women who know how to dress, and mutts

Them there is Hanna Rydh, by Maira Kalman, and Una Lady Troubridge, by Romaine Brooks. The Romaine Brooks goes out to all the dogs I met this morning at the Beacon dog parade, especially all the rescued pit bulls and greyhounds who are up for adoption. I raise my celeriac-mint-chili popsicle to you!

power to the [artistic] people

Can't work in a shelter? Can't get arrested? Can't travel? Not so good at speaking to the media?

Don't let that stop you! Use what you already do well to help people or animals or the planet or all three!

Check out this painting of my beloved cat, Slidell, getting his first bath. It was made by the talented Sara Woster in a project to raise money for women in the Congo. She couldn't participate in the athletic fundraiser called "Run for Congo," but wanted to help, and has.

Get to work! And check out Sara's fantastic paintings for Congo. These gorgeous paintings are made to order, for a mere $27 apiece. Whether you want a political painting or one of your mom, it's all helping.

connected

Sunny Taylor was born in Tucson, Arizona, my hometown. She lived near Davis Monthan Air Force Base, which was the reason my military family was in Tucson. She was born with a muscle development condition that has her in an electric wheelchair. Many children in the neighborhood are born with disabilities, and people suffer from an increased rate of cancers.

The mostly Latino and Chicana neighborhood's drinking water is toxic because of military waste.

Sunny Taylor is a painter and writer. Her subject matter includes disability, environmental racism, the military's free pass to pollute, and factory farms. She is a disability rights activist, a vegan animal rights activist, an anti-military activist, an environmental and anti-racist activist. Though the media likes to focus on her painting with her mouth and toes, what is much more interesting is how she so easily connects the impacts of war and industry on human and other animal bodies.

I've never been much of a fan of classical oil painting, but Sunaura Taylor has proven that it can still be radical, and very moving. The painting pictured here is "Chicken Truck", from this year, and is a ten and a half foot wide glimpse of hundreds of broken bodies.

propaganda

Behold Josh Macphee of the organization Just Seeds and books Stencil Pirates, Reproduce & Revolt, and Realizing the Impossible (discussed here).

Forgive the wonky photography.

These two lovlies were purchased by a friend at an art auction fundraiser for political prisoner Daniel McGowan a couple of years ago. I love the suggestion of 50's suburban domestic life and of Christian propaganda mixed with anarchist politics.