Both Clunk & Jam and Wisdoms and Rose books are now available in Fremantle Art Centre’s FOUND online store. FOUND showcases work from a range of local and Western Australian Makers. Very grateful for their warm support. Instagram @fremantleartcentre . Cover art by Stormie Mills.
Rose paste-up in Fremantle Art Centre’s FOUND.
Why didn’t the Black Dog cross the road? Because he wanted to wonder a while at the masses marching in blind faith.
Why didn’t the Black Dog cross the road? Because green’s not always right – and red’s not always wrong.
Why didn’t the Black Dog cross the road? Because he wasn’t ready to go yet.
(See also ‘Good Difference’, ‘Being Different Is No Joke’, ‘Difference Matters‘.
(Clunk & Jam book)
(Art & words kindly from, Stormie Mills. Instagram @stormiemills. Original in colour).
‘A tra poco’ lets take a short break, from destroying our planet, listen to those that will inherit it, learn from the indigenous cultures of the past and see the future in a better way, let’s do more, let’s act, let’s ask those that are in ‘power’ to act on our behalf, repeatedly, or let’s change them out for those that will, let’s stop this circus of stupidity that values today over tomorrow.
The Squirrel Story (from The White Stripes album ‘Elephant’, track 10).
When problems overwhelm you and sadness smothers us where do we find the will and the courage to continue? Well the answer may come in the caring voice of a friend. A chance encounter with a book. Or from a personal faith. For Janet, help came from her faith but it also came from a squirrel. Shortly after her divorce, Janet lost her Father. Then her job. She had mounting money problems. Janet not only survived, she worked her way out of despondency and now she says life is good again.
How could this happen? She told me that late on Autumn day when she was at her lowest, she watch a squirrel storing up nuts for the Winter. One at a time he would take them to the nest. And she thought, if that squirrel can take care of himself – so can I. Once I broke my problems into small pieces, I was able to carry them – just like those acorns. One at a time.
Army of Ink Salute .
It is these inky things that stand me up when I slip up back. Show me forward into places I wouldn’t go all by myself. Write the wrongs through poems and songs. Create picture books of what I can’t tell. Hold me in a silent vigil when I bump and stop. Slow a world too big ad fast into moments precious and still.
It is these inky things that turn the deep end into a puddle I can jump over. Fear into something I can see. Anger into rock the boat defiance (like a wee rabbit thumping its foot). Shift loneliness into along wrapped in a nice warm blanket. Shrink pain to a hurt more my size. Make difference and smallness fell like a snug old fit. Every knock a trip to somewhere new.
And when night arrives … they snuggle beneath my pillow soft like a hidden treat. Riding the rise and fall of a slumbering breath. Catching sweet dreams and soft sounds that awaken a brand new day.
(Reposted from 2010. See also, ‘Peacemakers Plot’, ‘Once Upon A Dark Time‘. All Army of Ink here. In Clunk & Jam book, 2019. Original handwriting by Mags, with a chook feather from Ruth’s farm in Yallingup, Western Australia for handmade book, ‘Rock The Boat’, 2009.)
