I’m so beyond happy that I joined @staciebloomfield #creativepowerhouse. It’s giving me what I need right now. Design briefs, purpose prompts, guidance, learning, feedback, courage, a group, and confidence. I finally found my art group home.

June’s purpose prompt focus was flowers – poppies, cone flowers, peonies, and protea. All different and all are beautiful. I love flowers and they were my favorite to paint and now illustrate. Coincidentally, @directoryofillustration prompt month was #leadwithdiversity. You can’t get more diverse than flowers. Perennials, annuals, colors, size, flowering lifetime, shape, design, needs … from fields of wildflowers to potted plants on a patio. Some species of flowers are bred for and valued because of their differences. I think it’s safe to say flowers aren’t concerned about the differences of other flowers. They just are who they are trying bloom where planted.

Sadly, most humans do care about the differences in others. In our imperfect world what is valued depends on the century, decade, country, region, nationality, religion, movement. Once someone with the talking stick, money, power and influence decides what is valuable, all other things are considered unvaluable. And to go along with the crowd, be part of something bigger than ourselves, or prove our maturity, belief, political correctness, wokeness or whatever movement is currently popular, we de-value the other differences.

What’s worse we also take it a step further and throw quick fixes programs, re-education, mantras, ideas at the unvaluable differences without compassion, understanding, and love. We make a mockery, devalue, and scorn the different people.

If my potted poppies needed the same sun as my potted geraniums, I wouldn’t throw out the geraniums and repot the poppies in the geranium pot. I also wouldn’t throw out geranium flowers pot and all and move the potted poppies in. I wouldn’t berate the geraniums for being in a spot the poppies need. I would kindly make room for the potted poppies beside the geranium pot.

We don’t have to devalue one thing to add value to another! We learn from each other. You don’t have to like everyone, but you can love them and let them be. Collectively we are beautiful. In the grand scheme of things, we are seasonal annual potted plants. No one is getting out of “here” alive, so let’s make our short time beautiful.

I’ll continue illustrating and painting, adding my version of beauty to the world – despite the devaluing of my work because of my race, sexual preference, identity, age, and genealogy. I believe it has value. And like my teacher Stacie Bloomfield, I believe “There is room for everyone.”