The status of the current US economy is affecting my own creativity.  Or, let me re-phrase this by saying, I'm allowing the news, and stock market downfall to affect my own creativity. 

The fear of the unknown is the greatest fear.  Overcoming the fear of the unknown through the creativity of art is very uplifting. 

So, therefore, I am going to overcome these stresses by pulling on the lessons of the pioneer spirit from my aging parents and just knuckle down and work on creativity. 

I firmly believe the creative psyche is very delicate.  First, as individuals we need to nourish our own creative psyche through the processes.  Then as our creative psyche begins to grow we need to protect it from outside stresses.  Finally, once the creative psyche is maturing, then it's much easier to continue to create without stops and starts. 

There are many types of artists.  I am a feeling artist, or emotional artist.  I have to feel whatever I am trying to create.  I have to experience a feather, a flower, or animal, before I can create the work of art.   So therefore, through the process of experiencing the essence of a flower, my own creative psyche continues to grow.  The process of art is achieved, and the uplifting feelings of joy are the results. 

I try to make it over to the Benson Farmer's Market every Saturday morning.  I am there displaying my art for sale.  Along with other vendors, rain or shine, hot weather or not.  These are local business owners are trying to build their businesses.  As an added treat, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, there's always music, most of the time it's traditional folk music.  Sometimes, there are groups that play jazz, or music from the 60s & 70's. 

I believe the middle class America can be rebuilt on the shirt-tail of the Traditional Folk music, Contra dancing, and Art that demonstrates hope, & values.  In history the middle class established it's foundation singing these songs, & creating their own hope.  I believe we can do it again.  The traditional folk music gives us hope, & brings us out of the negativity of recession and stress.  There's something very therapeutic about singing.  The songs are uplifting and sometimes funny which makes us laugh.  Songs that tell a story sometimes teaches a lesson, and sometimes the songs just give us hope to go on when everything seems so bleak.  The song, "Hard Times," comes to mind. 

To rebuild the middle class America will not be easy, but I believe we can do it.  We have done it before and we can do it again.  So bring your banjo, guitar, or just bring your voice out to the farmer's markets all over the US to play a tune, purchase from the vendors, but most of all support local businesses and rebuild middle America. 

Through my art I try to demonstrate the importance of clean water to fight disease.  It is imperative for our children's safety.

Through my art I try to demonstrate the importance of clean air so that my friends can breathe. 

Through my art I try to demonstrate the importance of clean Earth to plant our food. 

We want to make a change and work towards sustainability.  

7/28/2011

The OPPD Refrigerator Art project is finished.  "Under the Pot, A Stand or Not?"  is finished.  The truck came to pick it up today.  I did not follow my environmental goals, but I tried.  I could not follow my goals because the products available were not available.  This art project will be on display very soon in the Old Market area of Omaha, NE.  I will announce the location very soon. 

It would be nice to see small businesses begin to grow that provides an alternative to the toxic products we have available presently.  There could be an enormous amount of jobs for small businesses for the future.  Let's get our inventing caps on and get to work. 




7/16/2011
The second pot of flowers is completed.  Now it's in the drying portion of the process.  The first pot of flowers continues to dry. I will put the first pot through the bisque firing next Wednesday or Thursday depending on the outside weather.  If it's over 100 degrees outside I will wait until Thursday. 
Presently, I have to complete the painting on the other 2 sides of the refrigerator.  There is nothing that brings me more happiness than working through the processes of art. 

Images coming very soon. 

What colors your happiness?



7/8/2011

Within the processes of porcelain clay, design, creativity, and inspiration I find myself with the lingering thought of protecting the environment through the OPPD Refrigerator Art Project.

I am in the process of building the pot of flowers that will rest on the top of the refrigerator when it's completed.  The coil pot is built, and now I am creating different flowers with leaves that goes in the pot.  Roses, Calla Lillies, to name a few.  After the pot of flowers is finished, I will go back to painting the refrigerator.  The pot of flowers will take several days to dry.  I will create a second pot of flowers, very soon. 

6/24/2011

The under-painting is complete on one side of the Refrigerator Art project.  All of my designs are based on nature. 
I am beginning another side of the refrigerator.  It's not going as fast as the opposite side.  Lots of tiny designs within a design.  It is difficult for me to work with the sign paint.  The brushes are not quite right.

Everything in life is a process. When you are born it is a process, through the growing years it is a process, living is a process.  And death is a process. I learned that everything has it's own process from the processes of art.  Art is a tool that can be utilized all of our lives.  There are time when we experiment with parts of the process.  Some experiments work and some do not.

On the sky of one of the refrigerator designs I have cut up an old rag to use instead of a brush.  This works much better than any of the brushes I have at this time.  The sign paint is very thin and runs easily.  If I do not catch the drips and smooth them out with a brush or rag then they have to be sanded and then I begin again. 

Because the sign paint is toxic, I have several of the windows open in the room where the refrigerator art is located.  I'm only painting about 6 hours at a time and then I'm in other rooms where the ventilation is much better.  When I am finished for the day, I wash my hands in dish detergent and put on coconut oil to take the remaining paint off my hands.  I am drinking green tea because it's supposed to be a natural detox tea, and drinking lots of water. 

Old Artists don't pass away, they fade into the colors of their art.

Look for me beneath the outside layer, you will find me among the colors.

I am beginning to work with the sign enamel paint.  I am asking myself is this the style I'm after.  But, I am limited to this type of paint because the artwork will be outside during the warmer months of the year.  The enamel paint will hold up better than acrylic.  The sign paint is toxic. I am trying to be very careful with ventilation.  The weather has been quite mild here in the midwest.  It's amazing the airflow dynamics in these older homes.   I am using Turpenoid natural to clean the brushes. 
The sign paint does not blend hardly at all.  If I try to blend I get a muddy color.  Also, it's thinner and runs easily.  I have some sanding in between coats.  I will create the flames side later today. 

I am hoping there is a little art in your day, and if not create some. 

Later in the day, I have the holes on the back covered with galvanized aluminum.  I hope they look OK.  The folks over at Hempal Sheet Metal on 13th street just up from the Bohemian Cafe really helped me with this part of the process.  Thanks

I haven't been over to the Bohemian Cafe in a very long time.  I used to like the Red Cabbage there and the dumplings.  I could eat an entire plate of Red Cabbage.  So many wonderful memories and so little time. 

I have been talking to other artists, hardware stores, and just people about the correct method of cleaning the old refrigerator in preparation of creating the art project.  I am finding this process will not be completed using toxic free products.  I just used acetone to break up the enameled surface.  Also, because of art acrylic paint will not hold up outside in the elements, I will be using sign enamel paint which is toxic. 
Because of the toxic fumes, I have opened all the windows, and have a fan in one of the windows.  I used a face mask.  And when I took it off I could not smell any fumes. 
I am asking the question, can non-toxic products be created to do this work?  The only other method would be to sand the surface a lot. I do not have the physical stamina to complete this job sanding.    I would be adding enameled paint dust to my studio and then continually breathing the dust as I work. 
I am asking for toxic free products to use in art. 

Discussion encouraged.

Under the Pot, a Stand, or Not?

 is an art project that I am currently beginning.  I am excited to say that I am one of 5 artists that will be participating in the OPPD Refrigerator Art project.  Through the process of creating my design, I will be writing a blog about the progress of my work.  Through this process I will document the different materials, and process, that I use through this process to determine the toxicity, and the impact on our natural environment.

I want to learn through this process if there are other products that are non-toxic.  Also, I want to determine if the process I follow has the least amount of impact on the natural environment as possible.  Or, if there are ways that I can change the process slightly, without changing the design. 
Here are some of the supplies that I will be using
acrylic paint
a bonding primer (which I know for certain is toxic)  If I use house paint I cannot get the beautiful colors that are found in the artists acrylic paint selection.  Also, I have a budget to work with. 
I will be using a non-toxic brush cleaner and non-toxic sealer. 
Most of the ceramic glazes are low fire glazes and are non-toxic. 
Low fire glazes runs the kiln shorter time and uses less electricity.

Discussions would be welcomed.

Why am I wary that natural gas causes earthquakes?  OK, I understand in the past here in the midwest US we have had small earthquakes.  We have not have had any trimmers since in the 1940s until last October, and then again in early 2011, I don't remember the month.  I do not support natural gas drilling.  There are so many natural faults here in the US and I do believe it will not take much to disturb the energy to set off new earthquakes.  I am not certain that we want to go down that path.

The Earth will tell us, if we look and listen.  OK, the trimmers in October and early 2011 has my attention.  But, the main concern is do we care what is done to the Earth as long as there is a profit to be made? 

How do we keep people warm, cool, and safe?  We create new methods, new processes, new safe energy. 

But, people with profit, and dollar signs before their eyes are not looking at the whole picture.  Begin to see this through artist's eyes.  Plus, they are not taking the time to research natural gas drilling in correlation with earthquakes.The rush to drill before researching the safety and logic of natural gas drilling is just the same old methods we used in creating nuclear power.  Come on folks, I know we can do better than this.  I firmly believe in brilliance of the people to create a new clean, sustainable, easy access, and safe energy for the environment and people.  And no I wouldn't believe a scientist's report paid by the natural gas companies pertaining to the natural gas drilling and earthquakes.  Perhaps US government test, though.  I am not certain, though, politics clouds so much these days.

How about some proactive thinking?

Another major concern with natural gas drilling is the effect on ground water.  If we do not protect the ground water and our drinking water at all costs, we will not remain sustainable as a society.  And isn't the main goal to remain and maintain Sustainability? 

Let's begin to look at what we have in abundance to see if there is a way we can use it in new energy.  Let's begin to support new clean energy research.  This should be our main goal, focus.  Create new jobs just for this one goal.  Let's get the ball rolling on a much larger scale for the betterment of humankind and Earth our first home. 

It is incomprehensible to me  that some in our society are considering not caring for the disabled, and taking away medical assistance or reducing it to the ninth degree for the elderly, not to mention so many other programs that are being lost.  Have they really thought this through.  What will become of the elderly that can not pay?  How will they survive?  When at the same time these same people purport big business, oil subsidies, and big war.  Do we have representatives of the people, or are they representatives of companies?
Is this a democracy?  Or someone said corptracacy or something like that?

How can people say they follow a religion in one breath and then support new laws that are so devastating to people who cannot care for themselves in the next breath. In any religion that I have read about, it mandates care for the disabled, ill, aged, and down trodden. Nor, is it ethical.  As a society, we have to begin to become more ethical.  We have to begin to put ethics into every decision, every action taken.

 The time has past as a society when we allow constant pollution of our water, land, and environment with no conscience.  The time has past when people are not getting the education they need to get the jobs to feed their families.  The time has past in continuing wars where they is no end.  The time has past when women are paid less than their male counterparts in the workforce, and yet they have to pay more for having work done in their homes to live independently as they age. 

I am writing this message to ask for social change.  Social change where ethics and logic are used to determine any law.  I know little about the process of law for I am an artist.  But, I am not  certain ethics and logic are being utilized more recently in the House of Representatives.   

It is the time in our society that we lay down our weapons of war and begin a new day where we will be at peace with our neighbors around the world. It is a time when we need to begin to help each other with new ideas for new fuels.  It is time to come to the table, to create a new world through the creativity of art, the creativity of thinking, to see a new existence with each other.  An existence of peace.  And I can see this existence through the eyes of an artist.  Look, I am certain you can see it too.