Cats in the Cradle...Let's get political
Well, I couldn't let this day go by without commenting on the rerouting of Yusuf Islam's (formally Cat Stevens) flight to the US, his detention and deportation back to England. Cat has been 'Islam' for at least 25 years, he converted to Islam due to his peaceful nature and concern for people. He is not, nor has he ever been, to my knowledge, a terrorist or a threat to anyone. We that grew up in the sixties are well acquainted with Cat, he was a sweet, gentle soul that crooned about peace, love and understanding. He stopped playing his music publicly for awhile, devoting his time to his Muslim faith and some charity gigs. He started a school for Muslim children in Britain, the only private school there that got government funding.
When the US government pulled Islam off that plane, they pulled more than him from his seat...They pulled a bit of you and me too. Just because he is MUSLIM, he is suspicious, a threat. What's up with that??? What is happening to our country? Our freedoms? Think about that on November 3 and for all the world's sake, please vote your conscious.
The following is an excerpt from the Associated Press Wire Service:
"Everybody knows who I am. I am no secret figure. Everybody knows my campaigning for charity, for peace. There's got to be a whole lot of explanation," he said.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw complained Wednesday to U.S. officials about their treatment of Islam, telling Secretary of State Colin Powell "that this action should not have been taken," the Foreign Office confirmed.
The Foreign Office declined to say what he meant by "this action" - whether it was Islam's detention, or his inclusion on the watch list.
Straw's protest was a reversal of the Foreign Office's hands-off position earlier Wednesday, when a spokeswoman had said "the reasons for his detention and return are obviously a matter for the U.S. and not for us."
Okay, I've had my say...back to my world:
Tonight I have an opening at a local gallery, Mel Clarkston's Gallery & Studio, where my jewelry will be featured. Mel, a wonderful, delightful and down right cute gal and her musician husband, James opened this gallery last year to feature local artists and their output. Unfortunately, here in 'struggle town' (that's what Cecil calls Phar Lepht) selling art is, well, a struggle, especially 'contemporary' art. Cec and I contributed some of his canvases and prints and my collages for the walls. People would come in like it was a museum, comment on how wonderful the art was and walk out the door... Mel and James had to do something, this little gallery and their art and music lessons pay the bills, after all. So they are going the gift shoppe/art gallery route. Mel has started making adorable painted purses (she is making me a funky, gypsy-cowgirl purse! Hah!) and James is making wooden clocks. They haven't given up on their art, they just had to get another horse mid-stream. That is how you survive as 'artists', you have to give the public their due and right now, 'functional' is key to selling art. Women will always buy jewelry (thank you women!) but 'wall art' is another thing. Cecil is gonna have to rethink his focus and we are going towards the 'gift shoppe' tent show direction. Wish us luck! We want to make our artistic life a rewarding one and of course, PAY BILLS!
Cec is taking the digital camera tonight, I hope to have pictures of the event soon, check back.
This Saturday, September 25, Jan and I have a little one day show in the upper Rio Grande valley at a Methodist church in their new Fellowship Hall. We would usually be doing Phar Lepht's Art in the Park (which we LOOOOVE!) but the city is redoing the park, putting in new bathrooms, a new fence (the ubiquitous rock walls that Phar Lepht is so famous for ~ opps, don't look at where they are blasting away the Franklin Mtns. for all that rock!), a new permanent stage for the entertainment, ecetera, ecetera. It should be done (I said SHOULD but knowing Phar Lepht...)by showtime next spring. Let's all keep our eyes crossed.
Anyway, (I sure can ramble on, can't I? heh.)this Saturday is mine and Jan's birthday!!! Applause is welcome, I made it to 56 and that is no small feat! Jan and I have shared more than birthdays all our lives. She is a Libra with a Scorpio moon (watch out!) and I am a Libra with a Scorpio accendant (scary mask!) but we are both really airheads. We have know each other since 7th grade, been sisters-in-law for a very short time, d-i-v-o-r-c-e-d those boys and married the loves of our lives. We always spend our birthdays together, even in those busy years of raising our children, she kept the tradition up and come Sept. 25, we were together. I have some nice surprises for her, and I ain't telling here because she reads this burp ('cuse me.)
After the show, we are going to Richards and Karen's (part of my Posse) to 'fluff up' (as Karen calls cleaning up the sweat and reapplying face) and then on to an Open House where a friend of theirs has built a replica of an Anasazi (however that's spelled, them's ancient Indians) ruin in his front yard. Should be interesting, huh? Then we will go on to Ardivinos on the mesa, above Sunland Park, New Mexico, an old Phar Lepht area establishment, and shall sit on the patio, smoking and joking (well, Cec and I are smoking) and looking out over the valley and the lights. I expect gifts and more gifts of friends, good times and a bottle of vino. Will let you know how it all goes...
Here is a pair of earrings which will be in the gallery show, Japanese Sen coins with citrine, branch coral and red agate, cute! aren't they? heh.:
When the US government pulled Islam off that plane, they pulled more than him from his seat...They pulled a bit of you and me too. Just because he is MUSLIM, he is suspicious, a threat. What's up with that??? What is happening to our country? Our freedoms? Think about that on November 3 and for all the world's sake, please vote your conscious.
The following is an excerpt from the Associated Press Wire Service:
"Everybody knows who I am. I am no secret figure. Everybody knows my campaigning for charity, for peace. There's got to be a whole lot of explanation," he said.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw complained Wednesday to U.S. officials about their treatment of Islam, telling Secretary of State Colin Powell "that this action should not have been taken," the Foreign Office confirmed.
The Foreign Office declined to say what he meant by "this action" - whether it was Islam's detention, or his inclusion on the watch list.
Straw's protest was a reversal of the Foreign Office's hands-off position earlier Wednesday, when a spokeswoman had said "the reasons for his detention and return are obviously a matter for the U.S. and not for us."
Okay, I've had my say...back to my world:
Tonight I have an opening at a local gallery, Mel Clarkston's Gallery & Studio, where my jewelry will be featured. Mel, a wonderful, delightful and down right cute gal and her musician husband, James opened this gallery last year to feature local artists and their output. Unfortunately, here in 'struggle town' (that's what Cecil calls Phar Lepht) selling art is, well, a struggle, especially 'contemporary' art. Cec and I contributed some of his canvases and prints and my collages for the walls. People would come in like it was a museum, comment on how wonderful the art was and walk out the door... Mel and James had to do something, this little gallery and their art and music lessons pay the bills, after all. So they are going the gift shoppe/art gallery route. Mel has started making adorable painted purses (she is making me a funky, gypsy-cowgirl purse! Hah!) and James is making wooden clocks. They haven't given up on their art, they just had to get another horse mid-stream. That is how you survive as 'artists', you have to give the public their due and right now, 'functional' is key to selling art. Women will always buy jewelry (thank you women!) but 'wall art' is another thing. Cecil is gonna have to rethink his focus and we are going towards the 'gift shoppe' tent show direction. Wish us luck! We want to make our artistic life a rewarding one and of course, PAY BILLS!
Cec is taking the digital camera tonight, I hope to have pictures of the event soon, check back.
This Saturday, September 25, Jan and I have a little one day show in the upper Rio Grande valley at a Methodist church in their new Fellowship Hall. We would usually be doing Phar Lepht's Art in the Park (which we LOOOOVE!) but the city is redoing the park, putting in new bathrooms, a new fence (the ubiquitous rock walls that Phar Lepht is so famous for ~ opps, don't look at where they are blasting away the Franklin Mtns. for all that rock!), a new permanent stage for the entertainment, ecetera, ecetera. It should be done (I said SHOULD but knowing Phar Lepht...)by showtime next spring. Let's all keep our eyes crossed.
Anyway, (I sure can ramble on, can't I? heh.)this Saturday is mine and Jan's birthday!!! Applause is welcome, I made it to 56 and that is no small feat! Jan and I have shared more than birthdays all our lives. She is a Libra with a Scorpio moon (watch out!) and I am a Libra with a Scorpio accendant (scary mask!) but we are both really airheads. We have know each other since 7th grade, been sisters-in-law for a very short time, d-i-v-o-r-c-e-d those boys and married the loves of our lives. We always spend our birthdays together, even in those busy years of raising our children, she kept the tradition up and come Sept. 25, we were together. I have some nice surprises for her, and I ain't telling here because she reads this burp ('cuse me.)
After the show, we are going to Richards and Karen's (part of my Posse) to 'fluff up' (as Karen calls cleaning up the sweat and reapplying face) and then on to an Open House where a friend of theirs has built a replica of an Anasazi (however that's spelled, them's ancient Indians) ruin in his front yard. Should be interesting, huh? Then we will go on to Ardivinos on the mesa, above Sunland Park, New Mexico, an old Phar Lepht area establishment, and shall sit on the patio, smoking and joking (well, Cec and I are smoking) and looking out over the valley and the lights. I expect gifts and more gifts of friends, good times and a bottle of vino. Will let you know how it all goes...
Here is a pair of earrings which will be in the gallery show, Japanese Sen coins with citrine, branch coral and red agate, cute! aren't they? heh.:
posted by SooZen | 5:57 AM
1 Comments:
judih,
thank you for always checking in and commenting! Phar Lepht musta had stuff to do last night, the opening was a very small crowd, mostly my friends. o well, will see how it goes...in the longer run.
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