http://www.edensart.com/ee/index.php/eden/index/ en artist@edensart.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-01T22:43:40+00:00 http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/the_enemy_of_art/ http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/the_enemy_of_art/#When:22:43:40Z Aussie Dreams Someone posted a question in the guest book, which needs fixing—leaving my name as the sender. “Dear Eden, “At which point can/should the artist’s true voice be free of conditioning and culture—In Australian Aboriginal language, there are many words equivalent to ‘we’ but no word to say ‘I’. The tribe is all there is, and tradition is law. Their artistic inspiration is what they call ‘my (my tribe’s) dreaming’ yet Australian contemporary Aboriginal Art is considered the only real original ‘art movement’ since the 80’s. Any thoughts?” My response: When an outsider inquired as to why the Aboriginal man made cave art, he replied: “I don’t make art … the hand spirit makes art.” The Aboriginal man’s answer implies that his art is born out of spirit, not ego. If there is no word for ‘I’ in the lexicon, then each person must have a name to distinguish one from another. Tradition and culture are not the enemy. Mindless tradition and culture are the culprits. Following tradition means repetition. Breaking free from the past demands courage and a vision. Then, no longer entrapped by the opinion of others, the artist creates new work, evolved work, unique work. “Australian contemporary Aboriginal Art is considered the only real original ‘art movement’ since the 80’s.” Who says so? Art is not about trends, movements, fashion, or wavering tastes. Art isn’t an ‘ism’. All the ‘isms’ that define the various art movements over the years have nothing to do with the creation of art. Who will be the next groundbreaking artist? This isn’t up to the artist who does what he does. There is only one breakthrough in art of any value to the artist, and that is truth. art 2012-02-01T22:43:40+00:00 http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/jumping_to_conclusions/ http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/jumping_to_conclusions/#When:23:21:29Z Wassily, The Blue Rider Yes, the title of this post is a cliche, and such banalities are on my verboten list. But, it is okay to use a cliche if you do so on purpose and not out of mindlessness. Whenever some situation arises and it seems that the ‘fault’ lies with some other party or entity—stop from having an immediate opinion. Let things settle before mouthing off. Once said, it cannot be unsaid. In the end, you may discover that the issue was pilot error, your lapse for whatever the reason. And then, you will be proud of yourself for having had the self-discipline and awareness to see things as they are, not as you thought they were. This principle also connects with art. Don’t prejudge. Let your art develop by getting out of the way. If the art isn’t happening, then it is your own interference and frustration at work. You need not be better than any other artist; you need only be your unique self. An artist told me that she loves to capture things in her art. In my work, I am dedicated to unleashing that which wants to be born.  awareness 2012-01-18T23:21:29+00:00 http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/webinar_audio_file/ http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/webinar_audio_file/#When:03:13:30Z Multitasking For those who missed the Xanadu Webinar as noted in my previous post with me as guest speaker, you can hear the audio here. I feel you will find the information of great value. Jason Horejs, who generously hosted the Webinar, is the progressive and forward thinking owner of the successful Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. Note that Jason is also the author of “Starving to Success”—a fine primer on how to best approach galleries with your artwork. art 2012-01-14T03:13:30+00:00 http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/xanadu_eden_webinar/ http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/xanadu_eden_webinar/#When:20:42:54Z If you are interested in participating in this valuable free event, register by clicking on the link here. J. Jason Horejs, owner of the Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ, and I will discuss topics listed above and more. Please pass on this information to artists (and art lovers) who might find this Webinar of value. Thanks.   art 2012-01-11T20:42:54+00:00 http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/modern_tribes_redux/ http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/modern_tribes_redux/#When:23:35:31Z Stealth I watched a documentary the other evening featuring a team from the West who went deep into the uncharted New Guinea jungle. They were in search of a remote mountain Stone Age people who were untouched by modern times. Trekking through the lush unmapped jungle was grueling and dangerous—from headhunters to poisonous snakes. When the team reached their destination, the tribesmen were not pleased to see them. Eventually, although there was an agreement to have a peaceful interchange, the air was rife with tension. The tribe lived in a seemingly unbearable and inhospitable environment: stifling humidity, pestering flies, mosquitos, dangerous animals, diseases, and so on. They did live in houses built some 60 feet above ground; apparently, flies and mosquitoes did not often soar that high. These tribal people mostly segregated men and women, and they did not see a correlation between sex and children. Finding food was the tribe’s main activity; the villagers ate most anything. If you were offered one of their ‘tasty’ delicacies like skewered rat, you accepted if you wanted to keep your head. There were birds on the menu. No big game in this jungle, and no invention of the wheel either, which would be of no use in the nearly impenetrable harsh thicket. Why were these Stone Age people living in this hostile environment in the first place? Yes, humanity does have a knack for adapting, but why adapt to such a dangerous way of life? Did ancestors from the remote past think that this was a good place to settle? Except for some sort of payback in raiding another village and headhunting, it didn’t seem that any of the tribe’s people ventured out beyond their jungle turf to explore the world beyond. These folk, born and mind controlled from birth, accepted reality, and its seeming limitations as it was. Are we modern humans any different? We are born to believe that we are a member of a country, a region, a clan, a belief system, a religion, a philosophy, name your dogma. How many question this cultural conceit? How many do anything about it? The true artist breaks down the mindless artifices of civilization, and must pay the price for doing so. kul cha 2011-12-19T23:35:31+00:00 http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/art_and_myths/ http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/art_and_myths/#When:02:33:54Z Matador, Myth, Moon The late great teacher of mythology Joseph Campbell had a gift for storytelling and presenting exotic concepts in concise terms. Campbell observed that modern Western mythology, which is a dead end with a closed canon, has been transformed into a matter of ethics instead of mysticism. Art and myth are allies in understanding ourselves. Where does your art come from? Do you hear it, feel it, or is it contrived and intellectualized? This is not a comparison. It’s an exercise in awareness. Campbell also said that “myths are public dreams, and that dreams are private myths.” As Campbell might have put it: Do you have ideas or visions? Know your private myth, which is the source of original work.   awareness 2011-12-11T02:33:54+00:00 http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/aldo_the_teacher/ http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/aldo_the_teacher/#When:19:43:03Z Aldo Liberated Here’s something I had to see to believe. I’ve written about Sweetie Boy’s passing in the previous post. I knew I’d miss him, but didn’t realize how much. Those reading my blog posts may be aware that I also have a rescued parakeet, Aldo. You can read more about this remarkable bird by typing ‘Aldo’ in the search field on the right and down below. Sweetie Boy and Aldo have been next to each for the past year in their separate cages. They would often chirp back and forth, and it seemed that they might be speaking with one another. I had some success in hand training Aldo who would perch on my finger for his treat inside his cage. But, he wouldn’t come out of his cage, despite any enticements. He felt quite content and safe inside his aviary-like birdcage. The next day in the evening after Sweetie Boy had died, Aldo came to one of the cage doors and began chirping. I opened the door, and to my amazement, he hopped out, went over to Sweetie Boy’s cage, looked here and there, and began making mournful peeps, as if trying to call him out. It was clear that Aldo was aware that Sweetie Boy was no longer present. I was humbled by Aldo’s compassionate behavior. I sat on the floor with Aldo’s millet treat. He looked down and flew onto my hand for a nibble. So, there we were—Aldo no longer cage bound and both of us missing Sweetie Boy. P.S. The doggie in the picture is Larry, my beloved Yorkie who is missed each day. art 2011-11-17T19:43:03+00:00 http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/sweetie_boy_rip/ http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/sweetie_boy_rip/#When:23:06:53Z Sweetie Boy (1997-2011) When faced with mortality, ours or our beloved friends, or pets, our philosophy of living is put to the test. Anyone can have a cavalier attitude when it comes to being non-attached when death happens to those we don’t know or love. Up until a month ago, he appeared happy, and healthy, Then, he suffered some sort of seizure where his right foot went limp, meaning he couldn’t stand on his perch. I held him on my lap and soothed him with gentle tones for about twenty minutes until his breathing returned to normal and his claw could again firmly grip my finger. All seemed well for several weeks after this episode. Last week, he had two more seizures. I did the same with him, and he seemed to come out of it. Today, I brought him to a highly recommended avian vet in Santa Fe to see what’s going on. The vet cradled Sweetie Boy in a towel; and then the brave yet scared birdie begin wheezing, unable to breath. The vet rushed out with Sweetie Boy to get him oxygen. After some time, the vet returned with the news; Sweetie Boy had died. He apologized, but it wasn’t his fault, and he couldn’t completely determine what had caused Sweetie Boy to die. It might have been a vitamin deficiency, an infection of some sort—although I tried to give him a balanced diet. An all seed diet is bad for birds. The vet said that Sweetie Boy was very ill, although he didn’t look sick at first glance. And birds are very good at concealing any health issues until it’s too late. I left the animal hospital with Sweetie Boy’s limp body. There were tears for Sweetie Boy who was a smart loving creature. I, too, felt limp. A few minutes ago, I laid Sweetie Boy to rest in a small patch of earth behind my cabin. As I covered his small feathered body with dirt, I thought of what the Buddha had observed thousands of years ago: “All things must pass away. Strive for your own salvation with diligence.” There is a price for attachment that one must pay, one way or another. awareness 2011-11-14T23:06:53+00:00 http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/art_imitates_life/ http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/art_imitates_life/#When:21:55:29Z Tan Girl (detail) Some years ago when my dear mother, Adele, would visit me in Los Angeles, we would often trek down from my house in the Hollywood Hills to the Starbucks opposite the Beverly Center on La Cienega Boulevard. This Starbucks was one of their flagship stores with lots of open space, huge windows, and live music in the early afternoon. We would spend quality time there, as she had her tea or decaf, and I a cappuccino. I always brought my color pencils and museum quality art papers. On this occasion, we were sitting at a table near one of the windows that overlooked a small plaza with outside tables. I began drawing, and my mother took in her favorite sport: people watching. A young couple sat down at the outside table directly across from the window. They were talking in earnest and we could see their profiles. The girl’s deep tan was offset by her wavy blond hair. By this time, I had been working for about a half hour on my drawing; and it already contained a fully developed profile of a young woman. “Take a good look at the girl’s profile in the window,” I said, and my mother did. I then showed her my color pencil drawing. Adele brought her hand to her mouth in a wildly excited gasp. The girl in my drawing was the precise look-alike of the girl beyond the window. “How can this be?” Adele said. “It can’t be a coincidence.” I shrugged. “Ma, it’s art magic in the afternoon.” My mother smiled and kissed me on the cheek, as a string quartet played in the background. art 2011-11-07T21:55:29+00:00 http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/gratitude_a_state_of_grace/ http://www.edensart.com/index.php/site/gratitude_a_state_of_grace/#When:22:50:17Z Feeling Gratitude Gratitude is a state of grace. Whenever I feel gratitude, which is many times a day, it’s a moment for prayer, for thanksgiving. The feeling is the prayer, no need for words. Here’s a beautiful and apt quote from Melodie Beattie: “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity … It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” awareness 2011-11-05T22:50:17+00:00