Monday, February 16, 2009

Art and Protest Songs

Saturday evening we went to the studio of local artist Mary Edna Fraser. She was hosting the screening of a short film for the Coastal Conservation League dealing with the 50 homes that Kiawah Island developers want to build on a sand bar.

Yes, the same homes for which Henry Brown introduced legislature that would provide the home owners with federal tax dollar subsidized flood insurance. The bit of legislation that sparked an such an outcry from the public that it was withdrawn.

But, in the land of the rich and connected, the beat goes on. Something stupid like not getting federal tax dollars to supplement the estimated $50-60,000 a year it will take to buy private flood insurance on your multi-million dollar home built at (now) about four feet above sea level on a bit of land which the sole function of is to WASH AWAY during storms, well those are concerns for we little people, not the super rich who just have to have a home on a sand bar. Imagine how impressed all their friends will be.

Seriously, does no-one know why they are called barrier islands? Because they provide a barrier that takes the brunt of storms and erosion in order to protect the mainland? That is sort of their geological function.

I hope the developers show potential home owners the history of that spit of land, washing away and reforming over the years.

So we watched the movie, booed and hissed a little when the illustrious Mr. Brown's name was mentioned (not in the film, but by a question asker), and sang some protest songs. Oh, it was fun you fuddy-duddies! We, or rather, Jason, scarfed down some oysters and I bought an original painting.

Ms. Fraser is, after all, an artist. No, no, no, no, I didn't buy any of her work, although I loved it, she is a very popular and established artist, out of my bitty-budget having self's range.

There were several artists having a showing there and I kept circling around and around one painting until I could stand it no longer and wrote a check on the spot. The artist is a wonderful young woman named Tina Christophillis. I bought one of her blackbird paintings. I'll post a picture when I have one. I'm very excited.

Loki sez: I wasn't invited to show my box sculptures?

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