Political Art

In art school they taught that fine art should have "content"--ie some message, concept or tell a story. I think all ART is political---even decorative art reflects the culture it is created in--- so the personal is political becomes a tru-ism.

Last winter I created a linocut print which reflects the city where I live--Seattle. Recently, I decided to use that image for some OCCUPY SEATTLE "art"---so I created these 3" x 3" stickers with my artwork in the background. I love the spray paint font....rather like graffitti. I plan to stick these stickers up around my 'hood and share them with friends....my own bit of subversive "performance art."

I have been going downtown to the Occupy Seattle marches about once a a week and I find them inspiring for several reasons. Of course, I agree with the philospohy--in fact I am one of the 99% of Americans with not much of a safety net and currently one of the millions of US citizens who are unemployed. I also find the Occupy movement's General Assembly style of consensus organizing and the diversity of the folks involved heartening and inspiring.

Already this movement has managed to get our President to change the student loan rules and now greedy Bank of American has "decided to remove the $5 fee it was implementing for debit cards." I firmly believe that if we work and stand together we can influence and change our country.

Of course, coming of age in the 1960's---with the Vietnam War protests---and seeing how they changed US policey (eventually) contributed to this conviction. Our generation changed out culture--but then we dropped the ball...and became complacent. Time for us all to wake up! and step up again. Won't you join us?

p.s. oh yeah--if you want some stickers e-mail me--I am selling them at cost of production...about 82 cents for each one...with a small price cut if you order 20 or more...lets spread them around town!!!

Give PEACE a Chance!

Sadly, TODAY--March 20th---- is the 6th anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq War, and this is a six-year milestone with no known end in sight. President Obama has made a pledge to end the war, but his deadlines mean nearly two more years of conflict. The continued conflict has left its mark on Iraq and its citizens, and its reverberations will be felt for generations. Additionally, spending billions of US taxpayer's money to fund this war has negatively affected our economy.

But what will a complete withdrawal look like? How will we know if we're moving ahead — or falling behind? I urge you to call your senators and representative today and ask:

• What does the removal of "all" troops actually mean?

• What measures will we use to chart our progress?

• What will we leave behind?

This continuing war makes me so sad, I just could not let this day go by without acknowledging the 6th year anniversary of this conflict. I pray that in the near future we will seriously pursue ways to solve conflict without war, since in a war nobody wins.

the PEACE SIGN turns 50!

CREATIVE EVERY DAY!

Last week the venerable PEACE SIGN turned 50. "First displayed on home-made banners and badges in London on February 21, 1958, to mark the launching of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the Peace Sign turns 50." Too find out more about who designed the PEACE SIGN and learn about the 50 year history of the PEACE SIGN---I direct you to the excellent website HAPPY BIRTHDAY PEACE.COM.

I stumbled across this site early last week, and ended up using it in our Quaker Meeting's First Day School primary class--we all created our own PEACE SIGNS. We started with a paper plate, and colored or painted or embellished the PEACE SIGN any way we wanted. The children mostly painted or drew on their PEACE SIGNS. I decided to sew buttons on mine--soon the kids were helping to pick out the buttons from the 2 boxes of buttons I had brought, and sewing some buttons on their own PEACE SIGNS. This is a great fun project with primary age kids---little ones can help choose the buttons to use, while older ones can sew them onto the the paper plate template. I cut the PEACE SIGN out of the paper plate before I started sewing the buttons on. We all learned about who designed the first PEACE SIGN, and talked about what Peace meant to each of us.

PINK is Powerful

CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education and other life-affirming activities. We reject the Bush administration's fear-based politics that justify violence, and instead calls for policies based on compassion, kindness and a commitment to international law. With an emphasis on joy and humor, CODEPINK women and men seek to activate, amplify and inspire a community of peacemakers through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence.

In light of the event that has occurred today at Virginia Tech, I am posting this poem. I am holding the families involved in the light, and praying for them.


And Death Shall Have No Dominion
by Dylan Thomas

And death shall have no dominion.
Dead men naked they shall be one
With the man in the wind and the west moon;
When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,
They shall have stars at elbow and foot;
Though they go mad they shall be sane,
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;
Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
Under the windings of the sea
They lying long shall not die windily;
Twisting on racks when sinews give way,
Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break;
Faith in their hands shall snap in two,
And the unicorn evils run them through;
Split all ends up they shan’t crack;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
No more may gulls cry at their ears
Or waves break loud on the seashores;
Where blew a flower may a flower no more
Lift its head to the blows of the rain;
Though they be mad and dead as nails,
Heads of the characters hammer through daisies;
Break in the sun till the sun breaks down,
And death shall have no dominion.


ACTUALLY, GUNS DO KILL PEOPLE
List of anti-gun companies, groups, organizations and people
(with thanks to the blog Bibliophile Bullpen)

Give Peace a Chance

PAPER CRANES: Prayers for Peace



On the 4th anniversary of the War in Iraq, I offer this thought for the day:

"Peace is more than the absence of war, violence, or conflict, though that is an important first step. Peace is a presence--the presence of connection.

Inner peace is about connection with our true and natural self, and a sense of being part of something larger. This connection gives rise to serenity, balance, and a feeling of well-being. We connect to the living spirit of life within us all, that allows us to know all people as our brothers and sisters, and every living being – including the earth – a relative."
~ Louise Diamond

(with THANKS to the blog Women, Art, Life : Weaving It All Together.)

That said, I plan to join my fellow humans today at a Vigil for Peace in Iraq at the Rockridge Bart Station (Oakland)at 5:30 pm. While I honor our troops this March 19th, I will also call on President Bush to do the same.
Honor their sacrifice. Stop the escalation. End the war now.