This may strike you as strange, but one of my biggest language-related pet peeves is the misuse of the word 'cannibalism'.
Cannibalism is the devouring of the flesh of one creature by another member of its same species.
Anthropophagy is the devouring of human flesh, by any creature.
So a chicken that eats another chicken is a cannibal; but a chicken that eats a human is anthropophagus.
There, important English-language lesson of the day. Use this knowledge well.
9.27.2009
9.21.2009
All that talk of not having any art done...
A larger version, as always, can be seen on my DeviantArt page.
Graphite. 5 1/2" x 8"
9.18.2009
On the misappropriation of 'masculine' and 'feminine'.
Still struggling with my artwork and creative motivation. In the meantime, I've decided to write about something that has bothered me since I was just a wee childling. That is...gender, and how it's characterised!
As a child, I was what is commonly referred to as a "tomboy". I liked dinosaurs and dragons, hiking and getting muddy, running about and playing outside. I hated dresses, and as of 3rd grade began refusing to wear them entirely. I would not wear pink, make-up and purses held no fascination for me.
For a long time, people thought this meant that I did not want to be a girl. Hell, even I was convinced of that for a while. But what has come more and more apparent to me over time is that being a girl is never what bothered me. It was (and is) the false set of roles and restrictions that are handed to every child upon determination of their biological sex at birth. Restrictions that are, inarguably, a lot more restrictive to the development of individuality in girls than they are to boys.
As a child, I was what is commonly referred to as a "tomboy". I liked dinosaurs and dragons, hiking and getting muddy, running about and playing outside. I hated dresses, and as of 3rd grade began refusing to wear them entirely. I would not wear pink, make-up and purses held no fascination for me.
For a long time, people thought this meant that I did not want to be a girl. Hell, even I was convinced of that for a while. But what has come more and more apparent to me over time is that being a girl is never what bothered me. It was (and is) the false set of roles and restrictions that are handed to every child upon determination of their biological sex at birth. Restrictions that are, inarguably, a lot more restrictive to the development of individuality in girls than they are to boys.
9.14.2009
Duck, lest ye run afoul of the steam shooting out of my ears.
Sometimes, even well intentioned people can be very, very insenstive. It usually comes when someone questions or challenges their priviledge in a situation where they don't perceive that they have it. I've been guilty of this in the past myself. Today, though, I'm going to ran about somone else. Someone who's very near and dear to me, but who can still be a complete jerk at times.
Exactly one month ago today, Melissa McEwan over at Shakesville wrote this post, about how we, as women, often have to make the decision between protesting when someone makes a sexist (or downright misogynistic) statement and potentially ruining the evening for that person, or "swallowing shit" and only ruining it for ourselves. I had an evening like that not long ago, where I decided to just swallow the shit and deal with it.
Exactly one month ago today, Melissa McEwan over at Shakesville wrote this post, about how we, as women, often have to make the decision between protesting when someone makes a sexist (or downright misogynistic) statement and potentially ruining the evening for that person, or "swallowing shit" and only ruining it for ourselves. I had an evening like that not long ago, where I decided to just swallow the shit and deal with it.
9.13.2009
Nothing to show
I'm having one of those days where nothing goes quite right. I can't mix the colours I want, the shading goes all wrong, the line ends up elsewhere than where I want it. The grey catbirds come out looking a little more on the green side. It's not artist block, it's more of an artist stumble.
My time tomorrow has been booked by parents and parents-in-law, so I know I'll get little to nothing done--which only adds to my sense of frustration. This was supposed to be a day for making!
Normally, if I'm having trouble in one sphere of creativity, I move to another until the stumble resolves itself. Today there seems to have been little recourse but to write and avail myself of Write Habit's list of literary magazines in the attempt to find someone who might want to publish my work (hopefully with a little bit of pay to be exchanged, as well).
So at least that was something.
There can't be anything much more boring than reading about someone who cannot create. More interesting posts are in the offing, I promise.
My time tomorrow has been booked by parents and parents-in-law, so I know I'll get little to nothing done--which only adds to my sense of frustration. This was supposed to be a day for making!
Normally, if I'm having trouble in one sphere of creativity, I move to another until the stumble resolves itself. Today there seems to have been little recourse but to write and avail myself of Write Habit's list of literary magazines in the attempt to find someone who might want to publish my work (hopefully with a little bit of pay to be exchanged, as well).
So at least that was something.
There can't be anything much more boring than reading about someone who cannot create. More interesting posts are in the offing, I promise.
9.02.2009
In regards to actually getting to work.
So my lovely mate, E, has been in LA for the past week. He was there attending the workshops and award ceremony attendant upon winning one of the quarterly Illustrators of the Future contests. Incredibly impressive. If you want to go rush over and take a look at his work right now, having heard that, it's here. Go over. Spend some time. I post his DeviantArt rather than his website, because he updates it more often. (Mine own, more neglected, is here).
So I've gotten up off my own butt, and I'm getting back to work on the art that I've been ignoring, due to demanding-contract-dayjob. I admit to bouts of self-doubt and criticism of late. There are a few things that are difficult in a relationship between two creative people in the same field, and being torn between extreme pride in your mate and jealousy/self-doubt is one of them. That, and some people will come at you with the preconceived notion that in a creative couple, one of you must be inherently "better" than the other. More about that in another post.
Anyhow, I've been spurred to work on my artwork, more vehemently. Also to pick up my writing again. After the six books of mini short stories I wrote for my BFA thesis, I took a rather substantial break from writing. Partly because I didn't know how to surmount the main (and very legitimate) criticism that occurred during my thesis critique: that I have difficulty ending a story. Or at least, coming to any kind of conclusion.
So this is my goal. I have several short stories in the works at the moment, and for practice I'm going to try writing flash fiction. Just to practice better how to bring a story from a begining to a thoughftul conclusion. The stories will probably begin showing up on here.
And of course I will be submitting to Illustrators & Writers of the Future as well. E says he had a smashing time at the workshops, and heartily recommends attendance. By which he means getting off one's ass, and getting the courage up to submit to this thing. Now. Because it honestly cannot hurt (except one's confidence).
So I've gotten up off my own butt, and I'm getting back to work on the art that I've been ignoring, due to demanding-contract-dayjob. I admit to bouts of self-doubt and criticism of late. There are a few things that are difficult in a relationship between two creative people in the same field, and being torn between extreme pride in your mate and jealousy/self-doubt is one of them. That, and some people will come at you with the preconceived notion that in a creative couple, one of you must be inherently "better" than the other. More about that in another post.
Anyhow, I've been spurred to work on my artwork, more vehemently. Also to pick up my writing again. After the six books of mini short stories I wrote for my BFA thesis, I took a rather substantial break from writing. Partly because I didn't know how to surmount the main (and very legitimate) criticism that occurred during my thesis critique: that I have difficulty ending a story. Or at least, coming to any kind of conclusion.
So this is my goal. I have several short stories in the works at the moment, and for practice I'm going to try writing flash fiction. Just to practice better how to bring a story from a begining to a thoughftul conclusion. The stories will probably begin showing up on here.
And of course I will be submitting to Illustrators & Writers of the Future as well. E says he had a smashing time at the workshops, and heartily recommends attendance. By which he means getting off one's ass, and getting the courage up to submit to this thing. Now. Because it honestly cannot hurt (except one's confidence).
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