The Golden Rule, a new AR video using my artwork

"They Must Think I am Crazy" A true story about me, from about 14 years ago, and how it relates to my life today as a vegan.

About 14 years ago, I was new to motherhood, I had a 9 month old beautiful baby boy, and I was in the process of moving out of a tiny apartment into our very first home. Since the move was only across town, I moved most of our meager belongings myself, driving back and forth between our apartment to our new home, toting my son along as well. On one unfortunate day, I had finished up doing what needed to be done at the new house, and so I locked up the house, took my baby out to the car, unlocked the car, threw the keys onto the seat, and strapped him into his carseat. Then, I locked the door from the inside (just trying to be extra safe) and closed the door.

No sooner had I closed the door, did I realize my error. I had locked the keys to the car and to the house inside the car with my baby. I had no way to get back into the house, no way to get in the car, I didn't have a cell phone.......and so immediately became distraught. It wasn't a hot day, so my baby was just fine for the meantime, and he was content and calm, so I told myself ok ok, think....So, the first thing I did is I went to the next door neighbors. They were home, but they all spoke Spanish, so I really had a hard time communicating wtih them, but I was able to communicate enough to them to let them know I needed to use their phone, that my baby was locked in the car, and I needed the police to come out. So I promptly made the call to the police, and was told the police would be over shortly. Relief swept over me. So, back outside, I waited, and the kind family who lived next door waited with me. Pretty soon, my baby was no longer content though, he was crying and angry and then it turned to screaming, frantic ear-splitting screaming, and the more distraught he became, the more anxious and worried I became. But still, I knew he'd be fine, the police were on their way so this would all be ok soon. I did think about breaking the windows to the car, but since it wasn't a hot day, and since breaking the glass could very likely injure my baby, it didn't seem like a logical choice. So I waited, all the while getting more upset.

But, soon, things took a bad turn. My son soon became inconsolable, and was flailing his arms around, banging his arms into the arm rest on his car seat. I am sure he couldn't understand why his mom who he could see right outside the car wouldn't come help him and comfort him. So, anyway, as he was banging and thrashing around, the cover on his armrest came loose. Now, it doesn't sound like so much of a problem, but it was. And it was because of something I had done. Not long before this incident, a snap on the cover of his armrest had broken off, and so I had used one of those really big safety pins ( I know....incredibly stupid of me! ) that people used to use for cloth diapers to hold it together. As my son was screaming and banging the armrest, to my horror I saw that the cover had spun around the armrest of his carseat and the safety pin had come open, and the pin was aimed right at his face. As he was crying inconsolably, his poor little face kept getting closer and closer to the pin. I immediately started screaming, realizing the imminent danger he was in. The pin could have easily gone right in his eye, he was close enough to make this happen as the pin was just inches away from his face. So I was immediately was trying to communicate to the neighbors that I needed something to pry the window down, or something to break the window, but they didn't understand a word I was saying. Worse yet, they didn't see what I saw.

I didn't know how to communicate to them what had just unfolded, they didn't see the open safety pin aimed right at my son's face despite my gesturing and pointing. They thought there was still no immediate danger. No one would notice or see the open safety pin unless they looked closely, and knew what I knew (that I had put a safety pin on the cover to hold it together). So, my mind was reeling and I was trying to think fast. I somehow conveyed to them that I needed a clothes hanger. I am sure they thought I was nuts, but they obliged me and went inside their house and got me one. I opened the hanger up, made it into a long stick, and I used all my force to pry the window to my car down as much as I could, hoping if I could get even a quarter of an inch I might be able to stick the hanger in and move the pin away from my son's face. They watched me, all the while still not seeing what I saw, and I am sure they thought I was a complete nut. Somehow, I was able to get the window down enough to get the wire into the car, and I was able to use it to hold the pin far enough away from my son until the policeman arrived so that he wasn't in danger.

It was only when I was able to successfully move the pin away from my son's face, that the family realized what danger my son was in, and then they understood why I needed the hanger and why I was so frantic and distraught, and they realized what could have happened to my son. Soon after the police arrived, the policeman used a tool to get my car unlocked and well, the rest is history. My son was fine, unharmed, safe from the open safety pin, and happy to be in my arms again. And I was relieved beyond words. And how you might wonder, does this story have anything to do with the present-day me? Well, here's how: Ever since going vegan, when I learned of the horrific cruelty that is inherent in the dairy and egg industries which is what propelled my to go from vegetarian to vegan, I've tried to find ways to communicate to others these truths I've learned. I think, surely if they just see what I've seen, and look at what I've looked at and read what I've read, and listen to what I've listened to, they too will be horriried and care enough to change. Some listen, and some are so moved by the cruelty and injustice done to these innocent animals that they go vegan too. But most don't listen, most don't even see what I see, because they look the other way.

And I have to wonder why that is. I feel very strongly that most if not all of my friends and family members and even strangers that I meet would feel the same as me. How can I say this? Because I think if I asked anyone if they believed that hotdogs are "necessary" they'd say no. I believe if I asked them if slamming pigs headfirst into concrete because they weren't growing fast enough was "ok" in exchange for a hotdog (a true and real practice, just one of the many inherent cruelties in this industry), they'd say no. I believe if I asked most people if they'd take food from a baby (this is the dairy industry), they'd say no. I believe if they knew the true cost (suffering, cruelty, death) in a glass of cow's milk or an ice cream cone, they'd say no thanks, they'd happily take the soy or coconut based milk or ice cream instead. I believe if people knew that male chicks in the egg industry are ground alive like mulch, they'd pass on the omelette or scrambled eggs.Instead though, what I see is continued apathy, or maybe it's not apathy at all, but rather a non-reaction because people don't even realize there is something to react to. I wonder if people just too easily make assumptions and ignore information.


If you are not yet vegan, please, don't ignore the information out there. Watch and listen to the speech by Gary Yourofsky. Watch Earthlings. Watch Meet Your Meat. Watch Peaceable Kingdown. Read about these industries. See the truth. Look for the truth. And be part of the solution. The animals need us to protect them. Lastly, I'd like to just say, I am not crazy. I am not extreme. I am simply someone who is against animal cruelty. Aren't you too? I am someone who believes hurting animals is wrong. Aren't you too? It's really that simple. That's why I am vegan.

Meet Your Meat

Gary Yourofsky's Speech

Earthlings

Peaceable Kingdom Part 1

Peaceable Kingdom Part 2

Peaceable Kingdom Part 3

Peaceable Kingdom Part 4

Vegan Starter Kit

New Painting titled "Patience"

Hello! I've just listed a new piece on Etsy titled "Patience". You can see the listing on Etsy by clicking here.

You can see me working on it at the gallery in these photos....

and the finished piece

A man who was watching me paint this piece at the gallery last night came up with the title "Patience" and I really liked it. It's got a double meaning because he told me it is the name of the heroine in some famous play. I thought it was very fitting and so that is what I've named this piece. I really like it! :)

Lionel and Sebastian

Well, it feels good to get some organizing done. I just got finished cleaning up a page on my website that was bothering me. You can see it here if you like. I learned how to neatly line up all the photos in columns and it just looks so nice and uniform now! Yay! In other news, I've listed some new pieces for sale as prints and giclee canvases......both are from the same piece, just varied slightly, but they each seem to have their own unique personalities, so they each have unique names. Here they are:

"Sebastian"

5x5 Print $7 Free US Shipping

"Lionel"

5x5 Print $7 Free US Shipping

I will be at Island Visions this Friday the 11th doing a live painting. Probably getting there at 5 and staying until 8 or 9. Not sure yet what piece I will be working on but I can't wait to go! Hope to see you there if you live close by. In other news, I brought my son home today from school, I think he had a migraine. Poor kid! He's getting a big nap in and snuggling with our kitty. Our cat always seems to know when someone is not feeling good. It's comforting for my son to have his kitty snuggle him and keep him warm and loved.

Well, that's all for now.....gotta run and get a late lunch which is going to be Mock-Tuna Salad Sandwiches. They are AMAZING!! And I do mean amazing! 

"Family"

A new piece, inspired by my love of cats, and gardens.........

This piece is available on my website as prints and giclee canvases.

Welcome to my new blog! And, a new piece!

Hi Everyone! Well, I've decided to go ahead and start up a blog. I've had one before but I deleted it as I just didn't feel I had time to devote to it. However, I feel a lot has settled down lately and I have much to share. So I thought I'd try my hand at a new blog. I hope you enjoy it! It will allow me to get a little more detailed into my life and what I am up to and the new art I create.

Anyway, here is a new piece, titled "Herman"!

It's also available on my website as prints and also giclee canvases right here! :)

Also, in the news, I am working on a collaborative project with my kids creating some new artwork. So far it's all cat-related paintings and they are so cute, well I admit I am a bit biased, but they really are so cute! Will be posting them soon. Trying to come up with a logo or some such thing for their work. Maybe they can have their own little business?
Here's a sneak peek:

Well, that's all for now. I will leave you with a fantastic recipe you might like to try: Saffron Scented Tofu Scramble! Sounds incredible! Tastes incredible!