watercolor, inks, collage, pen, and photo transfer on sketchbook paper
Oh my! What would they say to that Boomer in me, who is ever ready to get up and go to take that magical mystery tour? Mom and Grandma, want to come along?
I was a Hippy of sorts, back in the sixties, a flower child of the Love generation. It’s deeply wired in my neurochemistry. I gave up smoking dope about 35 years ago when I discovered that meditation was a whole lot better way to get high. But the rest of it – the music – the freedom – the feeling that we could create a new way of living, the connection with other people of my generation. . . All that still turns me on, and so when I see a bus like the one above (there are still a fair number of such vehicles here where I live in California) or tie die shirts or hear a Hendrix song or a million other reminders that still exist in our fractured culture, I get a twinge of pride that that is MY generation. And my mother (at 89) and I still have the ability to review that era through the vastly different prisms of her generation and mine. So here I am still rebelling and loving it! Art is first and foremost rebellion and artists the champions of rebellion. Makes me want to go out and fling paint at something!
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Oh yes, Susan! I feel deeply connected to you in most of the things you write here!
I never was a hippy (at least not an official one, but I guess I had and still have a hippy soul…) and I never liked dopes and meditation, but I spent my whole adult life searching (and often finding!) for all these feelings you are writing about. My rebellion started as I was a child, and never stopped. But strangely I never considered art as a way of expressing it… in fact I never try “to send a message” through my art. But I certainly often feel the need “to go out and fling paint at something” although I don’t know the word “fling”, but it sounds good)!
I remember wandering to the corner of Haight Ashbury when I was in San Francisco – trying to catch the those heady days on the breeze. The words on your piece here Susan have inspired me to write s song….watch this space!
Miki, To fling is to throw, with a relaxed wrist. You did lots of it when painting your bulls! And yes, you are an honorary hippy – that I can attest to – and a rebel through and through.
This is a cool piece. I also like the one above by Valorie – guess I’m drawn to old photos.
Yes, susan!
Those were good times and even though my life is a million times better than it was back then ( mostly cause i’m now old and have learned a thing or two) I’m proud to say that in most ways, I am still letting my freak flag fly!