The Artist Way

For years people have been saying I need to find an easier way to create my art. As I get older they think my body is going to give out from sitting on the floor in the W position and always using my neck to paint and draw. It is almost impossible to find a dress shirt that fit, because my neck is so muscly.

Being a true artist and pushing myself the next step with my medium by using my hands, I have gone the opposite way. By using my hands to draw, it puts my whole body in motion. I call it the “perfect chaos”, because it is controlling the uncontrollable.  When I first started to drawing with my hands it was so frustrated, that most people would have asked why and just give up. I know it would be worth the struggle and just another challenge for myself.

So why do it, if it causes me pain mentally and physically? I enjoy the process and the results; I enjoy the ability of work the chalk on the surface and building layers as I blind them together, or push and pull them apart. For me, everyone can see each mark that it take to create the peace that come out of a fire storm of activity.

New drawings

The War Is Over

So my Wifey found me some no tie shoe laces, they seem to work good. Every couple days you just need to give them a pull to tight them. I am sure must people have seen the ones with the spring clips, but you need two  hands to tighten them as on a gym  bag.
One of my younger nephews was with Wifey when she bought the laces. Tim said, why would Uncle Dan want girl laces? Her reply was, he is more about independence then looks. I think he will understand in a couple years.
http://www.curlylaces.com/

Voice, Message and Marks

Just by knowing the little art world that I do, is seems that artists are becoming more aware of how unhealthy the old school of art used to be. Some people say you should start using mediums that are less toxic, some people even say do not even eat in your studio. I think one should be safe, but not to the point that you become afraid of the medium that you can become one with.

I have been fining myself in a search for new mediums that I can really put my marks in. For example, ceramics and pastels that I can use with my hands and really develop as layers, I feel that oil paints do not offer this to me.

Maybe I also see how technology is taking the artist hand from their work. Although it is still their voice and message, but how can you really tell who’s hand manipulated the Medium.

For my subject of my work is as important as how I create it.

The Commend Thread

So what does disabilities and art have in commend? Right off the bat most people might say they both are hard roads to take in life, but look on the positive side.  Being that I am lucky enough to experience both fields for most of my life, I would say they both have given the gift to solves problems and the ability to see that there is not only one answer.

Everyone might give you their advise about how things should been done, but in the end you adopt the medium or services to best fit your voice/way of life.

This can be seen in artist work, when they find a medium to tell their story, or take a disability service to best help achieve independence.

You might not always reach goodness on your first attempt, but you build on that experience to learn how to improve for the next time.

Studio Forplay

Friday, I went to studio and Wifey come back to pick me up a few hour later and I asked her to give me another hour.  A few hours in the studio is like forplay to my as I am used to studio marathons.

It is not only because of my disability that I like to spend whole days in the studio, but also my thought process. Yes it might take a hour, or so to get my setup to work in my studio, especially if I am starting a new piece because my assistant has to get all of my supplies ready.

When I was doing my MFA, I just took a lot of time sitting and looking out my work. Thinking about the next step of where I could take theme to develop it more. 

Day of Artists' Patrons

Who says the days of Artists having patrons are over, they just change with the times.  I know i have a big fan and patron in New York. I think at last count he has six pieces of my work and he even lurk on my Facebook pages. I know this from his inquires of me recent post about getting a tablet to view source images as I work on my art.  He emailed to offer me one of his old  Ipads, of course I took it. I would be happy with the offer, even if it is not the newest one.  Now I will be able to view images and listen to music as I work. Although we as artist do not live in a time where patrons do not support us on a daily bases, they still  exist.  THANK YOU

What is so Special About Being Normal Anyway?

To be honest I forget the last time I wanted to be "normal", but when I was young I did. As I grew older, I realized that this is an idea that is set by the majority that thinks it is better then most people.  Why would one want to be part of a group  that takes aways your personality, your identity? I like standing of from the crowd, how are you going to make a different in this crazy world and leave your mark? Not to say, you should total go against the grain. If you go to for over the line, people will not take you seriously. I forget the last time I used the word "normal" in a conversation, because that world puts limitations on what you can accomplish in life.

A few years ago, I went to a planning meeting for a friend as an advocate and some how the word "normal" started to be use in reference to "normal" behavior on the web. I started to think, here I am in a room with people that spend their life in the disabled community and they were using this word as if this is how it should be and there are no exceptions. I mean what the hell is "normal" in the life of a person with a disability? My goal in life is to be accepted, not to fit into the idea of what somebody calls "normal".

As long as my way of life is safe and healthy, I do not care about what is seen as "normal".  This is only another perception that leads me to the conclusion that being disabled needs to be thought more as a life style. The fact is that no matter what I do, my life will not be "normal". My fight in life is to be accepted for who I am.