shhh.

Every Friday I have a three-hour block of time that I schedule, in ink, in my calendar for personal art time. Even though I am drained of creativity on Fridays, I still feel that it’s important to create things that won’t be graded or critiqued. I usually do something mindless, making something that I couldn’t write an artist’s statement about even if I thought about if for a week.

In front of my house, next to the sidewalk, is a mesquite tree. Mesquite trees have thorns that grow to several inches long, and they have branches that grow out (not up). These trees are perfectly suited to impale an unsuspecting passerby in the eye. I made a happy tree out of my mesquite tree. I trimmed its branches back, tied its branches up, and added fluttering, positive messages.

Many people pass by the tree every day on their way to and from school (I live a block away from the university). A couple people have stopped to read a message. I kind of feel like they’re animals at a zoo, because I manipulated a lot of the situation and then I sit on my front porch and eat oatmeal and watch them, but I’m glad they have happy messages instead of thorns in their face.

Happy Tree Recipe
2 sheets of paper (two different colors)
1 plastic bag
1 hole punch
1 pen
1 tree

1. Cut two-inch wide strips from your paper, until you have no more paper left.
2. Fold strips in half length-wise.
3. Stick one strip of paper inside of another—kind of like a book.
4. Punch a hole near the fold of the papers.
5. Cut strips about 10″ long from the plastic bag.
6. Thread one strip of plastic through one message-book. Repeat until all paper is used.
7. Write happy, cheery messages or friendly-looking doodles on the inside of the paper.
8. Hang messages on tree. 

posted: 08 November 2
under: Art