Documenting Election Day

"Art is documentation of life, colored by emotion."
~ me

The latest 24/7 was on election day. [For those not already familiar with project 24/7, you can find it along with the latest postings on its Facebook group page.]

I walked out to my car with my children at 6:45am that still-dark Tuesday morning, only to see that my Obama lawn sign had been stolen. Until then I had remained unviolated by the Obama lawn sign thief(s) who had roamed Ocala over the past few months. I promptly retrieved another from my car and put it up. Hmf!

Later that morning I went to vote. Most people I knew had early-voted to avoid the long lines, but I enjoy the whole experience of election day so I braved it. There were no lines at all! Easy-peasy. Unfortunately I was not allowed to photograph inside. I get not taking pictures of people while they vote, that's private, but the people who check you in? Shouldn't that all be transparent, public knowledge? Oh well. There was tons of anti-Obama crazy, hommade propaganda about to keep me clicking. I will write another blog just on propaganda and show more of them soon.

After voting I went down to Florida's Blood Centers where my awesome friend Debbie Roth works, and I gave blood. Lots of blood. I hooked up to a new machine that takes twice as many red blood cells - but replaces saline and other stuff - so it takes a really long time but you walk away feeling better than the traditional method. I almost fainted. It was worth it, though, because I was getting a tattoo that week and won't be able to donate again for a year.

Later that evening I attended the Marion County Democrats "Victory Celebration." I had designed the flyers, invites and tickets for the event. Premature to say "Victory" before the election? Doesn't seem like it now, over a week later. It was a very exciting night for Democrats, especially in Florida.

Visit the 24/7 Facebook page for more photos of this historic day.

Saving the world, one graphic design at a time.

Yes, I'm a person with a tagline.

Since my recent, self-employment status came unexpectedly, I wasn't prepared with a specific focus for my new business other than, "I will design for money." It's been a month now. I have created a website, gotten business cards, networked my heart out, and basically adjusted myself to a life without a real schedule. It's awesome, by the way, just not something I'm used to. The kids are home for the summer and so am I, so I'm working more at night and sleeping later in the morning. It's more in keeping with my natural bio-rhythm.

During this month I have also had the opportunity to really hone in on what I want to do with my life, work-wise. This has been such an awesome opportunity for me to re-craft life after 17 years of being out of college and into a career. Everything I am doing is leading me in the direction of my passions. I am an activist at heart, no doubt about it. Since high school I have felt strongly about something or other that is not in the mainstream view, and therefore something or other that I believe needs changing.


















I am happy to report that I am finding myself merging my passions with my work. I really can save the world, one graphic design at a time, AND earn a living! Or is "graphic design" limiting? I paint and I write, too. Oh, well, I'll get the semantics right soon ... at least I know I'm heading down the right path.

Be the change you want to see in the world,
Jessi

Doors

I live uptown
I live downtown
I live all around
I had money, and I had none
I had money, and I had none
But I never been so broke
That I couldn't leave town
I'm a Changeling
See me change
I'm a Changelin'
See me change
~The Doors, from The Changling

Sometimes the best change comes to us in the form of a sharp kick in the ass. I was laid off last week from the publishing company that I worked at for 5 1/2 years. I know the economy has taken a downturn, I know even Vanity Fair is pretty thin this month, but it was still a surprise to me. I wasn't prepared to be hitting the proverbial street that day.

I'm getting there, though! It's been one week now and I've done a lot of networking, meetings and calls. I am deep in the middle of creating a new website for myself... not just to feature my fine art anymore, but to represent the whole professional me. I think I will do it in stages, there is so much I want to do with it but I need to get the basics up so people can see what I do, so I can be marketable, and then I will keep adding to it as time allows.

One door closed suddenly last week, and now it seems to me that I'm standing in a world full of open doors. They are definitely not all for me, but they are there. Even in this economy, opportunities are everywhere! It's exciting. The trick is going to be to make the right choices without taking too much time... to keep paying the bills while holding out for the right thing.

The idea that I have the power to create my career right now, that I'm not stuck in any situation, that I'm free to go where I want and do what I want, is just sinking in. It's amazing that that kind of freedom must have always been there! Any feeling of being trapped I've ever had must have been completely false!

Change is good, change is fun... I can't wait to see how this big change unfolds!

Art for who's sake?

Today in the art department at my day job, a talented graphic designer told us that in his class the other night, he told his students that fine art has no value. It is worthless. It does nothing for the world beyond providing an aesthetic. Graphic Design is what can move change, affect anyone, make anyone money, do anything.

Rumbles of protest broke out and we started naming artists who's art has messages or tells stories, and besides, wasn't it enough to bring someone pleasure, what about psychological value? Why buy anything decorative if it didn't add value to one's life?

"Almost no one creates art for art's sake any more" he added. This turned things to "commercial art, graphic design, fine art," and what those terms meant. Our Creative Director was of the opinion that an artist who paints to sell is a commercial artist. The aforementioned designer said that Thomas Kincade had fallen into that. Me, I believe that if an artist is selling their work, they are a "professional" artist because it becomes their profession, and that if the art is created to sell something else, then it is "commercial" art.

Names were thrown around from Michaelangelo to some current local artists and many in between. Storytellers, salespeople, artists, advertisers, designers... is any of it less art? I do agree that graphic design currently has more power to deliver a message than fine art, mostly because of the very nature of it... it is carried to the masses by the all-mighty media. Fine art is carried to a living room.

I brought up the gators, since I had felt like they were a bit of a "sell-out" before. They're not, but admittedly I chose the colors to appeal to a specific audience. I did not choose the colors for me. Is that what art for art's sake is? For the artist? Hmmm... that seems rather self-serving. Art is art is art. Bad art is art. Commercial art is art. Movies are art. It's all expression, and it all speaks to someone. So it's communication – which though it is a rather commercial word – means it's people coming closer together.



I'm painting "Family at Fence" tonight (under-drawing above). It's not part of a series, it's not in colors that will appeal to a particular market. I'm painting it as a tribute to families, an ode to togetherness, a portrait of love. Art for art's sake, for my sake, for the world's sake.