Have a Happy, Safe and Creative Fourth!

“American Flag” Drawing by BZTAT

I share with you today three creative efforts that are not new, but do reflect my love for my country. One is the simple flag drawing above. One is a poem that says what that flag means to me. And one is a video of a fireworks show that I filmed a couple of years ago in downtown Canton, OH.

I hope that you enjoy them, and I hope that your celebrations for Independence Day are safe, creative and fun!

My Flag by BZTAT

My Flag Stands For…

…resiliency in the face of tragedy.

…hope in the face of loss.

…courage in the face of danger.

…tenacity in the face of obstacles.

…triumph in the face of battle.

…peace in the face of war.

…freedom in the face of limitations.

…opportunity in the face of poverty.

…unity in the face of diversity.

…healing in the face of injury.

…knowledge in the face of naivete.

…charity in the face of need.

…humility in the face of pride.

…order in the face of chaos.

…faith in the face of uncertainty.

I love my flag.

July 3, 2012

The children teach and there's a wisdom by the wonder in their eyes.

“The Wonder in their Eyes” Drawing by BZTAT

Many years ago, a friend made me a mixedtape. On it was a song that really touched my heart. We did not have Shazam or other ways to identify songs and artists back then, nor was it easy to look up lyrics.

So I enjoyed my ignorance in thinking I knew what the lyrics said. I thought the lyrics stated, “They could be telling us cows don’t fly! But the children teach and there’s a wisdom by the wonder in their eyes.”

I loved that lyric. It spoke to me, because it showed how imagination and childhood fascination had a spiritual purity that was superior to all adult knowledge.

Funny thing is, I had the lyric all wrong.

Here are the correct lyrics for the song: “There could be singing beneath the sky! There could be joy that does not fly! With the children teaching us wisdom, By the wonder in their eyes.”

I feel a childlike wonder in realizing that the meaning is the same.

Songs Of The Quendi II Wampum Song – by Sally Oldfield

There could be singing beneath the sky!

There could be joy that does not fly

With the children teaching us wisdom

By the wonder in their eyes.

With the children teaching us wisdom

By the wonder in their eyes.

There could be living on this land!

There could be peace for every man

With a woman weaving him wampum

By the light of the crimson sun

Sweet wise woman weaving him wampum

By the light of the crimson sun!

July 2, 2012

Doing more with less, moving furniture and silly schtuff like that.

My mother was one to move furniture – a lot.

Whenever she got bored with her life, which seems to have happened on a regular basis, she would take up a new hobby, and move the furniture.

I inherited this tendency from her. I too like to refresh and recreate things in my life.

As the director of the Creative Ohio Gallery in Canton, OH, I have the opportunity to change things around often in a creative way. The gallery has new art and new displays changing all the time.

We are in the process of going from two storefront spaces to one, so the gallery is getting a complete redesign. Not only are we reducing space, we are also changing our focus to becoming a place to create, as opposed to simply an exhibition space. We will still exhibit art and craft items, but we will also have a studio area for artists to create.

So we will be doing more with less space, and become a more creative and interactive space.And it will be fun!

At the moment it looks like the photo above. But I have the resilience and tenacity genes from my mother, so by Friday, it will be totally transformed. I have a big project planed for this coming First Friday. If you are in town, come join me.

Or you could come and help me move furniture…