I am into the fifth week of my morality board commitment inspired by my friend Benjamin Franklin. Just for a recap, week one was
temperance, two was
silence, the third week I had the misfortune of contemplating
order during the February 22, 2011 earthquake that hit Christchurch, New Zealand, the fourth week was
resolution wherein I had to decide to flee or stay, and now that I have decided to stay in devastated Christchurch City and create
the aftershock gallery, the virtue for this week is
frugality, and as you may begin to see as I have, Ben was a bit of a visionary when it comes to practicalities.
Frugality, what does it mean, what does it mean?!?!
It means “in the context of certain belief systems, [it] is a philosophy in which one does not trust (or is deeply wary of) “expert” knowledge, often from commercial markets or corporate cultures, claiming to know what is in the best economic, material, or spiritual interests of the individual” (robbed freely from the Wikipedia which some people snub, and I find as readily available inspiration to begin a search for understanding when all the libraries have been knocked down).
At this moment, nothing could better describe my frustration in being knocked down (and locked out) after the major shakeup to await “expert” knowledge on how to recuperate. Since the aftermath of the very first Christchurch Quake on September 4th, 2010 which was thought fortuitous, but possibly gave all of us a false sense of optimism (something Gramsci warns us about), that has since February 22nd’s ruthless reminder that no “expert” can prepare us for what nature may deliver, I now find myself deeply embedded in the need for frugal philosophical contemplation, as well as an assessment of
frugality as practice...
“Frugality is the practice of acquiring goods and services in a restrained manner, and resourcefully using already owned economic good and services, to achieve a longer term goal” (and again, I rob the Wikipedia).
What does this mean for me, what does this mean?!?
I am an artist. I am not a rescue worker or an engineer or a strong enough person to clear rubble. But, what I can do is provide a safe space (relatively speaking) and an environment that I believe to be one of the healthiest ones that people can become whole again through artistic endeavours.
I use to break up old plates and glue them on pieces of furniture and sell them for thousands of dollars in Oklahoma, USA, which is my homeland. However, now that I am a Cantabrian, I have refuse all around me begging to be turned into something constructive, creative, and beautiful with no need to break a thing, everything is broken. I know how to make lemons into lemonade and dress mutton into lamb. This is what I consider my goods and services that can be freely given to all my Cantabrian earthquake victims.
Today, I decided to open my home (which has not one crack in it, running water and electricity, located in one of the safest parts of Christchurch) as
the aftershock gallery. Herein, anyone can come and paint, draw, sculpt, sing, read and write their way back to a beautiful way of living. There are two friends who have agreed to donate their artistic souls to the project and with no money, only talent and vision, we shall frugally go forth and provide an environment that can help the hurting psyches for those who feel locked out of the equation for recovery. Since the first quake, I have found solace only when painting and writing, I think many folk are built this way, and I intend to provide a place for them to do it in.
Herein, is my first port of call:
the aftershock gallery of friends
...is a space to create in, a gallery of different folks with different interests, but with the same situation of living with sudden change. Art is a healer for anyone and everyone is welcome here. We will try to accommodate projects for painting, mosaic, sculpting, drawing, reading, writing, and just about anything else our other artistic friends would like to donate their own time with.
...tuition is free or by appropriate donation...if you have no funds, no problem, if you have some, please share them, your funds will go back into the community by providing paint, tiles, brushes, mortar, pencils, paper, books and whatever other supplies are needed to help us continue to offer our services to the whole of Christchurch earthquake victims, which ahem, means everyone... with the place and the time to rebuild lives through artistic endeavours.
As much as possible, we will be using recycled materials, left over from building projects, demolition, broken china, pieces of family heritage restored through artistic recreation in honour of our passage as victims to victors. We will reclaim parts of our heritage, bit by bit, moment by moment, while focusing our attention on nothing but the moment in which we are creating in.
Let’s face it; everyone needs to come out of the desert occasionally. After a dry run, let’s get creative!
Bring your damaged goods and your damaged psyches to
the aftershock gallery of friends and find out what can happen. There is no cost, but trying, we aim to supply everyone with some way to express in a positive way, all that has been happening to them through the vehicle of art as healing.
And, herein is my first attempt of formulating the beginning curriculum...
Formulas from Friends
of
the aftershock gallery
•
Painting is not as mysterious as the brotherhood of secrets would have you believe. Painting is for everyone! All styles and mediums taught, but for now we will stick with acrylics because the paint dries fast and you never know how quickly we might have to finish it. Just kidding, oil painting and watercolour, also. (Any age)
•
Drawing on all your instincts with a little help from one of our University of Canterbury Art Majors will marshal in memories of better days. Life drawing, still life drawing as well as a few people locked outside with no clothes on if you like, these classes will be designed especially to your own tastes. (Adult audiences and budding geniuses)
•
Sculpting in stones that resonate with you will put you in focus with many dimensions of internal reflection, mending holes in the frontal lobe and putting yourself geopolitically locatable onto surfaces that take some rocking. (Ages 10 and upwards)
•
Mosaic a pot, table top, shelf, picture frame, mirror frame, cabinet or any other thing you can think of with all your broken bits and pieces that you don’t want to throw away, because they mean something or remind you of someone, put them to use all in one place and create your own ART. (Ages 5 – senility, in fact, it stabilizes all ages, putting little pieces of the puzzle together again)
•
Faux paint a surface of any kind, jewellery boxes, table tops, mirror frames, make a statement just by overlaying a few of your favourite colours that bring you joy, there are many ways to texture our life even when life does it to us it is ART. (All ages)
•
Reading a book with a committed group of people can be a huge stabilizing as well as expansive for those hungering to hear something besides the media gone mad. The group can make magic by meeting once a week for the duration of reading and digesting any book the group suggests. (All ages, separated by choice and content)
•
Writing your stories can be the defining moment toward healing any process, completing an era and making new meaning from rubble. Come write with us and read your story, pass it around, hear it out loud or simply take it home and lock it up, but write it, write it, write it.(All ages...for those who don’t write, they can tell it and we will write it for them)
•
Singing needs no lesson other than the ability to make joyful noise. Our music majors will donate their understandings to the charitable controlled chaos we hope to exude.
And in conclusion:
the aftershock gallery is a concept that has arisen from people who have something to give, but nowhere to give it. Because many places are closed and deemed unsafe or hazardous, we still would like to provide some form of stability to all our lives. The aftershock gallery is in a home that has been through both earthquakes and does not have a crack in it. It is located close to the University of Canterbury and the Teachers College. It is fenced, gated and easily accessible with the safe parking around the corner.
Parents, these classes are designed to be able to drop your child off for a couple of hours, while you do your shopping or other necessary tasks, we will steep your child into an art project that will bring them stability, creativity and something to look forward to each week while we all get on with putting our lives back into order. We will put your telephone number into a quick group call to instantly message you of our status should further aftershocks occur.
Everyone, this is for you, too, with an environment of positive searching for new and exciting ways to express ourselves no matter what.
the aftershock gallery and friends have decided that they would like to share their talents at this time with the larger public to promote healing and restoration for all of Christchurch.
We would like to keep our groups limited to no more than five, as two teachers will be available for each class, making seven people in one space an adequate amount for stimulation and a small enough group for safety during this time that proves to have ongoing aftershocks.
We are offering our services for free with the understanding that those capable of providing donations will be very much appreciated for the sustainability of this community project with no other purpose than to help the wider community move toward mending their lives through the natural functions of Art and its powers of beauty and restoration.
To express an interest for one of the formulas from friends attached, please contact us as follows:
theaftershockgallery@gmail.com
Donations for materials, letters of support and ongoing morale boasters will be greatly appreciated. Think frugally, but give resourcefully to the longer term goal of restoring the community of Christchurch through artistic endeavours. Art is life.
