The Green Earth – Teal & Gold Tides Jumbo Mug

Start off your day with a fractal ... fascinating to look at. I hope you enjoy this vibrant, colorful painting!! Great for a gift!  To me this looks like a map ... with rivers and hills ... or perhaps a photo from heaven of deep forests with lots of oxygen.  Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!

The Green Earth – Teal & Gold Tides Jumbo Mug

Artist: Diane Clancy; Title: The Green Earth; Medium: Digital

Untouched, Beautiful World - The Green Earth - a tribute to our lush planet – which allows us all to have a home. Rivers of spring green, jungle green, yellow green and sea green flow, mixing with eddies of amber, saffron, sun glow, orange and brown. Rivulets of olive, lime, honeydew, maize, jonquil, salmon and pumpkin dance and whirl and twirl as they refresh our world as they play together.

The Green Earth reminds us to balance our own needs with that of Mother Earth. We need to protect the Rain Forests. They give us great oxygen to breathe and also have an incredible biodiversity – all this helps the whole of humankind. Uplift your day with this tempting vision. You may experience peace, serenity and healing as you look at my work. Bring this oasis into your home for yourself and to share with others - whether next to your computer on a mouse pad, mug, notebook, treasure box, plate, or a shirt, tote bag, iPad or iPhone cover, card or on your living room wall.

Computer monitors and browsers show colors differently so the actual colors may vary slightly from what you are seeing. All images are original and copyright protected. Images may not be reproduced, saved, altered or used in any way without written permission of the artist.

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Biodiversity of Species Part #2 (Non-humans)

Lately we talked about biodiversity of the species - while focusing on the human species. You can read about the last post. A key point for humans is that there is actual strength in difference. Diversity of people are important for the stability and evolution of humans. Unfortunately, languages get lost every day! Unbelievable that there are that many!!

Beseeching, Digital © Diane Clancy

Then there is biodiversity (Wikipedia) of the rest of the species. Science actually echoes thought (or is it the other way around?), the idea that there is strength in difference. Variety in species is actually necessary for the continuation of life. It used to be thought that many animals were cool and a nice thing. The more it gets looked into, it becomes clearer that it is necessary for life.

We have all heard of how many medicines that are so helpful actually are found in plants and microorganisms - that has been an incredible breakthrough. But each of us, human, animal, plant, microorganism … is part of the web of life. Variety actually strengthens our resistance to problems.

The potato famine in Ireland (1850’s) is seen to have been caused by a lack of variety in crops. When things are too uniform, they are weakened so that they are more vulnerable to catastrophe and problems in general. Think about each of us. I know when I do things only one way, when my rhythm is broken, I have less resilience to make changes more easily. To some extent it is similar with nature.

When agriculture gets too uniform and we lose heritage varieties, the ecosystem is weakened. Right now, there is a strong movement in saving old varieties of plant seeds to have for the future. Unfortunately, at the same time, there is a movement by big agribusiness for uniformity so that they can grow, pack, move and sell more easily - that is, more uniformly. This is part of why buying locally is important.

It is disturbing that we are losing so many species every year at this point. It is greatly disturbing that so many species are getting destroyed - yes, I mean destroyed - with the rain forest destruction. The rain forests hold some of the keys to life in many ways - biodiversity, oxygen, indigenous peoples, natural medicines .. the list goes on.

There are some efforts to protect species that are endangered and bring them back. The bald eagle in Massachusetts, US has had some real success. But these plants and animals are another reason why we need to protect the environment and look at our ecological footprint - as so many of us are doing.

This is just a quick overview, but I hope I have given you food for thought about why variety and difference are important for our very survival as a human species. A bright point is that there are still some new species that are being found - particularly in Indonesia. It is amazing to me! Not that these species are new - but those people who keep track of such things are finding them for the first time. This gives some hope for biodiversity - this also means there is that much more land we need to protect - at the same time we respect the needs of the people who live there and depend on these areas.

I know I have given a very slight overview of this topic and welcome your own thoughts, experiences and ideas!

~ Diane Clancy

Bio-Diversity of Species Part #1 (Humans)

This post got way too long so I am starting with biodiversity of humans and will share the rest of what I have written soon.

Consciousness, Digital © Diane Clancy

There is a lot of discussion … such as “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” And “in diversity there is strength” and the “web of life.” Often it is groups who are promoting difference and diversity among types of people. A fun, interesting world with a diversity of races, classes, attitudes, religions, ethnicity, sexual identity, physical looks, health, ability differences, genders (some people are breaking gender barriers) and more.

There is a lot of pressure for conformity of ideas, dress, looks, attitudes, values in the culture in the US. I know that that is also true elsewhere. Someone who is seen as different is often seen as a threat - to “our” way of life. And I am not just talking race and politics here. I am also meaning women who don’t wear make-up or dress fancy, men who are seen as feminine, people who wear their hair wild … the list goes on. Of course, there are many subcultures that have different values from the mainstream … but usually the pressure is still there.

I personally agree with the viewpoint that there is strength in multiplicity and I have actively worked toward supporting a diverse world since young adulthood. And I have worked to create acceptance of difference with much of my time. I strive to put my values of embracing divergence into action in my life. They also say “uniformity is the death of creativity.” This is the theoretical viewpoint I live with.

They also say “variety is the spice of life.” Appreciating and celebrating difference in the human race helps us appreciate diversity in the rest of the species on earth (more about that Friday.) Back to my painting tonight. Great consciousness is necessary as we dance our way through life, loving and supporting each other and the earth.

~ Diane Clancy

Blog Action Day

Many of you know today - Monday, October 15, 2007 - is Action Blog Day - to help promote awareness and action around the environment. Rima and Neda are showcasing art on their gallery Maraya Galleries. This art can be for any of the dozens of ways to support the environment. I chose peace! My line to go with this painting is “Peace is Necessary for All Living Beings ~ Humans, Animals ~ and the Earth.”

Peace, Digital © Diane Clancy

Peace is Necessary for All Living Beings ~ Humans, Animals

~ and the Earth

Not only is war tragic and destructive to people and animals, it is also terrible for the earth. Of course, bombing is awful for people and the earth. And then there are all the active ammunition that is lying around that explodes when people and animal step on it.

But the other piece about war and the environment ~ the amount of resources that go into war is criminal, in my opinion. Besides the human cost, there is the environmental cost. Jet planes, bombs, transporting people, supplies and ammunition all have a very great environmental cost.

It is important to reduce our own consumption of oil and other resources ~ and enormous amounts of resources are going into current wars. Never mind all the financial resources that go into war rather than alternative energy, education and heath care.

Let's all work together to reduce our impact on the environment and get us back on track!

~ Diane Clancy