graduates - authentic artworks - happy students

My senior art class are nearing the end of our time together. I have enjoyed teaching them immensely and find that they have all jumped a gap in the past few months. The knowledge that their world is about to be redesigned is both daunting and exciting. I have encouraged them above all, to be authentic beings. To be true to oneself can make us periodically unpopular, difficult to be around and restless until we figure it all out. Of course, it takes decades. All the self-help books, slogans, platitudes and outside advice serves to stir some ancient truth in us, but making art and writing from the heart are two of the valuable practices that will ensure the quest resonates with something close to joy. I do wish them well and am cheerfully grateful for what they each have taught me in return.

Gay Marriage is a right...bullying isn't

How foolish is it that we as a nation are so crippled by the comments against gay marriage by non-gays that are being thrown into the debate? Are we heterosexual people really such an authority on the needs and rights of those who feel differently to us? Do we have a right to continue to make decisions on behalf of a percentage of society who are adults, employees, graduates, tradespeople, teachers, students, professionals or simply people and law-abiding citizens? Is it as if the Gay Community are children - not yet mature enough to own an opinion about their personal welfare? Check out the overall behaviour of the people who are pretending to know who should be allowed to marry? How laughable that many of the individuals who are barking on about how wrong gay marriage is are rather 'badly married'?! Should we look closely at the issue and note that the percentage of men and women who wish to live in partnership with someone of the same gender is irrelevant and they should not be referred to as a 'minority group'? I have naturally curly hair, am left-handed, have obvious OCD traits, am not at all fat and don't like eating lollies. Am I in a minority group? I think so! Everyone needs to stop making discriminatory excuses, scrutinise their own social/relationship/parenting/ecological crimes/addictions and other nationally damaging habits and demand marriage equality. Then the mewing pollies can start to be real Politicians instead of pseudo gate-keepers.
It is really just...Bullying....

changed address

I have changed the address of this blog since its first inception, so comments on older posts will not  appear. However, the idealogies that prompted me to begin writing posts has remained the same. Trawling other blogs about art, psychology, youth issues and education have given me many hours of musing.

gel medium transfers

It was perhaps Robert Rauschenberg to whom we can bow in thanks for this clever little technique. Is the ink significant? Images on canvas are particularly versatile. How do they go on tiles? I have tried several types, the inkjet images included and found little difference. How I love the slightly less-than-perfect results of some. Please post some samples.

today in memory of my mother....

make time, make dinner, make friends, make career choices, make-up, makeout, make good, makeover, make art, make music, be self-made and remember

 

No comments....

Still no comments.....?

where is the creative hunger?

The very important issues of providing a well-rounded education to rural populations is close to my heart. It is inevitable that small communities may never have a chance to recognise or experience some of the ongoing opportunities of their city counterparts, but as technology and communications reach heights unimagined in the past, we can only hope to push the boundaries here in the bush. I believe that developing creativity is a vital ingredient in educating our youth. I have a deep conviction that there is a power in making art, music and literary texts that can turn back the tide of depression and delinquency plaguing our culture. Kids need a rich internal dialogue to keep out the boogeyman.Suicide is an issue in rural Australia. Too much external suctioning of the joy that should be inherent in our young people robs them of their creative life. In my classroom, I observe the amazing healing properties of using colour and form every day. So why is this not a priority in many homes? Do adults think they should stop being driven by the urge to craft stuff? Is filling a supermarket trolley the new flower arranging or embroidery? Is buying more clothes than we need a replacement for the tactile satisfaction gleaned from painting, drawing, sewing, knitting and spinning wool?