Now some of you might be wondering what I'm up to with reposting rambles, organizing them and sending those links through.

We have a number of people who are new. They don't know what sort of list we're running here and I saw WE because it's not just my voice but the voices of many on this list.  The new folks don't know that there's no censorship here, no judgment about who they are, who they love, what they believe in and what they choose to make.

 

The new folks need to know which rambles I've written that have moved folks to lurch out of lurk mode just to say "Amen, Sistah." and then fade back into shy lurking again. If it moved me, if it moved clayers when the post first went through then we might have stumbled over some truths here.

 

The truth that only in an environment where it is loving and accepting can we blossom as artists, because we are nurtured as individuals.

 

Some lists that deal with an artistic medium, not just the polymer clay lists, get all bent out of shape when folks write about their lives, about the challenges they are faced with. One could post something like that to the other lists and have cobwebs grow over your keyboard before you get a kind word or a nownowtherethere soothing post. Not here, we are full humans here and that includes compassion and empathy.

 

I'm not saying this list should simply be a bitch fest because bitching means one is angry, if one is angry then there's fear, pain or shame behind it and that's what needs to be addressed. It's a matter of not inciting a riot of whiners, but to elicited some philosophy of life that enables us to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune with grace. It's a fine line to walk.

 

I want folks to think of how what they write effects other folks deeply, for it invades our brains and becomes part of our list mind set. So that's why I encourage others to encourage others. If you got a WOWSIE, then share your positive comments for a new list member who comes out of hiding to share their works. Let's keep that good feeling going.

 

I want to remind folks of tolerance: for other people's beliefs, life styles, design styles, choice of colors and how they express themselves on the list. We want these other folks to be tolerant of us, so we got to meet them half way on the field of cordiality and camaraderie.

 

I want new clayers to be able to overcome THE FEAR and know their first efforts are the most precious for they are the works that takes the most courage to share with strangers. We applaud this courage not poo poo "beginner's stuff".

 

There is no failure in a process, only another step in the process of mastering your art and your craft.

 

There is no garbage clay, no ugly cane that can't be utilized in another fashion.

 

Anyone who first posts and says, "I'm so klutzy, I can't create, I'm not an artist." will get a nownowtherethere, for we are all creative, just in different ways. Like we are all psychic and emphatic just in different degrees.

 

I don't think I'm an artist. Does that shock y'all. I'm a technician not an artist. I can't flow with the muse and just toss stuff together, I'm "pedantic" says James and MzPeggye, pedantic as hell. That's why I can slow down the process of making a cane and take 50 pictures of each step. That's a technician's job, the artist can't slow down to do that, it interrupts the flow. As for me.... I plan and thing, lay out the steps, do the steps, take the pix, post the pix and talk about the details, for me God is in the Details. I know I'm creative but it's in my Virgo influenced way, through analysis of process.

 

We all have our own way. We have our own way of believing, of seeing the world when we aren't just looking for the car keys, of expressing ourselves because what we see is filtered through our private sensibilities. Just as we all have a measure of creativity within us, it's our spark of spirituality that creative urge, it needs to be respected and fostered. It needs the protection of a list that is open and accepting.

 

These are some of the things I wanted to bring up again. So the posts on Is the Brain the Mind, and What does Art mean to YOU? These are just to get some brain juices flowing. The rambles are just to encourage another way of perceiving the world around you.

 

In order to get an idea you have to know you're free to express what ever is in your head and share it with someone and not get rocks thrown at you because we are intolerant of Panda Bear makers, for example.

 

So new folks and shy lurkers who have been in the shadows long time long time, it's your list too. Get over THE FEAR of posting and share your works, share your life, but get ready to exercise your philosophic muscle too for we have a lot of that here.

 

Well I'm gonna bounce now, James is coming home early to order Chinese Take Out since I still have a bit of a booboo knee. Chinese food is the best ShimPoiPoi all better therapy I can think of. Prawns with honey'd walnuts and pot stickers. Yum, I'm feeling better already.

 

So love and long life and freedom of expression to all. That's my summary and I'm sticking to it.

 

xoxo

 

NJ