Where I Stand Sunday and a Pastel Painting for Today

You have seen this view before..it's my "home" view - of 'Where I Stand Sunday'.

With all the travel lately, I am not going anywhere - on purpose!

"Land of the Free, Home of the Brave" - 4" x 6" pastel on Canson paper
Yeah, I am able to get back to the studio!
This one is being entered in a nearby miniature show in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Let 'art' lift your spirits, whether you make 'art' it or view it.

In this crazy state of uncertainty...ART SAVES LIVES, now more than ever!

Why Do YOU Blog??

Yesterday, my blog's traffic report showed 80 visits. Now friends, that is a massive amount of traffic, for my little blog. In trying to analyze it (which I suppose is impossible) I considered several items that never cease to amaze me.

I get lots of comments about how much others enjoy reading my blog, surprised there are only a few comments made on the blog entries. When I 'invite' comments, I never get one. When I do get comments, it is from usually from other bloggers, I love them. Am I fishing for comments and feedback, is that why I blog?
No.

I don't rely on traffic numbers to measure the success of my blog. Honestly, I have never had the time to keep an ongoing 'journal' about a subject my entire life. As an educator, I taught 'writing' to kids, never practiced it much as an adult. I have a 'voice', and I want to continue to try it. Often, I received encouraging 'complements' on college papers - "well written" or "well stated". I feel I have something to say and I CAN say it 'well'.

I enjoy sharing thoughts on my living in the Kansas countryside, of being the person I am and being an artist and how those three things sometimes 'collide' and sometimes I enjoy the benefits of the combination. Blogging is very personal. It's a true reflection of your life experiences, your views, attitudes, and opinions, it's kind of like I left my diary open on the desk for others to read, therefore, I thought it would be scary to share openly and push that PUBLISH button each time I wrote (esp. to 80 others in one days time), but it has become a source of what gives me more purpose. We all have something to say. I want to practice saying it as creatively and clearly as I can. It's saving paper, it's on my computer and others have read my thoughts, they know me better. That would be success!

Truthfully, I look at everyday life and think, "What about 'this', would make for interesting writing or reading for that matter?" If you go back, I started my blog with the desire to share my art as I was beginning to rev up my practice and within a few days the "Peepers" incident happened. I was hooked on telling the saga of Peepers. And what a saga it was! One never knows when that kind of stimulus for writing and sharing will occur! Another part of my blog that is very important to me is "Where I Stand Sunday". It has given me a comaraderie with the others who use this vehicle for writing.

I don't advertise for others on my blog, except for Robert Genn (see sidebar), and that helps artists, it doesn't necessarily sell something. I don't get paid to do that, it just promotes art and artists. And that's one of my main missions. That subject will be in other blogs, from time to time. Self promotion and promotion of what I think is important to the human existence - ART. So here goes the issue for today...

On the Nebraska TV News the other night, I heard that they were thinking about eliminating instrumental music from the 4th grade and how that would give the older kids more 'class' time in music class. I guess you can look at it anyway you want, but ultimately, to 'hook' kids - some of whom I have known just "busting" in 2nd grade to someday soon "play" with the band or orchestra - you need to catch them while you can! One year less on the beginning side, makes for one less year of proficiency on the graduating side, too. In some arenas, people shouldn't mess with "rights of passage" with kids. I am sure they are doing this for budget cut reasons. WE - our civilization - needs to protect what goes on in the 'arts' in schools! I get so afraid that if changes like the one I just wrote about occur, we have started to lose the battle. Remember? ART SAVES LIVES (that includes P.E., Music and Fine art!) (Just like some parents think that 'SPORTS saves lives', and I will go along with that, too!) Some kids are athletes and some kids are artists! So hopefully, I planted a seed for thought, if you haven't ever considered it. And now, as lots of little kids do in the early writings - THE END!

P.S. - So why do you blog? Leave a short comment if you would - ha, just think, yesterday I could have had around 70 - 80 comments!

"Art Saves Lives"

Ok, I started this blog to tell you about my wanting to learn HTML for free online and about the grasshoppers in the fields..but I found there was something else I had to say. We are on our way to Minneapolis for the Vanagon tomorrow. Got to get back quick and get on ALL THE STUFF we GOTTA DO, so I can get back out to the studio to draw and paint. Been missing it terribly!! Right now, I am a frustrated artist! And that isn't good for the other part of my life. Makes me grouchy and sad at the same time. You have no idea how fulfilling art can be, unless you are an artist. Several of you who read this will agree! That's why I have adopted the saying on the bumper sticker on my Jeep -  "Art Saves Lives" -  actually I got it at the Ancestral Spirits Gallery in Port Townsend, Wash., and it has a different meaning there, lay-offs were happening in the area a few years ago and people turned to ART as a way of making a living...so in that case "Art Saves Lives" differently.) I also look at the saying to mean this: if it weren't for THE ARTS, MUSIC and PHYSICAL EDUCATION/SPORTS, many kids would have dropped outta school long ago. It was what kept me interested, my daughter interested and many other kids I have taught along the way interested. Please support the arts in public education and when someone says they think the ARTS should be erased from the academic world, remember please...ART SAVES LIVES!!