selection of clothing and home-goods. Delightful.

POWELL'S BOOKS- This shop is every bit as magical as the rumors suggest. Although their selection of fashion magazines is a little lacking- they do have an entire section dedicated to T.E. Lawrence... so no complaints here.

ANGEL'S REST- It is my little brother's favorite hiking place, so please don't bombard it. This spot is a peaceful climb- beautiful views of the columbia river, lush ferns, and not too challenging. The summit is its own little ecosystem, perfect for a picnic. or hideout.

HIPPO HARDWARE- You might think it odd to include a hardware store in a city guide... but then, I did not promise an ordinary guide. Hippo is a three-story labyrinth of vintage fixtures. And Magic. And the most hilarious / eccentric shopkeepers you have ever met.

Photos courtesy of Michael Newsted

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

In The Studio With: Elif Cigizoglu

Last Spring, when Ricky Cohete called to see if I wanted to go to Turkey for a month- i had one day to freak out, and then three days to plan. I didn't just want to vacation, I don't really do that. I wanted to spend the trip, exploring, meeting people, and mostly meeting creatives in the field of fashion.

Istanbul in particular is quickly becoming a fashion capitol, and I was eager to get a glimpse at its meteoric rise. Alara Kap at The Guide Istanbul was supremely helpful in recommending a few designers that I should meet, and I immediately got down to planning.

On a sunny day Ricky and I hiked to a neighborhood of Istanbul we had not yet visited. It reminded me a bit of Haifa, or perhaps Cannes- perched high on a ridge with several streets of posh boutiques, and designer ateliers. We stopped at a Starbucks (Ricky's choice) to recover. and then headed across the street to a beautiful, stately building.



Elif Cigizoglu, is a warm, charming woman. She was pregnant at the time, and exhuded a natural, even elemental kindness. Her Atelier was serene, in the style of a polished Haussman. We sipped water in the coolness of the studio surrounded by white walls, and comfortable furnishings. The striking experience was one of natural simplicity paired with elegance- to great effect.

Elif builds like an architect. Her garments are meticulously crafted. Each bead and brace, created by hand. Every element, strong and visually arresting. The colors may be muted, but her garments are magnificent in structure and craftsmanship.

She walked me through her workroom, confidently explaining each piece. Much of her work is for individual clients- mainly in Istanbul's Jewish community. The women who commission gowns are educated in fashion, and want something unique. She discussed the elaborate, and often competitive nature of the Turkish wedding- each guest requiring an original, beautiful garment. This she attributed to her success... but her runway collections were equally impressive.




Over the course of my sojourn in Istanbul, I had heard the murmurings in cafes and bookshops- political and cultural unrest. With this in mind, I asked her discretely about the effect of politics on Turkish fashion. She assured me that it had little to no effect- That the class who bought couture was constant and unaffected by unrest. It was interesting to hear, and reassuring that creativity could continue unscathed. 

I am eager, in the coming year, to feature Elif's garments in a few editorials- so stay tuned for more collaborations... and if, in the coming months you need an exceptional garment, remember Elif. My visit with her was truly delightful and inspiring. 

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

In the Studio: With Isabel Schuler

I have been wanting to work with my friend Bryan for a while... He shot me for this interview, and also this feature, but we have not had the chance to work together since.

As most of our work has been on location, Bryan and I decided to attempt some studio work. It was a great chance to learn each other's working styles, and also a chance to work once more with the very talented Isabel Schuler and Logan Dillon.  The technical term for this kind of project is a "test shoot"... a chance to try-out a new team, or build work for a portfolio.

We only had a few hours, but our team managed to throw the shoot together, and had a lot of fun in the process. Test shoots don't often get shared, but I wanted to give you a glimpse of what we were working on. For us this process was mostly practice with lighting and studio set-up... but of course Isabel is gorgeous, so it just had to be shared.  

... and of course as the Art Director, I got to be the stand in lighting test guy. So voila!

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

Keep Exploring...

Photo by Jill Devries

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Culture Keeper

Postcards From Istanbul

I am terrible at sending letters and postcards. Seriously. I have, over the years, all but given up on the activity of adult correspondence. I discovered, at various intervals, half-written letters, and never-mailed postcards up to 8 years old. Some with postage attached. 

This is a major faux pas in my family, where physical forms of communication are highly prized. For this reason, I will probably never be viewed as an accomplished adult. 

The solution that I hit upon years ago, was:
A) purchase many postcards during my travels
B) write a brief personal note about the trip
C) Hand it to the friend/family member in person

This has mitigated much familial responsibilities, and has kept the masses at bay. Problem solved. 



In April, while roaming the streets of Istanbul, i was able to do a bit better than my usual...

While grabbing a drink with a designer friend at Tezgah Kitapevi (a bar/boutique I highly recommend), I purchased a stack of vintage photos.  Later, while drinking some tea on the Bosphorus Ferry, I wrote a few notes and drew on them with a gold pen. 

Voila! work of art // postcard. My work was done. Correspondence and packable gift all in one. 

Do you have any Travel correspondence tricks you would like to share? All of us at Culture Keeper would love to hear!

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

Paris Project: Asbury University

One of the projects keeping me busy in Paris last autumn was this charming video I had the opportunity to produce with Mike and Megan Gigler (of Wild measure and Fresh Exchange fame). The three of us are also Alumni of Asbury University, and we were excited for a way to give back to an institution that had invested so much in us.

I enjoy working with Mike and Megan, because we have such a great creative chemistry, and after years of collaboration, we can almost read each other's minds.

Asbury University Paris Semester from The Fresh Exchange on Vimeo.

So many people helped us create this: Linda Stratford, who first introduced me to Paris, and Lucie Barrois, the charming star of the film, whose family I have known for several years. Even the extras were friends from the American Church in Paris. A dear, dear cast and crew. This was such a fun experience.

I am so proud of my Alma Mater for going ahead with the brave project of starting a campus in Paris. Of course this is only the beginning... but it is a great endeavor. Asbury will be launching their Paris campus in the Autumn of 2014. Be sure to check out their site for more info.

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

Living A Life Of Creativity And Adventure: A How-To Guide

This image by Ricky Cohete. All others by John Hanson.

Almost daily, I get asked the secret to keeping my life glamourous and full of adventure. I think people ask that because they genuinely have no idea what my life actually consists of. On the internet, it is easy to project an image of success and well-being, and constant travel. Although I do manage to keep a disturbingly high standard of living (and my life does feel rather peaceful and successful), it is probably probably not in the ways people assume. My life is actually very simple.

A few years ago I was "let go" from a decent job. It was one of those jobs that kept my bills payed and allowed me to express reasonable amounts of creativity. Those factors coupled with the amazing-ness of my co-workers, created a scenario of loyalty. I would never have voluntarily left that position... but it turns out that was exactly what I needed.



With my job eliminated I fell back on styling, free-lance work, writing, and a few residencies to paint for churches. This gave me increasing amounts of free time, so I started posting more regularly, and Culture Keeper exploded. From there I down-sized... I (un-vouluntarily) got rid of my favorite apartment, and my car. With no home I was forced to be super-mobile (for the sake of hospitality as well as sanity).  This brought me more free-lance work, and opened up even more travel possibilities.

It is a cycle. I had to give up stability and permanence, for the sake of expansion and possibility. I have to remind myself of that every time I feel the need to get a "real" job. What has opened up to me is a beautiful life of work and play and creativity and travel. This life is difficult (bloggers and stylists make less than you think they do), and some days I long for my own space. I am trying to look at a long-term picture... to think of this phase as laying the foundation for my coming career.



Here are a few tips that are helping me live a life of creativity and adventure:

 // Minimize your expenses //
That might mean your iPhone, or it may mean your car. For me it meant both, as well as almost all clothes shopping. My only real bills are my school bills, I just try to keep those payed. The fewer expenses you have- the more adventures you can have.

 // Maximise your network //
Collaborating with amazing people is the best way to expand professionally and creatively. Seriously. All the major opportunities I have received in the past few years have been through friends. Let the people around you know what you are working on. Reach out to fellow creatives. Beyond that ALWAYS stay connected.

 // Stay Focused. But Diversify //
Don't be distracted by opportunities that will take you in the wrong direction or settle you down before your time. It takes a while to know your limits, and this is a tricky balance. Some weeks I don't have any photoshoots, so I focus on writing or painting. When I don't have paid work, I create my own projects that give me practice, and have the potential to pay off later. Diversify your revenue streams, while maintaining your integrity.

// Rely on the grace and goodness of others //
As much as I would like to say that "I did it all on my own"... I have to admit that it took a lot of coaching to get where I am, and it will take even more to get me where I am headed. Friends, family, and strangers have fed, housed, and educated me on my journeys. I am forever indebted to them. My parents have believe in me so much! Every time I get a huge mural commission, they have been there right along side me, painting, and bringing snacks. There is no way to succeed alone in creative endeavors.

 // Follow others in your field //
Read articles by them. Follow them on twitter. Megan Gilger taught me that. When I first got a twitter account, she told me to follow every stylist, painter, and writer I respected, and anyone I wanted to be like. Solid advice. See what others are up to. Learn by example. Sometimes Jenn Elliott Blake and I talk through ideas, or issues we have on the job. It is a community, and we all help each other out. Find your community.

// Learn to value yourself beyond your accomplishments //
By far the most difficult part of free-lance work is thinking beyond the 9-5. I still struggle with viewing my accomplishments outside of that frame. Daily, I have to redefine success as building something long-term, providing inspiration to others, and developing meaningful relationships. In the end, what do you view as a creative, adventurous life?

// Don't compare yourself to others //
Everyone's journey is going to look different. I have had to stop following other blogs, so that I don't get bogged down with what I think my life is supposed to look like. You are going to build your own future, and it is going to take twice as long as you think it should. When you stop needing what others have, everything gets easier.

// More than anything, be comfortable with uncertainty. Because This:

As I return to blogging this Autumn, after a summer off, I am reminded that I am indeed blessed to be pursuing activities that fulfill me. It takes a lot of foolishness to defy good business sense in favor of happiness and fulfillment. I hope that you, dear reader, will have the courage and foolishness to pursue your dreams and take some beautiful risks with your life.

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

Cappadocia Living

 I already spilled the beans about Cappadocia in a previous post, talking about how I had been dreaming of exploring this region since my childhood. I won't go on and on about how enchanting it was... but I will make a few recommendations for your visit.

Ricky Cohete and I stayed in a charming little pansion (pensione) in the village of Goreme. I recommend you do the same. Rock Valley Pansion was not glamorous, but the staff was helpful, and they have a pool. You may think a pool is an extravagance, but in a dusty land it becomes a worthwhile luxury. They provide a great Turkish breakfast, and there are little huts around the garden, in which to read or nap or enjoy the mountains and caves and rock formations all around. Hiking trails lead right from the Pansion, so exploration is nearby.

The village of Goreme itself is small and friendly. Its inhabitants still lived in ancient carved caves, although now they seem to exist merely to profit from tourists.



When planning a trip to Cappadocia make sure your choice of lodging includes transportation to and from the airport, which can be up to 3 hours away. It is quite possible to play it cheap in the food department and splurge on tours. Unless you hire a private car, guided bus tours are the only way to hit the major sights. You don't want to miss the monastery, the largest of the underground cites, and the hidden canyon. All of these will be on the main tours. I know what you are thinking, because I thought the same thing. I hate tours, but in a region as remote as this, they are the only way to go- at least at first. Once you get your bearings it is quite possible to strike out on your own. While not a difficult region of the world to navigate, I would make a few reservations before arrival.

I took an entire day to just swim and explore and bask in the sun. I would recommend you do the same.  Cappadocia's beauty warrants reflection, so give it some time. I have heard from many sources that the sunrise balloon rides are a mesmerizing experience, but that is one place that Ricky and I cut back in favor of other expenditures.

 

Things to consider:

If you are the type to worry about snakes and scorpions, plan your trip before may or after october, and they should not be an issue.

Women should carry scarves with them at all times, for churches, mosques and holy spots. Plus you will look amazing.

Don't forget hiking boots, sunscreen, and clothes that can get dusty. Cappadocia is no fashion show.

Meet the locals! You will get awesome meals, stories, and great advice!

 

When I think of Cappadocia I think of how many fantastic people I met in a very short time. I think of hiking in the sunshine through canyons and meadows and along quiet streams. It is a shocking place, where one can accidentally stumble into an ancient church carved into the hillside, or laugh with locals at a curb-side barbershop, or be swept away by dramatic sunsets. 

Be sure to pack your imagination and your sense of awe. 

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

What's In A Macaron?

“Why should food, of all things, be the linchpin of that rebellion [to globalization]? Perhaps because food is a powerful metaphor for a great many of the values to which people feel globalization poses a threat, including the distinctiveness of local cultures and identities, the survival of local landscapes, and biodiversity.”  

-- Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma

If you look at a macaron, you don’t see much. It’s a tiny cookie, unassuming in its size and structure. Just two wafers with a slight layer of filling. Little adornment, save the occasional dusting of cocoa powder or the dash of something shimmery. The color and flavor alone distinguishes it. Crimson, silver, canary, chartreuse, pale pink, cobalt black, and pure white cookies bear the names of rose blossom, plum, mimosa, lavender, and raspberry. The experience of the macaron is thus twofold, something you savor with your eyes before you taste it with your lips. 

It was March 20^th, 2010 and I had waited for this day since I had learned about it several months before.

March 20^th is a special day in Paris, le jour du macaron – the day of the macaron.  On this day, Pierre Hermé gives out three free macarons to every person who visits one of their Parisian boutiques.  For me, a macaron lover who unfortunately existed on a rather small budget, this day was bliss. There are several makers of macarons in Paris, each claiming to have the best. Of them all, Pierre Hermé is reputed to have the most exotic flavors and also charges the most for each perfect cookie, around 4 Euros for one small cookie finished in only several bites. 

In 2010, Pierre Hermé also did something special that has (to my knowledge) not been repeated since. Each boutique gave out maps of Paris with all the other boutiques on them and if you made it to all of them, you were eligible for a free box of 40 Pierre Hermé macarons, a box that usually costs 81 Euros. The catch was that there were limited gift boxes and these boutiques are scattered all across Paris.

But I was an American in Paris, and Americans are nothing if not fiercely competitive, especially if food is involved. With several of my Parisian friends, we spent the morning dashing around Paris, eating our free macarons, and racing through metros. We ran in public (something extremely un-Parisian), charted out the quickest routes between boutiques, and successfully arrived at the last boutique where we were told that we were the first people they had seen finish. Giddily, we carried our 120+ macarons onto the roof of my building where we savored them against the Parisian skyline knowing that we had won far more than a bunch of cookies. 

In the last several years, macarons have become the latest culinary craze here in the States. Despite our inability to spell or pronounce it correctly (a macaroon is that sticky coconut cookie and rhymes with moon), we are macaron obsessed. The have shown up at weddings, galas, farmer’s markets, gourmet food stores, DIY websites, and alongside ice cream at fancy restaurants. 

And they are usually disgusting and disappointing, little more than fudge between two weirdly dyed wafers. I know this because I excitedly try them all. Now, I am not a food snob. I will happily take Taco Bell over fancy Mexican and I unashamedly love hotdogs and microwave popcorn. My aversion isn’t about snobbishness or some false sense my own superior taste buds. It’s because I have tasted the real thing and the imitation misses something essential to what constitutes macaronness. 

It is the subtlety of the macaron that I love. If it says that it is flavored like orange blossoms, then what you taste isn’t orange extract, but the very essence of the flower, transformed into a light cookie that dissolves as it releases it’s flavor. It is like the French themselves, refusing to be showy or flashy about their beauty.  A bacon-maple macaron just should not exist. It is too ostentations and predictable, too bold and easy to taste. You have to eat a macaron slowly to enjoy it, savoring each bite and reflecting on the unique blend of tastes. Americans don’t make macarons like that because we don’t eat like that. 

At long last, I did discover a macaron shop that tastes every bit as good as the ones in France, and it happened to be three blocks from my home in DC. The baker spent a long time eating French macarons before she tempted to make her own and the difference is in every bite.

Yet even as I frequent the Sweet Lobby to get my fix, I can’t help but feel that something’s been lost. I feel the same way I did when I found my beloved Speculoos spread in Safeway, or when Nutella became commonplace stateside. We no longer live in a world where cuisine is part of the regional landscape. Globalization means you can have the flavors of the world in your diet without ever leaving your home.  On one hand, this is great. I love that I can indulge in my love for British candy or Italian cookies in-between trips overseas that are few and far between. 

 But on the other hand, I wonder if we haven’t loss the wonder of tasting something for the first time in a new land, if we have removed taste from the frontlines of exploration, or at least dulled its power and importance. We are increasingly divorcing food from where it comes from and the people who make it, and the result will always be just a little bland. It is a simulacrum for the real thing that will always fall short, even if we can’t figure out why.  A macaron made in the states might objectively taste as good as a French one, but it can never be as good.  Maybe all food isn’t a little more like champagne or bourbon that we want to admit, owing part of their very identity and taste to the location from which they come.  

So what is in a macaron? Technically, not much. Some eggs, almond powder, sugar, whatever flavoring is called for. But what is contained in a macaron is a different story. There is history, tradition, and culture. There is an entire society governed by rules and protocols foreign to us, exotic and enticing. There is a conception of food that escapes us, a quality of taste that eludes us. There is a place, alive and real in every morsel.  

In several bites, you consume a world. 

Hannah

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Culture Keeper

Bless Monsato // Learning To Love The Un-Lovable

Photo by Ricky Cohete (taken in Cappadocia Turkey)

Even in childhood I had a passion for the earth: I would sit and sing in trees for hours, I would make documentaries to save local forests, and in first grade I boycotted Japanese class, after watching a program on dolphin massacres. I was a rather disastrous mixture of outspoken and passionate.

Since those years, I have had the good fortune to be surrounded by friends and family who challenge and teach me how to augment my beliefs with love. Recently I was challenged in these ways once more. 

We all know (or at least most of us do) that The Monsanto Corp. is pretty much the most evil thing around. Monsanto has corrupted the way we eat, bought out prominent members of our government, and has been a key player in the oppression of the farming class. More recently they were responsible for the suicides of hundreds of thousands of farmers in India. Not to mention what they are doing to our environment. It is rather easy for me to express without hesitation that I loathe this company's very existence. 

... But recently a curious thing happened. 

A few months ago I was at a monastery with friends. We were all sitting around discussing life, and I brought up a project that I was working on. I was planning to do a series called "Fuck Monsanto"… basically calling out the huge Seed Magnate for oppressing the world with its monopolistic greed. 

I thought we were all on the same page about this subject- but my friend Calvin stopped me. "Dude" he said… "you are going about this the wrong way". With a gentleness that I myself could never muster he challenged me to re-think my statements and re-explore the topic. He encouraged me to think of Monsanto through a different lens (think: Wendell Barry, Ghandi, Joan Baez, and yes, even the Bible)

Truth be told I was taken aback. It was much easier for me to think of Monsanto as some looming evil, than as something complicated and human. Calvin said that the actual energy to transform something would take a positive statement like "Bless Monsanto". It struck me immediately. In part because it called out my own vulgarities, and in part because it was the hippiest thing I had ever heard.

This series

was born out of that discussion. More a look into oppression and provision than an indictment of a corporation. I used the word "bless" because I too wanted to change the conversation… not just exposing corruption and evil in the world but exposing it in my own heart as well. I want to be a part of transformation and positive change. 

Here is where things got crazy... I was working on the series... painting my little heart out... when one day I happened to tweet about the project. Just an innocent little tweet. The next day Monsanto and a few sub-corporations were following me on twitter. I was kind of freaked out. Reluctantly I followed them back, more out of curiosity than anything else. I thought perhaps that they had mis-understood the point of my project. Didn't they get that I was trying to expose their greed and corruption? As I followed their tweets I began to notice a pattern- the use of certain words- especially the word "sustainability". Ugh, I thought- "They just have good public relations folks". Then I read more articles, and their blog, and I began to get the sense that the Scientists (if no one else) behind Monsanto seemed to actually believe that they were doing the world a favor. Seriously. They seemed to think that with all that we had done to the world and to humanity- that we had to seek out ways to provide food for everyone... and they saw themselves as the heroes in this process. I was aghast at the idea that Monsanto saw itself as an agent for feeding the world and providing for the hungry. 

The simple result for me is that I am learning to see the human side of the things I once hated. Even huge corporations are filled with people trying to do good. My heart has been transformed by this. All I want to do now is open the conversation- away from thoughts of good and evil, of right and wrong... to helping and healing and discussing. That's all I can do right now. None of this changes what Monsanto has done, and continues to do- it only changes what goes on in my heart- filled now with compassion rather than rage.  

Here

is a link to information about monsanto's work in India... and

Here

are a few of the paintings I created during this process. 

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper

Cave-Dwelling In Cappacocia

As I have mentioned in previous posts, one of my childhood ambitions was to explore the caves and underground cities of Cappadocia. This region of Turkey was home to the ancient Hittites, a people famous for their well-bred horses. Throughout my life stories have trickled in from friends, and family, and books about this region. It was therefore, a total delight when Ricky Cohete asked me to tag along on a trip.

The important thing to keep in mind about this area- is that it is composed of two types of sandstone and one type of basalt. One of the types of sandstone is easily carved with a wooden instrument- making it possible to do large amounts of excavation with relative ease. For the Hittites and early settlers, it was easier to dig out a cave house than to build a new structure. This also provided security- whether carving out a house high up on a cliff face, or hidden in a secret valley- both provided protection from marauding armies. In several areas The Hittites (and later Christians hiding from Roman persecution) dug straight down into the ground. In these areas they developed entire city complexes, some down to 8 levels. The underground cities were a network of chambers, ventilation shafts, churches, and stables. You can probably see now how this sort of place would capture the imagination of a history-obsessed child. The very idea was mesmerizing.

The entire region is a series of mountains, canyons, grassy plains and cone-shaped volcanic structures created by the weathering of the sandstone. It is a magical place. Part Badlands, part Smurf village... it literally glows in the sunlight.  We spent several days exploring the caves and abandoned monasteries carved into cliffs. We hiked out from our pension in a little cave-town where people still live in the same caves that have been inhabited for thousands of years. Here is a look at what we discovered. In the coming days I will be writing a bit more about the region and sharing a glimpse into life there. If you ever head to Turkey, make sure Cappadocia is on your list.

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper