Welcome to Gaia! ::

So my vacation is over.. and way too soon at that. It was beautiful up in my home town in Northern Arizona. soon as everyone uploads the pictures I'll have them posted in the photo's section. Hope everyone had a great weekend and didn't miss me too much.

Hope it gets fixed soon too. Maybe I should jump on this bandwagon and fix my poor neglected Alienware..

But your avi is cute.

Yeah I've got.. pff too much crap I need to catch up on. I haven't even hit up the daily chance since I got back.. and I'm pretty sure my fishies are dead, which means good eatin! Calamari anyone?

I just did something that I really don't consider 'art', and I'm not sure if it's appropriate for the guild. It's a small tribute and a cry for human rights on behalf of Neda Agha Soltan, the 27 year old woman who was brutally shot while protesting for Iranian human rights (or rather against a lack of...) a few weeks ago. I purposely chose a very graphic and disturbing scene with a group of protesters holding up signs of those recently killed by Iranian police for protests after the questionable election. (There will be a better tribute coming, as it's hard to find pictures of the lady alive....)

Now, that being said, this work isn't in the guild. Because I don't know if it's okay for this. But it is on my profile, so if you want to look at it and pay tribute to a true hero (sorry, Michael Jackson isn't it), feel free. If not, you don't have to. I won't be offended. It's a touchy subject.

But then again, not all art is supposed to make you feel comfortable about your life. I think some of the best art is that art that makes you stop and think. And more so the art that makes you hang your head in shame when you think about the history of humanity... I think (and this is all solely my own opinion) that when we're reminded of the horrors of bastards like the one who shot Neda and those who commanded him to do so, or Hitler, or Castro, we're reminded at how evil we as a species can become.

Were it not for reminders, graphic, disturbing, in your face reminders of the atrocities we have (or are are currently) committed, there is nothing to keep us from repeating them in the future. Certainly nothing to keep us from learning.

I'll get off my soapbox now...

Thanks Bri, I appreciate it, really. I'm also glad to be part of a guild that celebrates art in all it's forms and individualistic expression. Honestly, I was a little worried. So phew! Whoohoo.

The only way I'd not allow something politicalish is if some cheeky upstart got all offended and started complaining about it. In which case I think I'd have to slap that person because I am not about anything political, and what I expect is that even if the subject matter isn't to everyone's liking, at least take care to notice the work that the artist has put into their creations.

So if there's something political or controversial and a debate is a brewin.. save it all for PM. I just want to see your creations.

Again, check the contest thread to see the details on the photoshop contest.. I'd like to have more than ONE person involved in this one.