Arts For Earth Foundation

I am humbled by the beautiful sweet souls who attended our Arts For Earth Foundation workshop today at Ventura's BuenaVentura Art Association at Bell Arts.

We got to know each other and discussed our various art forms. I'm impressed with the very high level this group produces. Notably many started as shy people, unsure of whether viewers would need to hear what they have to say or not. Please don't edit the baby, it hasn't been born and has no hair to change color. Allow your ideas to grow, come from your heart and be kind to yourself.

Does that make sense? In this workshop we are coming from the heart, coming up with concepts that express the feelings and emotions we have about things and people who are very dear to us. Personal experiences that are in the process of being formed, identified.

Then the room got quiet. A Saddness or tension was felt in the silence. I asked that we look at the things that could come between us and our hearts desire. I really didn't even want to ask the question since the whole workshop had been a positive loving experience up to that moment. I wanted to change the format but we had a safe place to explore and we went on.

In the silence people worked and contemplated our own various issues. Like the issue of loving the ocean. What keeps us from cultivating internal peace... like the clock on the wall or thoughts of what comes next after the time I set aside for myself. Or the calendar that steals days from us and our sons or daughters. We can hear the tears in the silence. I feel like this is too tough to ask of people... until we start to share.

In some ways the community we create and our speaking with each other is the ultimate art form. Performance art, improvisation of who we are coming out at every moment un-planned, un-pretentious, authentic by necessity says John Bardi the philosopher musician of the group. Our community is being born as we begin to speak, to share.

The first "thumbnail sketches" were illustrating 5 of our 15 most favorite things in life. Things and people who give our lives meaning and quality. The second "thumbnail sketch" (with no editing or judgement on the drawing quality or the concept because it's a feeling being born)is of the things that impair this quality like plastic and pollution killing my beautiful view of the ocean with a sea turtle and sail boat. And more: A person with cancer, an aborted fetus with mother behind bars and her rapist free to go, people in too much of a hurry to smell the roses next to the microwave as they tap their fingers in impatience.

But the third thumbnail is the important one. creating the awareness that we are all in this together. All indigenous with all immigrants belong together in one big pot of medicinal chicken noodle soup. It's being called the Cosmic Perspective and its "US", not "them and us" who are going to make it together.

The third thumbnail shows the love of a mother and father who already miss their young child and the time they've missed together, it shows the love. And the artist whose focus gives peace in a simple viewing of their artwork...gives the viewer time to look and feel their peace if only for a moment. It's the clothing and beads imported that come with the story of women working to bring up their community with the sharing of their arts knitting our cultures together.

And, this brings up one of the last enduring impactful point made this morning in our Art as Artivism workshop... Each perspective is so important. Your work of art MUST be created. It is so important. To me. To each other. To the one person who needs to hear it so they don't feel so alone. Perhaps it will resonate with only one person... and if it does, WHEN it does, it is likely to resonate with many and hearten them to go on.

Like the tree that falls in the forest when no one hears...does it fall? Our voices are individually lonely voices sometimes afraid to speak. Pushing ourselves to make a sound and wondering if it matters. Often many of us argue with the voice within to not make an impact, afraid to be manipulative or bombastic. Yet when we create, our voices harmonize so much better. Especially when we are all willing to sing our truth. This becomes who we are, what we look like as the culture we create together. The greatest art form is the creation of our community.

How will you use your art to create the change you wish to see in the world? (from Ghandi)

Namaste.

p.s.

please work on these artworks. I will send out several local non-profit groups who will be happy to receive them as well as Arts For Earth Foundation and our next Earth Spirit exhibit. Schedule to be announced for late fall and early spring to give you time to get to the part of yourself who has something valuable to say.