Cromwell Valley Elementary Magnet School

Today was a blast at Cromwell Valley Elementary Magnet School, before Wifey and I arrived all of the students viewed the commercial. They split the school into two session, that was held in the lunch room. This was done so that everyone could sit in a circle as I worked on a drawing.  The students were engaged the whole time and really asked good questions. The best question was, when did I know my disability was an ability? I said my mom always show me that I  had the ability to do anything, she always let me try anything at least once.

Although, this event was about disability awareness the bigger issue is acceptance of all people no matter what!

Start of Many Memories

Today Wifey and I attended a service for Gayle; they said it was only the first of many just as Gayle and Crosby had three weddings. I have been thinking would this be the same as if they were an “able body” couple? They not only help and took care of each other at home, but also worked as a couple to progress the disability movement.

Here I sit a week from my 5th wedding anniversary, thinking how much Wifey and my lives are intertwined not because they have to be, but from our choice.  Maybe that is the different of a lover from a soul mate, you are there to support each other and catch one another in your failures and celebrate the good times.  Most of all these are the relationship that blaze new paths in the world and people talk about for years.

My heart goes out to Crosby, I know people like Gayle and my Wifey would want their man to move on. This seems to be impossible, how can one find another soul mate that can take of you physically, emotionally, and spirational.  One cannot do this and it would be unfair to hold another up to these expectation.

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.