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Post by blossoming on Oct 2, 2010 21:35:43 GMT -5
yeh, your mom was prolly projecting all her weird dirt issues on your art. here are some cool things i've done with dirt...........fashioned pieces into copies of old archaeological mother earth type figures from old books. i had forgotten that. that was like twenty years ago. lemme see. is there anything else. hmm. i've never made a brick out of dirt, but i know you can. mudpies. you gotta love those. oh, i lived somewhere once where the dirt was red. it ruined so many of my pants one day i purposelly soaked a tshirt in it and it came out this lovely pink shade. the difference i found out between a stain and dye is simply if the whole thing is covered in it or not.  on a different line of thought, in the forest, the dirt is all the fallen trees and leaves mixed with rain which grows mushrooms which distengrate which are eaten by bugs and become the SOFTEST dirt in teh whole world. walk throug a forest and it's like wallking on a sponge. but, the same dirt once in the door is DIRT. |
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Post by blossoming on Oct 2, 2010 21:39:54 GMT -5
re animals and dirt
chickens and birds take dust baths on purpose. if you see them laying looking dead rolling in the dirt, they are keeping themselves free from mites.
dogs roll in dirt. they love the smell. for them, smells are memories and directions. the more smell, the better.
other animals, small and large, burrow in it to make homes. sparrrows use it to make nests.
fancy ladies pay money to put mud on their faces.
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Post by mouseanne on Oct 2, 2010 22:42:07 GMT -5
one of my cats takes regular dust baths.
baseball franchises wipe new baseballs down with purchased dirt.
Thank you so much for this thread.
You all amaze me!
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anyway
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Post by anyway on Oct 2, 2010 22:46:08 GMT -5
oh, i lived somewhere once where the dirt was red. it ruined so many of my pants one day i purposelly soaked a tshirt in it and it came out this lovely pink shade. the difference i found out between a stain and dye is simply if the whole thing is covered in it or not. There's a store in Texas that sells "Texas dirt shirts" -- they're t-shirts, hand dyed in the local red clay. They're a beautiful shade of brownish red. They actually "set" the dye somehow so it won't wash out. Now there's a use for dirt!  |
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Post by toomuchstuph on Oct 2, 2010 22:57:47 GMT -5
My DH has one of these from Oklahoma! You're right - they're a beautiful shade! oh, i lived somewhere once where the dirt was red. it ruined so many of my pants one day i purposelly soaked a tshirt in it and it came out this lovely pink shade. the difference i found out between a stain and dye is simply if the whole thing is covered in it or not. There's a store in Texas that sells "Texas dirt shirts" -- they're t-shirts, hand dyed in the local red clay. They're a beautiful shade of brownish red. They actually "set" the dye somehow so it won't wash out. Now there's a use for dirt! |
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Post by ClutterBlind on Oct 2, 2010 23:46:06 GMT -5
I was driving around in Arizona. The ground there is all red clay. Same bright red as a terracotta planter, only in dust or rock form. It was so breathtakingly beautiful, and really kind of hard to believe the earth could be so red, staring at it outside my car window. It stretches for miles. The only time I've seen red clay that bright is in a plastic bag at the pottery studio. I guess I always figured they added some colorant to make it so red and bright.
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Post by ClutterBlind on Oct 3, 2010 1:03:18 GMT -5
Every time either Hubby or I did a task that took any time at all, we added a ring. I have several colors of dry-erase markers so we used lots of color. About mid-day I was a little concerned about "wasting" the time here and there adding the rings, but then when I saw the end result it made those few extra minutes in the day totally worth it. I was even happy to erase the mandala because I was excited about starting a new one today. When I first Googled sand mandalas after reading the OP, I found that some of them can take hours to days to complete. All with the intention of being destroyed afterwards. I really pondered on that. I remember reading an art book, which really pointed out making art is about the process. Artists really have to love the process, because we spend most of the time doing the process. Once the piece is finished. It's done. End. (There may be a different process in getting it hung, seen, have an effect, sold, etc. But that is a different process.) If it was all about having the finished piece, one can BUY a piece of artwork that gives us similar results without going through the process. It made me think, those mandala makers really have to love the mandala making process, because other than a picture taken of it, they won't even have the finished product to keep in the end.  That's what made me think about burning candles. That is a process, too, to have the experiences while burning candles. I get cheap ones from dollar stores. Some burn better than others. Some make a huge mess from leaking and the sides busting open. (I've learned to always put them on a high rimmed plate.) Others, if the wick is too long, which makes a larger, more lovely flame, can make a sooty residue, which has to be wiped off. I realized, this inconvenience has to be factored into the process of burning candles. And it is still worth the time it takes for clean up. I think the fun you & DH get from the minutes spent adding to the mandalas is worth it, if it gets you to keep cleaning and to enjoy the end of the process. We need to factor in those little moments of pleasure when we can. Some days, they may be all we have.  I was also thinking how, I really love the scent of cinnamon potpourri. But, I can't bring potpourri into my home. It would just add to the clutter. I already do not have any free table space. And if I knocked it over, who knows when I would get all the bits cleaned up? Instead, I have been buying Febreze air freshener, as it really does seem to eliminate odors. But, they don't have the cinnamon scent around here. So, I've been buying different scents that are on sale. Only, I really don't like those scents. So, I don't spray as often as I need to. . .  I realized I need to think of this like the candles. Actively creating experiences I like. I would spray the cinnamon scent more, as I like that smell & having that experience. Even though it costs more, it would be really better overall if I bought something I like and would actually USE. So, I went and ordered some online.  re crud on bathroom floor. a technical note. if you happen to use hairspray, it will quickly attract dirt to it and make incredible black stains on a bathroom floor. use shampoo to get it up. Same thing happens with the Febreze air freshener. I often have to spray it down the hall, especially as my cat won't cover her poo. It can get quite stinky, until I go in and toss some kitty litter over it. My apartment is right next to the electrical closet on my floor. Every few hours, the superintendant comes by to open the closet, to check the wiring, that there's no heat build up in there, or whatever is for fire regulations. I am always afraid that they may smell stinky odors coming from my place and report me. I don't need problems with my landlord. I have noticed that Febreze particles drop on the floor and attract dirt like crazy. |
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anyway
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Post by anyway on Oct 3, 2010 2:49:26 GMT -5
For the cinnamon potpourri smell, you can put a pot on the stove with water and a few cinnamon sticks or a spoonful of cinnamon powder. Just let it simmer on low heat and the whole house will fill with the smell of cinnamon. You can add some cloves or nutmeg for a little different scent. No need for extra clutter, just use what you already have on hand.
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Post by blossoming on Oct 27, 2010 16:08:04 GMT -5
i have very iron rich water which had been bumming me out because it leaves red stains on the tub, toilet, etc.
the other day, i was thinking i just HAD to find some other way to think of this as it wasn't going to be changing anytime soon.
so, after the water drained from the bath and the bottom of the tub, per usual, had a layer of red debris on it, i used some to make a painting with! then, i sealed it like i would any "real" piece of art. it changed the way i feel.
still not into the mess it leaves, but i did find a way to transform it, and more importantly my feelings about it, into something more fun and engaging.
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Post by ClutterBlind on Oct 27, 2010 16:41:42 GMT -5
Blossoming, it sounds great. Just like a sunset, every day you can make a different picture.  |
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Post by blossoming on Oct 27, 2010 17:43:22 GMT -5
roflmao
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Post by eatingbonbons on Oct 27, 2010 18:20:22 GMT -5
You know, Blossom, you have some wonderful ideas. I love to see what you're up to.
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Post by dayeanu on Mar 3, 2011 10:32:33 GMT -5
This is a powerful thread.
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Post by seashell on Mar 3, 2011 11:38:13 GMT -5
Thank you, blossoming, for starting this thread. And thank you, Dayeanu, for bumping it up. I have been sitting here reading it for a long time. Lots to think about.
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Post by Peach on Mar 3, 2011 12:46:32 GMT -5
Thank you, blossoming, for starting this thread. And thank you, Dayeanu, for bumping it up. I have been sitting here reading it for a long time. Lots to think about. I agree wholeheartedly with Dayeanu and Seashell. Somehow I missed this thread in September/October last year. Thank you, Blossoming and everyone who has posted such startling (to me) insights and ideas. I never heard of the term "mandela" before (except in regard to Nelson). I always wondered why artists would create elaborate ice sculptures only to have them melt away; or create sand sculptures to be washed away with the next incoming tide. Now I know. I purchased a cinnamon scented $1 candle two months ago. Today it will get lit for the first time and I will enjoy it. |
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