This blog is about my adventures in engaging my fellow homo sapiens in art making. Why? Good fricken question! I think that is something that I will have to discover in the course of this blog.
But to be sportly, I guess I better take a stab:
Why engage others in art making?
For one, I am good at it. That sounds conceited, I know, but the truth that I am very privilaged to have grown up with a mother of an artist, and a father who did not denegrade my art making as sissy or anything.. So I have had Alot of practice, probably more than my fair share.
Why try to share it with others?
I can't say I have any huge commitment to sharing art making with others, at least not at this moment. But I do feel from time to time, on rare occasions, I do feel compelled to, and probably for various reasons. One is probably that I feel guilty about my privilage. But Whatever, I don't thats really why.
Also, I like to share what I know. It is fun for me. Maybe it is part of feeling like an adult, I don't know. Or maybe I just like to feel like a know it all every once in a while.
And thirdly, and probably most honestly, it is a way for me to connect with people. I stopped following sports a long long time ago, and so this is a way I can connect with people. Pretty simple really.
Why write about it?
Well, I must say that I got the idea from Tracey Broom, STOLE it actually.
Check out her blog.
I think a good answer is that when you do art with someone, there is alot to talk about!
(as you might see...)
All right so, while I have done a few projects in the part year or two that I think are worth talking about, mostly in more formal settings. And hopefully I will take the chance to describe them some time in this blog. But here is something that happened today, that re-inspired me to write this blog.
WARNING This story begins with its own LONG pre story that has nothing to do with arts engagering. So if you are not up for a rambling and self aggrandizing subheroic tale, Skip ahead to "WERE BUILDING A RAFT", you myopic twit.
TROUBLE ON THE TRACKS
(I swear this shit is straight of BOYS LIFE).
Today I went to Sanford to cover for someone just let go from the Census, don't know why. After work I took a walk down the train tracks. It was a Beautiful spring day, and Sanford's tracks turned out to be a really tranquil, gladey stretch, with a few descent bamboo patches, one right behind the building where I was parked. On my way back, I came across a couple teenagers, one white and one hispanic, holding a skateboard. I tried to engage them, explaining that all of the burnt areas along the tracks were from a fire that was set by a spark from a train earlier that day. They said "cool, whatever."
Then about a minute later, two more kids, one white, one black, these a bit younger, maybe 10 or 12 approached me and urgently asked if I had seen two kids with a skateboard? The black kid told me they had stolen his skateboard. We could still see the older kids walking away down the tracks, far in the distance.
I considered our options. We could pursue the teenagers, but did I really want to lead an army of two 10 year olds into battle? More importantly, if we followed them, they would probably see us coming, and just run off into the woods, and that would probably be the end of the story.
What we needed was another squad to cut them off, while we closed in from behind. And since my Sanford crew is all in the PRISON OF THEIR OWN MINDS, not hanging out with me and 2 10 year olds, my poor next best selection for this task was the Sanford Police.
What was I thinking? The operator told us to stay put, and by the time they showed up, the teenagers were long gone. I had hoped I could have shown these kids a good example of UTILIZING their local police force, rather than fearing it (a revelation to them). I have had really good experiences with this, and it can be empowering, but also bad, (when the system is ineffective, or I maybe should say, doesn't work in your favor). While the cops that came eventually seemed like good guys and all, this was one (more) time that I wished we had taken things into our own hands. I did have a car after all (I had overlooked this), and if I had been thinking clearly, I think we could have cut them off and gotten the skateboard back. (I should state here that I do understand the police's purpose as defending our laws, which are meant to protect us, and I am generally grateful for their hard work at this difficult task).
"WERE BUILDING A RAFT."
So. while we were waiting, these kids, announced, out of the blue, that they were building a raft. They reported that they had tried using 2x4s, to no avail, and that their next trial raft would be made of logs. I recommended barrels, and said that anything that held air would be a good choice. We discussed styrofoam, etc.
After the police man left with a promise to keep an eye out, and we silently deduced that the skateboard was pretty much a goner, I picked up the bamboo pole I had made before I met them, and we began a slow walk down the tracks. They were taking it pretty well actually, and maybe glad to have an interesting new acquaintance. I introduced myself, and they themselves, Mika, and Kellin. I told them that I liked their raft building idea. We began to discuss other options for building the raft. Then the black kid, Mika, who's skateboard had been stolen, said, "hey, maybe we can use bamboo!" And it was like a light went on. We gathered around the pole, and it was clear to us each that this was the perfect material! So we set about restrategizing this raft design.
First I showed them how to clean a bamboo pole of its branches. Then we laid the pole down on the tracks, which was now a rain swollen creek, and began to lay this craft out in our collective imaginations.
Eventually we decided to make a model, which they would attach a ever-willing GI Joe figure to, and send it down the river to test out their vessel building skills. Interestingly, the white kid, who still had his skateboard, was getting whiney, uninterested and was saying "we should be getting home now", etc. But Mika, who's skateboard was stolen seemed intent. "We could build our model tonight" he said. "No" complained Kerrin, "we can do it tommorrow."
I knew that what we had here was momentum to build on, not to squander. So I helped them to cut some smaller branches, collect them, and trim them down to size. I told them that I would be working in the Library tomorrow afternoon, and that if they came by, we could plan the raft some more. Additionaly, I said that if they brought me in a model, that as reward, I would give them a large rubber bouncy ball I had found on the street on the way to the tracks, and had in my pocket. "Can I see it?", asked Mika. He held it in his hand, and beheld it in stupendous jeuvenile awe, before handing it back to me. It was clear that he had set his sights on it, on something. I bid them good night, as it was almost dark at this point.
When I got back to my car, I opened the trunk. We have these new fancy black Census shoulder bags, with lots of pockets. One doesn't seem meant for anything in particular.
Now it has a special purpose. It holds a large yellow bouncy ball.
TO BE CONTINUED?......
Okay really corny I know, but some days are like that, straight out of a boys life. It just happens. And it seems to be a undeniably good thing. Growing up, you know. And damn if it ain't fun to be a part of.
