In Hindsight: All It Takes Is You

My neighbor and I were talking a few days ago about gay marriage. She is gay and lives with her partner next door. She believes strongly that gay marriage should be legalized.

I said, “No. No one should have to ask permission from anyone else to get married. If two people want to marry, they should be able to go out and do it. It’s no one else’s business, and the government has no right to say either way.” Actually, I don’t remember exactly what was said word for word, but I said something to the effect that “people should be able to make their own choices, and there should be no government telling us what to do or how we are allowed to live.”

She said, “That will NEVER happen.”

I immediately backed down (a bad habit of mine that I want to break), and said, “No, it won’t, but it should,” or something lame like that.

Here’s what I wish I had said: I can’t predict what will happen in the future, but here’s what IS happening right now. There are more and more people out there who are doing their best to live their lives AS IF government didn’t exist. It doesn’t take a vote, majority rule, laws, or “might makes right” to bring about change in this world. It just takes individual people making their own choices and living their own lives. All it takes is you — “being the change you wish to see in the world” (Ghandi).

If you want to be a “legally married” gay person, however, at this time you will need the approval of those in government. Personally, I’m beginning to think that any choice that requires government sanction, like marriage, may not be all that it’s cracked up to be. Perhaps it would be better to choose to live without such things altogether. The cost to one’s self — in legitimizing the power of others to control your choices — is too great.

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I’m going to start using this blog to post random thoughts on voluntaryism, unschooling, and other topics and ideas that I want to get straight in my head.

Moving My Art Blog

There are a lot of things that I like about WordPress, but I miss the customization options of Blogspot, so I’m moving (again!). I have been unsatisfied with the limited themes available here, and you can pretty much do anything with Blogspot, so I’m going back. I’ll keep this site up for the unschooling resources page, and for posting any thoughts I may want to share about unschooling.

I met so many wonderful people during Art Every Day Month. I hope each of you will follow me to my new home on the internet. Please visit me at: Art Under the Apple Tree. See you there!

~Cheryl

Soul Journaling: Days 8 and 9

Soul Journaling Day Eight: The painted tape pages

Soul Journaling Day Nine: More work on the inchies

We’ve had snow on the ground today. We’re enjoying a quiet day by the fire, and amid our art materials, of course! My daughter created a lovely painting of the snow fall, and her friend painted a sunset over a stream flowing down the mountains. I’d share them here, but they haven’t given me permission, so you’ll have to use your imagination.

These pictures show some of the work that I’ve done today. I am loving these Soul Journaling prompts because I am learning so much about visual journaling, book binding (I’m learning that on the side), creating pages, making backgrounds, using art materials (which pens work on which types of paint, for example), and the whole never-ending process of creativity.

I saw a video today of someone using their artwork to punish children. I was a bit disturbed! What quicker way to turn children off from a desire to create and express themselves? I guess some people will use anything to create a “teachable moment.” Art should be used to foster positivity, joy, and hope. It’s such a healing and self-affirming activity. Many of the skills and knowledge gained from learning to create beautiful work translate directly to learning how to create a beautiful life.

AEDM Day 30: Fun With Tape

Soul Journaling: Hidden writing beneath tape

I had to post something on the last day of Art Every Day Month, and this is what I worked on today. (This is from day seven of Soul Journaling, and it will be worked further for day eight.) How did the month go by so fast? I can’t believe it’s over. But it isn’t over. My adventures in art are just beginning. There’s a new community on Ning started by MLB Studios where they are making zentangles and homemade journals — another (even better) manilla folder journal — and I’ll fit right in. So much fun to look forward to, so many cool things to do!

AEDM Day 29: Inchies

Soul Journaling Day Six: Inchies

I wasn’t crazy about this cut-and-paste exercise from the Soul Journaling prompts, but I’m loving my handmade journal. The pages are really tough (“solid” is a good way to describe them), especially when you start adding media to them, and they lay nice and flat. I’ll definitely be making more of these.

AEDM Days 25-28: Doodles and Sketches

Day 25 – Incorporating words into a zentangle, done in the car (thus the wiggly lines)

Day 27 – I didn’t do anything that I want to share on Thanksgiving Day, but I did do artwork, and I did a lot of work on the following day. Here’s my attempt at a free-drawn girl. I need a lot of work in the area of drawing people without having anything to look at!

Day 27 – Zentangle in red

Day 27 – A drawing of a random person in a magazine. I do much better when I have something to look at.

Day 28 – My daughter is a fan of Michael Jackson, so she wanted me to try to draw a picture of him (also drawn in the car, and leaving a lot to be desired, but at least it looks like him).

AEDM Day 24: Setting My Soul Free

This page is based upon Sarah Whitmire’s Soul Journaling prompt for Day 3 called “Soul Armor.” The instructions say to find or draw an image of armor that will nourish and protect your creative spirit. Personally, I’ve lived long enough behind armor! What my creative spirit needs, what I need, is the courage to live openly and comfortably in my own skin.