Anxiety and art

Anyone else deal with existential dread by making things?

 With all manner of court cases, their outcomes and repercussions hanging in the ether,

I've decided to lose myself in playing - 

with paper, paint and scissors -

oh, and I've added sculpty clay to my repertoire.

Nothing, on any front which will bring collectors flocking to my door -

but that's not why we engage in an art practice, right? 

Using the side of your brain NOT engaged in analytical thought

AND getting so lost in the process that you forget about the issues of the day

is reward enough.

 

The great thing about hearts is they're simple ...

and festive and pretty hard to screw up!

For me, while getting the sculpt right is hard enough,

it's the painting that can ruin the experience.

My arthritic hands and unsteady brushes 

are just NOT good for the quality or look I'd love to have.

That's why you practice, practice, practice...

like scales on the piano.

OR you move on to something easier, like cutting, gluing, pasting and painting

before coming back and trying again!

 

I'm in love with Sweet Pea!

 

The other alternative to running around with your hair on fire is to get off your ass

and DO something.

 

There was a recent launch event to get enough signatures on a petition 

which would allow a constitutional amendment to be placed on the state ballot in November,

essentially returning reproductive freedoms to women, 

in consultation with their physicians -

and away from the misogynistic legislators in Jeff City.

 

The turnout was fabulous, the speakers inspiring and, I have to say,

it was the most hopeful I've been in a long time.

I know it might seem crazy that this is such an important issue for me...

after all, I haven't had a uterus for 25 years!

But I refuse to pass on a world to my granddaughter 

in which she would have fewer rights than I had. 

The queen deserves better than that!
 

I never needed to have an abortion; 

but I DID have to have D&C's after 3 miscarriages;

procedures I might not have been able to obtain in the current climate 

of legislators deciding they know more about female anatomy and reproductive medicine

than the professionals and women in whom those uteruses are housed!

I'm going to a training next week - 

and will then be making the rounds to every event I can, 

clipboard, pen and sign up sheet in hand.

Gonna get this done!

Next week is also the start of Lent!!

Do you believe it?

You know what that means, right?

The models have arrived!