Jill Gibson's "Rooted Woman".

Found this waiting for me when I arrived home from North Carolina. Artist Jill Gibson's sculpture, "Rooted Woman". My first nude.

Jill and I go way back. Not really - but sort of. We've emailed back and forth a few times over the years (and now we're FB friends!). Jill and Jan Berry (of Jan & Dean fame) dated for a number of years back in the early 1960's. She had a brief stint with The Mama's and the Papa's (when Michelle Phillips got kicked out of the band - and I did meet Michelle once), was an official photographer for the Monterey Pop Festival, wrote some pop songs, sang some more and has become an accomplished artist in her own right. I think she's groovy. Always have. And now I own one of her art pieces.

Couple things on Jill - her website, Gibson Arts; Jill's bio as it's concerned with the Monterey Pop Festival plus another link to her photographs from the festival; Jill singing Jan Berry's tune, "It's As Easy As 1, 2, 3"; Jill's Wikipedia bio and finally, Jill singing a hit song she co-wrote with Jan Berry and Roger Christian, "You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy", which charted out at #27 for Jan & Dean in 1965.

Most of you (unless you're a Beach Boys or Jan & Dean fan) have probably never heard of Jill Gibson. Now you do. Check out her artistry - if I had a bottomless checking account I'd certainly buy more of her work.

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"City on the Hill", a poem by Citizen X.

Conceal your ears and passions,

When the smiling man says,

We will be as a City upon a Hill,

No Ideal lasts outside the mind,

Of the Mad King.

Burn the bridges of that City,
Flood the moats til' bursting,
The Levees drown the fires,
Then hurl your stones ov'r,
And watch collapse with pleasure.

The painting is by Zdzisław Beksiński, a renowned Polish painter, photographer and sculptor who was best known as a fantasy artist. The poem is by Citizen X, a fellow blogger; we both contribute to another blog - Ditalini Press.

If I didn't know any better, I'd swear this poem was commissioned by the Republicans to reflect their attitude toward the Obama administration and its affect on our country.

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