Van Gogh Didn't Hang, Either.

Alanah White  and Stephen Hrivnak and their mandala.

(That photo - taken on the Hobuck Beach during Photosynthesis 6 - is just to have something to link a pretty picture for social media postings. But it's a nice mandala they both worked on, and I'm not using it as a bad example.)

Once again, the REAL artist is diffident and ignored, while others get all the attention. At Photosynthesis, the young artists sitting around the bonfire were oohing and ahing over crude mandalas and the fact that somebody had actually pressed down hard enough on Prismacolor pencils to get some color. I wouldn't harsh their buzz - they were having fun, and not being mean about it. And most of them were really math geeks, playing with patterns. Which is a good cross-over. But -

One kid was agog at a poster I'd done, while the others seemed confused. Then I saw her notebook, which was just lying on a log by the fire-pit. 

After flipping through it, I got this quiet child's attention and said, "I'm not going to insult you by saying you have 'talent,' because you and I know that's just a little better ability to see color, or better hand-eye control. But you've done the work. I can SEE you've done the work." 

She'd done her thousands of drawings, and drawn delicate, real nudes, based on friends and herself. Sensitive, soulful, speaking work.

Gorgeous lines, delicate pencils that showed weight, fabulous innovative color - and she had her OWN STYLE. If you're looking for the real artist in the group - look for the one the fake artists are ignoring or snubbing. It's worth it. 

 

Before I told her what I believe about her art, she'd said, "I saw your face, and I knew I wanted to talk to you." I need to run something for Photosynthesis. I don't even know if I got her name, because it was early in the morning, and I was still trying to get caffeine in my brain. She'd even done some things with word balloons. One Of Us was at the show, just waiting to bloom. I hope she's there next year, too.

Photosynthesis Festival

Just spent a couple days at Photosynthesis 5. 

Photosynthesis 5 starts another morning with stretches in the Hobuck Campground in Neah Bay.

My cut line for the local paper: "This popular techno-music festival returned for a second year, offering long nights of music, light shows, bonfires, massage and healing tea ceremonies. Local and traveling vendors find eager daytime customers for food sales, costuming materials and jewelry."

Not so much on paper items. But everybody was into the idea of the Clallam Bay Comicon, and that the Photosynthesis folks would be welcome at it. Only one guy was awake enough to show up at my lecture - the dancing runs until 4:30 am, and the lecture was at 11:00 am, which is first-splintery-light-of-day wake-up time for these folks. But my audience of one paid deep attention and asked a lot of questions. I think he's going to use the "Cheap and Easy" model for a gardening-garage sale-comicon for starters in his yard. Baby steps is the way to go.

Raining most of the time, of course. Got soaking wet in a badly-built tent put up by the folks from the local gallery. I think Kevin in the big tea alcove saved my life in the cozy warm tent, with all that hot, comforting tea. The big bonfire over by the dance-hall didn't hurt, either. The laser lights extended their effects out into the smoke and mizzle.

After working so hard on other trade shows and especially the comicon, I think I might just - gasp! - reward myself with the Photosynthesis Festival from now on. Just going to a show to goof off and have fun (oh, okay, and to shove ideas).

What a concept!

Oh noes!  Another picture of me in the Ka-Blam tshirt!  But every time I wear it, I get another $10.00 for printing new books.