Create Our World

The Radical DIXIE Ranch. (Taken with a fish eye lens)

 ”A house is built with walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.” – Unknown

Welcome to the Dixie Ranch!!!

The Dixie Ranch is the home of my friend, Alan. (Alan is my good friend, Paul’s little brother.  I posted some of Paul’s photographs back in this post, Seeing in Film.) The Dixie Ranch is a home for travelers.  The Dixie Ranch is the hub of a community of Austin-ites.  People in and people out.  

I have been in Austin for over 3 weeks!  I haven’t been anywhere this long since I was crashing on my Nana’s couch in Jersey or my Aunt’s spare bedroom in Ann Arbor, Michigan. 

Part of the reason, I have stayed so long is because of the energy of the Dixie Ranch.

Meet Alan.

My friend, Alan is a computer programmer.  He works from home or the local coffeeshop.  Alan makes his own schedule.  Alan is smart and he chooses his words carefully.  Alan loves his cat, Arthur.  Soon his girlfriend is coming back from France and they plan to travel the USA.  

Meet Jess.

Alan lives here with Jess and Mark.  Jess is a future dog trainer from upstate New York.  She has 4 pets.  Tyrone, a midget dog, and three cats, Blanket, Curry Paste, and Hawk.  

Meet Mark T.

Mark is from Connecticut but has lived in Arizona for awhile.  He makes collages of music and is always on the listen for interesting sounds.  Mark also goes by Marz and collaborates with friends at Grandcooley.com. Check out their stuff if you like music with a beat; its free to download. (Favorite track is here, Track 2: 28ft – Imagination)

Here are photographs of the Dixie Ranch and the Dixie Ranchers:

You've seen this before, but this is part of the Dixie Crew.

A tapestry in the living room.

Buddha guards the backyard.

Adah and I try to showcase Velvet's jumping ability on film. This doesn't quite do it.

Chickens live here too. This is the backyard. (More fish eye photos to come.)

 What do you think of the photographs?  More to come when we celebrate Mark’s Birthday with a fish eye lens. Check my flickr photostream for all the photographs.

Share Create Our World.  I don’t ask any money for these photographs or the stories, but I do ask that you please share what you like with others whom would appreciate it.  Spread the word of the goodness of people.  There is a button on the bottom of the page that will do the work for you.  Or to really spread the message, send your friends an email or message about what you like about this website.  

Let’s seed goodness into our world!

Create Our World.

Ben

“Home is not where you live, but where they understand you.” – Christian Morganstern

 

“The policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all.” – Jawaharial Nehru

Upcoming on Create Our World:  As I finish up my time in Austin, I have a lot of posts with photographs from the town.  Street photography, the local Animal Shelter, Fish Eye Lens to celebrate a birthday, and photos from my home here at the Radical Dixie Ranch.  Contact Benjamin, if you are not following Create Our World on Facebook, Twitter, or through your email, sign up now.

This post was going to be a short video.  I wanted to take a couple hundred photographs of Austinites in their native dress.  My schtick would be to have them all hold my “AUSTIN” hitchhiking sign.  Instead, my camera was out of commission for most of my stay in the town, but here are a few facts about the city of Austin and the photographs that I did take for the project.

Austin, Texas is an interesting city.

*The 3rd Best Big City to live in the US in 2009, according to Money Magazine.  

*The Greenest City in America by MSN.

*#1 College Town according to the Travel Channel.

*The fifth safest city with less than 5 murders for every 100,000 people.

*Forbes Magazine says Austin is the least stressful large metro area.

(All my information is gleaned from this wikipedia article.)

AUSTIN.

Jack, Adah, Alan, and Mark at the Dixie Ranch.

Local artist in East Austin.

Elliott, a friend.

Robbie, a local artist. www.robbieortiz.com

Dustin took the photograph of Willie Nelson. www.dustindowning.com

James, local artist. www.gat5art.com

I may try this project again in another city.  Stay Tuned!

If you like the project and the photos, pass it along to others that will like it as well.  Spread the Goodness.

Create Our World.

Ben

“Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them – every day begin the task anew.” – Saint Francis de Sales

What do you think of Street Art?

“People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish. But that’s only if it’s done properly.” – Banksy, a popular graphitti artist

I love looking at art in the streets.  

Graphitti.  Art or Not?  Also, does it add to the beauty of a city or does it detract?  These are questions I think about.  It definitely depends on the graphitti as well.  Most of the time, I think that graphitti adds color, humanness, and visual contrast to a city.  

Stickers.  I like looking at the bumper stickers around a town as well.  (Mental note, good news to come, stay tuned…) The words that people chose for their motto or the designs they chose interest me.

What is your perspective on graphitti and street art?  

Austin is the best street art city!  Hands down. Austin beats New Orleans.  Here is a post of a collection of pieces around town (most photographs taken with my iPhone):

In Loving Memory of... Selena.

Street Stencil. Remixed.

I love this. It is my current wallpaper on my phone.

Classic Texas Mural.

Mural. Remixed.

Again, are Graphitti, Street Murals, or Stickers art or clutter? Beauty or the Beast? 

Create Our World.

Ben

“The time of getting fame for your name on its own is over. Artwork that is only about wanting to be famous will never make you famous. Any fame is a by-product of making something that means something. You don’t go to a restaurant and order a meal because you want to have a s***.” – Banksy