Hey, I made four pounds of beans for the Shut Down Creech protesters. They’re out in the desert for a week, doing important work, and feeding them is an honor. I was fun to make that much beans in a tamale pot. Like food not bombs again, those days. I get a thrill.
Yes, beans are not supposed to be exciting, but I get excited. This much garlic would excite anyone, right?
It was pinto beans, carrots, garlic, pepper, salt, chili powder, water. Very simple and not too spicy for the people who need mild. Someone’s allergic to onions, so I left those out.
Normally I would serve with add-ins like jalapenos, some kind of sour cream, maybe cheese, cilantro, tomato, hot sauce, raw onions. But this was a simple meal, and one pot was simplifying.
todos somos
I also made this art called tis the season. It’s a walking skeleton smoking a pipe and wearing a hat with flowers. It’s reclaimed product packaging cardstock–from a box of crackers–painted with cheap craft paint, and the skeleton is drawn in orange and red sharpie.
It felt extraordinarily good to draw the bones, especially the leg bones. Exquisite pleasure, of those long leg bones, after the little toe bones.
Slightly I fretted at skeletal inaccuracies, like the lower legs and forearms, the bones are actually double. But Ming was very happy with this art and didn’t criticize those issues. In fact, he was happier than usual. He really liked this one.
I feel grateful for all that art I’ve made in my lifetime that prepared me to make this art. Grateful I can allow myself to make the art I need to make, and nourish myself in ways I didn’t know were possible. Thank you to everyone who has supported and believed in me.
Todos somos calaveras. Like I always think everyone is naked under their clothes. Yes, we are all going around naked, just in different states of concealment. So we are all skeletons, death temporarily clothed in life.
