Hope in hard times

At the meeting
black marker on bond
9 x 6 inches
Barbara Muir © 2010

I am so moved tonight by watching the TV campaigns
for Haiti. Our art club, the Don Valley Art Club held and
emergency meeting tonight, because it looks like
the club's dependable schedule, which has been a great
pleasure for so many people may be disrupted. Art means
a lot more to people who have sorrow in their lives
than just making lines, or painting. It is a connection
with other artists that brings hope. That is true here
on the blog, true at our small art club, and true around
the world when artists band together to give what they
can give to urge other people to help out. For the painter
the thing you can give is art, for the singer songs. What
beautiful songs tonight.

There is something profoundly moving about people
getting together for a cause. I think the internet has done
amazing things in that regard. In Canada now two hundred
and eight thousand people have banded together through
Facebook to join in wanting the government to get back
to work. Our Prime Minister has prorogued the government,
which means that there will be no parliament until
March. But all across the country people are communicating
with one another through the internet and planning to march
tomorrow to say we want a fair democracy, an active
parliament.

My drawing tonight is of one of the people in our club, listening
at the club meeting. She had a beautiful and serious face.
This club is much more to people than a place to make
art. It is a social meeting place for people who share a passion
for art. And that is huge. People of all ages, many very
long time members have had so many wonderful times
together. I feel hopeful that whatever happens to our
current building, that spirit will continue, and the social
fabric of the club will live on.

Have a joining-with-the-world day.