Awesome Sneaks

Hand-painted canvas sneakers available by request.

The Cult of Ignorance and America's Worship of Stupidity (part II)

In the next few weeks a "new" Congress will convene. This one will be solidly Rethuglican. The same people who use the phrase "shoved down our throats" for any action taken by government want to shove their beliefs and ideas down our throats, but couch everything they are doing in the same rhetoric. "Lower taxes, getting government out of our lives and did I say cutting taxes?" Privatization of any services once provided by government has been their mantra for decades. Recent phenomenal strides toward stupidity have been advocated and passed by the fundamentalist contingent of our nation included such memorable things as banning scientists from presenting their findings before Congress, making it a crime to speak out in ways that can hinder the potential future businesses that corporations could make. I have been in on the ground floor of several businesses that lacked those sorts of protections.

The Earth Cycle, echoes in the analemma.

When I had a silk screen print shop in my home only printing on U.S grown, organically grown cotton clothing with non-toxic inks, the state of Texas made it illegal to grow cotton organically, putting my supplier out of business for a time. Not able to stay true to my goal of 100% ethical clothing, I lost hundreds of thousands of potential sales because of government interference. The cult of ignorance that spawned the law in Texas that crippled my business was based on the fiction that growing organic cotton would create refuges in which the boll weevil would thrive and launch attacks into neighboring fields. In fact, growing cotton organically required healthier than average conditions to prevent sick plants from becoming boll weevil magnets, but that truth was ignored completely in favor of business as usual. Because the majority want to remain ignorant and not change the way they make their living, the advocates of positive change that protects water quality, human health and ecological integrity were handed a massive bill for court actions that attempted to protect their rights to farm as their conscience led them to do and to crush the market for organic fabric grown in our country in favor of foreign produced material from places where slave labor is still legal.

The last twenty years have seen a rapid rise of information becoming available to people who are ill-equipped to handle the new potential. With no filter for the lies perpetrated on the internet, there are those who post fiction and utterly unimportant information here and as the general public spends more and more time sifting through content, they find less and less useful information more and more easily. This is the "new" intellectual territory. I have seen a proliferation of Pablam on the web. Material unfit to be read, my time reading it never to be gotten back. I do not want to post anything if I cannot instill a sense of action. Even activating our own aura, taking up a cause, or utilizing our awareness and action to synchronize with our souls can yield more than any other law or policy could ever do. This revolution can never be televised, because it threatens the threadbare fabric of our modern royals and their supporting culture of hostility and anger, power and control issues, addiction to fossil energy, etc. The revolution thatr is not being televised is the actual LOVE revolution. Humanizing our environment is based in love and flows from love. No room for hate and valid assumptions about our role in ecological transformation is based on absolute abundance, nothing short of that can carry us through troubling times.

The welfare whores that we support with this regime in power are about to fall and for them, it will be harsh, but for those of us who are learning to live on nothing, those of us who consume the least, will be insulated from the coming crash in amazing ways. The value of oil may continue to plummet as we make the switch to electric cars, jumping through one of the hoops of physics by utilizing motors that are over ninety percent efficient and making motors that run on liquid fuels obsolete. But hey, "Drill baby drill!" sounded good. I will bet that for a few more years now, the commercials will still feature giant trucks and SUVs, but ultimately, the market will demand quiet running clean electrics because the revolution is blossoming at such a rapid rate. The message has been the same forever. Whoever adapts to changing conditions first, will reap the biggest reward. In sustainable systems across the globe, extracting the largest number of tiny adaptations will have the greatest chance of survival. Diversity is not possible in the current system because every tentacle of extraction of resources is rotten to the core and oppressive. The new economy will sanctify a whole different sort of diversity, creating zero waste and throughput of energy, of resources and of human capital.

I am willing to share a business plan with anyone who wants to create a local business that truly serves a need in their community. I just don't have time to implement it. Looking for a job? Nothing you've found so far making you happy? Try something different. I hate the catch phrase "Follow you bliss.", but there is great truth to it if you follow it out logically. An internet troll assailed the philosophy, that I have the right to earn an honest wage for doing something I love. On the basis of a warped understanding of supply and demand. He said that if I actually loved my job, I would be willing to do it for sub poverty wages. He called it a "joy tax". I countered with the question. "Would you rather have a hamburger made by a chef who loved it into being (think how much it would be "worth"), or one slapped on the grill by someone who hated their "job" so much that they occasionally spit into the burger?" The employer has a choice between having a wage slave who has no other options or someone who truly wants to be there. The skills brought to any job deserve to earn the worker a living wage. Avoiding the responsibilities of "employer", by working folks only part time, minimum hours, and not supporting your workers with an honest living wage continue to be the biggest corporate welfare system ever devised and as long as we allow the media and their backers to avoid this fact, the more families will be hurt, the more we will face this dumbing down crisis and the longer the cult of ignorance will reign.

Moving On!

Duck, Duck, Goose

Today, I would like to write about some recent impressions about the timeless childhood game. I have just become informed about a piece of art that uses aspects of the game, which relies on a group sitting in a circle. This circle is then gone 'round on the outside by someone who is "it". In practice the game is meant to single out one person, who becomes the chaser. One person, in the childhood game walks slowly around the circle, pausing slightly and touching each person in turn, as they pass, they say either "Duck," at which point they continue around the circle to the next person, or "Goose" in which case the person they have touched has to jump up and give chase. If the person who is "it" can circle the group and sit where the person that chased them, had been, the chaser becomes "it". If the person catches them, they remain "it" for the next round.

In our own way, we live this as part of our daily ritual. We often let someone from outside our circle determine when and if we get to play. Our part in the game could be going to work, purchasing commodities, goods or services, or even to play the game in other ways. "The game", as we often speak of life itself is about chasing a dream or trying to get X or Y or Z. Sometimes when we do get ahead or catch our dreams, we can rest on our laurels or take some time off from the game, but inevitably we will be touched and hear the call, "Goose!" and we will be off and running again.

In the art piece, a series of chairs is arranged in a circle, informing the viewer about the group mind that can be called up by this sort of activity. Everyone feels the energy, the electricity in the room and when they hear the word "Goose" they all get a bit of the adrenaline rush that the chaser feels. Much like our society, we often get jazzed by what someone else is doing. All sport is more fun to play than to watch, but by watching, we get aroused in ways that are similar enough to the players that it can feel pleasurable. Just as this game is capable of creating a group experience, it is always at the cost/or expense of pointing out who the slowest and least nimble members are. That alone is a little disturbing, but as people take turns getting up and running about the circle, the group can lean in or out, or perhaps sit straight, changing the distance between the chaser and whoever had been "it" for the round.  This aspect is not a part of the art.

Please forgive me because I have only heard about this art, I have not seen it in person. Even so, it has had the power to move me. The exhibit that it comes from will be on view through September, 8 2013 at the Milwaukee Art Museum. It is an installation so you have to picture yourself in a room, it has the circle of chairs and the only other things associated with the piece are the title card and a noose hanging from the ceiling in the center of the circle. The title of the piece is Lynching Room. We have all been hung out to dry in one way or another, but the associations between power and control, group think and the sociology of psychopathy are rich topics that we must all wrestle with in our own ways. I hope that hearing about this piece of art will move you in many of the same ways it moved me.

This show is part of Thirty Americans and it will be touring the country, so if you miss it in Milwaukee, look for it on tour.
Milwaukee Art Museum

Crafting An Art City

Now call me old fashioned, but I remember my grade school putting quite a lot of time into each student's artistic side. Not just glue and glitter, but serious study, of the drawings of Leonardo Da Vinci. I remember the teacher talking about him like they were old buds, Leonardo did this and Leonardo did that. In fact, she never said Da Vinci. In my innocence, I said, "Leonardo is one of my ancestors." Which flabbergasted my young teacher. She was absolutely sure that I was not, but I insisted. Leonardo Saladino, from Sicily He is my great grandfather. Then she realized her mistake. Anyway, I recall writing papers about Fauvists, about Picasso and Robert Smithson. Remember the guy who built Spiral Jetty in the Great Salt Lake? In fact, before I got to middle school, I had the opportunity to produce films and build massive papier mache' creatures. Crafting an art city is as exhilarating and as fun as those early art adventures, but the materials, the substance you have to use to create your larger environment is people. To create an art city requires commitment and tenacity, but the rewards are multi-fold and great compared to the actual time you spend contributing to the project.
Listening to Wisconsin Public Radio the other day, they had a whole hour about scoring art cities and I am drawing on what they said about it to some extent, but I have also been a foot soldier in the process of artsy-ing up whatever places I have traveled through on my life's adventures, whether it was making films in Colorado or painting signs in Union City or Ashland or wearing epic Halloween costumes that made the newspaper, or doing the same with my own children. Creating an art city is inter-generational. It breathes, from the tiniest first breaths to the last death rattle. The art communities that I have been a part of virtually vibrated, resonating with the combined energies of a whole cadre of folks who were more than neighbors, they were friends who were closer than some of our own families. co creators of events, rituals and rites that only occurred between us, for the moment, yet suspended beyond time through channeling our creative energies which almost magically complemented one another and created something out of next to nothing. This is a lot of words to say that whether we were painting murals or hosting an art fair, making theater or rocking out at a festival, the buzz was us.
First and foremost an art city needs to be walkable. The more impediments to radical pedestrian-ism, the harder it is to create a sense of community. Now, like any other art, the science of this can be thrown completely out the window if the participants are committed enough to getting around to see one another regularly. If any community seeks to become more of an art city, it is possible, but certain sacrifices need to be made. Even in the places where we were isolated, we were able to get to town to participate, organize and instigate way of bringing art to the community. you can check your city's walkability score at walkscore. This is also possible by having vibrant retail/service areas close to plenty of population density. Generally speaking, within a mile or two at most you should be able to get nearly every type of retail and/or service business that you might need. The closer the better. Within this, having some nice green space for gathering never hurts.
another factor that is critical is NO CHAIN STORES! Independent local operators are open to quirky, in fact, they thrive on it. The types of tourists that will flock to art cities are not looking for the same old Burger King or Wal-Mart they could see at home, they want unique texture and local flavor. Family-owned businesses and co-ops involve more local people in decision-making and make it possible for everyone to work symbiotically to push for the betterment of all.
There are legions of "creatives" in every community. Drawing them out and enlisting their cooperation is where the true creativity that makes things hum lies. Once you uncork the reservoir, however, watch the fun begin. The art cities that exist today did not spring up like mushrooms overnight, but once a few people discover the liberating sensation of making art, it can be profoundly contagious. On a microcosmic level, I have noticed that people that I have painted artistic signs for, have, in turn, put more effort into making better temporary signs as well. On a macrocosmic level I have enlisted dozens of bored young people to help paint a mural on an old concrete abutment, in the coal regions of Pa (Pennsylvania), and seen it stop graffiti for generations. When beauty starts to break out in any community, you would be surprised at how it affects the rest of the population. Perhaps the most sublime change is created because somewhere, often in surprising places, there are repressed folks who see the art and are urged by their own passion to reciprocate by making something of their own.
Making your city more of an art city requires increasing the opportunities for residents to have creative occupations. I have seen home school groups hire an art teacher, that led her to be able to stay in the community and do her own art as well as patronize many of the local shops. sign painters are always in demand and the "Quick Signs" type places are often part of a mega chain or at least their materials are from one. Unique Craft versus hum-drum quantity is always an issue. creatives can find a niche in so many areas, it is hard to limit the list, but theater folks, graphic artists, writers, teachers, musicians and chefs are the first to come to my mind. I know artists who are landscapers, welders, cobblers, chiropractors, doctors (although these are few) and tailors. Making things can be done artfully and even services can be rendered in creative and fresh ways. Allowing people to be creative is easier in those mom and pop stores as I was mentioning before. If done properly, even running a chamber of commerce can be done with panache' and style, amping up the community through support for the arts. In whatever respect you choose to participate in community, it is possible to bring creativity to your discipline.
Having Arts related not for profit organizations is critical. These groups can draw on the resources in the community, and often over a larger region to enhance individual efforts and provide services to the growing art city. The relationships built through service and shared commitment lead to the tightly knit sense of identity within a community of respected peers. Even committing a few Saturdays each year to an organization can lead to life-long friendships and a sense of belonging that many communities lack.
Finally, Arts related commercial space is the icing on the cake. Being able to host locally-made bling, or pottery, sculpture and art says, "We respect and admire the talents of our neighbors." We feel safe to be ourselves and we are not afraid to do our best, offering our creative efforts for you. I am brought back in time to the North shore of Lake Superior. A restaurant that used the unique locale to full advantage, jutting out into the marina like a dock. Artistically timber framed to strike awe in the guests. Their food was spectacular and came from humble local origins. The sign was one-of a kind and so were the waiters. You guessed it, a thriving art city clinging to the side of a mountain. They had art to purchase right on their walls, like a gallery and even on a cold grey day, the exuberance of the place was infectious.
Developing relationships with other creatives is not as hard as one might think. Just bring artistic flair to your own life and understand that our creative potential never leaves, just our attention to it. Let your own self be more creative and share the fruits of your creative efforts with others. Let them know that their own skills and talents deserve development. Stretch your boundaries, include seeing yourself as a creative, you may never know how wonderful it can feel if you don't at least give it a try.

Homeless Children Deserve A Chance At Camp.

I normally don't get caught up in the media circus that is television "news", but the other day there was a special segment on homeless children, focusing on just one county in Florida. Needless to say, multiply that problem by thousands of counties nationwide, all hit by the same real estate collapse and the amount of heartbreak and stress that presents itself is beyond comprehension. Having worked at summer camps and in programs designed for latch key kids, I know what a single stable force amongst turmoil and desolation can make the difference between success and failure in life. Listening to the stories of homeless children eclipsed the deep love and protective feeling I have for the planet and perhaps even the Great Lakes Ecosystem.
Those who know me remember that I rode bicycle 4,280 miles (6,850Km) around all five Great Lakes, taking eighty days to rediscover my world in person. For years I studied he lakes in books and through research papers dedicated to their many environmental catastrophes, but in those two and one half months of travel, I learned a lifetime of lessons. That is why I want to share what I have learned about sustainability with the next generation and especially those who have prematurely had the weight of adult issues thrust upon them. I am willing to devote my entire working life to finding more and better opportunities to teach eco-ethics, sustainability theory and practices as well as an understanding of living in harmony with the planet as well as her creatures, including people as possible.
The closest estimation of cost is about $125 per day. That figure would allow staff to attend to all of the needs of children and provide enough trained guidance to know that the principles of sustainability are evidenced at all levels of their experience. From transport, whose carbon footprint is offset with our tree planting program, to solar and wind electricity generation, from aquaponic greenhouses providing vegetables and protein, to composting, vermicultue and free range chickens, virtually everywhere a student looked, they could see evidence of humans cooperating with nature exemplified. Two weeks at camp, can easily cost thousands, but we rely on many of our own programs, and long term support of committed individuals to offset capital investments that would be used to sustain the camp over the long haul. Blocks of eighty days ($10K) can be purchased to ensure that five children can attend out camp, each for two weeks. An investment in those five children attending our unique program would come with an additional ten day stay for the generous investor who wants to see our programs in action, or at your discretion, those days could cover ten additional days for a needy child's visit instead.

There is no shortage of children who can benefit from some time in the country, experiencing nature and having fun adventures in fresh air and all kinds of weather. especially in these times where the number of homeless children in America has doubled from one year ago, it is high tiome that we respond with an innovative program of training our most disadvantaged children what can be done with an eye to the future and the inspired actions toward sustainability. children of hardship often become future leaders and knowing that the goodness to help out exists especially when the chips are down, can make a world of difference in how they turn their lives, and our planet around.
Many of our actions are designed to make our immediate friends, family and environment better, through our unique programs, we allow exponential change to occur and spread it all around, into other communities, that the children return home to and into the future as they raise their own families into the future. The time has come to re-think education from the ground up. Living the future now is the only way to invite the next generation to accept the inevitable change that is needed to achieve sustainability in their lifetime.
Tony Saladino is a liflong environmentalist, shaman and permaculture enthusiast who has led the organization, ECO-Tours of Wisconsin for the last seven years and was formerly the local leader of Citizens for a Better Environment's Green Bay office. Prior experiences as nature guy for the City of Green Bay and for College Settlement Camps of Philadelphia make him an excellent choice for both outdoor guide,sustainability expert and guide for those interested in having both the highest standard of living possible, while assuring that mother Earth will not suffer in the process of providing you abundance.
Corporate rentals during the off season at our facility include leadership training and team building exercises and outdoor adventures to build cohesion between employees and management teams.
Reach us at (nine2zero) 884-triple two-four or write using snail mail to 1445 Porlier street, green Bay, Wisconsin 54301-3334. you can also make donations directly through paypal at: tnsaladino(number forty-two)@hotmail.com. You can also e-mail us at that address.
bless you for sharing this note around. If you cannot personally invest in giving a child this opportunity, let others know who can either consider a gift or share this opportunity with their friends.
bless you for taking the time to read this post, I know it was a little long.

Wild Westerly Winds Expose Local Artist's Creation

The effects of high winds on Green Bay were quite evident yesterday as water receded from the shoreline throughout the day. By noon, areas were left high and dry that have been covered with water for over two years. This effect, called a seiche (pronounced say-sh) emptied hundreds of millions of gallons of water through a process much like blowing on a hot bowl of soup. Because of the opening at "Death's Door", this water was allowed to flow out of the Bay and into the larger body of water, Lake Michigan. The water level dropped nearly two feet overnight and as winds continued throughout the day, more and more lake bed was exposed.

This brought artist, Tony C. Saladino, back to his creation just after noon. He spent several hours adding to the work. He also spent time repairing storm damage and the effects of waves on his creation. Saladino recognizes it as an homage to Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty that was constructed in the Great Salt Lake. That piece is based on a spiral as well, but this newer work looks more like a nautilus shell, ever expanding to represent spiritual growth over time that the artist believes is critical to human life. The difference between myself and Smithson is that he marshaled hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire diesel trucks, their drivers, a quarry and their massive machines, in effect making a huge carbon footprint as well as a sculpture. "Ever since I saw the movie about the construction of Spiral Jetty, I have wanted to do a work that would be a counterpoint to it." says Saladino This work, which remains unnamed, has been completely created with human energy and on-site materials. "Ten years ago, when I started to work on this piece, it took over 140 hours of work before I could recognize it as a spiral from shore" Now with over 500 hours of harvesting fist size and larger stones from the lake bed, he has created a work that is visible from satellite. The last time Saladino measured it, the spiral measured about sixty by one-hundred and sixty feet. "It is substantially larger than my city lot." he said.

He has created dozens of environmental pieces around both Green Bay and other places in which he has lived. Several have been on the campus of UWGB, where he has studied art. His largest piece filled the area between the library and the Weidner center for the Performing Arts. That piece was created using over three hundred large circles cut from felt that was cast off from a paper mill. The pink felt was set off by the vibrant green of the lawns that Spring. Saladino got some photos of his work from the eighth floor of the library. His art was almost immediately removed because it was deemed a "hazard" by grounds crews. It is hard to find a five acre site to exhibit that kind of work, but Saladino continues to create exceptionally large pieces just the same.

"What I love most about my spiral in the bay, is that when the water is high, the gulls and pelicans stand on the rocks. Then it becomes a living sculpture defined by the white birds." Tony said. The homeowners who live adjacent to the spiral pile of rocks have enjoyed it for years and wonder at what motivates Saladino to create such large works. his answer, "The little knoll of sandbar that it sits on called to me one day. I imagined the hundreds of thousands of stones littering the lake bed cleared away so that the sandy bottom would be inviting for wading children. I also thought that by working with nature's energies, I could enhance the habitat for creatures while making a statement about the spiritual need for humans to relate to the planet." Some folks were sad to see it retreat below the waves since the low water levels that led to it's creation were only temporary, but Saladino loves the fact that even submerged, the art is visible with the help of local birds.

Like the mound builders from ancient cultures Saladino says that his life is given perspective by these creations and his actions honor eternal energies and spiritual factors that are with us every day. "I have yet to build an eagle mound or a serpent mound" he says, "but I have visited some of them many times and in many places. The energies that they reflect is honored in my work too." Saladino sees our self imposed rift between humankind and nature as a pathology. "In our current culture we rush to find cures for cancer, but have no problem using products that cause the disease." The good news is that people are slowly becoming aware of our need to depend on the health of the planet for our own health. If it takes another thousand years, Saladino believes, we will one day live in harmony with the planet.

Investing Ouselves in Art & Craft

When I began my career, Art and Craft were alive within my home. I never questioned what made one different from the other, or which had more value, but I always knew the difference. When I went to college, I discovered that many are preoccupied with defining what sets these fields apart, so they can pigeon-hole the world in ways that make them feel comfortable. In addition to giving me pause to reflect on my own feelings on these issues, I found great humor in the illusion that our ideas have any value in this realm. Crafts are needed. Good quality work leads to quality products that are useful, beautiful and functional. Far too often, sloppy work fell under the auspices of "art". This confused me, as an aspiring artist, because technical proficiency was part of what I strive for as an artist. One of my teachers pompously claimed that "If you know ahead of time, what your piece will look like when you are finished, it must be called craft. If you are open to changing your mind in the middle, and you cannot tell what it will look like when you are done, your work becomes art." I'm sure that he felt justified in making his claim. By the time I heard this argument, I had become an accomplished sign painter. Even with diagrams and drawings, the finished product would have to be considered art by his definition. Because my hand created variation and interesting errors that added to the final product. If an inexperienced person looked upon my work, it might look perfectly rendered, but my own skilled eye could see imperfections, whether they were tolerated (included) or not was up to me.
Similarly, very often, when I did "fine" art, I would conceive a finished piece, and use my skills to bring it about. Perhaps I would be open to change, perhaps not. I guess, because it was not a teapot, or a pipe, one could say that it was art, but I felt that this was not the important part. The thought of whether it was a close enough match to my original idea was never an excuse for not finishing, but whether the concept had merit often became an issue. Many great artists are craftspeople. Most great craftspeople function as artists. Putting these people in separate camps confounds the best minds. Great thinkers realize the overlap between these fields and those among us with a foot in both camps could not care less if there is even a difference.
Some recognize that there is a portal that we refer to as "mastery", which we are able to slip through if we put our minds, our hands and our concentration to our work for long enough. A fellow on the radio today claims that the "magic number" is ten thousand hours. Imagine this as four hours per day for nearly seven years. Using this as a guideline, I asked myself..."What have I mastered?" Yoga, at least pranayama (breathing exercises), Cooking, Sign painting, Art, Gardening, Tree planting, Bicycling, Construction, Stagecraft, Sustainable Lifestyles & Parenting. I am still in the process of developing mastery in several other fields, although I have taught others many of these skills for over seven years. Growing up in the theater, I never separated my life from the actual work there. Some was painting, some construction, etc. As with most endeavors I have found that by putting one's whole self into the task of learning the new skills that are required, no matter what you do, you can develop interest, attention, and allow you to make the skill your own more quickly.
What I feel is needed most at this time is for each of us to recognize that we are constantly working toward mastery of whatever we put our minds to. Some may choose to be masters of sloth, complaint, or excuses. Fortunately, most will not choose these fields. The focus we place on each activity that we participate in has it's own reward. Curious children are the best example of this. As we get turned on to whatever discipline, we become more and more aware of the details and subtleties of it. When I carve wood, my sensitivity is to the grain, smell, resistance to tools, etc. My openness to the tools, materials and techniques enhances my ability to perform, as well as my ability to "see" quality in the work of others.
In the coming years, our attention to becoming the best that we can be will become increasingly important. Putting time in apathetically will yield far less reward than becoming engaged with our livelihood. The proliferation of self-help books over the past twenty years, and the rising tide of inspirational books only point out the need for self-actualization, as Maslow described. If we have been lucky enough to have our needs met, face appropriate challenges at proper times, faced them and overcome them with love, aid and support, of our family. or mentors, the challenge of self-actualization can be met head on and we will have a good shot at attaining that illusive goal. Far too often our belief in perfection limits our urge to explore, make mistakes and learn the valuable lessons from failure. By taking a few chances along the way we can learn much about the way to grapple with the future. Once we develop our hand, we cannot unlearn the deft movements of the expert. When we are the living embodiment of our craft, we can respond appropriately without though logic or reason. This becomes a life, artfully rendered.