Tyler Sharp is one talented photographer and really, a jack of all trades. He participated in the Tree Carving we did back in February and spearheaded the artistic direction of our display at
NorthPark for the AIA Retrospect show back in April. Now we can live vicariously through his lens and stories as he travels the world this summer.... Here's news from his latest email. (I got his permission to repost):
"Hello to all, I am writing from Zimbabwe while I can, as yesterday they cut the main phone, cell and internet lines country wide, probably to suppress news coverage. I got here two days ago, right during these elections, and they gave me quite a difficult time at customs. They thought that I was a journalist with all of my cameras, and wouldn't let me go through unless I had a letter inviting me to the country, which I obviously did not have. My options were to leave it at customs, in a "locked" safe, or pay a $1500 deposit fee to take it with me. Here is the catch though, when I came to pick up my deposit afterwards, they were to pay me in Zim dollars (which ends up being trillions of dollars). No joke, I have a 5 billion dollar bill in my hand right now, and gazillion is an actual form of currency here. Pretty crazy that I am a gazillionaire here, literally. Impressed ladies? I would be...Anyways, 5 billion dollars is about one dollar here, so I am a $1000 millionaire. Long story short, some of my friends talked the customs guys down to $200, and I got my video camera back. But they have come by the lodge a few times to check on the camera to make sure it is still here and I am not doing guerilla journalism. Little do they know that I have like 4 cameras!!! Hahahah!
One of the more intense moments was when I was sitting in the house of 25 Zanu PF (Mugagbe supporters). They were all wearing Mugabe shirts and bandanas, and had banners all over the walls. I was there as a guest and listening to these traditional spiritual Mbira players, who are helping spread a message of cultural redemption. Pretty cool, but still tense. I was imagining in my head what would happen if I had brought a camera in there, and whipped it out and started taking pictures of all of them. Things would have gotten violent quickly, and I would not be writing this email. But needless to say, I took no camera, and took no pictures. I have seen the world wonder that is Victoria Falls, wow. Truly powerful and awe inspiring. I woke up at 5.30 the other morning and went to the top of the Zambezi River to film and photograph the sunrise at the top of the falls. (Pictures on Flickr, and video to come when the internet is not sabotaged for political reasons). Yesterday I jumped headfirst off a bridge, and plunged 111 meters into a gorge where the Zambezi comes out ( it is about 350 feet, long way down). It was amazing, and am going back to do it again, but backwards this time. I have a friend whose uncle owns this lodge ,and all of his friends run all of the tourist stuff here, so I have been rafting, bungeeing, walking with lions, and feeding rhinos for free. He has taken me to all of the local spots, which are not many, and have met people from all over the world. I feel so plain with no interesting accent, but try to make up for it with photographs and stories, kung fu also. Most people here have never seen Kung Fu. We go on a fishing trip tomorrow on the Zambezi River, and then into camp in Botswana for 3 weeks, where there are thousands of elephants. There literally was an elephant crossing sign on the main road, but I couldn't take a picture because there were police around, and they would take my camera.
As for New Zealand and Australia, I will sum it up briefly. Here are some key points: Got stuck in a snowstorm on the top of the mountains from Lord of the Rings, and thought I was going to freeze to death. Had to dig a hole and cover myself in dirt to stay warm and dry, which I did not. Swam with salt water crocodiles, ran away when we saw them coming in the clear water. Stayed on a private aboriginal beach in the Northern territories, and killed a shark and a crab with a spear ( I ate them for dinner). Did a front flip into a buffalo mud hole, and ate insects. Got screamed at in the middle of the night by a possessed aboriginal spirit while I was sleeping, no joke, scariest thing I have ever seen. He was a human, but was possessed and wandering around at 3 am by himself, and screamed in my tent. Moving on, saw a cane toad smoke a cigarette, and then eat it (lesson to all you littering smokers, eat it). Got bit by 6000 ants, they nest in trees, and fall out when you drive by them, and attack. I hate them. Wandered Brisbane by myself for 5 days, got out drank by two Irish girls. Got a swedish massage from a drunk Swedish guy named Gus (it was actually just elbows in my back), who loved Taco Bell and KFC. Funny man, bad masseuse. Watched 25 movies in my hotel room and on the plane, including Burt Reynolds and Dolly Pardon in Chicken Ranch twice. Why? Managed not to sleep at all on a 14 hour plane flight after I had two hours of sleep before. Stayed one night in Johannesburg, managed not to get robbed or shot. Now I am in Zimbabwe, but I love it. I am coming back. There are not more elephants anywhere else in the world than where I am right now. And I hopped (HOP!) back and forth across the border from Zambia and Zimbabwe numerous times yesterday. 4 countries come together Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, pretty amazing.
Anyways, here is a link to where I have posted photos. Some may already know this, some may not, but either way, here it is. I wanted to do more with web, blog and video, but things hardly ever work out the way you want. I will try to post video soon, but that depends on how modern this country wants to be. Enjoy!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tylersharpPlease feel free to write me back, as I have hardly heard from anyone, and let me know how your lives are going. I will respond when I can, but would love to hear what is going on in the other side of the world.
Sorry for the lack of intimacy in this letter, but I haven't had many chances to write.
Hope all is well, cheers from Zimbabwe!
Tyler Sharp (more affectionately known as "Kiwa" here, which means white man. Charming)."
take care of yourself Tyler! We'll see you when you get home.
LRTX world headquarters received a call Monday from News 8 Daybreak anchor Cynthia Izaguirre. She had heard about the La Reunion project from an old mutual friend of ours and wanted to do a story! We talked about different aspects of what we're doing programatically and she settled on filming the site and featuring Tree Carving. I got on the line with a handful of the artists who participated at the February event and lo and behold they could make the filming and be interviewed! 
Our first annual Tree Carving was this past Saturday. About 75 people attended over the course of the day and toured the site and learned a little about native flora from Melissa Martin and Randy Johnson with Texas Discovery Gardens. Attendees watched artists transform non-native (weed), dead and dying trees into site specific works of art. Thank you to local artists Brad Ford Smith, Kevin Obregon, Allan Arp, Tyler and Molly Sharp, Cindy Thomas, and David Carapeytan (and CREW!) for being such sensitive and adventurous artists. Pictures abound. Local photographer Erica Felicella shot some amazing portraits that can be seen here. Attendee Steve Rainwater also took some pictures. Mine are here. More are coming! 
