Category Archives: Social Justice

Blog Action Day 2010 – Water

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Blog Action Day 2010 features Water.  This website www.blogactionday.change.org every year spearheads bloggers all over the year to write about one crucial issue.  This year WATER – and the lack of safe water for everyone who needs to drink – is the chosen topic. Over 5000 bloggers worldwide are writing today about access to water!!

Here is a short blurb that this great website provides about water: “After all, clean water is essential for our survival, but dangerously scarce. Nearly one billion people in the world today don’t have access to clean water and 42,000 people die each week from water-borne diseases. And the issue doesn’t stop there — water availability impacts a wide variety of issues from the environment to women’s rights and from technology to fashion.”

Ocean Dreams is my of my colorful, vibrant paintings that honors the need for water. Perhaps one day we will be able to get fresh drinking water from the ocean too.  I encourage us all to be grateful for the water we do have and do what we can to help others who need water.

Ocean Dreams

Ocean Dreams, Digital © Diane Clancy

~ Diane Clancy

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Tribute to Woodstock 40 Years Later

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It is hard to believe that Woodstock was already 40 years ago.  I am one of the people who was really there – not just feeling like I was there from the movies.  I still have my tickets … and the little ceramic animals someone threw from the stage.  It was a wonderful experience … it was amazing as we drove toward the festival, the traffic just stopped … the whole highway was clogged by abandoned cars .. abandoned on the way to Woodstock.  So we got out of the car with whatever we had … and started walking …

Woodstock Tribute I

Woodstock Tribute I, Digital  © Diane Clancy

Much has been said about the Woodstock experience … each person had a different thread of being and yet we all wove together an incredible tapestry …  the details of my own individual time seem so unimportant … it the beauty of the whole that truly matters .. and there are plenty of stories all around.

Woodstock Tribute II

Woodstock Tribute II, Digital © Diane Clancy

Woodstock is an important milestone on the journey of creating a better world.  In my opinion the Civil Rights Movement, then the anti-Vietnam war (anti the war, NOT anti the soldiers – my friends and I was always very clear about that!) moved us toward Woodstock.  Music has been such a vehicle to inspire and transform people (like art can be too) .. and there was already very powerful music from both of those movements.

To me, much of the explosion of movements for various social justice issues were supported by Woodstock.  Woodstock was part of their foundation, just like the Civil Rights and anti-war movements were foundations of Woodstock.  Of course, these are only snapshots of movements through history … lots happened before the lifetime of the Flower Children.

Clamshell Alliance brought together large groups of people, committed to a common purpose (supporting alternative energy that was good for the environment – now, of course, most people realize we need sustainable energy). Of course, there were no drugs or alcohol allowed there … and much of the good will and all working together were formalized into affinity groups where people knew they were responsible for and to each other.  Every participant was trained in non-violence theory and practice and needed to make a commitment to non-violence  – that was a continuation of Woodstock, among other influences (like Ghandi).

Many other groups came together in the 1970’s to create the world of peace, love and social justice.  I do not see Woodstock as separate from this at all … but as part of a continuum.  In the movie I watched last night -  “Woodstock: Now and Then” – it suggested that Woodstock was an incredible stand alone phenomenon.  (At least that was my understanding of what was said by some of the organizers.) There were lots of interviews including Michael Lang, Artie Cornfeld, Richie Havens, Graham Nash and others….

Wonderful as Woodstock was (as an idea even more than the actual experience …), it’s impact is multiplied by understanding it in the context of the history of the wondrous journey of people coming together to create a better world.  Ghandi in India, union organizers in the US, the Freedom Train to help escaped slaves and the Suffrage Movement for women to get the vote – all these movements are part of the foundation that made Woodstock the fantastic time, memory and inspiration that it remains.

Thank you for listening to my thoughts and thank you for coming by!!

~ Diane Clancy

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Remembering 2009

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Today is a Day of Remembrance in the US.  Remembering all those who have served to protect people and to bring peace to the world – who have served in the military – and who have often paid the price with their lives.  Thank you for your service that you have given over the years – that service which has protected many people. This vibrant, colorful painting seemed particularly appropriate to honor these brave men and women.  There are others I would also like to Remember today.

Remember all those peace and justice activists who dedicated their lives, and sometimes also died, in the service of creating peace and social justice, here and the rest of the world.

Underground

Underground, Tempera © Diane Clancy

Remember those who have dedicated their lives to protecting the earth and the environment – they are blessed for striving to live in harmony with the planet that allows us to live.

Remember those who protect, educate, and inspire children – those who work so tirelessly to make sure our wonderful resource of the next generations have a good foundation.

Remember those in the military who have stepped outside their official roles to touch others’ lives at the deepest level and build human, emotional bridges across differences and pain.

Remember those who dedicate their lives to providing health care to others, who assist those who are suffering from illness and pain.  Remember those who strive to make sure all receive good health care.

Remember those who grow our food – the farmers who plant and care for the food, the workers who harvest the food so that we may all eat.  Thank you for allowing us to live.

Remember those around the earth who are working to create their vision of peace and social justice wherever they are.  Remember those who struggle against tyranny and oppression and work to create freedom.

Remember those who create art, music, theater and more – to inspire us and remind us that there is more to life than living.

Remember those who heal and bring spiritual nourishment into the earth and humankind – they give us vision and help create this dream.

Remember each of those that touch our lives, each day, in so many ways.  Thank you to those who touch my life by reflecting to me that I make a difference to you with my art, writing and vision.  Thank you!

~ Diane Clancy

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Earth Day – 2009

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This Earth Day vibrant, colorful painting shows humanity taking a leap into our next level of awareness so that we may live more in harmony with our environment.  Today is Earth Day – let’s all do what we can to make this planet and ourselves healthy for humanity and all living beings!!  Each step we make helps ourselves and all others!   Many of us are in the process of being more aware, concerned and thoughtful about multiple issues.  It is amazing all the wonderful groups and concerns that come into my InBox at Facebook.  Pretty incredible and inspiring.  Many of us are working to make our foot print on the earth smaller … and looking for more ways to reduce our impact.  Yay for all of us participating in this consciousness!  And there is so much left that we still need to do.

Hopefully with the new leadership in the US taking a role in leading the way with these environmental realizations, there will be lots more progress.  It is so important that we do this at the micro and macro levels!!  Thank you to everyone who contributes to caring for the earth!  What do you do to contribute to caring for the Earth?  What do you want to do in the future?  What would you like to do but just can’t imagine doing?  Any thoughts are appreciated!

Earth Day

Earth Day, Digital © Diane Clancy

Today most of the day has been spent resolving the stressful situation.  I think now it is clear what the issues and outcome are – I don’t like them but they are set.  Some things could get changed and some not.  After knowing, it becomes necessary to accept what cannot be changed and move on to creating and living a life of joy as much as possible!  Thank you for stopping by!!  I would love to hear how YOU are!

~ Diane Clancy

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SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now)

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Today is SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now) – today, March 28, 2009 is the second year of this “new international holiday that celebrates women artists.  It is an annual event taking place on the last Saturday of Women’s History Month (March).” The executive director, Martha Richards says  “Together we will build a world where women artists get the respect they deserve!” There is a website SWAN Day (http://swanday.org) which lists 160 SWAN Day 2009 events in 11 countries!  WOW this is quite something to see all these people, women, working together together to make this world a better place for all us women artists!

Buying something from your favorite woman artists is a great place to start!  I am very active and involved in networking and supporting other artists online and at least 90% of the people in the artist teams and groups I am active with are women.  We are all working and searching for good ways to get our great work out there to YOU in a way that is affordable to you and gives us decent payment for what we have created.

SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now)

SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now)

At this website, there are some very cool resources.  Many of them are focused on raising money and publicity for SWAN Day … but they can be useful for us as women artists as we promote ourselves, our artwork and our art businesses.  We are starting to write press releases for the next AWE Project (Artists Window Exhibit) (Greenfield, Franklin County, MA, US) and I think we will be using these resources to improve what we send out to promote this event that features mostly women artists.

I am going to share some of the other resources that were shared with me.  I am quoting here from an email sent to me by Julie Forbes, Associate Director, SWAN Day.  Here is a very extended excerpt from her email.

Explore www.womenarts.org. Here’s some of what you’ll find:

**Grants/Resources Information**

Search our well-researched, annotated lists of arts funders, categorized by art form, at www.WomenArts.org/fund/fundlists.html. For answers to many of your funding questions, see our Funding FAQs page at www.womenarts.org/fund/FAQ.htm.

**Funding and Resource Newsletters for Film/Video and Theatre Artists**

These free, bi-monthly newsletters are chock full of current calls for entries from competitions and festivals and requests for proposals from funding organizations. Read recent issues or sign up for free subscriptions at www.WomenArts.org/fund/EmailNewsletterSign-Up.htm.

**The WomenArts Network**

A one-of-a-kind showcase of the diversity and creativity of women artists in all the artistic disciplines, the WomenArts Network is a webspace where woman artists or women-run arts organizations may post free profiles about themselves and their work. With over 1000 profiles of artists living in every state in the U.S. and 23 countries around the world, the WomenArts Network is helping women artists connect to each other and acting as a clearinghouse for those looking to hire a woman artist. Go to www.WomenArts.org and click on WomenArts Network to search the profiles or to get started creating one of your own.  End of the quote – and there was more … check out these resources and you will find them!

I hope you have enjoyed finding out about this, as I have.  And remember, today is SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now), but EVERY day is a great day to Support Women Artists!!  I hope you read this today and also keep this for yourself and woman artists in your life! Thank you for stopping by!

~ Diane Clancy

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The Butterfly Project

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Butterfly Project

Quoting from the site “In an effort to remember them, Holocaust Museum Houston is collecting 1.5 million handmade butterflies. The butterflies will eventually comprise a breath-taking exhibition, currently scheduled for Spring 2012, for all to remember. As of Summer 2008, we have already collected an estimated 400,000 butterflies.”

You can read about and participate in this incredibly powerful and important project.  You can read the details on the site or at the site of Staci Rose of Staci Rose Designs. Staci is a creative artist and she is coordinating the contributions to the Butterfly Project from WWAO (Worldwide Women Artists Online).  Here is her post where she shares details that any individual or group can send their creations to.  Anyone, anywhere in the world is welcome to contribute … and the guidelines are simple and clear.

Butterflies I

Butterflies I, Digital © Diane Clancy

These are 2 of the contributions I am making.  I have 5 digital paintings of butteflies that I am giving and 4 little ones in traditional mediums.  They are all ACEOs.  I felt pretty clumsy using the watercolors, markers, pastels, ink and crayons that I did use, but I figure that what really counts in something like this is the intent.  And I wanted to really contribute to this Butterfly Project.  Sometimes I do create in a naive style I guess … but that is often what comes out.

Butterfly Project IV

Butterfly Project IV, Sketch © Diane Clancy

As I mentioned, we of WWAO are going to make a contribution toward the Butterfly Project.  Here is some information about us: WWAO on the site says “Worldwide Women Artists is an international collective of women artists showing and selling our work through the worldwide web. As women artists, we give birth to our ideas in a variety of styles and media. We embrace the diversity of each other’s work, celebrating the joy of creating our art and sharing it with the world. We welcome female visual artists from all over the world who create and sell their own original art.”

I would love to hear your thoughts about how you might honor this process of acknowledging this event to recognize all these children perishing.  Such pain to the soul of this earth and humanity! The deadline isn’t until June 30, 2011 … so you have plenty of time to get involved.  I want to thank the museum and people for giving us all this opportunity.  I would love to hear from you!

~ Diane Clancy

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The Uplifting Story I Promised

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I have been tagged by 3 people over the last couple of months … and I will be doing my blog tomorrow (Wed at the latest) to respond (and thank) to the tags and to tag some of you!! In the meantime I will share this story I have promised you – a story that inspired me greatly!  This was something I read (years ago).  I forget the source and some the of the details may be somewhat inaccurate but sticking with the essential truth of the story.  (I am better on broad strokes than details around remembering things  … oh, that can be one of my things to tell you the tagged items tomorrow <grin>.)  If you want to skip my prologue and epilogue, go right to the story in bold red.

Slipping

Slipping, Digital © Diane Clancy

These first paragraphs are giving background information for those unfamilar with these issues. In the United States issues around welfare are seen as a big deal.  In this country, we give some people a monthly stipend and health care for themselves (and often they have children also) so that they may live. This happens when people apply for help because they cannot do it themselves. In this country there is often a negative stigma to asking for this kind of aid.  Also many of us who have disabilities have also had to ask for help (disability payments) to survive. Unfortunately, there is a lot of judging by many toward those needing help.

Other countries tend not to have the same judgments about helping people to have a roof over their heads, food in their tummy and health care.  But in this country there are often pretty tough attitudes toward people needing help.  (I know -  I was on disability for a long time – because I needed it to live). People can become dependent on help for sure … but many people use it for a short term assistance until they can keep a job with a livable wage.

There are many other issues that complicate things for people wanting to get a job that will support themselves and their families.  Some areas have entrenched poverty.  Often the educational system is not giving everyone equal opportunities to get quality education.  Also, there are many personal issues that can complicate things for many.  And, the US, unlike most other so-called developed countries, does not provide health care for all.  Many people, especially women, have felt they needed welfare because they couldn’t make the jump to a job that provided health coverage for themselves and their children. I tell you this to set the background for this uplifting story.

[THE STORY] There was a group of welfare recipients who were chosen to see if they could work together and figure out how to get off welfare and get back to work.  Most people would rather be working (in a decent job environment) … rather than collecting welfare.  But it is often hard to know what steps to take once you get to a place of needing help.  This was a study set up by someone to see what might help get people another level in their lives.

So this group started meeting and talked about what was in their lives that they needed help with.  One woman said her screen door was ripped and the landlord wouldn’t return her calls.  A man spoke up … he said he knew how to fix that and would be delighted to!!  Out of this interaction, this was the start of his creating his own fix-it business and he was able to become self-supporting.

Another woman shared that it was needing childcare that was the roadblock to her going to the local community college so that she could learn skills to support herself.  A third woman spoke up, saying that her kids were at home and she would welcome taking care of some others.  Out of this interaction, the third woman started her own daycare and become self-supporting.  The second woman completed her degree and was able to get a job so she could support herself and her children.  [End Story}

This inspires me so much!! It is the whole idea of looking at people and seeing their assets and not just their deficits. The usual welfare system (and disability system) are focused on seeing people as needy and not seeing their strengths also. That was what was (and is) so inspiring to me around this short part of the story that I remember.  I do think it is important that people contribute to society – and there are many, many ways to contribute.

I think helping people build on their skills is a smart thing to do.  Most people are eager to be able to give – but it is harder to think about others when your own (and your children’s) basic needs aren’t being met.  This kind of supporting people to be empowered and self-sufficient is more time and money consuming at the beginning, but has an excellent pay-off.  It is like giving kids a quality education is much better (and cheaper) for society – in the long run. Remember, any of us could be in a situation of needing help from others!!

If you want to see the 2 articles I wrote in early December (they were the precursors to this), you can see them here (World AIDS Day and Me) and here (HIV/AIDS and Community Organizing). I hope you enjoyed this inspiration of these 4 people … and please forgive all the surrounding details to put it in context for those who live outside the US. Thanks for coming by!

~ Diane Clancy

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HIV/AIDS Community Organizing

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Monday, December 1, was Worlds AIDS Day and I wrote quite a long post about my 15 years as an HIV/AIDS activist.  This odd little image is sometimes what it was like to be so engrossed in the world of HIV/AIDS – all encompassing and disorienting.   I told you I wanted to share one more part about the organizing we did during those years …  So I will.

Floating

Floating, Digital © Diane Clancy

I am very tired because we just prepared everything for the fair on Saturday and Sunday …. but I promised you I would tell you about this piece … so I am going to dive in … we’ll see how far we get today.

We called our group the AIDS Community Group of Franklin County (Mass).  This shows the focus we had on empowering the community – both people with HIV/AIDS, those affected by HIV/AIDS, and the rest of the community too.  We felt (and still do) that it is in everyone’s best interest that all people get treated with respect and also have their needs met.  We wanted to live in a community where everyone was seen as having something to contribute … and gaining from being part of a larger community.

We had no idea that this was a novel or unusual way of thinking about things … it just seemed the correct way to go about approaching solutions to this issue.  We ran into some issues with social service agencies that thought we were naive and ignorant. Now there is a fairly large industry around HIV/AIDS … and that it a very different orientation.

One day several of us were at a meeting and someone gave a keynote speech about the difference between social service models and empowerment models. (I can’t remember the name that the speaker used for the model that was different from social services).  Those of us there picked up our ears … ah, there was a name for what we were doing and other people were thinking about it too.

Often a social service model treats people like the problem .. thus something to be fixed … the people are the problem.  The solutions are also seen to lie outside the individuals involved – the system treated or fixed or served them.  (Sort of like the old model of medicine where the doctor was God and the patient was not part of the equation or team).

In the community empowerment model the people and the community are seen as integral to the solutions … they are not the problem, but rather the answer. Ah, yes, I am remembering a little more as I am writing.  It is the difference between seeing the assets of people rather than their deficits.  The social service model tends to see the problems and the lack, and the community organizing model tends to see the assets of community and individuals – what they have to offer, not just what they need.

We were intuitively organizing this way … it sure made sense to me!! (And actually I was the creator and coordinator – surprise!) It is how I mostly see the world – it is mostly part of my personality and world view.  The group attracted lots of people who had never done any organizing before and who felt incredibly empowered by contributing to the community like that.  It was great and as individuals we were also empowered!!

Several of us were articulate about our model and we took the show on the road (we were asked to).  We did some trainings around New England at different HIV/AIDS meetings and conferences.  It was a very exciting and empowering time!!

It was also very validating that a model that we had created from our own life experiences received such notice and acceptance.  It was thrilling that there already were theories backing up our ways and thinking.  Very wonderful – and exhausting – time. Thanks for listening to my story!

This is long enough that I a going to continue it one more day … probably to Friday or Saturday.  I want to share something that I read about once that is wondrous to me … about organizing some welfare recipients had done.  To me, it is an extension of this – and I tell my memory of the story as often as I can because it is so exciting.

Thank you for coming by!

~ Diane Clancy

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World AIDS Day and Me

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Today, December 1, is Worlds AIDS Day. This image with hearts, love, butterflies and peacocks is dedicated to all affected by HIV/AIDS – which means just about all of us. You probably don’t know I was an AIDS activist for 15 years … I poured much time, love and energy into educating people about AIDS – both to protect themselves and also to help the public understand and be respectful toward people with HIV/AIDS.  Back then there was terrible prejudice … even though there is still, back then there was terrible talk. I started this work in the first few years of the epidemic (1985).

Hearts I

Hearts I, Digital © Diane Clancy

I will tell you my own story on this day when people all over are blogging about HIV/AIDS – you can get the facts from many places.  When I started to feel a little better and could think past my  pain and illness, I looked around to see what holes there were in the community that needed some attention.  HIV/AIDS was there loud and clear.  There was nothing locally and people didn’t even think rural people could get it.

So I started organizing and working with others to create a community group.  We went to churches, schools, panels, whereever we were asked to talk with others to make our community a better place.  We actually had a 24 hour hotline – we even got calls from a jail in Georgia (we are in Mass). A prisoner had our card in his pocket and we talked with both the prisoner and the prison staff – to help them understand which risks were real and which imagined.  We had calls from California and Canada too. This was a little volunteer operation that was in my house.  We forwarded calls to different members as we took shifts.  Jack took most of the calls though – he was incredible.  He has passed on … from other disabilities, not HIV/AIDS – but he was there … working his heart out!  Thank you, Jack.

We wrote pamphlets for classes of people where there was no information yet.  We wrote up a resource manual for services in our 26 town county – like which doctors WOULD treat people with HIV/AIDS – and also knew what they were talking about.  We went to hospitals to visit people who were sick.  We supported families whose child had come back home to die … and no one else would go to funerals.  We befriended people who moved here and knew no one else.  We did whatever we could see to do … both to support people with HIV/AIDS and because creating this atmosphere gave our community a better quality of life for us all.

One person came up to me after I spoke on a panel and disclosed he was HIV positive. We ended up forming the nucleus of a very tight, small group of people with HIV/AIDS – and me.  Many of you know I have Crohns Disease.  This tight group of friends gave me something I will always cherish. This was the first time I had consistent support from others who knew what it was like to be facing death due to health issues.  There is a lot more support now than there was back then. The friendships were deep, crucial and gave me a sense of being understood that I had never had.  Some have died and some are living life with a chronic illness that is very treatable due to the newer medications.  But that is not what it was like back then … HIV/AIDS was seen as a death sentence then.

One thing that moved me to focus on HIV/AIDS is the way oppressions all come together.  Homophobia, racism, sexism, classism, ablism, agism, recovery issues … these all come together and intersect with HIV/AIDS. Back then, people thought women couldn’t get HIV/AIDS (except by needles); people of color were being told that HIV/AIDS wasn’t their issue; the beat goes on.  I found it a way to be able to shine light, love, freedom and justice on many issues at once – one of my favorite things I have done in life.

In the US, HIV/AIDS organizing has become very different than it was back then.  We helped bring money into the region to bring services to people with HIV/AIDS.  This was needed … and at the same time it changed the dynamic from the intensely personal and involved connections to more social service connections.  Something was gained and something was lost.

Tomorrow I am going to write one more day about this – in terms of the way we organized … it is the foundation of how and why I spend my life connecting with others in this way.  Wow!! This connects into the issues I have been writing about – cool! Thank you for coming by!

~ Diane Clancy

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Community Organizing

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This is a continuation of this ongoing discussion about organizing … thank you for your responses letting me know this is interesting to you!!  A bit ago Butterfly wrote a very thoughtful response to my post. Part of what Butterfly wrote is “It seems to me that you spend a tremendous amount of time organizing your own and other people’s work that only indirectly have to do with the actual art of creation.  It seems that you hardly ever have time to sit down for hours on end to craft your art, or am I getting completely the wrong impression now?”

Tilting

Tilting, Digital © Diane Clancy

Yesterday was quite a busy day – the people downstairs’ lock broke – again – so a chunk of the day was spent on that.  I have to deal with plenty around this house … it is close to 100 years young and is lovely!! and also old. This is one issue that weaves through my life – and for some times of things I need to deal with them quickly – for sure!

I have done community organizing for over 40 years … lots of volunteer work – in many different areas.  Given my health, it was one way I could contribute to the community – yet still take care of my health.  It gave me a sense of purpose much larger than myself and my own issues and concerns.  I feel really good about all the work I done over the years – in peace, environmental, health, and social and economic justice issues.  Yes – I have been a little busy – and much of the work I was even able to do from bed! (I am sure I could write a book with tales of my life and organizing.) (My treatment went well today.)

A couple of years ago I decided that I needed to switch my organizing focus to art organizing.  It seemed important to back up my art career with mainly focusing on the creative arts.  “They,” “The Experts,” all say that the most important thing to build your art career (maybe even more than good art) is networking, building relationships and marketing. So, I deligently started about two years ago.  I dove in.  I refused to take on more responsibility in other areas (that lasted a whole year I think).  I got active in art locally and online.

Actually I got pulled back in to both environmental organizing and local politics organizing. If we don’t have a functional earth, we have nothing to stand on.  And if we don’t have decent local government (and national – yippee!!), then the arts and the economy are not well supported.  The quality of life degrades when there is divisive and power-hungry leadership. But I am once again switching my focus some away from this. There are such important crucial issues in both areas, that I cannot turn my back on them … but I have seriously started putting my needs at the forefront.

Being so sick for so long, it was hard to not put the big picture ahead of me – given my personality.  But I have come to a new place inside myself, and I am pulling inward in a healthy way.  There were years I was so sick I could barely get out of bed, so when I have energy, I want to do things that I feel will help the world and make me feel empowered and effective.

So I am working myself out of some of the things I have been doing.  I have not been the head honcho or anything with these things the last few years – just a good team player.  (I was a leader a lot for years.) But I am letting people know that I am giving myself a chance to succeed with my art career.  People are *mostly* supportive. And I am doing it.

I am going to stop here … and tomorrow talk about the grant and press release. I am wanting you to understand the texture of my life and my thought processes in doing what I am doing.  It was very exciting to get the grant!  It was the first time in my life I have been paid for organizing – I am thrilled.  That is why I am going to start again tomorrow … so it is a readable length.

Thanks for coming by!

~ Diane Clancy

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Pet Monologues – Animals V & Victory!

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I am so moved and delighted and excited – as is most of the world!! Electing Obama gives me hope that we can move beyond the kind of politics that has dominated this country.  I am also saddened that gay rights took a real hit in this same election that has so much hope. But I also know that it is just a matter to time … clearly, the tide has turned from, say a decade ago. Many people now understand that gay people are people just like black people are people. It will take a little longer, and a lot of work, to give fulls rights to gay people. But in the meantime, we have Obama and he will lead this country with a new attitude of respect and cooperation. Animals V, Digital © Diane Clancy This image is for the Pet Monologues which is the blog which I directed you to showing that incredible video about the lion hugging the woman who rescued him. Also they highlight art, poems and more that showcase animals every week. You can see their blog here. And this is the post for this particular challenge. I hope you enjoy the images there!!Here is that other lion video I told you about the other day. This video is absolutely amazing!! If you loved that lion video I showed you before – and who didn’t? Then you will LOVE LOVE LOVE this video … it is utterly amazing … some of us have cried … [CLICK TO READ MORE]

Protect your copyright, write letters again NOW!

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This Orphan Acts Bill is still alive but not totally passed … so it is important that everyone (all US residents) take a moment’s time and send these letters again to Congress.  I have been getting so much discouraged email from artists who are worried about out work and who can steal it.  Please take the time and send the letters!! Thank you! Morning Star, Digital © Diane Clancy FROM THE ILLUSTRATORS’ PARTNERSHIP Call to Action Last Thursday the Senate Judiciary Committee endorsed their Orphan Works Act.  It is now headed for the full Senate. If you’ve written before, now’s the time to write again. Urge your senator to oppose this bill.  Because it has been negotiated behind closed doors, introduced on short notice and fast-tracked for imminent passage without open hearings, ask that this bill not be passed until it can be exposed to an open, informed and transparent public debate. We’ve drafted a special letter for this purpose. You can deep link to it here: Contact your Senator in opposition to S.2913 NOW (http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/issues/alert/?alertid=11389061) The House Judiciary Committee is considering H.R. 5889, the companion bill now. Please write them again: Contact your Congressman in opposition to H.R. 5889 NOW (http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/issues/alert/?alertid=11389081)   2 minutes is all it takes to write your senator and representatives and fight for your copyrights. Over 68,000 e-mail messages have been sent so far. Don’t Let Congress Orphan Your Work Please forward this message to every artist you know. If you received our mail as … [CLICK TO READ MORE]

Bloggers Unite for Human Rights & Illustration Friday – Electricity

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Today is Bloggers Unite for Human Rights Day – May 15, 2008. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations. Click here to find out details and join. Health care is a right not a privilege!!  It is unconscionable that the United States does not have health care for everyone.  Every other developed country has health care for all citizens. It used to be that South Africa and the US didn’t, but now it is only the US that doesn’t.  Clearly people need to come together in government to make this happen!  Too many people die every day and too many more families have all their savings and finances wiped out by paying for medical bills.  People who are rich will still be able to buy extra health care, but we all need good health care.  I would easily settle (ha, ha) for the kind of lifetime health coverage all our Congress people get. Health Care for ALL!!! Illustration Friday has a challenge every week. This week is Electricity. I hope you like this Electricity!!  Illustration Friday is a great way to showcase your work and a wonderful opportunity to meet lots of wonderful people! I encourage you to check it out! Lots of fun people and paintings! Next week I will write a poem but I wanted to keep this shorter today. Electricity, Digital © Diane Clancy ~ Diane Clancy Technorati Tags: Bloggers Unite for Human Rights Day, Health Care, Illustration Friday … [CLICK TO READ MORE]

Featured in Another Blog, rssHugger and Remembrance

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I am so thrilled that I have been featured on another blog!!! You have heard me speak of Chris O’Byrne who has a blog focused on online art marketing. Chris has decided to feature an artist every Friday on his blog. He decided to start with me!! I hope you will take the time to go over and check out his very interesting blog … thank you again, Chris!! You (my readers) are so so wonderful!! Lemon Flight, Digital © Diane Clancy One other thing I want to let you know about today … I have found out about a new resource for bloggers called rrsHugger.com. I think many of you know what rss feeds are … a way to be able to keep up with your favorite blogs by a feed reader instead of having to go visit the site to see if they have posted yet. The rss feed is the mechanism that gives you the info about their blog. Each blogger chooses a blog name … mine is www.rssHugger.com/dianeclancy.com.  They are providing this service free at the moment if you write a post about them. I am hoping you will go visit it. This is great for bloggers because there is a lot of exposure. One exciting thing is that they have a random way of showing blogs so that everyone gets a chance to be seen. They also have the top 100 blogs and other ways of finding blogs. For readers, it is an advantage because … [CLICK TO READ MORE]

My Year in Review/Happy New Year!!!

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Happy New Year!! Let’s all have the best year we have ever had! It would be wonderful for each of us to move ahead with our goals, health and relationships and to have peace and justice everywhere on earth. This includes environmental justice – caring for the earth! Sounds good to me!! Marketing is going to wait a few days as I am inspired to write a few other posts first. Lisa Call inspired me to review the year in this post. Today I am going to look at 2007 and see what I have done and tomorrow focus on what I want to accomplish. Lilac Wonder, Digital © Diane Clancy Actually I have accomplished quite a bit in 2007 and perhaps it will be useful to document some of it. Some of these were goals and some weren’t. Opened my CafePress Shop which allowed people to buy my paintings on mugs, tiles, totes, journals and more. This has been a goal of mine since 1988 (to offer my paintings on merchandise) and CafePress has allowed me to! Opened my Etsy Shop where I have been selling reproductions of my artwork from cards to larger matted prints. Opening this shop allowed me to reach more people who wanted to buy my artwork. I have been wanting to market more effectively for a long time. Learned about Art Trading Cards (ATC or ACEO) this fall and started offering them for sale. These were my best sellers at Etsy. Learned about blogs … [CLICK TO READ MORE]

Kwanzaa

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Two days ago I mentioned that day was the first day of Kwanzaa, December 26 to January 1, a 7 day celebration started in 1966. Kwanzaa is for the African American and Pan-African community to celebrate their heritage and reinforce positive community and human values: a celebration of family, community and culture. I find it a very moving, welcoming, uplifting observance from the ones I have attended. Violet Mist, Digital © Diane Clancy A core part of Kwanzaa is the 7 Principles: (NGUZO SABA (The Seven Principles) taken from the site of Dr. Maulana Karenga, founder of Kwanzaa, link above) Umoja (Unity): To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and to solve them together. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together. Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. Imani (Faith): To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory … [CLICK TO READ MORE]