Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Dear Tony

Dear Tony Perkins,

         Now that DOMA has been struck down we need to get a few things corrected, or straight if you will. No one is of the mind that a child having a Mom and Dad is a bad thing, thought this seems to be your focus. Too bad for you and your cause that you are not focusing on fostering a culture where divorce is less frequent (and rates being down because of the economy is not progress.) and people really do care for their children (with, oh little things like Health Care - are we up to 36 attempts to repeal AHCA?). The truth is that A caring and involved parent (one) is necessary to the well being of a child. Two is a blessing. Who those two people are seems to be of little consequence if they are loving and supportive.
         Not to mention that DOMA in not about children. It is about the civil rights of adults. The rights of everyone to have the same protections under the law. (In case you have missed it - fairness IS an American Value! Equal protection under the law...)

        So I say that if you are going to muddy the waters of Same Sex Marriage with child rearing you should put your money where your mouth is. Encourage couples to be "really prepared" before getting married so they can stay together (how about a little responsibility before having sex so we are not getting married out of obligation!) Taking care of children once they are born would also be appropriate and in line with biblical teachings -- from health care to quality education there are many ways we are letting down the children we already have. There are many more issues and many of them are ones more imminent for the child at adulthood. Those we can save for another time. Let's focus on children.
        It might also be important to state that many credible studies show that same sex households raising children don't cause issues for the children raised therein. And lets also make sure we are talking about the same issue - homosexual is not  the same as pedophile. Attraction to the same sex is not exerting power over others like children.
       Perhaps you could spend time focusing on what is really important and not getting into other people's civil rights. But that is what bullies do. You do seem to like exerting power over others... is there something you would like to disclose?

Here is the quote from Tony found on CNN a few minutes ago.

 Family Research Council president Tony Perkins released a statement saying his group was "disappointed" in the DOMA ruling and "disturbed" by the detail of the Proposition 8 decision but that it also took some heart from the Supreme Court's actions.
“Their refusal to redefine marriage for all states is a major setback for those seeking to redefine natural marriage," he said. "Time is not on the side of those seeking to create same-sex ‘marriage.’ As the American people are given time to experience the actual consequences of redefining marriage, the public debate and opposition to the redefinition of natural marriage will undoubtedly intensify."
He concluded: “What is inevitable is that the male and female relationship will continue to be uniquely important to the future of society. The reality is that society needs children, and children need a mom and a dad. We will continue to work to restore and promote a healthy marriage culture, which will maximize the chances of a child being raised by a married mother and father.”

     

Monday, June 24, 2013

Mandala Monday, Twins!



006
6 x 6
Mixed media on paper

007
6 x 6
Mixed media on paper
One of the great things about working in a series is the idea of duplicates or flushing out an idea. Here are two mandalas that are the same outline treated individually. I wanted to know how distinct I could make them look. In addition to their own colour schemes they follow distinct programs of value and contrast.
In '006' the highest contrast is in the ring toward the center. In '007' it occurs further out and the tips are darker in value. Also there is more contrast in the patterns in '007'.
In working on these I tried to push the differences yet they have the same feel. Perhaps because I did them both. My use of graduated colour, dots and hatching gives them a similarity.
What similarities and differences do you identify? Have you tried something like this, trying to make multiples look different? What was the result? I would love to know.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Mandala Monday

005
6" x 6"
Mixed media on paper
Mandalas by nature have a radiating quality. In illustrating or Zen Tangling these mandalas I am trying to give a greater sense of radiating or pulsing. Some are more successful than others. Some, like this seem to take on another feeling altogether. I like it. Calm with a hint of heat, just like the weekend was.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Just another Mandala Monday
Wish it were Sunday...
Cause I could use another day. How about you?
So many things happening in my world and everyone with a deadline!
004
6 x 6
Mixed Media on paper
One of the things I anticipated in doodling or ZenTangling 144 Mandalas was repetition and boredom. To conquer that would be a feet worthy of the doing. Also to use several of the same outlines and make them look completely different -- not just in colour scheme, no to use colour, value and pattern to make them look like different outlines. THIS is much more challenging than I thought! And yet I love the challenge.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Mandala Monday

Can you wrap your head around the fact that today is the 3rd day of the sixth month of 2013? The year is half over. Christmas will be here before we turn around twice. (Yes, I did go there!)
Spring has been nice - a little wet here in Tennessee and yet with all the rain I did not see a rainbow. I created my own version...
004
6 x 6
Mixed Media on paper
For those of you who do not know about Derwent Inktense Pencils -- can I say THEY ARE THE MOST INCREDIBLE INVENTION! They go onto the paper like coloured pencil, but then you wet them and they are ink and are insoluble. I love the range of intense to muted they can achieve as well as the layering and blending available. Here I started filling in one shape with the yellow. Then I filled in the next with orange, etc
Try them out!