Tim White

A Reflection on Art and Life

Jul 17, 2008 06:44 am

Hi all,

It has been some time since I have blogged you all. Time here in New Orleans, while it is the "Big Easy", has been flying by. D. and I had a wonderful project with the Congress of Day Laborers, it was truly amazing. We tore down language barriers, 35 of 40 volunteers spoke spanish, race lines and brought the community together to create art that all could enjoy. This group of 40 men and women were simply the most meticulous, caring and thoughtful group I have ever worked with. The image that was being created was on the side of a cinderblock building. You know how cinderblocks are full of dimples? These volunteers spent hours with fine point brushes painting every crack. We had planned to paint for around 4 hours, the volunteers had their own plan. This was their work of art and they owned it like no other. They spent 7 and a half hours developing this work. I spoke with Jacinta Gonzalez, the organizer from the Congress of Day Laborers, about my surprise at their attention to detail. I joked that I would not have the patience to fill in every little hole. She replied "they're day laborers, this is what they do'. This resonated with me. We are so fast paced in our everyday lives. We work to finish and move on to the next task, often forgetting to do certain things (like blog on Changents) and yet these individuals did not operate that way. They knew how to enjoy the moment, each other and the product of their labor. Most of all they had pride in themselves and their work is a reflection of that. They are an inspiration and I have learned a great deal about passion, pride and dedication.

 

Flag as spam/inappropriate