Stem Cell

While this isn't about art, it is about life and making the world a better place. I think a grave injustice has been done. This editorial from our local paper says it well.

Stem cell veto saves no lives

At his first-ever veto ceremony, rejecting a bill that would have allowed more funding for stem cell research, President Bush surrounded himself with children who were adopted while still embryos.
But the bill Bush rejected wouldn’t have prevented a single one of those babies from being born. The bill was very specific and allowed federal money to be used only for embryos that would otherwise be destroyed, not adopted.

By opposing this medical research, Republicans are handing the lead in an important 21st-century industry to other countries. Second, and more important, their actions are delaying the kinds of breakthroughs that could stop pain, suffering and death for you or someone you love.

Why does the Republican Party think it’s better to throw away microscopic cells than to use them to save you or your loved ones from nightmares like those of Ronald Reagan, Michael J. Fox or Christopher Reeve?

The president’s veto won’t save a single life, but it may cost many lives and cause much needless suffering.

Alan L. Light
Iowa City, Iowa

Ah the palette knife

One of my dear friends that I normally only get to visit by email told me that she is playing with palette knife paintings. I saw that as a nice challenge. I took out an old start. Got some paint on the palette and grabbed a knife. FUN! I got paint on the painting, on me, I think maybe even on the wall. I started to listen to the painting and got a brush and some semi-opaque paints and made some quiet areas. This morning I liked it but it seemed off kilter.
I emailed it to my friend who looked it over and sent advice.

BINGO. It needed a rotate and crop. Suddenly there was this landscape that had been hiding from me.
Well you look! I call it "Blowing Off Steam"

Thanks Nanette!

Synchronicity

I love when things happen that are amazing and unexplainable. Two women who are members of a web-group decided to meet. My little town is "about halfway" between them. They came to Anniston and said lets go in this gallery. One of them was attracted to some of my art. She saw the name and said "Could that be the Gene Black that is in our Try It Tuesday group?" The gallery owner told them that "yes it is" So one of them emailed me. I thought it was nice that they saw my work in the gallery and decided to email me and say hello.

Somehow, I didn't comprehend that they were in the group. It was there, in black and white right on my computer screen. But it was early morning when I read it...and well, I am not totally alert first thing in the morning.

Today I got an email from Experimental Artists of America (formerly Experimental Artists of Alabama) Two new members have joined the group. Nanette the head of EAA told me that they found out about EAA from my bio.

Guess who! Yes the same two ladies from the gallery. I re-read the first email and then replied (I had been waiting until I was fully functional anyway)

Now I have two new friends who just may (if schedules permit) go to an art workshop with me in October. I love the amazing things that happen just from getting my work out there.

Synchronicity - when two or more coincidental things happen that seem related but are not easily explained by normal cause and effect.
Cool!

Transfer Madness

I have been attempting to do a transfer method using inkjet transparency sheets. According to the directions you paint gel medium where you want the transfer. Then you place the transparency (ink side down) on the medium, burnish, and wait 15 minutes.
The plastic is supposed to peel up and leave the image behind.

This did NOT happen for me. Either one of two things happened: the ink stayed on the transfer, OR the plastic peeled up part of the surface with the plastic sheet.

Color me disgusted with this technique.

Let's PAINT instead!