This week President Obama announced The End of the War in Iraq. All troops will be home by the end of the year. And boy did all the talking heads, politicians and the analysts of war chime in… Is it was it Good News?

Today is certainly a good time for critical reflection on our nations actions. Actions that took us to war in Iraq. Some say Iraq was a mistake never to be repeated. While others say we should stay because the Middle East might become unstable. That Iraq might become a failed state and that Iran will dominate the region with its dangerous influence. Oh and don’t forget the pursuit of the Bomb.

Yes, the rhetoric of War and Fear of War continues.

Then again we still have Afghanistan, don’t we. So all is not lost?

Libya it turns out was a huge success because we didn’t invade or a total failure because we didn’t invade. It all depends on who’s is talking?

Well, I am happy our troops are coming home from Iraq and I hope they come home from Afghanistan sooner than later too!

I’ve thought a lot about War; all of our Wars. I’ve thought about them my whole life. I’ve thought about the possibility of war too! I mean when your a kid and you do dozens of Duck and Cover Drills you think about a the possibilities. Like the world could really just END in a Flash of Light. Yes, real danger does exist in the real world.

911 an act of real Terrorism happened. It could happen again at any time. Peril Harbor the Gulf of Tonkin and the Cuban Missile Crisis, October 1962. Talk about being scared for Halloween. They all happened and could and I will say with confidence will happen again. If not to America? Acts of war will happen to somebody to some nation-state.

Questions we should be asking

How will we respond? How should we respond? Should we Respond? The answers will depend on who is asked? Most likely Politicians and Generals will do the answering and they will of course beg for our consent. Oh sure they will scare the hell out of us first. But, they will want our approval before they take action. Even if they have to tell a few small lies. It will all be for our own good. Our Freedom Our safety.

I remember when President Kennedy told us all on TV that a real Nuclear War was emanate if the Russians didn’t withdraw their missiles from Cuba. The Doomsday clock was ticking.

My uncle Frank who was in the Navy sailed off to meet the Russians Eye ball to Eye. His ship the he was on, was part of the Cuban Naval Blockade. My uncle Steven a decorated WWII veteran said as we watched and listened to President Kennedy. This might be it. The tone and look on the faces of the adults in my Grandmothers living room knew the possibilities we were facing. Good thing I was trained! I knew how to Duck and Cover.

So the world went on and we the world took another breath. We got used to the threat of Nuclear War. Then came Vietnam. Korea wasn’t even over. Wait it still isn’t not over.

Vietnam ended. The Cold War was in trouble and then ended. America was all dressed up and had no war to go to.  So we went to Beirut then Granada and Panama. We had El Salvador, Nicaragua and then the first Iraq War. What a relief. Then came Somalia and Bosnia. Then Afghanistan and finally Iraq. I know I’ve missed a few; hundred. Most of the others were other people’s wars.

So back to Post Vietnam. I had many questions. Mostly Why? In the late 1970’s I was working on an Art Exhibition of John Heartfields work from AIZ and answered some questions about the why.

http://www.towson.edu/heartfield/

AIZ was a political magazine published during WWII that combatted NAZI propaganda. John Heartfields photomontage’s, stunning images, portrayed the story of politics and war in a way I had never imagined before.

Propaganda is the real weapon we should fear!

Propaganda, the Message. Messages designed to gain consent! Without consent you cannot have a decent War!

Heartfield wasn’t as funny as Steven Colbert or John Daily but he had his moments.

So after 911 I watched and listened to the noise. I watched as the very sophisticated political message helped sway opinion and gain consent. I watched as we invaded Afghanistan and then Iraq. We all know the truth about Iraq and the message that led us there. We have all listened to the noise from those who misled us, trying to cover up their mistakes, their lies with more messages. Only this time we are told we need to believe them; again. Fear sells War.

So I am glad Iraq is over and I hope the Iraqi people can put “their” country back together the way they want it to be. I hope we can put “our” country back together too!

I hope we take care of those returning veterans so they can put their lives back together. I know the Iraq War will not be over for them, not for a long time, if ever. We need to remember that as a nation.

Laurie Anderson in her song “Another Day in America” tells the story of her uncle who was in France during the war. The story of his nightmares that nobody mentions. Another Day in America

For me it was my uncle Clarence. His war was Korea. He was severely wounded. He had what we call today a Traumatic Brian Injury. He never recovered, He Never was able to live a normal life, he lived another 50 years after he was wounded. Oh and I remember his nightmares. We never mentioned them. We should have though.

It’s A Bomb A Love Story

Is a film I made about our obsession, love and fear of the Bomb. The Bomb is the next big fear again. The Bomb 2.0 Already the Masters of War are talking about Iran and their pursuit of the Bomb. What should we do? Should we be afraid? Should we just Duck and Cover?

I think yes we should be very afraid. Not of Iran but of those who try and gain our consent through campaigns of fear.

“Bull Rider”  60X72 Inches, Oil

Another painting drying on the wall. I wanted to do something fun. So living in Montana, I thought. Whats more fun than Rodeo. So there you have it.

City of Illusions, 48X60″ Oil 2008

I started this painting sometime in 2007. As the economic crisis grew in proportion so did the painting’s intent. By the time I had finished the painting the world was in recession and our future was threatened by the failing Global Economic system that we all depend on for our support. Since then the experts have discussed the problems we all are facing with little in the way of solutions. Even more challenging is the lack of discussion about the real causes of our current crisis.

Today I think even less attention is being paid to the cure. We hear speeches about the need to improve education. To invest in research. To improve science and technology.

The most frightening part of all the rhetoric is we are waiting for someone to save us. Some of us expect our political leaders to wave their magic wand and make the world right for all of us. Others are waiting for the Global corporations to hire again so we can all have a job and go back to work. If only it were so easy. But it is not.

Creativity is the driving force behind all innovation and invention. Take Steve Jobs . His recent passing gave the media a moment to pause and reflect on all of his creative successes and failures. His successes are a large part of how we conduct business and communicate as well as play today. His ideas paved the way for many others to follow. In short technology exploded.

Jobs was first a “creative!”

His real contribution was his creative mind, vision and his ability to collaborate with others to bring his ideas to life by creating the gadgets of science fiction. Through creative thinking the world has been transformed. You are reading this on your computer, iphone, ipad or another similar gadget. The way you listen to music, watch movies and stay in touch with your friends or business associates have dramatically changed over the last two decades.

Some people would have you think these gadgets are toys; but that is simply not true. The world of global enterprise, commerce today operates on a foundation of communication and documentation, a platform based on the creative ideas of Steve jobs and others like him. Yes we can quickly point out the flaws in the global system and the human downside to the technology that has transformed us into a global society.  We can ask and we should ask. Do the benefits outweigh the negative impacts?

Back to the global financial crisis and of course my painting

Other very creative people manipulated the global financial systems by creating illusions of  wealth and prosperity. They used the advancements in technology as a foundation to create an economic system based on illusion that had false value. These people created enormous wealth around the world or at least the illusion of wealth. Of course we all can today recognize the tragic downside to their greed. They did also create tangible products, goods and services even though they manipulated the values of those goods, (housing), and (derivatives) which created a bubble that burst. Leaving us with the mess now impacting every segment of the global economy. They left us to clean up the mess while they have creatively profited at our cost!

Unemployment today is unprecedented globally because of the illusion of a global economy predicated on an idea of continuous expansion and the consumption.

Yes,Global, Worldwide the Entire Planet and the Human Population are Dependent on the Premise of this Creative Idea in the Global Economy.

As we humans built “Creative Global Networks” to propagate this idea we failed to recognize how unsustainable and idea it really is? Today billions of human beings all over the planet are suffering because of the unintended flaws or failures of such monstrous economic growth and consumption made possible by the very technology that is also changing billions of lives for the better. The technology isn’t the problem. It is how we use it?

It should be obvious that Planet Earth does not have enough raw material (resources) to  sustain the idea of continuous expansion and consumption in its present form.

Let me share a couple of facts with you about continuous growth and consumption on planet earth. Based on present predictions of growth limited by known resources. China will consume the entire available supply of  oil produced daily by 2030. Today we produce and consume about 80 million barrels of oil a day more or less. This figure has been a constant based on known resources for more that a decade. As China alone emerges as a super economy at its current rate of growth, will need to consume 80 million barrels of oil daily to sustain its current growth by 2030. Where will that leave the rest of the world?

China will also need consume all the current supplies of paper available in the global market today by 2030. You can also add metals, coal, natural gas, plastics and food. Yes as China’s economy grows and it’s people gain more wealth they will be asking “Where’s the Beef?”

Technology is today doubling about every six months, or Machines, “Artificial Intelligence ” are getting smarter every minute.

Where will that leave humans?

Today more Robots are being employed in manufacturing than people. When corporation X builds a new factory they employ smart technology not unskilled cheap labor to do those laborious repetitive jobs that humans once did. Today we still need human workers to over see the machines that have replaced us by 100 to 1. In the near future as machines become even more intelligent that ratio will grow,but not in our favor. Think about the time in the very near future when robots will be able to match human dexterity? Use their hands to manipulate objects as delicately and efficiently as the most skilled human. Maybe 2030 or 2040. Add the super computer as a brain? Add the fact the idea of  iphone was science fiction just 30 years ago when captain Kirk called and said” Beam Me Up Scotty.” Fact is the Smart Phone has not even been around for a decade yet! Nor has Facebook or Word Press.

The speed that technology is advancing, multiplying is simply Mind Blowing.

So where does that leave humans? Unemployed? Because of the current economic crisis I have followed the issue of unemployment, job creation, job exportation and the future of human employment closely. Some experts point to the advancements in technology as a major job killer for many vocations. Corporations and small business alike are replacing workers with machines where they can. This retooling of modern enterprise is taking place in offices to the factory floor and everywhere else.

Let me give one example. The printing business. It was once business as usual for an artist to have postcards, brochures catalogues printed to announce New Work or a gallery exhibition. These announcements were the state of the art in communication for, well everybody. Once printed they would be laboriously addressed, one at a time by hand and then sorted and mailed the old fashion way via the post office.

Today a few minuets on a computer or smart phone can carry out the same announcement globally with a few clicks of a mouse and don’t forget a digital photograph! A photograph or even a video taken with your smart phone. Globally millions lost their jobs as printers, millions more lost their jobs as postal workers. In fact the relevance and continuance of the U. S. Mail is a question that is being seriously asked today. It is with certainty that I can say the U.S. Postal service will not exist as it does today in 5 years maybe less. Millions of jobs will be lost in the process of this sure to come change.

By now you may be asking if there is an up side to the changes we are presently facing and will surely face in the future. The answer is yes!

We have saved millions of trees which again cost jobs. We have also reduced toxic pollution. All that ink and the manufacturing of paper was and is a major source of  toxic pollution. And then there is saving millions of barrels of oil used to deliver all those postcards.

So by now you should be getting the picture of a very near future.

The problem is most of our political leaders, corporate leaders and most people don’t get it. At the very least if they do they are seriously challenged to solve the problems we are facing and about to face as living breathing human beings. You hear slogans like we need to increase, improve technical and scientific education. We need to rebuild infrastructure and so on.

What we are really facing is the evolution of a brand new world. A world that technology will dominate to do the jobs we humans once did. So we have to find new jobs. Jobs not even invented yet or jobs we forgot about, jobs we really enjoy as human beings?

The idea of education or how to prepare for tomorrow the future must include a creativity as a core foundation. The arts and humanities are the lynch pin that will hold human existence together. Through a more creative education we will find purpose in our lives as well as the thoughtful deployment of technology to enrich our existence and not destroy our worth as human capital. Perhaps greed will become an outdated motivation in a world where humans will have to embrace enough. Instead of continuous consumption we can learn to be satisfied with enough material wealth while we greedily soak up intellectual capital and fulfilling experiences.

We can create a global system where we all have the material things we need to sustain ourselves and  at the same time find fulfillment through our creative and intellectual pursuits. We will need a new way forward in everything from energy, food production, transportation, housing, education, and all technical products and machines.

We need to create a new world a new global society where everyone can take part.

Participation is growing as fast as technology.

The question we face is the new world going to be one based on democratic principles and fairness combined with compassion? 

Or will we destroy ourselves fighting over the remaining resources left on the planet?

The Dark future is a present threat to the human species perhaps more so than any weapon we have creatively created! 

Will we live in a world where Polio is eradicated only to leave those saved to starve?

These along with many other questions need to be asked and answered now. Asked and answered by you.

Steve Jobs was a visionary that was able to apply creativity to technology and change the world. Not change without discomfort  or sacrifice. His inventions and innovation caused the loss of many millions of jobs as well as created millions more. Different jobs. Jobs once never or only dreamed of in a world before modern technology.

Think about the power you hold in your hand today as you use your ipad. You have more computing power than existed in the world when the first man stepped on the moon.

Where do we go from here America? 

Some scary resources:

Universal Conscience  A Website Created by Artist Tim Holmes

Speed of Change Researched by Karl Fisch, Scott McLeod and Jeff Brenman

Plan B 4.0 By Lester Brown a free PDF upload

Earth Policy Institute  Here you will find some amazing facts about the present and future. If you think Lester Brown is just another run of the mill environmental advocate. Then you have to ask yourself why the Chinese Government has ask him to advise them on their future growth and planning?

So far I haven’t decided on a title for this Figure. The canvas is 60″ X 72″ Oil.

I am thinking “Sunburn” It just seems to show my feeling this summer. Oil on Canvas 60″X72″

“Rabbit Tricks” Those pesky little animals just show. Oil 60″X72″

I’ve got a few more painting in process. Now that my seasonal job has ended I have more time to get back in the studio. I just ned to get the discipline thing going.

Yesterday October 5th,2011 will stay in history. 

Steve Jobs died and Martin Scorsese’s epic three-and-a-half-hour documentary, “George Harrison: Living in the Material World,” Aired on HBO

I have to say Steve Jobs was a person who really did change the world with his inventions and innovations. My proof your reading this. George Harrison Gave us a kinder vision of what we would all like to be.

Now I have to get to work, it’s that discipline thing and I am allowing myself to be distracted. So I’ll get my ipod warmed up and listen to some vintage George Harrison and mix some paint.

We all get distracted from our real goals as Artists. The reasons are as plentiful as rain drops in a storm. That’s just how modern life is. A constant bombardment of information, events and distractions.

Clarity 

In search of clarity or at least a few clear cognitive thoughts I have decide to add to your bombardment of information by creating this blog. It’s purpose is to help me clear my head and get back to work in the studio. The blog is a place where I hope I can dump the overload in my brain. A brain that never seems to be idle or at rest.

Isolation

Most Artists regardless of where they live truly work in isolation alone in their studios. At least most of the time, I think. Perhaps individual creativity requires Isolation until our ideas are ready to share.

In the process I hope we can find something to share between us? Perhaps we can inspire each other to reach out of our isolated studios.