hi everyone,
I am back in NYC and the project is complete. At the moment the books are in Delhi, awaiting necessary signatures before they are to be shipped via insured courrier, we should have them by August.

The 5 Year Plan book looks fabulous, much better than we expected.
Rudraksh Printers in Jaipur did an amazing job, Nandita Devraj is the perfect ally for a project like ours. We'll be working together in the future.

The 5 Year Plan Literary Companion grew into a 180 page hardcover book. I hope you will find it a good read, we worked very hard to make it a work of real quality. Please let me know your thoughts on it...

The jhola bags we made are also amazing, they were completely hand made at a Gandhi Ashram near Delhi with artwork by David Dunlap. The folks at the ashram are super cool and love the 5 Year Plan project, I am considering the possibility of doing a "People's Edition" that would be much less expensive, rougher, and funkier.

We have been offered fiscal sponsorship, this means that we become tax-deductable. I will see if we can make this happen for all of us who made this round happen. One way or another, I will find a way to cut you in somehow.

I am currently updating the website from pre-production to post production with updates.

To my dismay i find that nobody received the postcards i sent back in March from Jaipur. I sent 108 postcards and letters to all project participants and to my family, they took 3 days to write. I will have to send you a postcard from somewhere soon.
(after stamping all the cards and letters i gave the bundle to the smiling lady behind the counter at the Jaipur General Post Office. That was the last anyone saw of them. What probably happened was that the person who was to cancel the stamps soaked them off the cards and sold them. it's been a decade since i mailed a card from India. I forgot that you MUST see them cancel the stamps...it's my fault)

the last photo is of myself at the blue ice glacier source of the Ganges river, giving thanks for a successfully completed task. The gratitude that i feel for all of you who joined me on this fantastic journey is immense. I am anxious to send you your books and jholas and my sincerest gratitude.

much Love,

Aaron

hi everyone,
i decided to delay our return to the states til the 20th to be able to complete everything with the necessary TLC and ensure it has the considered and thoughtful touch all the way through.

the 5 Year Plan Literary Companion is looking beautiful, 180 pages , hardbound and pocket-sized with brilliant rare writing by Allen Ginsberg ,Mahatma Gandhi, an as yet unpublished piece by Peter Lamborn Wilson, terrific new poetry by India Radfar, Lee Ann Brown, Louise Landes Levi , Greta Byrum and Gloria Williams. A very interesting scholarly article about jute bags by Prof Andy Rotman ; several short pieces by Reverend Billy; and an exerpt from "Walking With the Comrades" by Arundhati Roy that will open you eyes wide, images by David Dunlap and many interesting surprises.

We're also working with a Gandhi Ashram collective in Khanpup U.P. to complete our jholas with a design by David Dunlap that i think you'll dig.. It's a dream to work with such awesome people.

I'll be sending your books out as soon as i get home-
Watch your mailbox, something wonderful is on it's way!

many thanks to all of you who made this possible,
love,
Aaron

(picture is the Himalayan source of the Ganges with your friend Aa)

thought you might find this interesting. filmed by Pranati at a class taught by Mr. and Mrs. Handa yesterday at the Indian Institute of Craft and Design in Jaipur Rajasthan.
it's a strangely beautiful process, watching combed cotton emerge from your fingertips as thread.
very calming and meditative.
it takes 1500 meters of thread spun this way to make a single meter of khadi cloth.
(with practice you can get much faster)

Thanks to YOU!
Our 5 Year Plan Artist Book project is almost done!
It's a huge project, involving hundreds of people, and it's beautiful.

We've created 2300+ days of work for people of the Manav Seva Samiti Ashram,
weaving 1.4 km of hand spun, hand woven khadi cloth.
Every thread has passed through a persons fingertips (80% are women)
This is real value in a lot of people's lives.
Khadi Being Woven for the 5 Year Plan Book Project!
http://www.youtube.com/watch...

The people at the Gandhi Ashram Collectives really dig the project, it touches a chord here, the response has be overwhelmingly positive from all perspectives.

The 5 Year Plan Book is being printed in Jaipur at Rudraksha printers.
The second video is the page "Gandhi's Watch" by Donald Baechler being printed.
Blockprinting Baechler Page in Rajasthan
http://www.youtube.com/watch...

It's a huge project but we'll be done by June.
Total edition will be 180 copies only.
(copies are still available!)

Thanks to all of you who helped make this possible!
Updates + Pictures: http://5yearplan.org/news.html
See You in June
Much Love,
Aaron Sinift

Dear Friends,
I find I have a few days more to wait for the first delivery of 325 meters of khadi from the ashram, so I am taking the opportunity to go to the Kumbha Mela in Haridwar.
The Kumbha Mela is a gathering of pilgrims and sadhus and saints from all over India to bathe in the Ganges on a particularlly auspicious day ( New Moon, April 14 i am told). It happens according to astrological confluences and at different places in India, in a cycle that has gone on for possibly thousands of years. Attendance is said to be around 20 million people.
I'll bring my camera.("ok, everyone say cheese!)
It is difficult to imagine how that many people can squeeze into a small town like Haridwar but i guess i'll know soon enough. We started the project in Varanasi on Shivaratri, the Night of Shiva, and we begin printing on the 15th the final day of the Mela.
It is also Greta and my 4th wedding anniversary and i miss her terribly. It'll be my way of honoring that day.
Our order of 1km of khadi will provide about 1800 days of spinning and 300 days of work for weaving.
This is a substantial contribution to the welfare of people living around Modinaghar.
The ashram suggests that they make our jhola bags, the ones that many of you are waiting for.
I'll give them the design very soon. I'll show you the images for them latter.
(these images show one of the weavers working on our khadi, the spools of handspun thread, and a lady spinning the thread)
Again, we thank you for helping us make this happen.
much love,
Aaron

Hi Everyone,
The project is going along beautifully. The books will be finished by late May and back home!
The response has been very strong, finding great allies and artists.
The hard work of locating and ordering the perfect hand-spun handloomed khadi is complete.
As you read this One Kilometer of hand woven khadi is being woven.
This will employ and support 300 families for a month.

I will send you your postcard as soon as I have your addresses.
I will be posting with more frequency and letting you know how it's going.

Lot's of pictures and information at:
http://www.5yearplan.org/news.html

Thank you for your support!

Aaron

May the season be joyful and full of loving kindness, may the new year bring gifts of prosperity and passionate inspiration. love to you and your family and friends, aaron

I'll have a complete report of where 5 Year Plan very soon. enjoy

Thanks to all of you, 5 Year Plan is on it 's way! I must continue to raise funds to do the project but we are well on our way to starting in Jaipur. It touches my heart that so many of you give when $ is tight. I value every penny and I will use your donations with care. Thank you, and much love, Aaron

we're making this strange beautiful project real, thank you so much. particularly in these times i honor your contributions to the project, your faith and support is humbling. it's much more than money you're giving...

little by little! it's like a horse race! will we make it?

thank you to my beloved friend Amy Stewart and her friend James Hellman. Amy is my favorite subject to paint, she brings out my best and her x-ray eyes don't miss much.

Also thanks to Dr. Stephen Perkins, Curator of Art at the Lawton Art Gallery, University of Wisconsin Green Bay, and director of the WC Gallery. (see picture enclosed) He and Arda Ishkanian are great artists and instigators of challenging projects: http://www.wisconsinvisualartists.com/public/article_full.php...

Thank you to Deborah G.! it's support like yours that keeps the 5YP heart pumping!
love,
Aaron

Dear Friends, we are so close to meeting our goal!
If only 2 people out there can purchase signed copies we are set!

Thank you to Amy +Yuli +Leora Baryshnikov!
Amy is a jeweler and artist, Yuli is a mathematician, their combined genius created Leora.
Thank you to Monica Youn, of the Brennan Center for Justice, she's the real deal.
Thank you David Anolik who got a book, check him out at: http://www.quangoinc.com
Thanks to Prerana Reddy, Director of events at the Queens Museum of Art, she puts together amazing programs. http://community.queensmuseum.org
Thanks also to Roberta A, who got a book!
Katherine B also got a book, many thanks!
Happy Birthday to J.K Maclean, environmental artist/activist and father.
carfreemileend.blogspot.com
Thank you Windmill Factory! They've got a project worthy of support on Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thewindmillfactory/clothing-the-line
Thanks to Cavin-Morris Gallery for all their help and for Pushpa Kumari : www.cavinmorris.com
Jana Branch rules!
If you are in Chelea, check out David Dunlap's show at the Cue Foundation at 511 w.25th St.
it's amazing what a small animal can do when he puts his whole heart into it. (til Jan.9, must see!) http://www.cueartfoundation.org/

All the artists will sign an edition of 65, this is ALL the artists.
People who purchase one are listed with the artists as sponsors and acknowledged within the book.
If someone you know has pockets and a keen eye for the good, please recommend 5 Year Plan.
They'll be in great company!
Hanuman is the Monkey god who lifted a mountain to save a friend-
You have a lot in common with him!

Happy Holidays and Thank You!
xxx
Aaron

thank you all for your support! we are closer than it appears- doors are opening. xxxAa

We have received sponsorship from Ron and Freyda Feldman of Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, very cool people. www.feldmangallery.com
Martina Batan also of Ronald Feldman , is also a supporter and friend to Tim Wehrle and Ben Goker, which makes her like family.
This is a huge boost, it will be reflected in our funding total by tomorrow.

Big shout outs to Jim Duke! Beth Lucht, Dr. Donna, Pat, Jen, Diana, Eve, and Laura !
Thank you so much!
Shout outs too to: Felipe Ribein whose site SpankTheMachine.com will be up soon.
Ai Kijima is an artist to check out-her site is: www.aikijima.com
Uriah's band has wood, check them out at: www.myspace.com/woodsypride

We will do this and make our mothers proud! love, Aaron

about a million people spin and weave cotton by hand, 80% of them are women.
it has a touch and fragrance as rich as warm sunlight

Thank you for your support of 5 Year Plan.
So far we've raised about $9K in total, we honor your support and are committed to creating a great work of art and making our collective gift to Doctors Without Borders.
We do not quit.
love,
Aaron