“You can find a husband at the Man’s Warehouse”

It seems like over a year since I have written about things happening in my life. I have been so very busy with children, church, non-profit organizations and school, that there just does not seem to be enough hours in the day. I continue to see my chiropractor several times a week with my back because of the car accident I had back in August, this also takes my time ~ time that just aggravates me to no end that I am loosing.

My kids are more than ready for school to be totally over for me. What they do not seem to realize is that once I finish school I will have to get a job. They are spoiled I guess and they think they deserve more of my time. I will have to learn how to juggle time with kids and corporate America way to soon. I have told the kids that I either have to get a job when I get finish with school or marry a man that believes I need to raise my children before working outside of the home. They are hoping for the latter but as I continue to tell them it is going to take an act of God because I do not have time to go find a man that meets our list of requirements. (They have some and I have some).

It has been over eight years since Jim died and I will admit that I don’t relish spending the rest of my life with out a mate. I want to have someone to share my life with and enjoy the treasure of love.

I take great pains (tongue in cheek) to point out men that might make a good daddy. I see them sitting in traffic with their Harleys and long beards with tattoos covering every inch of skin. My children however do not seem to appreciate my choices, and have strict guidelines that I must follow.

He must be a Christian one who will be a spiritual leader. (we all agree with this one)
He must be my age or older…. They don’t seem to think I should look at men young enough to be my son.
He must like kids
He must be willing to toss a football or a baseball (required by my son as I am not the greatest ball thrower)
He must like old people
He must have good behavior (no drinking, cussing, yelling or hitting)
He must be a hard worker
He must have a house
He must like dogs
He must like our church ~ as my daughter seems to think it is the only place we can go.

I have a precocious nine-year-old son who seems to think that if I would just follow his advice I would have a husband in no time at all. For the last two years he has been trying to get me to go to the “Men’s Warehouse”. Apparently, at the Men’s Warehouse women can just come in and make their selection. According to my son in order to find a Christian man, I just need to go to the rack where the Christian men are hanging. ~ So simple yet I have not gone, as I do not want to disappoint my child and arrive home empty handed.

Can you imagine a store for women where all they have to do is shop in one place for the mate of their choice? There could even be custom designs. Just place all the criteria in a computer and if your design is not available in the store just wait for a few days as the salesmen scan the five state area to see if there is one close or maybe she’ll have to wait a few weeks for the custom model to be manufactured.

The possibilities are endless. Racks with tall men, short men, skinny models and even the highly desired buff models would surround the showroom floor. Bins with returned men a little used but still in good working order are bargin priced. There are high-end models as well as clearance models but please beware of the glossy men as they only shine on the outside. At this Men’s Warehouse there is even the camo section where women can find a man that will disappear once deer season opens and then re-appear once it closes ~ this could always be advantageous for the woman as she might enjoy the opportunity to go shopping and have the girls over for tea in his absence. There is a rack in each section of the store that carries men who love God.

In all the Men’s Warehouse of my son’s mind is the perfect place for a widowed woman to find herself a husband. Maybe I just need to bite the bullett and head on over ~ I might be surprised!

Welcome Home 245th Eng Co

My Brother is HOME!

The 245th eng. co. arrived back on U.S. soil in Oklahoma and will be officially released in a few days. The welcome back ceremony for the family was held November 7th at Fort Sill. The crowd went wild when they saw their solidier march in to the gymnasium. I still get goose bumps thinking about the roar of the crowd and how proud we are of them! I will write more soon I just have so much home work for school right now I don't have time to keep up with this blog very much.

Campaign Kick off for Cole Butler

Celebrations come to a close this month as Oklahoman’s reflect on the past century. The tenacity and pioneering spirit still fill the hearts of those who call Oklahoma home. Today the time has come to look forward. Looking forward is what Cole Butler is doing, as he takes a huge step, of throwing his hat into the ring for Rogers County Sheriff. On November 3, from 12 noon to 3 at The Nut House’s new event center, residents of Rogers County are encouraged to come have a bite to eat, and sit and visit for a while as Cole kick’s off his official run for Rogers County Sheriff.
Cole chose the Nut House’s event center, because of the location and the rustic atmosphere. “If you pair that with the forward thinking of the new owners in their preparation for the growth of Rogers County, there is no better place,” said Cole. “Besides, they have some of the best homemade treats in the state.”
When Cole was eight, he escaped the big city by reading the stories penned by Laura Ingles Wilder. He was determined to have the pioneering spirit and live in a log cabin. For the last 16 years, Cole and his wife Debbie have been raising their family in a log cabin, situated in the northeastern part of Rogers County. As another demonstration of his pioneering spirit, Cole is running for the Rogers County Sheriff.

Cole has served on the Tulsa police force for over 26 years. His qualifications in law enforcement are extensive and he is highly regarded by his peers on the force. Cole sees a need for some changes in the Rogers County Sheriff’s department. Currently Rogers County is the fastest growing county in Oklahoma. According to Cole “The sheriffs department has to progress as the county progresses”.
The Nut House is on the forefront in progress, with the development of an event center that has a family friendly atmosphere. Weddings receptions, concerts, large family reunions and even watch parties now have an economical venue and a convenient location with a gorgeous setting. The event center boasts a stage, kitchen facilities, plenty of restrooms and ample parking. The Nut House still offers a great selection of antiques, crafts, specialty candies, gourmet coffee, homemade fudge, and jams/jellies on top of the fresh pecans available October through January. Patrons to the Nut House can visit with sales associate, Sharon Daughtery, who is excited about the added features and amenities the Nut House, is offering. “We have a wonderful selection of items that will make great Christmas gifts”.
The route to The Nut House may take a little extra driving when coming from the north on 66 ~ you will have to use the turn around a little further south then head back in the northbound lane. Even with the extra bit of driving that may incur it will be well worth the drive.
Gather the kids up, drive over to the Nut House on November 3, and meet Cole Butler who wants to be your Rogers County Sheriff. “I love to learn and I am excited to bring progressive ideas to the sheriff's office”.
For more information
http://www.colebutler4yoursheriff.com/
The Nut House
26677 S Hwy 66Claremore, OK
918-266-1604

Story for Safenet in Rogers County

The car door slams. “He’s home,” she thinks, as she hurriedly examines the house to make sure every thing is in the right place. The key turns in the lock ~ fear rushes up her spine. She pastes a smile on her face gathering the courage to turn and welcome him home ~ all the while remembering the night before. He greets her with a dozen roses like so many other times. Was it a dream? No ~ she feels her arms under the long sleeve shirt and winces, it was no dream ~ the night before was real.
The resonating voice of anger lingers in the mind of an abuse victim. Fear of another episode keeps them in constant trepidation. They have been told over and over again they are unworthy of love, attention and courtesy, as one blow after another impacts their bodies. An abuser will find one excuse after another to inflict pain and fear and those who live with them suffer both mentally and physically.
There is a way out. Victims of abuse do not have to continue to live in constant fear of another violent explosion. Safenet provides an escape route. They counsel on how, when, where and what to do. They can provide shelter and will help with protective orders to keep the abuser away. According to Susan Wolfenbarger, Safenet volunteer coordinator, domestic abuse spans the spectrum in age, ethnicity, gender and social scale.
She explained, “One of the most difficult tasks of humanity is to become free from the cycle of abuse. Many abuse victims feel stuck because they are afraid of being alone, or out of fear that if the abuser finds them horrible consequences will be reaped.” The sole purpose of Safenet is to make available a safe environment for abuse victims.
The Attorney General recently certified Safenet; this certification takes the abuse program out from under the umbrella of mental health and places them within the realm of the Attorney General’s office. This move further gives credence to this fact ~ Abuse is a Crime. “We now have staff in the courthouse who takes the lead in filing protective orders and other court related issues victims encounter,” said Donna Grabo.
In addition to paid staff, Safenet has a great volunteer base that allows programs like the Victim Advocacy Program, Counseling, Parenting Classes, Supervised Visitation and Exchange Center, Sexual Assault Advocacy, and the Second Impressions Resale Boutique and Outlet to continue. “Our volunteers are the backbone of our organization,” said Susan. .
In October, the staff will honor volunteers like “Betty” who several years ago found herself on the corner with only the clothes on her back. She received help, encouragement and direction from Safenet. Now that she has her feet on the ground, she gives back by volunteering. Cole Butler who has 26 years experience with the Tulsa Police Department, volunteers a couple hours a week, “It’s the right thing to do”.
Susan said, “We have over 150 volunteers and every month utilize fifty or more, there is always something to do”.
Safenet is a United Way Agency. The Safenet organization still needs benefactors and volunteers to raise funds for a new 25-bed facility used as a domestic abuse shelter. Safenet is applying for grants that need matching funds. The funding program is called, “Have a Heart… for Those That Have Broken Ones”.
For More Information Contact
Safenet Services
(918) 341-1424
Crisis Line (918) 341-9400

Accident on HWY

Life as we know it can change in the blink of an eye. The decisions we make at any given moment will often have lasting affects.
Yesterday I left for school and decided to take a different route. I was driving my Mom’s truck as the kids had band practice and they were going to need the car. I went to Sonic in Oologah and got a Cherry Limeade to quench my thirst before school. I had just called my mom and asked her to fax some information for me. It was 11:44 am.
The radio does not work in Mom’s truck and I was thinking about how abundantly God has blessed me. I was just watching the road and the cars passing by. I was watching the three cars up ahead coming towards me and glancing at the truck behind me in the rear view mirror thinking 88 was a well-traveled road this time of day.
Then the middle vehicle from the three that were heading my way drifts right out in front of me totally in my lane with less than 50 feet between us traveling at the speed limit of 55 miles an hour. I saw him, I swiftly moved to the shoulder and he swerved at the same time. Our mirrors clashed, mine was knocked off and went through my window. Glass went everywhere. I closed my eyes and pulled off quickly I don’t remember actually pulling off the road I just know I was on the shoulder when I stopped.
The guy behind me opened the passenger door. I kept my eyes closed because of the glass. He called 911 and then Mom called me on the phone. (phone said it was 11:55 am) I was crying because I was scared. This guy talked to mom and 911. Thinking about it now my hands never left the steering wheel until the highway patrol asked for my license.
It was not my fault he came out of nowhere, I must have said something aloud because the guy who opened the door said, “No it was not your fault he just came out in front of you…. I can’t believe you got out of his way or that you were able to pull over.”
Then there was another voice … It was the driver of the truck who caused the accident. First, I was mad then I listened … he had just had a chemo treatment earlier that morning and was on his way home.
I had to repent for being mad and I started praying for him. His name is Steven. I just thought he must not have anyone since he was taking himself to a Chemo treatment. He was kind he stayed until the ambulance arrived and I think he needed treatment also because the guy said he looked really shook up.
The ambulance arrived put me in a neck brace and back board just for precaution. The right side of my neck was hurting and the right side of my back. I figured it was stress or that I wrenched my body so fast to get away from the impact that my muscles were screaming in retaliation. They flushed my eyes for 5-10 minutes and I opened them.
I was covered with tiny shards of glass everywhere. I cried and I still cry when I think of what did not happen. The thought of why God spared me makes my heart ache because for some reason he thinks I am worth keeping around.
I am still finding glass on my face and arms and I am going to my eye doctor today because I got a cut on my eye that just had surgery. My back and neck as well as my left knee are still screaming but the good thing is that I can silence them for the most part by the pain medication and Ibuprofen.
Only inches separated me from a catastrophic injury. The mirror on the side of the truck was whipped into the cab right through the window and it did not touch my face. The dark tinting screen on the widow kept most of the glass from exploding into the cab. If I had blinked prior to seeing him, I would not have been able to turn the wheel. If I had been on the phone, I would not have reacted as swiftly. If I had been looking at the landscape... So many things could have kept me from seeing him in that split second and it would have been so much worse. God is good and faithful to supply for all my needs. I want to give him praise for taking care of me.

Cole Butler for Rogers County Sheriff

I think Cole Butler is the best candidate for Sheriff that Rogers County has ever had the opportunity to elect.

Oklahoma Native Heritage Kept Alive by Pocahontas Club

The winds of Oklahoma travel over the prairies sweeping through the valleys and vast landscapes whispering with the echoes of a history that cries out to be remembered. This is Oklahoma a native land, the land of the red man, where landscapes of rolling hills and wide-open prairies meet. Nature begins as civilization pauses to breathe in the sights, which surround every essence of life. If we listen closely to the whispers we might hear, the stories passed down from one generation to another keeping Oklahoma’s Native history alive.

As Oklahomans gather to celebrate 100 years of statehood, it is important to remember the heritage that is the foundation of Oklahoma’s history. One such group has been keeping that history alive for over 100 years. Several women, who were all of Cherokee origin, began a Club in 1899. They were students at the Cherokee Seminary School for girls in Tahlequah. When school was not in session, they longed for the social camaraderie they had at school. One weekend they gathered in the Coowee Scoowee district and decided they would begin a club ~ a purely social club.

These were ladies and their education would rival that of any higher education institution back east. Their studies of history lead them in the choice for the name of their club. The name they chose derived from this country’s first Indian heroine, the maiden Pocahontas, whose story they found exciting. Thus began the Pocahontas Club, with the ultimate goal of “preserving the past for the future.” They would meet monthly on the second Saturday and have book reviews and special speakers to enlighten, educate and entertain.

To be a member of the Pocahontas Club you must be female and you must be a card carrying Cherokee. The Pocahontas Club is a virtual who’s who of the Cherokee Nation and at one point in the very early years; they allowed men to be members. During that time, Oklahoma’s Native Son Will Rogers joined their ranks. All to soon the Pocahontas members began seeing opportunities to help their tribe and the club began a tradition of service. Today the Pocahontas Club continues to thrive through their descendants.

In the Pocahontas Club collect, it states, “…The pride of our race we will forever cherish that its history and legends will not perish…this torch we pass to those who come our place to take…” In keeping with those words spoken for the first time so long ago, the members of the Pocahontas Club continue to treasure tribal traditions and keep the past alive for new generations.

The Women of the Pocahontas Club have always been true champions for education ~ teaching, tutoring, mentoring, and financing those students needing an extra hand. The Club has for generations sent clothing and care packages to the mission orphanages, which housed Indian children. Toys, magazines, layettes and other items have been given to the Indian hospital, and scholarships have been made available to many students through the years. Since the beginning, the Club has acquired projects and other purposes all with the goal of preserving their heritage for younger generations.

One of the most active Pocahontas members is Will Rogers’s great niece Doris “Coke” Meyers. At the young age of 87 “Coke” is far from slowing down. She is enjoying life and all it has to offer. One of her most cherished activities is being a member of the Pocahontas Club. “There are a lot of things that are important...” she said. “Keeping our native heritage alive so the children of tomorrow can remember their roots is very important”. “Coke” has lived an exciting life and her stories have much of the same character of her Uncle Will. When asked where the nickname “Coke” came from she’ll lean over a whisper with a sly smile “because I’m the real thing” and the real thing she is, because Doris “Coke” Meyers is the very model of a Pocahontas member.

“Coke” and her friend Ollie Starr are a force to be reckoned with when they get together. Ollie is very busy constantly talking and considered one of the movers and shakers of the Pocahontas Club. “They see me coming sometimes” she grinned. Ollie will tell you she went to Hollywood and became a star. She then will laugh and explain she went to Hollywood, Florida and Married Mr. Star.

Coke and Ollie are an enjoyable pair they have the heart to serve and preserve the traditions of their Cherokee culture. Currently their time is spent with the Pocahontas Club planning an Old Fashioned Family Picnic at the Dog Iron Ranch, the birthplace of Will Rogers. The club has a history of celebrating Oklahoma’s statehood, and with this being a centennial year, they thought this was the best time to revive a Pocahontas tradition of a Picnic for the families and friends of the club.

“This picnic is a time where we will be celebrating and honoring the members of the Pocahontas Club who are 80 years old and older and raising funds for the Pocahontas scholarship that we reward to a deserving student every year”, explained Ollie.

On Saturday May 19, 2007 at 11 a. m. the Club will honor 33 members who have attained Honorary Status (80 + years of age). They will be recognized for their contributions to education. “And we want families to attend and experience a little history first hand” said Ollie. At 11 a. m., the new officers will be installed and the Verdigris High School Jazz Band will escort a parade with the honorees and special guests up to the front porch of the old homestead.

The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. The meal will include cornbread and beans served chuck wagon style, BBQ, and Indian fry bread. Paul Bogart a native from Oologah who currently lives in Nashville will headline the entertainment. “He’s a real cowboy who sings and does rope tricks” said Ollie.

An assortment of activities with native artists demonstrating Indian games, a stomp dance, basket weaving and bead working are scheduled. “The day is not only a celebration of our elders but a celebration of the heritage they all hold dear,” said”, “Coke”.

While it is appropriate to respect all elders, those who are actively involved in giving back to the community are the real role models. The women of the Pocahontas Club have a virtuous history of service to the native and local communities and they make it seem easy! They live by the Pocahontas motto: “Speak kind words and you will hear kind echoes…” Come, show your honor and respect to these ladies who unselfishly continue to give back and carry on a heritage where Oklahoma’s deepest roots reside.

The two are still trying to find sponsors for the event. The cost of this type of celebration has greatly escalated in the last 108 years since the club’s formation. If you are interested in attending or becoming a signature sponsor contact:

Doris “Coke” Meyer 283-8092 or Ollie Starr 283-1588.

Email: jjdermody03@sbcglobal.net

Principal Matrilineal Sponsor - $500 (includes 10 tickets)
Deputy Matrilineal Sponsor - $250 (includes 5 tickets)
Matrilineal Host - $100 – (includes 2 tickets)
Individual Ticket: Adult $10-Children $5(Age 12&under)

Please mail to “Pocahontas Picnic”
C/o M.J. DeLozier
P.O. Box 8,
Chelsea, Ok. 74016.
918.789.2398

Joyce at the Inhofe Fundraiser with Vice President Cheney

We talked with Congresswoman Mary Fallin and Senator Jim Inhofe. Joyce told them she would be visiting D.C. in June with her cousins and they told her to be sure and stop by their offices. The day was full of excitment including the end of the day were we got to drive by the protesters that made up about 18 people. Then we heard on the news where there were 60.... don't know where they got their numbers...

A Visionary Who's Sands Ran Out of Time

Collinsville, Oklahoma is a quaint community just north of Tulsa that beckons antique shoppers from miles away. Shoppers will spend the day strolling down the Historical Main Street seeking hidden treasures in one shop after another. Little do they know that Collinsville has a secret treasure of great magnitude. This treasure, which is nestled in the dark recesses of an old building that looks to be vacated, continues to wait for the treasure hunter to uncover its bounty.
The sign is weathered, “Woodruff’s for Spacious Skies ~ a Gallery of the Arts” it states. The display windows are dilapidated and in disarray with old posters and bunting faded by time. The rickety wooden doors have cracks in the paint and the curtains are torn. The typical passerby would pay no attention to the building as it appears to be abandoned. The treasures this building holds within stays hidden from view until the keeper unlocks the doors and reveals the magnificence that is held inside its walls.
The keeper of the key is Dianne Newhouse the friend of the late Dianne Woodruff who attained minor attention for her series on the State Capitols and Presidents. Woodruff a native of Oklahoma lived for years in the Swan Lake district while married. Her passion for art and creativity and an unhappy marriage drove her to the San Francisco area for some 20 years. After being discovered by the art world Woodruff came home to Oklahoma and landed in the town of Collinsville, a place, she had visited frequently in her earlier days.
Dianne Woodruff was a driven woman who’s vision for the extraordinary and out of the ordinary captured the curiosity of the Collinsville community. In 1980, Woodruff came to Collinsville and began to turn it on its ear. Her vision of the Land of Oz and the yellow brick road was met with both criticism and praise. She purchased two buildings herself and began renovations and collaborated with the late Mrs. Holman on a third. Her vision began taking form as several other community leaders caught on to her tail feathers.
Woodruff’s art is large, she created on a huge scale and her creations were deceiving as they looked like they weighed a ton. The grand scale murals are three dimensional, she invented a process by where she used a concoction on Styrofoam so she could carve and paint making the pieces look like stone, wood, and metal. Her attention to detail is evident in her pictures depicting Washington D.C. She uses a multitude of mediums incorporating them into a picture that looks like the viewer could step into the scene.
Woodruff’s eye for detail is unmistakable in her creations of the presidents. With in each picture of the presidents pictures are hidden which reflect the life and times of the president. Her portrayal of President Ford at first glance looks to be just of a man swimming. Upon closer examination, the viewer is able to see a host of figures and words. It would take hours of viewing on multiple days to take in the entire display. Woodruff’s pictures are busy, but that busyness only adds to the visual enjoyment.
According to Newhouse, Woodruff painted like a maniac on many occasions spending 15 to 20 hours strait on a painting. “Once she would get an idea in her mind she would not stop until she had the completed idea on paper,” said, Newhouse. Woodruff’s last project was designing the huge murals for downtown buildings in Atlanta for the 1996 Olympics. She was not able to complete the project as she died of cancer on November 19, 1993.
The desire on Woodruff was to open a Gallery and utilize it as a teaching facility to further the creative arts in higher education. The Gallery is filled with Woodruffs works but her dream was never fulfilled as the sands in the hourglass of her life ran out way to soon.

Dada Rules

What is Dada?
Explaining what the word came to mean may be simple however, its birth is a little foggy. The name Dada was taken but its development was argued amongst its founders sometimes with great passion and other times with a tongue-in-cheek attitude. The most popular version of the story is that the word was picked at random from a French-German dictionary using a sharp knife and stabbing the book. The result was Dada a "hobby horse" in French. At any juncture, the catch phrase made the least amount of sense was "Dada”, so Dada it was.

Dada History
History shows that the performances at the Cabaret Voltaire were the beginning of what began the movement that was a non-movement. It was the beginning of 1916 and Hugo Ball, a German industrious objector arrived in Zurich and rented an empty hall belonging to Ephraim Jan, an elderly Dutch sailor who was running a "Dutch Room" at the "Meierei", at Nr. 1 Spiegelgasse, Zurich. There, Ball, with his wife Emmy Hennings planned to open his own cabaret theater. For a name, they chose "Cabaret Voltaire." Their choice of name for the Cabaret had its own roots as it was the name sake of François-Marie Arouet 1694-1778, better known by the pen-name Voltaire, who was a French Enlightenment writer and philosopher who was a satirist; remembered as an advocate against cruelty. Voltaire represented wise cynicism against the establishment of his time. Accordingly, the Cabaret Voltaire began and the proprietors set out to enlighten the world to their plight.
Ball wrote in his Diary “Every word spoken or sung here says at least one thing ~ that these humiliating times have not succeeded in wresting respect from us.”
Ball and his wife asked Hans Arp, Marcel Janco and Tristan Tzara, members of their circle, to collaborate, and the cabaret was opened on February 5, 1916. The Cabaret Voltaire was a shadowy building providing an artists’ club, exhibition room, pub, and theater, all rolled into one. It accommodated fifty people at a time and became the hot spot for students and well-to-do Swiss burghers. The artists’ performances consisted of unique unheard of never before been seen poems, song, art and music. Noise music, simultaneous poems recited by four to seven voices speaking all at once, bizarre dances in grotesque masks and fancy costumes, interrupted by readings of German and French sounding verses. This menagerie of conglomerated noises sounded like nothing on Earth. Solemn incantations of texts by the mystic Jacob Boehm and of Lao-Tse were spoken in monotone. Walls were adorned with pictures by artists whose names had been unfamiliar until then: Arp, Janco, Kisling, Paolo Buzzi, Cangiullo, Macke, Marinetti, Modigliani, Mopp, Picasso, van Rees, Slodki, Segal, Wabel, and others.

The War and Dada
The Dadaists believed that the cataclysm of the Great War was the unavoidable consequence of old, dishonest, xenophobic cultural values of European civilization and its political, philosophical, and artistic traditions. The driving force of Dada was to compel audiences to question all traditions, all artistic forms and formulas, including even the language on which all literature and all thought were based. They did not aim to set up new paradigms, new principles, and new proverbs to take the place of the old. They wanted to create anarchy ~ a war on the establishment and all those ~ who in the Dadaist point of view ~ were narrow-minded. At least seventy-five years before the Dadaists burst onto the scene, many artists and writers had already recognized that the bankruptcy of official culture in nineteenth-century Europe left the fate of culture in the hands of a self-appointed minority, which like all self-appointed minorities would be constantly struggling to establish its legitimacy and clarify its direction. Although the Dadaists dreamed of shocking a large swath of the middle class, and did at times aim to connect with the working class, one suspects that their audience was mostly very small and made up of the progressive and the artistically minded.

Dada Style
When a close examination of the visuals created by the Dada artists started, some began to speculate as to the artists’ state of mind and weather they were on hallucinogenic drugs. The capricious, multicolored cleverly mocking and many times mad works were hard to comprehend for closed-minded individuals. Dada had only one rule: Never follow any known rules. Dada art is senseless to the point of whimsy. However almost all Dadaists were ferociously serious about what and why they did what they did. Unlike other art eras, the Dada had no principal medium. All things from geometric tapestries to glass to plaster and wooden reliefs were fair game. Once the Dadaists had rejected the framed oil painting and the sculpture on its pedestal in favor of photography, typography, collage, assemblage, the found object, and the Readymade, they were to some extent fated to wind up producing trinkets and trophies. It is worth noting, though, the use of these out of the norm objects gained wide acceptance due to their use in Dada art. They were influenced mainly by Abstraction and Expressionism followed by Cubism and, to a lesser extent, Futurism. Dada is a state of mind it transforms itself according to races and events of the day. Dada applies itself to everything, and yet it is nothing, it is the point where the yes and the no and all the opposites meet, not solemnly in the castles of human philosophies, but very simply at street corners, like dogs and grasshoppers.

The Dada Agenda
Ball professes the philosophy of Dada, which consists of three major points, "1. Dada is international in perspective and seeks to bridge differences, 2. Dada is antagonistic toward established society in the modern avant-garde, Bohemian tradition of the épater-le-bourgeios posture, and three. Dada is a new tendency in art that seeks to change conventional attitudes and practices in aesthetics, society, and morality." Dada was culture of contemporary reasoning: a culture where expression of personal values exuded. Of course, the Dadaists were disposed to the belief that in the modern world personal values were on the verge of being considered outlandish behavior. Moreover, they were not above masquerading what should have been considered candid opposition to old-fashioned humanism behind their own kind of original pretentiousness. Dada represented the avant-garde in revolutionary terms. Dadaists wrote manifestos which answered questions that loomed as to their propensity to create the artistic works that were difficult for the closed minded to understand or appreciate.

In 1923, only a day and a half before one of dada's major Paris events, Man Ray discovered he was listed on the program as the director of an experimental movie – something in which he had yet to try his hand. Instead of running off to shoot some scenes, he dropped various objects on his film before exposing it to light, then edited in snippets of footage he happened to have from previous experiments with film. These snippets Included scenes of a shadow-caressed female torso from which he took one of his most famous still photos. The two-minute silent film, titled "Return to Reason," was unreasonable, incoherent and aggressive; its first screening incited a riot. What more could any dada artist ask?

During the height of the Dada movement avant-gardism became an argument not only concerning the path of art but about the implication of art, and whether artists, who were by their very character a minority, could ever grasp their dreams. The Dadaists had the stance, which, continued to remind their fellow artists and writers ~ artistic accountability has no particular form, but depends on the ability of the artists’ relentlessness to conceive and re-invent a diversity of styles.History shows us that Dada self-destructed when it was in danger of becoming "acceptable".

Dada Influence
A century later, we can begin assessing the Dadaist’s quest with more enlightenment. What is most salient is the passion Dada artists expressed in their art. Even when they challenged the influence of art, they were acknowledging its power and what it meant to them. (Riding, 2005). For something that supposedly meant nothing, Dada certainly created many offshoots. In addition to spawning numerous literary journals, Dada influenced many concurrent trends in the visual arts (especially in the case of Constructivism). The best-known movement Dada was directly responsible for is Surrealism.

Challenges for Today’s Dada Artist
The challenge that faces a would-be Dadaist today is the same challenge that faces any painter or sculptor, namely to recapture the visionary optimism that is the heart and the soul of the artistic enterprise. The contrast between Dadaism then and Dadaism now is going to unsettle a lot of assumptions about the nature of this movement that erupted in the midst of World War I, and about how the Dadaist gene pool--which contained nihilism and quietism, politicization and aestheticism, hyper-personalization and de-personalization--has shaped the anything-goes sensibility of the present.

Closing the Dada Quest

Nobody will ever agree about the extent to which the Dadaists regarded art as a tool for social transformation, or saw the rejection of the high art traditions as a statement about the obsolescence of tradition in general, or were mostly interested in reshaping art. Just as Surrealism facilitated the shaping of modern perceptions, Dada persists to stir artists’ creativity. Abstract Expressionists and the "happenings" of the 1960s, which echoed the Cabaret Voltaire; and conceptual artists like Damien Hirst and Sarah Lucas owe much to Duchamp and Dada. Where the difference lies, though, is that Dada is now part of an evolutionary process. The shock has largely disappeared. Dada's aesthetic values may even have triumphed, but its political message is ancient history. Today, many artists like to shock, not to overthrow the art establishment ~ but to join it. Whatever particular artists or poets happened to believe--and surely many people thought different things at different times--Dada as a whole must be understood in relation to the broader trend of the avant-garde. To truly appreciate Dada art it is crucial to remember the number one rule ~ Never follow any known rules.

"Like This"

I entered this photo in the Rogers County Casa Photo contest that's theme was 'Honoring the Family' and I won! It is currently being made into a poster that will promote the CASA group in Claremore. It is quite the honor.

The CASA mission is to speak for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courts of Rogers, Mayes, and Craig counties. We promote and support quality volunteer representation for children to provide each child a safe, permanent, and nurturing home.

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is an organization of volunteer citizens who advocate for the best interests of children caught up in our court system due to neglect and abuse.


Contact:
Angela Henderson
Phone:
(918) 343-1515
Fax:
(918) 343-0808
P.O. Box 1468510 E. Will Rogers Blvd.Claremore, OK 74018