Ella Veres ArtVentures

This is in work. For continuous updates please come back. Thank you for your interest.

2. Valentine's Day Weekend, February 15, 2009

Four months ago, November 2008, I returned from Transylvania, Romania where I worked with local people and the students from the Babeş-Bolyai University, Department of Theater and Television, on The Scourge of Alcoholism a material about Transylvanians’ rampant drinking problems. For the following days back in America, I slept and slept and slept. Then I plunged into tumultuous New York life during recession. Fellow artists would eagerly ask me how my trip was. I’d recount, I’d entertain, I’d marvel, I’d try to sort things out, and couldn’t. Even my travel notes would not gel into a coherent report.

Finally a few days ago I was asked by Jasmine Dellal, to write on her blog about the Gypsy part of my field trip experience, namely about the Gypsy people living in Pata Ratului on a garbage dump that shall be closed this year because it doesn't meet the EU ecological requirements. So here I am today, posting these travelogue entries so as not to procrastinate anymore.

By clicking here you'll read the villagers' words in English, whereas here is the Romanian version.

1. Posted Probably in December 2007:

During my five-week off-off Broadway run of Three Eco-Friendly Self-Propelled Clowns two racist incidents occurred that made me write a public letter that you can read by clicking here.

I'm also working on a somewhat literary diary/blog mapping out my thoughts/realizations along this social activist process.  

By clicking here you'll read my realization I'm no Rosa Parks. The real pull of longing for peace and justice, when peace is such a hard non-action to take. 

Whereas here is a moment of respite in our fairytale land of holiday shopping bliss.

Please write your thoughts here.