A gift for my friend Nathan, this was made for FurPoc 2023. In person, the screen is a cutout and the buttons float in the lamination.
##art
also: #artwork, #art
“Birds of Gaza is a community art project for children to craft unique birds to remember every child killed in Israel's war on the Gaza. Through the power of collective art we're highlighting the atrocities that have led to over 6,500 children (and counting) being mercilessly killed.”
View the gallery, take part, support the project
grabs you softly by the shoulders. listen to me
if you have a budding artist in your life who's just starting out drawing or singing or writing or anything you're going to encourage them. you are going to find something genuine and sincere to say about their work, and you are going to say it.
even if it sucks ! it's so hard to start something and so brave to share it with the world. they gotta do it twenty times before it's okay? they refused to give up. it's wonky and lumpy? there is something in the world made from their heart that didn't use to exist. they struggled at every step? perseverance is such an important skill. there is always charm in something made by dear hands.
it doesn't matter if it sucks now and it doesn't matter if it doesn't stop sucking ! it's not about its value to anyone but the person who made it, and what better value is there than 'made someone i love happy'?
most people aren't looking to make a career out of it. they feel the need to create and they are pursuing it in a world that constantly tries to make us believe art is worthless and a waste of our time. after all, we could be grinding to make some asshole the next billionaire instead.
creating something can be therapeutic, it can be a fun challenge, a great way to focus, a good opportunity to keep your brain healthy learning new things. for some of us, making art is the only way we feel we can truly communicate.
so if someone you're friendly with on the internet just got started making seed bead bracelets or star trek gif sets or writing gothic poetry, let them know it's cool when you see them post about it ! you never know if the people around them said it's stupid and told them they'll quit this one in a week too. it isn't stupid and it doesn't matter if they quit, it matters they tried. for as long as they wanted to. so help them stay motivated.
the world is sometimes a very hard place. we can all help make it a little softer. and it's such important work we can all do, to raise others up.
Slightly behind my usual schedule (didn't sleep well), but gonna work on some Bun-E03 art to start with, and maybe something else depending on time and how far I get.