Category: Uncategorized

James Gurney: A Visionary and Inventive Artist

I’m sorry for the delay in posting this week. I’ll see to it that the next posts are on Friday as planned.

One of my favorite books as a child was Dinotopia by James Gurney. I love the alphabet that the dinosaurs created using footprints. I love the intricate pictures of the machines. I love seeing human beings riding pterodactyls through the sky. I love that Gurney played with biomimicry (before it became a buzzword), tree houses, flight, language, romance, adventure, an island, and dinosaurs all within the same series.

Perhaps one of the aspects that appeals to me from the books is that human beings and dinosaurs seem to be working mutualistically with each other, and with their environment. Together, they create beautiful and sustainable cities, like this one.

Part of the trouble for western countries is the seductive ease of using fossil fuels and disposable products, in spite of the hidden toll it’s taking. Global warming aside, hydrocarbons and other compounds get into the water and muck up our fish and shellfish. Oysters and scallops and clams were once a national treasure. Now there are few places in the U.S. where you can get an abundant amount of shellfish that are safe to eat right away. It takes a concerted effort to decide the trajectory of our cities now and into the future, and how our cities and towns mesh with the environment.

How can we live in such a way that we are conscious of what we take out, and what we put back in?

Look at the lights above your head. Look at your computer screen. Where does the electricity come from? Where do the minerals and the parts come from? What is the factory like where the pieces are assembled? In too many factories, the workers suffer poor health from breathing stale air, doing repetitive work for long hours that leaves the mind and body aching. Everyone benefits from range of motion. People can’t live truly rich lives when they don’t have access to fresh food, fresh air, or wild places like mountains, streams, rivers, lakes, the ocean, plains, or forests.

I’m not advocated for ditching technology. We can do great things with it, and connect, and make change happen.

Can we do better? We can advocate for better working conditions, and we can better respect the products by remembering where the parts come from. Which minerals? Which mine? Which forest? We should also keep in mind where the products go when we’re done with them, and how well the local landfills can, or can’t, keep them separate from the farms, schools, houses, and conservation areas nearby. Yes, we can do better.

A Good Start to Your Day

If you haven’t heard of Kid President, check it out. My favorite part is after he asks, “What are you teaching the world? To be boring and sad?” This video is a good pep talk in the morning when you’re wondering why you rolled out of bed.

Thanks Klara for sharing.

Non-Violent Communication

I’ve met a few people who have studied or practiced non-violent communication, and I was impressed.

For instance, Jake, who taught me the power of asking, “Would you be willing to do _______.” It was so considerate, asking that way, that I usually felt happy to do whatever it was, and thanked at the same time.

Or Elyssa, who helped me connect with people by stating needs and showing love without expectations for a certain result. She also modeled that adage, “Seek first not to be understood, but to understand.”

My sister, also, has studied NVC, and I’m so impressed with her ability to resolve conflicts and her empathy.

Everyone deals with other people in their work at some level or another, especially educators. Or, if you are an artist, and your relationships need help, NVC might be a breath of air.

“You might consider…” is another powerful NVC phrasing. You might consider learning more about non-violent communication. It’s been used by everyone from mediators between groups of warring people to couples to teachers.