This is the final page I’m doing in my book for the dark circle journal. I’m packing it up and mailing it eastward tomorrow.
Yes, I hate Monsanto, and everything for which it stands. I’m against genetically modified seeds, especially when it’s being done by the same company that brought us Agent Orange, in a way that seems designed to destroy the organic farming movement. I think this company, if left unchecked, will destroy the world’s food supply. So, I planted my own organic snow pea seedlings this week, to kick off the spring garden, and instead of using Roundup on the weed scourge in the veggie beds, I got down on my knees and pulled them up. I use vinegar to control the weeds, or boiling water, rather than toxic chemicals from Monsanto. If that means more hand pulling of weeds, so be it.
So, this dark journal project has taken me on some interesting journeys already, even though it’s just starting. This is the first time in a long time that I’ve been in a chatty online environment where I feel safe to be myself. We talk on Facebook daily, and we’ve also been Skyping here and there, which has given me an excuse to get comfortable with my webcam.
More than that, I feel a shift in my work. I’ve been headed toward doing more work that doesn’t rely on any imagery that I haven’t created myself for quite a while. I have no desire at the moment to do anything with vintage images I’ve used in the past. I’m shooting a lot of photos, knowing what I need and how I’ll use them in this week’s pieces. It’s a strange, unfamiliar process, but I like where it’s going.
I made a pact this week, with a new friend, to use a book that’s been sitting on my shelf for four or five years. It’s an over-sized art journal, with 96 watercolor paper pages that are about 15 x 20 inches. It’s a beast, and it has intimidated me ever since I first saw it. I bought it anyway, because it was so big and beautiful. Now, I’m working in it. Nothing to show yet, but soon…