Friday, December 14, 2018

putting some good out in the world, new stuff, and banshees


Wednesday night, full dark, coming back from yoga from El Campo about 12 miles down the road, I was almost home, within blocks, when I passed two people walking down the dark road which runs between the highway and business 59, not quite the middle of nowhere but close, and as I moved over to the left and passed them I noticed waving arms, so I stopped. I fumbled around in the dark for the window control and when I finally got the window down two young adult Latina faces, late 20s, looked back. They had been left high and dry in Hungerford, lived in El Campo, had been walking for about 3 miles and faced at least 12 more, wanted to get back to their kids, both mothers and could I give them a ride at least to the Bucky's on the highway, they could pay, they had $25 trying to give it to me through the window. So I questioned these young women about what had happened, did they not have a phone, where were their children, was there someone they could call with mine who could come get them. Please could I just take them to the Bucky's they asked. I considered all the danger, the conservative narrative of fear and loathing that I despise and told them to get in, called Marc and let him know what I was doing and I would be awhile yet and turned around, drove back to El Campo, and took them home. We didn't talk much. It was one of the young women's birthday, she was 29, crying quietly in the front seat while she conversed softly with her friend, the one who kept trying to give me the $25. She had just wanted to do something fun for once to celebrate her birthday, the person they had arrived with left without them and no one else would give them a ride. I was not the first person they had tried to wave down, I was not the first who stopped but I was the first to help. I delivered them to the door of the house they directed me to and I got home about 40 minutes later than usual. They were still trying to give me the money as they got out of the car. Just pay it forward, help someone else in need I told them.

I could have misjudged and ended up in a ditch or stranded myself but I refuse to live in fear, regardless of Trump and Republican politicians running around shouting 'Danger Danger Will Robinson' about anyone who isn't white when it's the white people causing fear and danger to people of color and as an older white woman I was probably safer than these two pretty young Latina women. The next person that pulled over might have done them real harm instead of just refusing to help.

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It occurred to me that I never wrote a post about this new glass working technique, the one I took the class in last August. If I did, I couldn't find it in my brief overview of posts since then. So briefly, it involves glass powder, a binder (something sticky), and what the artistLois Manno, who developed this technique, calls a 'liquid medium' all mixed together in certain amounts and in a certain order to get what looks like a ball of modeling clay, only it's glass. She calls it modeling glass. You can roll it out like pie crust, cut it into shapes, sculpt it, texture it, however you want to create whatever you had in mind. Our main project in the class was a bluejay feather (14”). 


We also did birds on a branch and a raven head (4 1/2”).


I have several feathers in mind (and plan to roll out the base color for one today), a great blue heron feather for the box if I ever get back to it, an owl or hawk feather (not sure which bird it belongs to), and a flicker feather that a friend sent to me. So I have rolled out sample pieces of the colors I've so far mixed up (all opaque colors) to see what color they will be after firing, blending some colors to try and achieve a grayer brown, and also to experiment with overlaying opaque and transparent glass powders.


Yesterday, it got up into the (very) low 70˚s and last night a cold front came howling in and by howling I mean everything from moaning to shrieking like a banshee. The dog was not happy. Temperatures plunged into the low 40˚s and will only rise to the mid 50˚s today and it's still very windy and moaning out there. The weekend should be nice though, chilly but clear for our last weekend of the open house.





20 comments:

  1. Thanks for helping the gals. Yes, it was a leap of faith, but like the young man we continue to help, we spend hours juggling what we should do for him without moving into an area of compromise or danger. We had continual arrests for drugs in the county and because I am old...both cause me more caution than I would have had years ago. But, if you ask "What would Jesus do?" I am sure he would tell you to use your phone first, also let someone know where you are going, and keep the faith in your fellow man. I have really grown interested in that glass technique. Wonder if our local art museum would think about classes here?

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    1. I hate what has/is happening in this country...the fear, the loathing, the complete lack of compassion, the me and only me attitude.

      the artist's name is Lois Manno and she does amazing work. I've edited the post to include her name and a link to her website.

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  2. Oh, Ellen. We really are a lot alike in some ways. I would have stopped too, most likely, and driven those women back to El Campo. I've stopped and given rides to people in my community before. And ended up giving most of them money, too. I am such a soft touch. When someone says, "I'm hungry," I can't not give them something. And if someone is waving for me to stop, I do.
    As you said, we can't live in fear. Although caution is probably a very good thing.
    Modeling glass? That's crazy! I can't wait to see a great blue heron feather.

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  3. I know you didn't write this to see how many electronic pats on the back you could get, but of course, good for you. And it can't help but make the rest of us examine our hearts and ask what each of us would have done in your place. Especially thoughtful was your reminder that they could have been in more danger than you were.

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  4. a welcomed story, I usually have no fear, fear is not the first thing that pops into my head, but I do understand, especially in certain states, caution is best. I do not make eye contact, and pretend to not hear most of the time. that seems to weed out some of the questionable folks. Thank you for taking them home. silly girls.

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  5. You're such a good person - thanks for putting kindness out there in the world! Can't wait to see the new feathers.

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  6. Brilliant, all around. The ability of glass clay to make interesting sculptures surely is in its infancy. I'm looking forward to the feathers series.
    As for the rescue, thank you. I remember the reverse terror trying, in the days before cell phones, trying to locate a lost daughter in a strange neighborhood, after dark. Extreme dark. How frightened those girls must have been.

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  7. You are a goodie Ms. Ellen. Thank you for being a human who cares. I love that you are one of the folks who questions what is happening rather than so many folks I know, not getting involved because "it's not their fight". What they don't see is that if they won't stand up for others....there will be no one to stand up for them. Hello..............common sense calling.........America "not here right now, leave message, we will get back with you (as soon as hell freezes over)"

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  8. You always make me feel so good just to know you... even if only virtually. <3

    Your work, as always, is beautiful. I love the idea of doing feathers.

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    1. thanks Hilary. I miss seeing the world through your eyes.

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  10. It is so comforting to know that kindness is not dead. We need to be constantly reassured of this in the face of all the incredible cynicism and outright evil that we are faced with every day! How relieved those two must have been. Thank you for being a role model for us all,
    Love the glass works.

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  11. Without people like you Ellen, how will trust and goodwill be restored between people, within communities and countries and between nations?
    Sure, there's a risk but you weigh that up and make a considered decision. You repaired a damaged evening for the young women and although you may never know how they truly felt about getting home unscathed I'd be willing to wager they were very grateful.
    As for yesterday's post, a generation has been raised on Cheap is Best. Buy cheap rubbish, wear it, use it, toss it away into landfill. Repeat ad infinitum.
    A generation who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. As for actually making anything, never mind anything creative, why would you do that? You can watch it on You Tube, on your lovely phone. Or just buy it in the shopping mall.
    Alphie







    and nations

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  12. Good for you, for picking up those women. You made a huge difference in their lives! This is the most effective way to fight the poisons in our society now -- simple, everyday kindness. (At least until we can vote again.)

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  13. I told a banshee story to a group of grad students I was taking to do research in a remote are of the Sandhills. Upon arriving the coyotes were wailing and they immediatly asked if that was what banshees sounded like.I said yes and laughed thinking they would have Dr. in front of their name the fallowing fall.I goofed on them all week, city kids at heart.

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  14. ellen, i am very moved by your act of kindness, i know how loud the cacophony of fear is these days, how we can never tell for sure what's what, and even people of color are mired in the soup and have to fight against the incessant media stereotyping of one another. You did a mitzvah, and those young women are more grateful than they could express for your kindness, and your examined heart.

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  15. The mother in you wanted them to be safe. Thank goodness you came along when you did. I hope if one of my children found themselves in that situation that someone with good intentions would pick them up and give them a ride. Your action seems small but these small bits add up and make the world a better place.

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  16. We're living out of moving boxes and in a brand new city, so I don't get time to read your blog...any of the blogs I normally read and as such I didn't this post until this morning. From the depths of my heart I want to thank you for making a difference and helping those young women. Yes, you took a big risk, but hey, folks like us got an angel on our shoulder so why not? Your comment about those who are spreading fear is dead on. They are all scared to death and that's why they come on with such bravado. Others see them as strong public figures. I see them as the tiny, frightened children that they really are. You have shown what real strength, love and courage is all about.
    I should shut up now but I must tell you an incident from 20 years or more ago. A lonely truck stop in the middle of nowhere in the desert. Cold, cold wind blowing outside, some skiff of snow. I pulled up under the street lamp to read the atlas. Imagine a paper GPS to those who have never drive long distance with an atlas as a guide. Two, frightened, teenage boys, very early teens, at my window, could they just sit down in my car for a moment to warm up. It was very cold outside, been at the truck stop for two days, hungry cold, the truck stop would no longer let them in.
    I took them to Oakland California, 500 miles out of my way or intended route. They were hitch hiking from Denver, the one confessed he had an abusive father. When we got to the apartment I would only let the one go in, the other I made stay in the car, I intended to go to the police if everything was not right. In a few minutes a woman came screaming out the front door of the apartment building, tears running down her face. Police in several states were looking for the boys. There had been three of them together and one had managed a ride and was there already. I delivered the other two.
    Yes I was scared. No cell phones in those days to tell anyone what was going on. I had a sack of about 8 sandwiches my brother had given me, they ate them all and then fell asleep.
    You did the right thing, so did I. Thanks.

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    1. TJ—This moves me to tears, as Ellen's act of kindness also did. Thank you. You restore my hope in humanity.

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    2. thanks TJ. as I mentioned in my next post I couldn't do anything less in good conscience and how sad it is that my small effort to help strangers is considered remarkable. and thank you for helping those boys.

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.