pretty carp to being outstanding in your field

If Mac users are hungry whales, MS users veracious sharks (duh duh, duh duh...), then Linux users in mass are drooling penguins. I try to herd them past the Koi tanks, "For Show Only, Not for Lunch" I say.  They drooled so bad everyone was slipping-n-sliding-n-falling. Hard to get predators to read the liner notes, Koi are fresh water fish you salty dogs. Koi are a cultured lot, the cream of the Carp, not a glorified Guppy. Besides I think predator taste buds are in their stomachs, they don't even chew their food. Slow down, saver the flavor!..........and dibs on that.

What has this to do with art, digital and otherwise. Here in my post-lost of industrial base town. We are trying to revive via the help of local artist. We have discovered that competition for recognition and rewards and resources have reduced artist to individual feeding frenzy crazed I am somebody worthy to be paid well and dang near worshiped maniacs.

Let me make it plain. Town or neighborhood recovery requires grass-roots effort. The grass on top that is visible to all needs cut/trimmed regularly. This controls the grass and the WEEDS. The roots that are invisible (underneath) are what remains and sustains. Artist are used in recovery work because they have a work-flow that is integrated into their lives. Often their work needs and living needs are the same needs (work in the home). This creates a tension which fuels local economy, social networks, community concerns and resolutions, cultural identity or character of the community, etc.

To start, artists need to communicate, collaborate, establish the community, grow commerce, then compete. Competition is about friendly fire not destroy all comers. Why because some artists are supremely gifted and some not. Then some artist are well received and some less. If you create a healthy environment, all the milk is enjoyed, the froth, the cream, the milk, the milk mustache supports the napkin industry, the milk residue fuels the dish detergent industry, yogurt and cheese and milk flavoring, latte and lactate free. Besides the industry of art itself, artist possess a work ethic. Somehow if a town languishes too long, the work ethic drains away. Easier to steal from your neighbor than work for your own sinks into many towns.

Jobs are scarce near where I live, I keep my chin up while I look for work by doing art projects. Keeping busy wither getting paid or not helps keep the work ethic alive. I get up, get busy, plan, work at it, finish it. I joined with other artist doing the same thing. We struggle with where we are going with this. We hope for other artist joining in to become aware of a community of necessity, establishing the roots on the bottom while cultivating the grass on top. Once the grass is growing strong, weeds can be tolerated and managed. Before then weeds overwhelm, drain the nutrients and look like hell. Please note, there are not enough weeds to make bio-fuel and challenge the oil industry. If heavy industry comes, OK, if not we will roll with what we have and be successful with that.