Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Dare to Inspire

Neighborhood Tectonics

Lowell Elementary, Seattle Washington
Panasonic GF1 + Lumix 20mm f/1.7 m4/3

Community.  A community lost good friends snowboarding this weekend.  I am reminded of Kevin, Phil and Devlin who we lost a few years ago to that same mountain.  Life is a precarious state yet most of the people who have ever lived, are alive today.  This is because of exponential growth:

World population:
1412 - 425 million
1512 - 460 million
1612 - 545 million
1712 - 610 million
1812 - 1 billion
1912 - 1.65 billion
2012 - *7 billion*

Since more people are alive today than in any other time, imagine how many gifted folks long to contribute positively to our art, culture and evolution.  Look around.  Forget the medium (artifact, internet, party, craft fair, art show) just look.  See what the most people who have ever lived in the history of our species can accomplish.  Then tell me you don't feel inspired.  The world we want is possible simply because there are more folks to share the burden of work it's going to take to fix what's wrong.  Unemployed, make art.

Dare to inspire.

Beauty can be found by looking
grain. | mobius | infinite resolution
Photos by Taylor Hurley

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Empathy for all

Robocuddle

Wheat Paste | Capitol Hill
Panasonic GF1 + Lumix G 20/1.7

Is empathy a human trait? Can humans find empathy for other types of life? Recently, a whale was found tangled in a never ending web of fishing refuse. A group of divers spent hours cutting her free. She swam for joy then came back to each diver in turn and looked them dead in the eye for several minutes each. They were surprised she could show them such perfect understanding and gratitude without speech. Just because a being doesn't speak our language in our way doesn't mean there can be less understanding between us. All we have to do is remember that understanding and empathy are universal. Seek what you wish to see and so it shall be.

Beauty can be found by looking
grain. | mobius | infinite resolution
Photo by Taylor Hurley