How To Help With The Oil Spill Crisis

I have been wood burning and painting and doing mixed media artwork for very many years. My themes for my creativity have very often included the need to pay attention to what we humans are doing to our Earth. I know I was selling artwork back in the 80's that begged for people to pay attention to recycling. I remember doing a craft fair in Texas and not really doing so great because most people did not pay much mind to all of the waste and abuse that "we", as a global nation, have been burdening our Mother, Mother Nature, with.

The label "tree hugger"

Tree hugging hippies was new term, if born at all, back then. One day while vending my work I met a lady who smiled very big at me and told me to keep up the good work. She was attracted to a piece of my artwork. I had created a piece that was found sea glass and driftwood mixed with acrylic paint and wire. It depicted a fish fashioned out of miscellaneous pieces of glass bottles I had picked up on the beach. I do not remember exactly, but there were words burned into the driftwood that said something to the extent that "would this soon be the only kind of fish our children would know"

The piece was ugly and intentionally so. The nice lady purchased several of my pieces of artwork that day. She told me it was a tough battle and she was happy to see that someone was trying to get the word out. I remember how I felt good about that day at the fair for a very long time. I had put a message into my creativity and someone "got it". The good feeling motivated me to continue my creative expressions concerning the environment.

What Happened To My Cause?

Today I feel like I had abandoned the word as much as I should have remembered. I got caught up in what it was, I was doing in my life, and put on my blinders. That is not to say that on a personal level I have not practiced conservation as much as I could. Admittedly, I know I can do better because no matter who you are or what you do, there is always room for improvement in everything.

Being an artist to me demands a certain responsibility to my fellow humans. Art is a great way to bring attention to sensitive issues. As an artist, much can be said from the pulpit of an image that can not be put in to words. Visions stimulate thoughts and thoughts stimulate actions.

So I am up nights thinking about what actions I can take, as an artist, to stimulate positive actions about our environment. I am not talking about advertising art here. I am talking about harsh, rude reality. The kind that makes people dig deep in their soul and search for the truth.

The Truth Is

This oil spill, and I call it that while biting my tongue, because to call it a mere spill, seems sacrilegious. I mean really. There is a ton of oil pouring out of a corporate devised contraption, it is out of control and the stream of oil devastating the Gulf of Mexico is by far, more than a spill. This almost unbelievable crisis is keeping me up at night. The bull-shit we are hearing on the news everyday does not help. It makes me sick to my stomach to think of all the innocent wildlife we are crucifying because of our worldly demand for oil. We are well on our way to screwing things up so bad we will never be able to make it right. So what can I do? What can you do? What can anybody do? All the money in the oil industry can't seem to get control of the situation.

Did they really cap it off?

Before I managed to publish this hub the word is the gushing oil has been capped. I thought for a moment about canning this article and then I knew in my heart, I can't do that. Capped or not, there is still a VERY MAJOR PROBLEM. One I have to address in order for my soul to ever get another nights sleep.

So What Does My Art Have To Do With This Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill Crisis

As the oil gushed on a few weeks ago, I was working on a piece of driftwood as a gift for a very dear friend. She is a creative spirit and has taken to collecting art fish. I had suggested to her that I would transform this piece of driftwood in to a fish for her collection. My plan was to burn it that week so I could hand delivery it during an upcoming visit to Chicago. So I went to work on the fish.

Flowing with my creative energy

Much of my work is free form, free hand. Meaning I just pick up the wood burning tool and get after it without any plan. So to this piece I decided to use just such an approach. My creative energy just gushes much like the billowing crude in the Gulf of Mexico.

My friend was very pleased with the transformed driftwood. She was even touched by my need to push the environmental cause into my creative energy. We spent some time together while I was in Chicago visiting and much of our talking centered on the devastating impact the oil industry has forced on the world. The situation is out of hand cap or no cap. The damage is done. Fish will die. Birds will die. It will never be the same. For the love of money.

Starting a war on big business and politics

My fish loving friend is a wise woman. I suggested to her that I felt the need to go forward and scream to the world and anyone who would listen. She said I would be crushed like a bug under the feet of "the man". No big business would allow me to put up a fight. Politicians would make sure I went unheard.

The thing is I have never been one to passionately pursue, protest or push my feelings off on anyone. my thought is that like minded people tend to bond in spirit and so it goes. I believe what I believe for myself and I feel like everyone else has a right to do the same. That is as long as what people do causes no harm to others.

They have caused a most serious harm and worse

Mother Nature has been brutalized by this so called oil crisis in the Gulf of Mexico. It does not take a scientist to see the devastation. 2 + 2 makes 4, that is how easy it is to see. The oil companies reap the benefits from profits and Mother Nature takes the pipe. I put it to you very harsh because the truth of this matter is a very harsh reality. SO NOW I AM SCREAMING THIS FROM THE TOP OF MY CREATIVE LUNGS.

So! I am a little late publishing this but then BP was DAMN LATE capping that leak and I think better late than never serves us all. I stress again that I am not one to stand on a soap box. I feel that each and every human on the face of this planet is somehow guilty to a lesser degree. We have allowed this to happen because we do not stand up and fight for what is right. Okay so some fight but if we would get ourselves unite we would stop any more abuses on Mother Nature and in doing that we would be putting many people to work because we need to get moving fast and furious on alternative energy in all facets of our need. We better get with the clean energy or we will wind up homeless. Mother Nature houses the entire world. BP PB..... BAD PRETTY PRETTY BAD.

Hug a tree for the sake of our Mother Earth.

Go Green

Conserve Oil

Conserve Gasoline

Conserve Water

Recycle

Re-Purpose

Vote against the destruction of Mother Nature