The propogation of problems via fashion

The Acceptable Face Of Fashion

Sonia had an eyelash out of place

Was nicknamed squint and died an old maid.

Lydia went lame, was locked away, never seen again

Tony was discovered to be

Half an inch shorter than everyone else

And was promptly hung.

Felicity split her size 2 dress

And was ridiculed out of existence.

Alex weighed one ounce too many

And was bundled off to the gas chamber.

Fortunately, now we’ve got rid of the dross,

Everyone else fits.

(First published in some Poetry Now anthology in the 1990s)

I like trendy things as much as anyone although what I buy is seldom what's the latest fashion for several reasons; not least is finance, but mainly because it's impossible to keep up with what the latest fad is while it changes so rapidly. What I abhor is when the fashion is used to as an excuse to negate, penalise, neglect and bully others. That is not the fault of designers but the fault of those that use it that way.

At times, we really are a most unpleasant species when it comes to anyone being different to ourselves. I was aware of this very early on in life and like many have struggled to understand why when we all crave to be accepted as we are. We prefer to be noted for what we can do rather than constantly reminded of our limitations and what we do wrong in the eyes of others yet it never seems to occur to people to stop hacking and attacking every thought, feeling and deed of others just so that they can feel good about themselves by comparison. We do not treat others how we would like to be treated and then are surprised by what we get in return! What, pray tell me, is so commendable or admirable about that sort of behaviour? Yet we all do it including me.

The irony of all this nonsense is that the majority of people are more commonly nice than nasty, yet it is the nastier side of our behaviour that we spend the majority of our time focussing on when we are troubled. I don't know about you, but to me that seems unhelpful when it comes to resolving anything. We have a habit of blaming everyone but ourselves for anything and everything that goes wrong. It is as if we are never happy unless we have someone else to pick on and bully. When it's not the disabled, it's the ill, the elderly, the young or people of a different coloured skin. Failing that anyone taller, shorter, fatter, thinner or perhaps richer, poorer or just from a different place of birth these days will do. I most humbly apologise for none but my family having been born into my family, I guess you drew a short straw on that, but I promise to try not to hold it against you so long as you don't behave like a selfish, inconsiderate, greedy, tantrum-ridden prat! I think that's fairly reasonable terms and conditions or at least fair warning.

Perhaps, and it's only a suggestion, if we looked to see what people did right more and tried a little bit harder to accept that others have abilities that we might need, we might find that things work better; that we are less swamped with problems to solve and... become healthier and maybe even happier too. I rashly thought such an idea might be of interest, hence these few words on the subject.

It is, as I say, only a suggestion. 

New Art for Old; Old Art for New!

It doesn't seem to matter how hard I try, my archives are always out of date when it comes to my own artworks. Just to photograph works to keep a record takes time - especially if you want to do them justice. 2014 leaves my computer to make way for 2015 - all are backed-up somewhere - twice! The second backup is always categorised according to different priorities. Just as a CEO needs access to different files instantly more than others, so too do frontline staff and so do I for different projects and plans I have for this year.

Like many people who are lumbered with the tidying up after festivities (and before them), I came across many old memories and took the opportunity to organise what I would keep and what it was time to let go of and not just artwork wise. That is a creative and productive process in itself and many industries take advantage of a slow start to any new year to do a bit of tidying and house keeping.

Some work sectors find it their busiest time and it is made all the worse for everyone else slowing up. I find it nothing short of a miracle that healthcare keeps going each and every winter regardless of whatever else is going on in the world. People being too swamped with work cause as many problems as hardly anyone being about. Such is their 'artistry' and all artists need to retain most of their secrets so as not to destroy the magic and miraculous moments that stem from them.

I am not even sure any single person or group of people can work out how some systems do work any more or indeed if any ever has; All things need to be a team effort because nothing can work without the right response to any action undertaken. It is therefore best, I think just to be grateful and enjoy that things work at all.

All things work in cycles -
creative thinking is no exception. 

As for these old works of mine, sure I'll keep them but for any artist it is with the passage of time that we learn the most from. It helps us recall techniques that have lapsed and rekindles ideas that we'd forgotten about with a fresh perspective and a renewed energy. All too often we find that old tastes and fashions, processes and techniques get a new lease of life as they become just the solution we were looking for all along.

Few artists are anything other than addicts to exploring and discovering. The beauty being that most of us do so without disturbing anyone else until people impose their own opinions on OUR work which is something no one should ever do to anyone else... unless it is in their work remit to do so professionally. Outside of work though... it is best never to enter into such practices really or at least to tread extremely lightly.

A wise artist is one who smiles wryly when
others impose their opinions on their work.

All works from this blogsite are protected by international copyright law.

Planet Pots

 

I've been inspired by many things this year while battling with a serious health condition. If nothing else it proves that one can still be active creatively. I hope I have also proved to people that though many are ill and disabled it doesn't mean that we lose any ability to give moral support or that we loose any knowledge of things that we have learned whether in paid employment or not.

Once a healthcare worker, you don't suddenly forget how to save a life following the correct procedures. Similarly for teaching, admin, ops management, technical skills or any other trade or profession. The one constant of all our lives must surely be... learning.

Far from being idle while ill, I find I have achieved a lot on no income besides benefits from simply using what I already had and budgeting hard for things like a pottery course for the things I wanted to so. I have had to sell many, many things to achieve my dreams; save hard and pick wisely to accomplish every single one of these goals. I have not had to accept handouts this year which has been an improvement and throughout it all I have not ever been tempted to break any law, (although I might have parked in a few places longer than I should have when I got my second hand old banger of a car - fines have been paid).

The result? Well, aside from the team effort of 'The Tourist Guide to An Un-United Kingdom' I have self-published my 'Accounts of an Allotment' and been returning to pottery to prepare for a few more books on that subject.

Coming up next year I hope to release a second collaborative effort with Mindwalking called 'Shrinking' which is at the editing stage. Early 2015 I hope to be securing a couple of part-time work placements in admin once my health has improved enough to allow me to safely, and most of all start delivering Art workshops to the most disadvantaged groups to aid their recovery to enable and empower them to integrate with our broader community. I never forget what it takes, nor how many lovely people it takes to both keep a person healthy or aid recovery following any misfortune.

None of us should.

Already displayed on Pinterest and elsewhere... I hope I inspire you to try something creative with some of my pottery achievements of 2014.

Wishing you a Happy Christmas and a much healthier and calmer 2015 and beyond!

Mel Dixon

Founder's Thoughts: Arty Facts

Wishing to take a break from worldly matters I've decided to return to the arts which is rather ironic as it always concerns itself with worldly matters. The arts have always been an outlet for human thoughts and feelings. It is where we find our fears and dreams and many an insight as to how to make both happen in reality. Unlike sports, the arts has and will always be an early warning system for troubles brewing, but in common with sport it provides an outlet for the relief of tension when they are upon us. Artists, like historians seem to be the keepers of information on past events pertaining to humanity's progress more than any other group.

My own stance is that art's greatest value is in being able to provide a voice to those who would otherwise have none. Via art we can heal by sharing our troubles and fears by working through them as well as expressing our hopes and dreams to find a way of making better things happen. From dance to drama, from music to literature and from to sculpture to painting, photography, print and embroidery everyone can and should be able to express what it is to be alive.

No artwork is ever quite complete without a response to it. We prove our existence by sharing experiences both good and bad and the arts enable us to do so relatively safely compared to other forms of dialogue. We seem to have greater options of control over who we choose to share things with when being creative as well as how we do so. Outside of counselling, art is the only place we explore ourselves and the world around us at the same time.

Artists in Training

The professional training of an artist in any discipline, is a curious process. Unlike any other profession the trainee artiste is encouraged to explore everything and make as many mistakes as possible so long as they take adequate precaution against injuries or death. Some are trained technically from the outset while others are trained to be expressive so that technique becomes secondary if applied at all.

Like anything else the more we do a thing, the better we become at it which goes a long way to explain why simply being expressive can result in being technically brilliant over a long period of time. Conversely, without thinking, a technically adept artist can become extremely expressive.

It is not surprising that artworks cause controversy, much of it is designed to. The artist both consciously and subconsciously questions just about everything. Rather like Socrates most artists tend not to bother with providing answers, preferring to complete their masterpiece by allowing you the audience to decide that thereby quite rightly relinquishing all responsibility for your response. In many respects I feel art's role is meant to be awkward, fickle and contradictory for it's purpose above all is to reflect what it is to be human and in the process query our morality and logic. Hence why all art is said to mirror life. The result of your response to an artwork reveals much more about you than it does the artist to which invariably the artist will respond. In that regard it is a perpetually beautiful circular relationship if at times frustrating for both parties.

Enabled while Disabled

As yet I haven't got round to crowdfunding for my kiln which is a pity as my home is rather awash with unfired pieces now, some more understandable and readily accessible than others. I seem to have got sidetracked by more pressing matters - I can't think why.

I'm not entirely sure what exactly I had in my mind when I made this piece. All I do know is that each time I experience it my response changes because whereas it doesn't change, I am always evolving. Artists are extremely changeable. Few realise why but it is simply because thoughts and feelings are transient unless and until we feed them. Best to be careful over which we feed. As human beings we are always changing as new experiences teach us new things to alter our perspective. If this wasn't true we would still retain the same attitude and behaviour as we displayed the day we were born. Sometimes I look upon a creative effort and pat myself on the back for the skill I have used, on another day I can look on the same piece and observe how much skill was lacking to make it.

We can all feel so sure no one could mistake what we've tried to convey to others only to find we've missed out on how they relate to the world. The result can be and often is that we find ourselves completely misunderstood. Our options is to try again if it seems worthy of our time and effort but it often requires a different approach, technique or angle to connect with beings even stranger than ourselves, even among our own species.

What relevance has this to worldly things? As every true scientist and artist knows every action has an equal and opposite reaction in nature. As human beings I feel we need to be careful to avoid violent extremes.
My personal view is that we should examine everything we do by both its merits and its short-comings before choosing what to do next. We should I think take time to learn how to communicate with those we wish to open dialogues with as a first step; more so from those who are never given much in the way of opportunities to express themselves at all. I think we could learn the most from them but then as an artist with scientific leanings I'm rather partial to exploring the unknown.

An amusing tale...

An amusing incident... Met a chap shopping who went to Oxford Uni then did another degree or masters or something at Dundee Uni.
He was lecturing his son about Romanticism.
He said that "the Romantics included Shelly who wrote Frankenstein and it's Arts way of providing an emotional reaction to the world without any rationale or logic behind it." (He couldn't use simple words of course, it was against his nature and pride after all that expensive education... he didn't want to sound common in his trendy and artistically torn expensive tweed jacket and cordroy trousers.

I almost said, "so killing people for no reason is logical is it, via science, politics and banking and social reform etc?"
Nooooo, Art has never said anything useful has it?

Instead I asked what he had studied at Uni. He snapped back "Art".
I asked his son what he wanted to be when he was older.
He said "An engineer"

I pointed out that good design was down to Art.
"Of course," his dad said, pompous git that he was he didn't much like talking to poor people despite him saying otherwise.
I stopped short of adding that "if you really study Art you will know that absolutely everything is influenced by the designs of nature, and is usually down to the fibonacci sequence which mathematicians unravelled to spoil the mystery for us all." but I didn't.

You get a better class of scum in Waitrose.

It was probably some butler doing emergency shopping for some toff or politician who is even more stupid than he was.

You only get higher class stupidity the further up the social ladder you climb.

BTW: I am not saying ALL highly educated people are niave, ignorant and dangerous to know.as this chap, though I could be wrong. I am so often you see, being so poorly educated as I am.

The Arts were NEVER made for the rich to buy or profit from. They have always belonged to the poorest and most desperate and they will always be it's rightful owners in my honest and extremely biased opinion.