Living La Doo Vida

A few weeks ago The New York Times ran an op-ed from a woman who, like so many others, was lamenting over something to do with the change in Burning Man and its new ticket/lottery policy. The thing that stuck out for me was that she needed to go to this event to be a person that she could not be the other 362 days of the year. She needed permission to be the type of person who could engage with other people for no other reason than they were sharing an experience. She chose to participate by riding her bike around The Playa and handing out Chinese fish kites. I wondered: why can’t she do this all this time?? 

Doo-Nanny, dubbed by some to be the “Burning Man of the south,” allows folks the same freedom (come, see, share, create, be, doo). And for some, again, this once of year gathering is the only time they can really explore another side of themselves. But there are others who live the Doo-life 365 days of the year and I wondered what lessons they might share with the rest of us on how to incorporate more creativity into our everyday lives.

First up: the Laster Family (Mr. Charles M., his wife Grace Kelly, and their daughter Ruby Elvis Rose). “We doo- live this everyday. . .”

 

 5 Tips for Living the Doo-Life:

1. creative-financing/ FAITH- the doo -dream, work hard at everything, expect nothing . gifts come to you .... not money . but shared moments . some spare bucks thrown in... ,

birds find seeds . so do we. jesus by c.m.l.

2. doing -the doo - is kinda like the hillbilly way of the doo it yourself repair kit for life. ...barn raising ... people pitch in . lead by example.

3.creative-resources- well, this is a curse and a blessing . live off the waste . and turn back the clock at the same time. we find our materials in junk piles , yard sales and gifts from people who see us drive an art car ...and think. they might need this , and we doo.

 

4. Live and Drive Art. - the "Inner Galactic Shack-o-LLacc " opens doors helps you meet folks . that doo. like wise thinkers , freaks who seek understanding of what this is. we draw in all types with the art car . this is our daily driver ... and you can put alot of stuff on the top.

5, the Krewes-community- it’s the people who you meet by being you . it’s LOVE . understanding . a gathering of souls who all share. It’s" the Hillbilly burning man" with slight adjustments. southern hospitality... music, rain...eats . art and movies . but all LO-fI - RUSTIC , charm . real. ....we built our shack out of junk I found in the woods of wonder.

And on raising a creative child:

Ruby Elvis Rose is a natural. I think living the doo lifestyle has taught her how to find purpose in all things. she is always inventing . and she sees us surrounded by like minded doo folk. and just does. anything....etc. also, ... she wants to get rid of all he roads and paper money.

she out arts us.... she has written several books already and illustrated them. she spent her own money from doo-ing portraits on art supplies yesterday. and took us to Disney World Last Year .

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CM and Grace Kelly Laster, and their five year old daughter Ruby Elvis Rose are a family of artists from Kentucky. They travel the country in their third artcar, the Inner Galactic Shack-a-llac, participating in parades, and showing and selling their art in museums and galleries nationally and internationally. Their work is in the permanent collections of the American Visionary Art Museum, The House of Blues, The Bill Clinton Presidential Library, and the Library of Congress Folk Life Center . Currently they each have an Abraham Lincoln art piece At the Historical Society of Washington D.C.in traveling exhibit, Portraying Lincoln. Their art work reflects a variety of themes, particularly visions, dreams, music icons, historical figures , the rural south and the natural world. (source)

The Lasters are currently on the road . ARTSCAPE in Baltimore and Dynamic Arts Gallerie @French Broad River, Fest . shacks, movies music and art. So, be on the lookout and spread LOVE. 

(all photos courtesy of The Lasters)