Participatory Democracy Or Illusion?

At last Monday's City of St. Augustine City Commission meeting artist Gregory Travous spoke during the public comment period. He reminded the Commission of the two year old Federal Court decision favoring the artists in their fight for constitutional rights to display, create, and sell their artwork on public property. Travous also stated that he is being prosecuted next month in St. Johns County on newer charges though they are the very same ordinance citations that were vacated as a result of the previous court decision.

It was proposed by the artist that the city drop all criminal charges against him and to sit down with the three remaining artists to work out a constitutionally viable ordinance that will end the years of harassment.

Travous is currently reported to also be waiting for hell to freeze over.

My Friend

Herb Lee 1915 - 2010

A dozen years ago a group of six artists would meet for lunch at a downtown Sarasota, Florida restaurant. These retired professional artists and illustrators worked in media from bronze sculpture to comic books. As the only non retired in the group, I was the "kid", being in my late 40's.I enjoyed hearing stories from these men who were renowned in their own field. I was accepted maybe because I had arranged art exhibits and secured commissions for most of them. We discussed art, women, the hereafter, anything that guys talk about when they sit around .

The eldest of the group was Herb Lee. Of the lunch bunch, Herb became my closest friend despite the 35 year age difference. Herb was multi talented but his forte was making handmade prints.He had built a replica of an eighteenth century press years before and had once given a demonstration on the early "Today Show" when Dave Garroway was the first host back in the 50's. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy all had a Herb Lee in their personal collections. He was a modest man but did show his pride when he brought out the yellowed clippings and magazine articles featuring the man and his work. Long divorced, his housemate was an Amazon parrot that he bought thirty years before.

Herb could talk of the well known and the obscure artists that he has worked with as owner of the York Art Center in York, Pennsylvania. His art center was known in the Northeast region as the place to see and obtain "cutting edge" art.His was the first gallery to exhibit internationally known artist Jeff Koons.

Herb studied at Yale School of Art and the Art Students League of New York. A member of the C.C.C. and W.P.A., Herb worked on many post office murals throughout Pennsylvania under Roosevelt's W.P.A. project. I found out from his obituary that he was wounded at the landing of Iwo Jima during WWII. He never mentioned that to me.

His children preceded him in death but I he had a full life up until the end as a resident of an assisted living facility in Sarasota. He was creating art all the way to the end. To me, the world is a little less shining without my friend Herb.    Suvo

The World's Oldest Dolphin in Captivity

From www.zandavisitor.com/newsarticle

 By Francesca Allegra

St. Augustine, FL - Nellie, the world’s oldest dolphin in human care, is approaching 58 years of age and will celebrate her birthday with Marineland staff and visitors. The public is invited to join the festivities at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 27, at Marineland’s Dolphin Conservation Center, now an affiliate of the Georgia Aquarium. The celebration will include a fish-and-ice cake made especially for the birthday girl, along with a round of “Happy Birthday” performed by all of her friends and fans. Cake more suitable to the tastes of her human party guests will follow. Continued

Casting Call (No Pay)

In our city of St. Augustine we have groups of reenactors who portray early American colonials in various historical time frames. We also have ersatz "pirates" and their wenches doing the Johnny Depp thing.

The National Park service has put out the word that they are in need of two people to portray slaves. They have even given them names ,Domingo and Anna. We've talked with some reenactors and they've told us that they do not understand why they cannot find anyone to fill these parts. Really?

The other reenactors get to wear these fantastic tri corner hats, boots and marvelous coats with brass buttons. They shoot cannons and brandish swords and get to say things like, "Ye English Protestant dogs must DIE!" We don't know what the slaves will be wearing.

Maybe I'm wrong, but the slave role, while not elaborated in the call out,doesn't seem to be a role that anyone would  want compared to the other cool costumed parts."We wouldn't ask them to do anything undignified " said one reenactor, who will remain unnamed. That is a relief .Many of our African American residents are children of the civil rights advocates of the contentious 60's here in St.Augustine. "I can imagine a 70year old civil rights veteran saying to his offspring, "You're dressing up like a WHAT?!"

We are told that it's an important role in historical portrayal. Maybe so. Years ago I had dinner at an Atlanta restaurant called "Pittypat's Porch". An elegant older black man approached our table wearing a chalkboard strapped over his neck. This gentlemen proceeded to do a soft shoe dance while quoting the evening specials in a servile singsong dialect. It was  embarrassing as hell. We didn't know where to look cause we didn't want to see this person, old enough to be our father, portraying a "house slave".

To those who might not understand why someone would not want to voluntarily portray a slave (an unpaid position naturally) we say go ahead and do it yourself with black face makeup. It might work. Don't wanna do it? OK, now you get it.

Spain's Greatest Writer

Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes was eighteen years old when St. Augustine was established here on Florida's Atlantic coast. Both he and William Shakespeare died within days of each other in their respective countries, Spain and England. Their works were published in both countries, though those governments were often at war with each other during their lifetimes and well beyond.

We all know Cervantes' story of Don Quixote that tells of a man who perceives himself to be a Knight errant whose unbalanced mind sees enemies and danger where there is none, attacking windmills with his lance thinking that they were ferocious giant dragons. His chivalrous mind had convinced him to fight for the rights and dignity of his fellow man and woman. At he end the old knight is confronted with reality ,though his steadfast companion/ sidekick Sancho Panza tries to keep up the charade to prevent the Don from becoming an ordinary fellow. Alas, as Quixote comes to the realization that he has been deluding himself, he slips into melancholia and very soon, dies.

Too much sanity may be madness and the maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be.

Miguel de Cervantes

PEACE ON EARTH

Christmas In The Ancient City

For over 412 years Christmas has been celebrated in St. Augustine's Plaza de la Constitucion,the nation's oldest public park. As a meeting place, the tradition continues.The live oaks and palms are strung with thousands of white lights, a twenty five foot tree is erected in the center and a grand illumination is held for all to "ooh" and "aah" when the switch is turned on. And they do...the viewers actually make that sound.

A few days ago a local radio talk show host spent time reminiscing about St. Augustine Christmases past in which the speakers and callers waxed eloquently over holidays here in the 1950's and 60's. One caller actually said that they do not go downtown anymore because "you put your life in your own hands" when you do so. I waited for someone to call to refute such an outrageous statement. After 15 minutes and no such call came I had to do it myself. I told the radio audience and the moderator (who should have challenged the earlier comment) that I spend a great deal of time downtown, particularly in the Plaza and it is as safe as anyone's back yard. Furthermore, during the holidays hundreds of children daily are now having their own holiday experiences that will be lovely memories for them in 2050. The kids play tag in the Plaza, tilt their head up in wonder at the twinkling official tree and line up to see Santa* in the Slave Market . The downtown St. Augustine that I have seen is one of the most wholesome and safe places that I've experienced in my travels and this goes for the year round ambiance. The remark that you "risk your life" is more than hyperbole, it is irresponsible and anyone who would say such a thing is not anywhere near the truth and causing harm to this wonderful city. 

I am certain that the holidays in the 50's and 60's were a magical time for 10 year old white kids here in St. Augustine, but I'll wager that it is even better now and certainly more inclusive.

Thank you to the City of St. Augustine for the fantastic lights and decorations. Merry Christmas!

SUVO

*Unfortunately some parents remarked that they have never experienced such a high pressure, mercenary Santa before. Our City authorized Santa had his elve assistants aggressively hawk for donations to their"charity" sometimes,while puffing on a smoke. I gave my best disapproving glare toward Santa as he was in his chair counting out bills in plain sight...he got the message.

Eavesdropping in St. Augustine

Heard Around The Plaza

"The Pope has a permanent bedroom available to him at all times here at the Cathedral that's what makes it a  Basillica." Red Train Driver

"Tomorrow, in the Plaza, the Jewish people are going to light up the Mezuzah" from a city worker.

"I don't have to pay for parking on Sunday? If I get a ticket I'm coming back to make you pay". From a way too suspicious tourist.

"They used to hang pirates from that tree" Walking tour guide spouting nonsense.

"Can I see some ID? A request from the police just before they issue a 100 dollar ticket to artist Suvo.

"I really doubt that there's 3 million lights here, it looks more like maybe, two million." Local person who knows.

Offering a religious tract to artist, "Have you been saved?.. "No, I've been spent", said the snarky artist.

"That guy that stole the old lady's tricycle, they should hang him here in the Plaza and have everyone beat him with clubs, and then string his guts in the trees".  A really creepy comment.

Three-year-old boy: Do Santa and Batman fly in the sky together?

Mom: I hope they're careful if they do, because otherwise... Batmobile crashes into Santa's sleigh, boom! (makes explosion noises) Santa and Batman. Dead.
Three-year-old boy: (laughs hysterically)
Auntie: I'm glad he laughed at that, otherwise you were getting the "worst mom" award.


Taxi dispatcher: "Yeah, take your time. No need to kill yourself".

Taxi driver: "One more reason not to kill myself. Copy"


And this below is the final use of this expression...it is now officially dead


Loud man on cell, walking across bridge: "So I just said, "I want it all! I want to see it all!"
60-year-old woman to teenage granddaughter: "That's what she said."

It's Come To This

Regular readers may recall that Santa's throne has disappeared from his space at the St. Augustine's Slave Market. May recall? It was just five days ago! This is a solid fact, but there is backgound to this story and new disturbing developments since.

Some facts: On a previous week, one of Santa's elves has a wage dispute and brings her pickup driving boyfriend to confront Santa. He leaves when children start arriving and promises that "This is not over".

                  On Dec 2, Santa's tinseled and sequined throne disappeared sometime between Midnight and 5pm

                  The seat cushion mysteriously reappeared three days later (proof of life?)

                  On Friday December 10 a snatch and grab of Santa's donation jar was made by a                       twenty something man who gets away in a waiting pickup truck. A confederate?

                 

 Saturday December11,an unsigned ransom note of cutout newspaper letters is found beneath Santa's tree by Santa's remaining loyal elf. It reportedly reads as follows; We have added underlining for emphasis.   

SANTA,

WE HAVE YOUR CHAIR. DO NOT CALL THE COPS.

YOU HAVE OUR LIST. YOU KNOW WHAT WE WANT.

YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE 

AND YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO.

Important clues:   The Santa Claus parade organizer wanted Santa to "disappear" when another City authorized Santa came by on the "official" Float last week week. Slave Market Santa refused to leave his throne. Possible questioning needed here.

pickup truck ...the throne was bulky and would not fit in a regular car or SUV.

                       the perpetrator profile indicates a deep and longstanding resentment over perceived slights by Santa Claus.

The ransom note was actually quite colorful and creative, indicating an artistic personality.Plaza artists were present during three of these incidents.Artist Scott Raimondo said earlier that day that he had a flat tire on his ArtCycle and brought his pickup for the first time in six months. Related?

Santa's current elf  ( who found the ransom note) shows very unelf-like behavior....openly smoking,,studded lips and nose rings, felt antlers (she's an elf, not a reindeer!) aggressively hawking passersby for "donations" to Santa's charity ( really?)

Status of Case: Santa took a break yesterday evening to go to the police station to make a report. The ransom note is in SAPD possession and it will be "dusted" for fingerprints. By eliminating all those in the Slave Market who handled the note (big mistake!) the police should lift one from the perp or perps.

We were told that a 24 hour watch is being given to the Christmas Tree. by the police Department (unlikely)

Santa Claus himself has told us that HE will be on stakeout himself, watching the tree. More later as the story unfolds. 

Pirate Museum Opens

Top L to R: Owner, Pat Croce and all female staff, Wednesday V.I.P opening, Croce and the Mayor, Fake pirates and Elaine Frazer (Fountain of Youth)


On Friday 12/3 there was a V.I. P. reception for local bigwigs and city employees at the "Pirate Soul Museum" built by entrepreneur Pat Croce. You could spot our local politicians in their coats and ties while Croce was in jeans and an oxford cloth button down. Noticing this, the mayor pocketed the tie that he came with.


It is impressive according to attendees. Disney animatronics has been employed to tell the story of the life of eighteenth century pirates. Display cases exhibit artifacts from Croce's private collection and items on loan from the state of Florida.


The "pirate juggernaut" in our tourism plan seems to be taking over though St.Augustine was never "a stronghold of piracy" as was reported. Nevertheless, the building renovation is a great addition to our bay front and Pat Croce's enthusiasm for his project has given our town a nice new addition. LINK

Naughty Not Nice!

Photo credits: © 2010 Historic City News staff photographer


Date: Friday, December 3, 2010
Time: Between Midnight and 5 PM
Description: Santa Claus' Throne
Location: Plaza de la Constitucion, St. Augustine, Florida


 SAPD's Sgt Etheridge states that they heard about the missing Santa throne, but no official report has been filed. "It's probably in some college kid's fraternity house somewhere".

Santa has now replaced his throne with a Queen Anne style upholstered chair that has no real flair but does the job well enough.


 Since December 1, parents and relatives of the little ones have donated, through Santa, over 750 dollars for children's charities.

If you have any info regarding recovery of Santa's throne, please call the St. Augustine police department at 904-825-1074

Old Friends

Art In The Market artist and former St. Augustine resident Richard Childs (L) watches while painter Tom Wright (R) works at Spiral Press Cafe in Manchester Vermont. Both artists can be seen regularly creating their art on site at least three days a week during the winter months.


Richard also works outside in the summer months in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. His artwork and sculptures were recently shown at Wampanoag Country Club in West Hartford Connecticut.


Childs says "I truly miss the conviviality and friendship of my fellow artists in St. Augustine. I hope that St. Augustine will one day recognize that artists in public places is a plus for any community."*
 Richard's artwork can be viewed here. ArtByRichard.net


* Richard Childs was a successful plaintiff in 2009 with Bates, Childs et al vs City of St. Augustine affirming artist's rights in Federal Court.

Harassment?

Ordinance 22-6 ,City of St. Augustine.....(prohibited in the Plaza and surrounding streets) "...artistry or the creation of visual art and wares, which includes drawings or paintings applied to paper, cardboard, canvas, cloth or to other similar medium when such art is applied to the medium through the use of brush, pastel, crayon, pencil, spray or other similar object, and the creation, display and/or sale of crafts made by hand or otherwise".

The next day the artist Suvo was again in the Plaza and cited on the above city code violation.

We say "YES!"

We do not always agree that Ed Swift's Historic Tours of America serves the city with historically accurate narratives and we feel that the "Old Jail" is one of the most prominent tourist traps in our city.

The addition of the Segal inspired contemporary sculptures by Monte Triz in front of the old jail is something that we can say is a positive and interesting addition. The local comments denouncing the works are to be expected in a small Southern community. City Commissioner and architect Don Crichlow said in a past Commission meeting that he did not want to see any "modern art" in St. Augustine.

St. Augustine is not Williamsberg or Jamestown, but a living city and has been for 445 years. The mayor and others want to create a faux Disney atmosphere with pirates (never were here, privateers, yes) and phony architecture. This brings in the dollars, but the gullible public leaves here without a sense of what the history of our town means to the whole scope of European settlement in the New World. Ghosts and pirates stories prevail and Historic Tours of America is guilty of spreading the misconceptions but these artworks are to be applauded as well done.

The hue and cry of the local wags will most likely cause them to be removed even though the installation is on private property. We'll see.

Apocryphal News

The City of St. Augustine has established a program for aspiring archaeology students. This program gives students aged 16- 20, a hands-on approach to archaeological methods and research. "We do not advise or interfere but leave the research and the dig work entirely in the hands of the students." says Harley Colbirt, city archaeologist "These are bright young people who have already had class room training, so the fieldwork is a way to put their scholastics to work."

What may appear to be a mundane find over on the NW side of the Plaza may be significant according to seventeen year old  Beth Mandeson . "At first we weren't sure what these 'thingies' were but someone said that in the olden days these were called "pull tabs"  or "pop tops"and came off beer and soft drink cans. That made sense".

The student's research indicates that there may be a tie in with these items and the Catholic Church just across the street. The hypothesis is that, while Mass was going on, some husbands loitered over here in the Plaza sipping beer while their families were inside the Cathedral. In the 1960's ,Catholic Mass was still said in Latin and was interminably long .It is difficult to determine whether these six "pull tabs" were the result of one session of beer drinking or six separate incidents.According to research, we can date these aluminum pieces to sometime in the '60's since removable  pull tabs became obsolete sometime in the 70's. "People were swallowing them or cutting themselves with the sharp edges"."We found that out on Wikipedia", said participant Stacy Gurlick of Green Cove Springs.

"What's cool," says Randy Phillippi of Spuds Florida, is that you have history right under your feet here in St. Augustine."" Some dude, older than my grandpa, was just hangin right here with a quaff, while his old lady was in church,and here I am now,standin' here drinkin' a beer."

Anyone interested in this program may call the City of St. Augustine Archeological program at 904- 825-1088

Old But Not The Oldest

North America

As the City of St. Augustine approaches it's 450th anniversary (in 2015) as the "Oldest City" we must point out, in the interests of accuracy, that it is NOT the oldest permanent European occupied city in North America.

Just as the Genopoly building on St.George Street is amended in it's definition as "The oldest WOODEN schoolhouse" in St. Augustine, we must look more closely. The prevailing thought by hundreds of teachers and students who visit and photograph themselves beside the old clapboards, is that it is the oldest schoolhouse in the nation. Actually it is questionable whether it was ever a schoolhouse. The current and previous owners  (not all ) of the building took broad strokes in it's description to lure in the tourist dollar. It is false history to get the lucre.

As my friends from down Mexico way, who are keenly aware of their own history, remind me they are also from the North American continent and that the "oldest continually occupied  European settlements in North America" are south of  St. Augustine, Florida. They are as follows:

1498 - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

1510 - Colon Panama

1510- Guantanamo, Cuba

1515 - Havana , Cuba

1519 - Vera Cruz, Mexico

1519 - Panama City, Panama

1521 - San Juan , Puerto Rico

1524 - Granada, Nicaragua

1550 - Acapulco, Mexico

1563 - Cartago, Costa Rica

1565- St. Augustine, Florida

1610 - Hampton, Virginia

1613- Newport News , Virginia

1614, Albany, NY

1620- Plymouth, MA

1660 - Jersey City, N.J.

* Acoma  Pueblo and Taos Pueblo  New Mexico. The oldest continuously occupied communities in the United States. The Acoma Pueblo today is known as Sky City. Estimated establishment 1000 A.D.

St. Augustine did not become part of the United States until 1821 two hundred and fifty six years after the Spanish established the town. Boundaries are political lines drawn by governments. History shows us that these things change.

North America is unarguably defined as thus: The northern continent of the Western Hemisphere, extending northward from the Colombia-Panama border and including Central America, Mexico, the islands of the Caribbean Sea, the United States, Canada, the Arctic Archipelago, and Greenland. source..Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

If we sound overly definitive here it is because we must drop our myopic ethnocentric concepts that the United States and it's  non Latin ,( i.e. English heritage) can be the peoples who can claim dominion over "The New World" discoveries.

St. Augustine Florida has a long 440 years of history and false history only clouds a clear understanding of the city's significance. Using uunsubstantiated stories of Ponce de Leon and the mythical Fountain of Youth and the embracing of the fake Hollywood pirate stories is frankly deception to lure the "sucker" dollars from unwary tourists. Let's have real history in our old city not fabrications and doublespeak.

New occasions teach new duties;

Time makes ancient good uncouth;
They must upward still, and onward, who would keep abreast of Truth.
James Russell Lowell

For Your Safety

Art, Bubble Gum and High Crimes.

Londoner Ben Wilson has spent time in British jail cells for hitting the streets and recontextualizing the petrified blobs of discarded chewing gum on the sidewalks of old London. His DNA sample was forcibly taken by the bobbies (leading to large public outcry and an eventual change in the law) This happens here in St. Augustine as well.SEE HERE

Video of Ben Wilson at work                The Policing of the Artist by Madeleine Bunting

Xmas Gala

Survivor !

We love a good rescue at sea.......STORY

What do you wanna bet that at least one reporter asked,"What were you thinking while you were standed at sea?"

Possible answers: I was thinkin' ..............
  'Did I unplug the iron before I left?'

 "Why didn't I take up golf for a hobby instead?"
 "Am I gonna have to drink my own urine?"

 "I should recharge my cell phone more often"

"My ex is laughin her ass off right now"

 "Am I hallucinatin' ,or is that Sarah Palin's face on a sea cow!"

"First mate Jorge, I miss him already but a body has gotta have protein to survive!"

We are glad that Mr.Steg is back. There are some funny and strange comments at the end of this news story link.

The Bricks Of St. Augustine

Here's an old St. Augustine tour guide joke...."DON'T STEP ON THE GRAVES !"

(see brick upper left)

As you walk the streets of the nation's oldest city you will see four or five various brands of brick below your feet. There's an old story that ,back at the turn of the century, St. Augustine benefactor and promoter Henry Flagler offered the City of St. Augustine, pallets of brick to pave the streets.When the city was slow to accept, Henry simply had them delivered and they were set down at the locations he wanted paved. The city supposedly relented and laid the bricks as Flagler wished.

The recent completion of the Aviles St. rehab had city workers carefully replacing these old bricks as it was back in 1900. Not long ago a portion of St. George Street was also repaved with brick.Here is a story about the Southern Clay Mfg. of Robbins, Tennessee and a story by Peter Guinta of the St. Augustine Record.

The work of producing brick was a backbreaking process done mostly by African American workers making 1.50 a day in the 20's and 30's The employees were forced, by company policy , to purchase their household needs at the "company store".They were also charged rent for the company owned shotgun houses with no running water. Many ended up in debt to the company, playing catch up when the monthly bill arrived. Southern Clay shut down operations in 1939.

Our city's history is all around us. In the foliage, in the people, the buildings and underfoot.African American contributions are  plenty and are only now, beginning to be recognized as it should.