Speed of Life

Today in Cairo hundreds of thousands of protesters peacefully gathered to urge Mubarak to step down from his 30 year reign in Egypt. Over the weekend, President Barack Obama sent Frank Wisner as his personal envoy to tell Mubarak that his time is over. This evening, Mubarak spoke via a televised address and declared that he will not seek another term. Elections are scheduled for the fall. In Tahrir Square, Mubarak's words were not enough. The massive crowd chanted "Erhal! (Leave!) Erhal! ( Leave!)" A US official told BBC's Kim Ghattas that Mubarak's announcement was not enough for the Obama administration either. From the White House, President Obama said that a transition in Egypt "must begin now". January 31, 2011 Interview with anti-Mubarak protester in Tahrir Square, Cairo Interview by Zero Silence from a forthcoming documentary.

A Protester in Egypt Kisses a Police Officer photo by: Lefteris Pitarakis / AP This evening President Barack Obama spoke out after a phone call with current Egyptian leader Mubarak: THE PRESIDENT: Good evening, everybody. My administration has been closely monitoring the situation in Egypt, and I know that we will be learning more tomorrow when day breaks. As the situation continues to unfold, our first concern is preventing injury or loss of life. So I want to be very clear in calling upon the Egyptian authorities to refrain from any violence against peaceful protesters. The people of Egypt have rights that are universal. That includes the right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech, and the ability to determine their own destiny. These are human rights. And the United States will stand up for them everywhere. I also call upon the Egyptian government to reverse the actions that they’ve taken to interfere with access to the Internet, to cell phone servic...

By Gregg Chadwick Winslow Homer The Veteran in a New Field 24 1/8" x 38 1/8" oil on canvas 1865 Metropolitan Museum of Art Veterans Day is more than just a day off. Instead it is a time to reflect on duty, honor, service, and life. Winslow Homer's The Veteran in a New Field portrays a Union veteran of the American Civil War back at work on the farm. But the painting is not instantly celebratory. There are no angels and there is no parade. Instead a psychic weight seems to be guiding the veteran's scythe as it cuts the stand of grain, much like the volleys of shot and shell mowed down troops, on both sides of that brutal war. There is hope though in the warm, life giving color of the wheat, a Northern crop, and the cerulean sky. All wars must eventually come to an end. Uniforms are cast off. Homer paints the ex-soldier's jacket and canteen tossed onto the newly cut field. Life does go on. The soldier will inevitably struggle to find his place in the mundane world ...

Gregg Chadwick The Sheltering Sky 218cm x 163cm oil on linen 2010 Currently on exhibit at the Manifesta Maaastricht Gallery in Maastricht, the Netherlands Rene Boitelle,views The Sheltering Sky at Manifesta Maastricht I was honored to have Rene Boitelle, a restorer at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, speak about my work at the opening on October 25, 2010.

By Gregg Chadwick "All men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion." - President Thomas Jefferson Let's Define Our Terms About the Proposed Islamic Center on Park Place I. Is the Proposed Islamic Center at Ground Zero? No, the new building will not be at the the former site of the World Trade Center and cannot be seen from Ground Zero. II. What is the Proposed Plan for the Building? The Park 51 Group has proposed a thirteen story building which will include: 1. Recreation spaces and fitness facilities (swimming pool, gym, basketball court) 2. 500-seat auditorium 3. Restaurant and Culinary School 4. Cultural amenities: Art exhibitions, Musical Performances 5. Education programs 6. Library, reading room and art studios 7. Childcare services 8. A prayer area ( On the thirteenth floor will be an Islamic prayer room which will be run be run separately from Park 51 but open to the New York Community) 9. September 11th mem...

With a heavy heart I have watched the recent events in Thailand from afar. This song calls for peace and plays over video clips from the battle on the streets of Bangkok. A must view. I hope for a lasting peace to follow. Hat tip to Michael Yon

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times / February 20, 2010) Hope to see you there today. The Dalai Lama and Sheryl Crow at the Gibson Amphitheatre in support of Whole Child International. More at: Dalai Lama Launches L.A. Visit And my reactions to the event will appear on Speed of Life later this week. Barack Obama met with the Dalai Lama at the White House this week. Photo: White House

Eddie Vedder Haiti Relief Single Eddie Vedder’s full audio performance of Bruce Springsteen’s “My City Of Ruins” from the recent Kennedy Center Honors is now available for purchase through Ten Club and iTunes for $.99. Proceeds from the sale of the track benefit Artists for Peace and Justice Haiti Relief. Benefit Single is available here from: Pearl Jam's Ten Club Also available on iTunes: "My City of Ruins" for Haiti From Eddie about the song and the cause: About Artists for Peace and Justice Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ), established in early 2009, is a fundraising effort founded by Paul Haggis and friends that encourages peace and social justice and addresses issues of poverty and enfranchisement in communities around the world. Over the past year, APJ has directed its efforts to raising enough funds to fully sponsor three schools in Haiti in support of the initiatives of Father Rick Frechette and his team. These schools aren’t just a place to learn but prov...