Tags
assange, ecuador asylum, edward snowden, mosaic tile with paint, Tromp l'oeil paintings, what to do to a courtyard concrete
Hmmm… What could a Zeebra do to jazz up this area?
This week brought many creative challenges while I spent time with my friend Sarah Dettman and her family. From the hummingbird and butterfly murals, to the sunflower painting for their laundry room, my paint brushes have had a workout!
Yesterday while Sarah was speaking to a WorldTeach group, I sneaked back to the courtyard and left a smile for her to find later! She and her husband walked right past it several times before Eloy spotted it!
Does this paint fool your eyes and make you think this is mosaic tile?
As the world digests, critiques and swaps attitudes about the Edward Snowden saga, I flashed back to the Julian Assange story with Wilkileaks. People wrote me with concern that I was living in a country that would grant him (Assange) asylum, and people wrote to say, ‘Hooray for Ecuador for standing up for Assange!’
No one has written me this week regarding Snowden; perhaps because Assange paved the way? I am extremely curious to know what all of you think about the Snowden story. Please take a moment for your feedback:
I welcome your comments on this one. Thanks in advance!
z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
Snowden, in my eyes, is a hero, as are Bradley Manning and Julian Assange. We are being bulldozed by this and previous administrations, trading in our freedom for security. And we will end up with neither.
thank you! i suspected that you – and most everyone – will have that attitude.
What a sweet treat for your friends, Lisa. 🙂
thank you! it was fun to pull a surprise on them!
Beautiful! As for Snowden, it’s one thing to stand up and expose what’s wrong. To give information to countries that work against us is another.
janet
Very intelligent and astute answer! Thank you so much!
Love your surprise z and I’ll bet they will or did as well! Great costs are always expended to gain freedoms, and those same freedoms can be easily lost. For several generations now we’ve squandered what these freedoms really mean. We have only ourselves to blame and are accountable to all those brave souls who gave their lives so we might live and enjoy these freedoms. Sadly we have lost our way and the ironic thing is we don’t even know the half of what we have lost – shame on us. Is it too late?
thank you, mary, for your thought-provoking reply. “we have lost our way,” — no, i don’t think it’s too late, and a wake-up call often snaps us out of our fog. sometimes i think people are scared to speak up- apathy is too passive. .. z
Would love to comment on Snowden, but the NSA is listening in! 🙂
It looks like a mosaic, and is truly lovely!
Hugs – B
Yes, many would say that with a touch of fear, and others with a touch of whimsy. Thanks for saying what many are thinking!
I’m glad you approve of the mosaic!
It is truly lovely! How about jumping on that magic carpet of yours and livening up our neck of the woods? 🙂
i wish i could! i’ve been gone for most of june and look forward to getting home and having that magic carpet welcome me back!
(i hope that the goats haven’t raided the garden!)
the magic carpet has some glitches, and i fear it might overshoot your home and land us smack in the final approach of your nearby airport… hopefully the bugs will be worked out soon!
What an awesome surprise for your friends; it looks just like mosaic tile!
Although a little time consuming, it was a zen-type of design… It designed itself one fragment at a time! Thanks!
I’d like to know if any of your readers opinions have changed about Snowden now that it has come out that he took the job to get the secrets. Does that diminish him in their eyes or make him a bigger hero. And is anyone concerned about the information he may have given China?
I should probably qualify that I’m an observer as I’m not American.
i think i need to do some current research… i am also very interested in the yah/nay/undecided feedback.
a dear attorney friend once counseled me, ‘Lisa. Remember that the world’s hatred of our country is greater than your kind heart. Be careful always.’ I have realized many times that he was right, and I do like to hear other’s viewpoints about our country. thank you so much for yours. it’s greatly appreciated.
Beautiful tiling. Oops… painting. And… Good on Ecuador offering assylum to these people. Tony
thanks, tony! i was tempted to add more details (like highlights) but reminded myself that it’s a small border around a tree, and in a few weeks few people will note any of those details!
Also because of it’s position it will degrade with time. No, you made the right decision to keep it simple and fresh. Liked the smile too. Tony
there’s a product called ‘agua stop’ that i used on the bodega floor (magic carpet design) and it’s a great product, a lot like a layer of white plastic… with the acrylics painted on top of that, and a clear sealer on top of that, hopefully it will age gracefully.
thanks! z
US government has criticized the new Communication Law from Ecuador approved a week ago because according to them disrespect Expression freedom, I wonder if the U.S. government has the moral standing to challenge a law that was passed by a large majority from National Assembly while they are secretly doing things against the freedom. I do not know if I should comment about Snowden but I will anyway. He is a hero.
And you, my dear Silvana, are destined to be a leader. You already are. I continue to witness your strong backbone and clear voice for what is right.
Thank you so much for your Ecuadorian feedback!
Painting definitely fooled my eye. Good work! As for Mr. Snowden, I think he’s one of those people who gets off on creating a scene starring himself. Not so sure he even cares about what he “revealed”.
Very interesting feedback; down here I see little television, and I am sure that what you are all seeing (being blasted with?) differs from what I see and read.
Sometimes it’s nice to have distance, but it is always good to hear from many. Thank you so much for your feedback.
G. I. Joe (cartoon character) always closed the GI JOE episodes with:
“…and knowing is half the battle.”
It is what we do as a country and as individuals with the other half of the “battle” that is going to be interesting.
Will we fight the fight of fear, or give in to fear…all in the name of security?
There will be a “winner”…and I don’t think it will be in the form of democratic equality.
thank you, raye. yes, it’s going to be interesting…we cannot give in to fear, though i have witnessed many times how easily the power of fear can affect others.
An interesting poll! I am not sure I should comment because I have just realised that I am very unobservant. When you said you left a smile for your friends, I immediately looked for a smile; a literal smile. I thought I saw one in the earth surrounding the tree, 2 reddish blobs and a leaf that was straight and mouth like but not really smiling. And I thought that isn’t very exciting so maybe Lisa meant something else. Maybe the coffee mugs represent eyes; but then where is the mouth. Finally at the very last picture I realised what you were up to. Oh dear, my eyes were so deceived I didn’t even realise that a painted mosaic was forming. So I think you are right to match this post with your questions about Snowden. What are we seeing ? hearing? what is the truth? What are we meant to be seeing? What is the reality? What is the deceit? For surely there is deception, but by both parties or just one. Whatever, we should be concerned and alert.
thank you amiga! you bring a refeshing unique angle into the feedback! thank you so much! am about to be on the road and online again tonight.
until then,
lisa/z
You are making the world more beautiful and interesting, Z. Keep up the good paint brush work, and blogging! 🙂
thanks for your feedback; if only we could transform the ugly in our world as easily as i can cosmetically improve an area with paint!
Snowden? I’ve voted: “he did what was right” – and congrats to the president of Ecuador to invite him. I hope they can protect him anyhow (like they did with Assange)!
maybe it would better to give HIM the Nobel prize for PEACE than to Obama, who is attacking with PRISM and drones, continuing the aggressive work of silly George W. Bush!
Thank you for your comments; apathy is never a healthy attitude, and people will sit back and criticize yet few become proactive and stand up for what they think is right. so much energy is spent in keeping up with the dramas of the world, but few seem to try to stop the merry-go-round.
yes, the fracking and drones are serious issues. i continue to ponder what it must be like to live where the danger from drones lurks above as i go through my peaceful life here. a relaxed peaceful feeling would be absent… but i’m weaning away from the subject; thank you for your words. it’s important that we hear the world’s opinion, as sometimes we are too close to see the larger picture.
z
freedom
privacy
creativity
slowly we give pieces away
or they are taken for reasons.
those we are to trust, show work for our good
can’t and won’t tell us for silence is meant to protect.
silence that has allowed our air to kill, genetic foods to be
accepted,health care that treats but has issues with prevention,
wars that often end with realizations that oil is far more important to
our national survival than what is allowed to be stated.
ecuador is at least thinking of more than one side. does this
man deserve to live and be free for trying to make the world a bit
more transparent? a direction i would support…!
thank you, ian; you always present a holistic and gentle attitude, which more of us should consider as you do each day. thank you so much for your feedback!
lisa/z
Love the moon shape near the planter. Snowden I think is both a hero and a concern. I always worry about putting people in harm’s way, yet on the other hand we need people to raise awareness when our government is embarking down a path that reduces our freedoms. Mr. Snowden may have gone to the wrong place for asylum as when I think of Putin, the first thing I think is not trustworthy.
thank you so much for your feedback, which i always treasure and respect. i am only online for a short time and off again til tonight. as of early this morning, i have not heard if there are changes in who/what/when and where regarding snowden.
thanks so much!
z
You know me Lees … I’m always up for telling it like it is! I think he did the right thing.
Love your amazing artwork as always. Marie sent me the link so I’ve been catching up on the evolution of your artwork. Such a huge departure from the delicate water colors you used to create. These are powerful and bold … just like you!
Miss you and love you!!!
It looks exactly like mosaic tile. Beautiful surprise…Z. On the note about Snowden, I offered to let him come to Nicaragua and stay in our guest house. I figured if Ecuador wouldn’t take him, then certainly Nicaragua would be happy to take him. Of course, I didn’t think about the repercussions for Nicaragua. Sigh…sometimes we are such bullies! It’s absolutely abominable.
thanks! i can picture him on idyllic ometepe, especially if you are watching over him and keeping him supplied in mangoes!
If Snowden (or anyone else working in sensitive Government service) had some kind of objections to what he was seeing in his employment, there are honorable ways to have that suspect activity reviewed by congress or other oversight agencies. Snowden broke the law, patently violated a sworn promise to protect classified information, and put untold numbers of other persons at risk. I could care less if Ecuador, Russia, or China grant the man asylum, but it is disappointing that so many Americans are willing to label a man who would violate a sacred trust as a hero.
i am so glad that you contributed feedback on this one. i would love to see an expanded version on one of your future pots.
the amazon trip has been postponed, so i reached mindo tonight and will be here for a few days. back in manabi ‘fin de semana.’
Beautiful colors, and a sweet surprise.
Very creative and artistic. Love the colors and patterns.
thank you. getting older also means honing one’s talent. i’m glad to have so many hours behind the brush!
Beautiful mosaics! I am not sure what to think of these cases but isn’t Julian wanted for sexual crimes? I believe in the freedom of speech yet need to know more about this case before I can determine my feelings. I honestly haven’t read a great deal on it as I am busy these days. However I do believe our national security is important. I guess I need to read more into the story.
sarah and i both stopped and did some research, as we were unsure exactly why this exploded into such a world drama.. i have seen little online today, but then, i’ve been chasing butterflies!
I thought about it more and am actually a little angry. Although I believe strongly in our freedom and privacy I also believe strongly that if he jeopardized any of our national security than I’m angry. My brother in law works in the military and we’ve often talked about security and terrorism. Yes we need privacy yet then again we also need protection against terrorism. It is a tricky issue but when someone signs on to a job like Snowden did, then he is making a promise to keep that information secret. He should have gone another route in my opinion. He did break the law and should be punished. I don’t like the government snooping around in my stuff YET I also understand that we need to monitor certain information to protect us. It really is a fine line, isn’t it.
Love what you did with the tree ring, looks just like mosaic tiles.