fibre friday: save Capilano Studio Arts and textile Program!

fibre friday: save Capilano Studio Arts and textile Program!:

Facing over $1 million in provincial funding cuts, Capilano University has made the sudden and shocking decision to cut its Studio Arts and Textile Arts programs almost immediately. Teachers and students were warned this week that their classes would not continue, although those already enrolled in two-year courses should be able to complete.

Arts and creativity is an easy thing to cut. It doesn't make anything productive; it's not associated with great wealth generation; apparently anyone can do it, and how exactly does it benefit society? If you're the average person on the street, then this probably mirrors your opinion of funding arts and artists with public funds. However, if you stop and think, then take a look around you, you'll see just how much art impacts your daily life.

Those little icons on the elevator panel, the visual instructions on a wrapper, the font and layout of the timetable you're reading - all created initially by an artistic human being.

The cute designs on clothing you pick out for your kid, or even the packaging it comes home in ...

The upholstery for your tush on transit ...

Amazing infograms, explanatory visuals, display signage at the museum, emergency exits, stores ...

This jar of strawberry jam or another one?

Where do I put my ticket?

Which way do I run to get out quickly?

Art is everywhere, and by cutting down on exposure to learning and development in the subject, we're cutting down on the usability of our world and stunting our human experience.

Remember that amazing Winter Olympics Opening spectacle? when we welcomed the world to our city, showing what we were capable of?
Now try re-imagining it without the art -would it inspire you to visit Vancouver?

Please sign the petition and add your creative voice to the debate.

SPT 25Apr13: arms length

SPT 25Apr13, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

... or close enough to see every wrinkle? every lash out of place? every blemish?

WYSIWYG

Too old to change but still adaptable. Versatile through years of experience. Years of practice. Practice makes perfect.

Or close enough.

wordless wednesday: parenting choices

Pro D day at the art gallery, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

terrific tuesday: days like these

days like these, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

On days like these I thank my lucky stars that I do 'work' from home, that there is no boss to wrangle with or co-workers to face down when my Wee Guy has a fever.

Much as I would like to get dressed in fancy smart corporate clothes and commute to a desk in a trendy part of the city, I'm also glad I don't get torn in two.

Although regular paid employment and workplace interaction would banish the nagging sense of redundancy, isolation and loneliness that comes with being an unfulfilled SAHM, did I really have a child just so I could put him into childcare?

For sights like this, I'm willing to work with what I have, in, around and in spite of my family. It will succeed one day.

self portrait thursday: portrait of the artist as a SAHM

self portrait thursday: portrait of the artist as a SAHM, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Searching for inspiration, or spotting some more housework?

Who knows?

On the one hand, it's nice not to have to commute to work.

On the other, it's nice to have some work to commute to.

While it's great to escape the house for a goodly chunk of the day, commuting in my locale is so bitty that it's impossible to tackle any projects en route, unlike my marathon 90 minute epic locomotions across London in days of yore (essential reading vanquished, papers edited, experiments designed).

Right now though, I'm looking forward to some work which will require me both to stay at home and get me out into my neighbourhood. Best of both commuting worlds IMO.

Stay tuned!

wardrobe notes: for once I'm wearing brand new togs - Laura Ashley dress, Reitmans ruffle cardi, M&S devore scarf; however, the three jackets hanging artistically behind me are all thrifted

wordless wednesday: tangled

tangled, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

a load of old tentacles

digital sketch

all the tens

little dude, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

This year seems significant, in a biological decades kind of way.

Ten years ago, I became a mum and welcomed the Wee Guy into my life.

Ten years before that, I became a wife and ensnared mr ebb.

And ten years before that event, I left high school to be an undergraduate and fucked for the first time (the two were slightly related).

Ten years prior to these life-changing moments, my family moved to the seaside village around which I upped my friskiness ten years later! (read into that what you will, but al fresco meadows, beaches, garden sheds, etc.  hold a warm spot in my heart ...)

And ten years before this, I was very much in minus land, probably existing only in the twinkle of a couple of newly weds' eyes!

What goes around, comes around.

midlife monday: storytelling

evening with the Wee Guy, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

I could spin you a yarn or tell a tall tale or fabricate a fabrication to explain my MIA-ness, my absence from the interwebs in general or this blog in particular.

Yes I've posted minimally, using pictures as a crutch but not really spent much time on the usual introspective ramblings.

To be honest, the introspection was even too much for me. Hunting for ads , writing out applications and being ignored as a (pretty well qualified) job seeker is frankly demoralising. After an amazing few weeks as an intern at the Beedie School of Business, the return to unemployed SAHM was underwhelming.

And even with such a prestigious placement and the numerous writing clips generated for my portfolio, I still can't rustle up an interview.

Frankly it's been sucking big time as I contemplate a stay - at - home future looming ahead.

But life does indeed go on, and after a few weeks of being a misery to live with, I'm feeling a little more inspired.

What I don't want is to rush back into keeping busy to distract myself from what's (not) going on. On the other hand, I do need to occupy my time with anything other than housework to dilute out the tedium of applying for jobs.

Ever since I arrived in Canada I've been busy building my network, skills and community. As a SAHM I've looked on this as a way to supplement a non - salaried portfolio, to stay fresh for re-entry into the job market. What I have been seeing is that it takes a lot more to land an interview these days. Traditional enthusiasm and hard work stand for very little when applying to prospective employers it seems.

So maybe I need to rethink. Do I really want to keep hammering away hoping to convince an employer to really read my resume rather than look for qualifications a, b and c in that precise order? Or should I make my own way, building the kind of patchwork at home /from home career that my broadly- based skills equip me for?

Is that the real answer?
I'm starting to think yes.

studio portrait thursday: carousel horse breaks free

studio portrait thursday: carousel horse breaks free:

carousel horse breaks free, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

After the excitement of Spring Break, a practicum at SFU's Beedie School of Business and completion (successful, I hope but Continuing Studies is rather sluggish with communications despite the high fees paid for the course) of a Digital Communications certificate, the studio is well and truly back at the bench.

With no clear plan either.

Apart from a general mandate to apply for jobs, I don't have much creative direction and need some projects to keep me busy.

Last night I whipped out my sketch book, grabbed a pencil and captured an image from the screen in front of me.

It felt good - the rough scribe of 2B on smooth 98lb Canson. Carousel horse breaks free.

Blossoms

Blossoms, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Blossoms

my boys, skiing

my boys, skiing, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Fresh snow at Cypress today - kept us all entertained.

wordless wednesday: time waster of cuteness

ms gertie, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

tuesday: pride

last day snowboarding?, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Whose?

Mine? that the Wee Guy is now a snowboarder like his mum and dad?
or
that the Wee Guy was proud of himself for managing some behavioural issues so he could get to this super-whizzy-fast-heelside-state-of-awesomeness?

You choose.