Jeff Key

Artificial Intelligence (AI), programs that can replicate human thinking, have arrived with readily accessible programs like OpenAI’s Chat GPT4, Microsoft’s Bing, Google’s Bard and in the visual realm DALL-E2, Midjourney and Adobe Firefly. With AI, like genetic engineering, we have unleashed another genie from the bottle that could alter the course of human evolution.

I could have written this blog using Chat GPT4 and included artwork designed with DALL-E 2 or Midjourney but after doing some research I decided that what AI programs lack at this point in time is “soul.” 

Joe from the Pixar film,“Soul” defined soul as, “the space between the spiritual and the physical.”  

Where does soul come from? Is it rooted in a deep recess of our brain’s limbic system or does it reside in our belly seasoned by the ups and downs of life—love, loss, empathy, compassion, connections to people and nature? How can an algorithm detect the subtleties of a tear, a blush, a wink, a nod, or the flick of a wrist? 

(r) “Vessel #73—Counter”,  Wood & Flax, 33” x 13” x 24".   (l) “Vessel #72—Gualala-II,  Wood & Flax, 17” 15” x 15”

• While pondering how Artificial Intelligence will impact your life, consider the words of wisdom from Arthur Weasley, Ministry of Magic Wizard from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (by J. K. Rowling). 

”Never trust anything that can think for itself  if you can't see where it keeps its brain."  

To See More of Jeff Key's artwork:

Website: https://www.jeffmkey.com                Blog: https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com.                                 Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/.  @jeffmkey                                                     Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

Just when you thought it was safe to venture out again, scientists are fueling our collective anxiety with talk of the Earth being hit by an asteroid, solar flares, or being consumed by a black hole. And that’s before mentioning that the Air Force recently shot down three UFO’s that might have been looking for a place to land.

Like the deadly virus mutations circulating the globe the threats from outer space are being examined in equal detail by the fine-tuned eye of the James Webb telescope that can peer back 13.6 billion light years to the formation of the first stars and galaxies.

Except for the recent slipping of tectonic plates the Earth has calmed down after a hot, fire-scorched summer filled with drought, rampaging floods and intense hurricanes.

But what if we were suddenly confronted by life forces from another galaxy? Would the nations of the world be able to hammer out a strategy to save humankind or would they fall back on their countries’ military might and maneuver to make a deal with the aliens to control the planet?

Don’t spit out your coffee yet……there is about a 1-in-400,000,000 chance of any of these celestial bodies hitting the Earth…..and the last sighting of a lumbering, orange-haired alien was at the White House where it was seen dazed and confused while tweeting “It’s all a big lie.”

As we continue to probe outer space in search of answers to these questions it might be time to contemplate just how small and insignificant we are in the grand scale of the cosmos.

As Arthur Clarke, author of 2001: A Space Odyssey, said, “Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”

To See More of Jeff Key's Artwork:

Website: https://www.jeffmkey.com 

Blog: https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/.  @jeffmkey

Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jeffkeyart/  

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?" "What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?" "I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.                               

                                                                       —A.A. Milne from Winnie the Pooh

I am updating this year-end blog post from 2017 because the last six years have been difficult for people throughout the world. 

In 2022 we have encountered the war in Ukraine, the threat of nuclear confrontation, shootings in schools and public venues, the continuing threat of Covid-19, natural disasters caused by climate change, the global rise of authoritarianism along with attacks on human rights, inflation, food and housing insecurity, and an increase in stress and mental health issues. 

"Berlin—The Wall"

Because it’s the holiday season it might be time to take a break, consider the little things in life that give us contentment and think about Piglet’s conundrum, “What gets you up in the morning?”

In Denmark its Hygge, a concept originating in the 18th Century that revers the small things in life, emphasizes experiences over possessions, and encourages a sense of community. 

Similar forms of this philosophy can also be found in many cultures throughout the world:  it’s Lagom in Swedish, Gemütlichkeit in German, Fargin in Yiddish, Jugaad in Hindi, Ikigai in Japanese, Mbuki-Mvuki in Bantu, and Xìngfú in Chinese.

 "Berlin—Hornblower

So on to 2023 with a hot cup of tea and thoughts of a few positive things that happened in 2022:  The Covid-19 vaccine reached 1-billion worldwide doses, at the UN Climate Conference more than 25 countries pledged to end deforestation and 82% pledged to decarbonize by 2030, the Inflation Reduction Act lowered health care premiums and will reduce carbon emissions in the US by 40% by 2030, and a bipartisan vote of Congress passed gun legislation that includes restrictions on who can buy guns.    

Happy Holidays to all…. and as they say…..Felices Fiestas in Spanish, Hạnh phúc ngày lễ in Vietnamese, Selamat Hari Raya in Indonedisan, Kales Diakopes in Greek, and Furaha likizo in Swahili.

Website: https://www.jeffmkey.com 

Blog: https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/.  @jeffmkey

Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jeffkeyart/  

First it was the Bubonic Plague and the Spanish Flu, then Ebola, Covid-19, Monkeypox, and now it’s H5N1—better known as Avian Influenza Virus. 

Just when we thought it was somewhat safe to resume our pre-Covid Thanksgiving rituals along comes another highly pathogenic virus. The primary risk factor for human infection from Avian Flu appears to be exposure to infected live or dead poultry or contaminated environments. 

Although transmission from birds to humans is rare, Avian flu has decimated the bird population and made Thanksgiving Turkey a scarce commodity.

Climate change and habitat infringement are increasing the spread of disease as animals are forced out of their natural habitat and coming in closer contact with other species including humans. Changing water temperature and altered migratory wild bird patterns have led to increased contact with domestic poultry and humans.

The spread of Avian Flu along with inflation and supply shortages have also affected the price of this year’s turkeys. Farmers and processors are paying more for feed, fuel and labor and these costs are being passed on to consumers.

So, if you haven’t ordered your Thanksgiving turkey yet, you might be out of luck. You could always throw together some wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, miso paste and vegetable broth, and call it a “Vegan Turkey.” A plant-based holiday might help save the planet and a few turkeys along the way.

Jeff Key's Work:

Website: https://www.jeffmkey.com

Blog: https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/ @jeffmkey

Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jeffkeyart/  

Having just celebrated the 4th of July it’s an appropriate time to reconsider liberty and justice in America. Our Founding Fathers (and Mothers) fought for freedom from oppression. The last 200+years have been a constant struggle to ensure equal rights for everyone.

Throughout history the gatekeeper of these rights has been the Supreme Court. They have made many positive decisions to advance justice, but the pendulum has now swung back as recent cases decided by the Court have reversed or altered laws that have granted these rights.

“45” told us he was going to “Drain the Swamp.” Like most things he told us—his version of the truth was illusory. Instead, the swamp under his direction became filled with a host of new vermin. 

His four years of adding muck to the Swamp is headlined by the lingering presence of “Twitch McConaSlug”, and his back-up group of pests.....

"Stop! In the Name of Love"
(With apologies to the "Motown Supremes")

And Thankfully…
We still have the last remaining “Vessel of Sanity”—Elena, Ketanji and Sonia trying their best  to uphold “Truth, Justice and the American way.”

To See More of Jeff Key's Artwork:

Website: www.jeffmkey.com

Sculpturesite Gallery:https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

In the month of April Muslims celebrate Ramadan, Christians commemorate Easter and Jews observe Passover. During this holy period it’s time to take stock and consider the tenets of the predominant world religions—reflection, prayer, redemption, gratitude and compassion.

As tribalism, war and persecution increases worldwide we are once again faced with an existential dilemma. What are the root causes of these ongoing animosities—intolerance, fear, greed, revenge or just human nature?

• There are many reasons for the Russian invasion of Ukraine—Ukraine forging closer ties with the EU and NATO; control of Eastern Ukraine’s energy assets; Putin’s nationalistic claim that Russians and Ukrainians are one people; and the ongoing religious feud involving the split between the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox Church which resulted in Ukraine receiving religious autonomy from Russia in 2019.

• In 1947 the Middle East was carved up by the British and U.N. setting in motion an ongoing dispute about who gets to inhabit “the holy land.” This hostility is prevalent today as authority over Jerusalem is highly contested due to the presence of holy sites for Christians, Jews and Muslims in the city. The Jewish State of Israel and Muslim Palestinians are still trying to resolve this territorial conflict.

• The discord between Saudi Arabia (Sunni) and Iran (Shia)—each with its own version of Islam—has intensified over the last forty years with proxy wars currently being engaged in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, North Africa and Central Asia. 

• Both Sunnis and Shiites read the Quran and believe that the Prophet Muhammad was the messenger of Allah. The primary differences between the sects is their belief over who shall succeed the Prophet Muhammad. Their prayer rituals are similar but Shiites stand with their hands at their sides and Sunnis put their hands on their stomachs. 

• Mob violence involving targeted attacks on person and property against Christian communities is also prevalent in some areas of the Middle East particularly in Iraq, Syria and Egypt. 

• Hindus and Muslims in Southern Asia have had cultural and religious differences since the end of the Mughal Empire.This conflict continued throughout British Rule and culminated with the 1947 Partition that split the two factions into Hindu majority India and Muslim majority Pakistan. The Himalayan region of Kashmir continues this ongoing struggle for control between these two combatants.

• In China the ethnic minority Muslim Uyghurs are persecuted by the government and sent to “re-education camps,” made to do forced labor, tortured, and in some cases women are being sterilized, forced to have abortions, and sexually abused.

• In North Korea Christians are deported to labor camps as political criminals or in some cases like possessing a bible they are executed on the spot.

• In Myanmar the military and Buddhist nationalists have perpetrated ethnic and religious persecution against the Sunni Muslim Rohingya people. In order to escape wide-scale human rights violations over a million Rohingya have fled to other countries.

•Africa has become a front line in the jihadist war waged by rival factions of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) whose mission is to defend Islam. Al-Qaeda and IS share a common loathing for secular, Western-supported rulers who they call “apostates.” (BBC News)

•The religious right in the United States questions science, wants to control women’s bodies and opposes critical race theory in schools, LGBTQ rights, and the Black Lives Matter movement. They believe that the 2020 election was stolen, the January 6th arrested rioters are political prisoners and that Christian morality is the necessary foundation for governance in a free republic.

Jeff Key's work can be seen at:

Website: https://www.jeffmkey.com

Blog: https://jeffmkey-art-blogspot.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

All dripping in tangles green, Cast up by a lonely sea; If purer for that, O Weed, Bitterer, too, are ye?   - Herman Melville, The Tuft of Kelp (1888)

Soy sauce and seaweed go really well with potato chips. Jose Andres, Chef, founder of World Central Kitchen, a non-profit providing meals in the wake of natural disasters.

Taking a stroll on the beach these days one is confronted with a 21st Century conundrum—the environmental impact of seaweed?

• If your glass is half-full—seaweed is an environmental miracle and a new “superfood.”

• If your glass is half-empty—seaweed is a noxious, insect-infected weed piling up on our beaches.

• Seaweed—The Plus Side:

• It has a negative carbon footprint—absorbing 20% more CO2 than it produces.

• It produces oxygen—phytoplankton, kelp and algae account for 50-80% of the total oxygen on Earth. (national geographic.org )

• It’s used as livestock feed cutting methane emissions from cows.

• It’s a new superfood—providing high levels of vitamin A, B12, K, folate, iodine, fibre                     and high protein. It reduces blood pressure and improves digestive health.

• It binds ice-cream, wraps sushi, and moisturizes skin.

• Seaweed—The Negative Side:

• It’s proliferating in unprecedented volume—caused by the rise in ocean temperature, coastal deforestation, and agricultural/sewage runoff.

• It rots on beaches, contains high levels of arsenic and other heavy metals, creates a sulfurous odor, and attracts insects. 

• It’s smothering dolphins and sea turtles, creating toxic algae bloom (“red tides”) and killing fish by depleting oxygen from the water.

• So head for the beach. Try to step over the rotting clumps of kelp and if you’re hungry grab a bite of nutritious seaweed to fortify your immune system.

Jeff Key's work can be seen at:

Website: https://www.jeffmkey.com

Blog: https://jeffmkey-art-blogspot.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

“Study the science of art. Study the art of science. Develop your senses—especially learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.”                         ― Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

“This is not our world with trees in it. It's a world of trees, where humans have just arrived.”― Richard Powers, The Overstory, (2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction)

Anthropocene—The current geological age—viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment.

As this exhausting year comes to a close and we wrestle with the consequences of Covid-19, climate change, societal inequities, and tribal discord it might be time to take a “time-out” from our divisiveness to consider how all living things—plants, animals and humans, are interconnected and interdependent.

In “Jurassic Park” Dr. Malcolm explains the “butterfly effect” as it pertains to “chaos theory” and its unpredictability in complex systems—“a butterfly can flap its wings in Peking, and in Central Park you get rain instead of sunshine.”

We do not live in a vacuum. When a coal plant in West Virginia spews mercury, lead and sulfur dioxide into the air its effect on global warming causes sea level rises, drought, and disease as far away as the Marshall Islands in the Pacific atoll.

Trees throughout the world are being cut down for agricultural expansion, logging, and urbanization resulting in water shortages, desertification, and mass extinction. Deforestation is forcing disease-carrying wild animals closer to humans, allowing new strains of infectious diseases like the coronavirus to thrive. 

Only about 15% of the world’s forests, which are key to maintaining biodiversity, now remain intact. The United Nations recently reported that one million species might be pushed to extinction in the next few years. (World Resources Institute) 

At last month’s United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland over 100 countries agreed to stop deforestation and 196 countries agreed to cut fossil fuel emissions 45% by the end of this decade—130 countries agreed to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. (Council on Foreign Relations, Nov. 2021) 

                                           Will these agreements be honored?

When I walked into my backyard this morning to greet the big 200+ year-old Oak tree looming over the garden I watched it breathe in CO2 and exhale oxygen. Within its branches were birds building nests, butterflies flapping their wings, and squirrels gathering acorns for the winter. I said some words of gratitude to all of them knowing that they were playing their part to keep our planet alive. 

As Ma Shouying, a character in Richard Power’s Overstory, said to his son, “You can’t come back to something that is gone.”

Jeff Key's Work:                                                                                                                Website: https://www.jeffmkey.com                                                                                   Blog: https://jeffmkey-art-blogspot.com                                                                                 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/.                                              Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” ― Charles Darwin, British naturalist, On the Origin of Species, 1859 

“The power to control our species’ genetic future is awesome and terrifying. Deciding how to handle it may be the biggest challenge we have ever faced.” ― Jennifer A. Doudna, 2020 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry; Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology at UC-Berkeley 

Mother Earth’s oldest child, affectionately known as Mother Nature, has found herself in turmoil these days. As if she didn’t have enough to worry about with climate change and variant viruses, she now has to confront another existential challenge—biogenetic engineering.

With the advent of mRNA vaccines that deliver cellular instructions to create anti-bodies to fight off Covid-19; CRSPR, a gene-editing tool that cuts out disease-causing DNA and replaces it with healthy DNA; the continuing controversy over genetically modified food; and the coming advancements of artificial intelligence as a medical diagnostic tool; robotic surgery; regenerative stem cell therapy; 3-D printed organs; and cellular agriculture—it’s time to take stock as we move forward on the evolutionary road map.

"Vessel #94—Harbinger"  Wood, 28" x 22" x 24". 2021


Is it a sign of progress that we are able to fix Mother Nature’s mistakes, or is it a harbinger of concern precipitated by the ability to alter the natural selection of species?

Only time and history will tell the story.

Website: https://www.jeffmkey.com

Blog: https://jeffmkey-art-blogspot.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jeffkeyart/ 

Mother Earth usually starts her day with a good “tree fart.” This foul odor emanates from “ghost forests”—dead trees along her coastal shores that give off carbon emissions.

The rise in sea level caused by climate change is poisoning the soil with saltwater and leaving stands of rotting trees in its wake. Mother Earth is mourning her trees— their last toxic breath—another warning sign.

"Boundaries"—Pigment Print on Rag Paper

By mid-afternoon it’s time to unload her “sea snot”—a nasty mucus-excreting organism (phytoplankton bloom) that has become a threat to her coastal flanks. 

Agriculture and sewage runoff are feeding the algae in her seas forming “sea snot,” a gelatinous blanket attracting viruses and bacteria that are taking over large bodies of water—polluting them, blocking out the sun, depleting oxygen, and suffocating coral and fish.

While sipping her evening cocktail, Mother Earth, with an aching sadness for her beloved missing Monarch butterflies keeps asking, “where have they gone?” 

Climate change, pesticides, and habitat destruction have ravaged this once thriving population. Where once there were over 4 million Monarchs in 1980 there are now fewer than 2000—a drop of 99%. Mother Earth asks all of us to plant milkweed and pollinator-friendly native flowers, food for the monarch larvae in the hope that once again she can see and hear the flutter of golden wings.

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Jeff Key's Work can be seen at the Ruth Bancroft Garden through August 29th

Ruth Bancroft Garden—1552 Bancroft Rd., Walnut Creek, CA 94598
For Ticket Information: www.ruthbancroftgarden.org/sculpture2021/

Additional work can be seen at:
Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155
Blog:   https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com/

Website:  http://www.jeffmkey.com/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

Jeff Key—Fourth of July 2021

“There are seasons in every country when noise and impudence pass current for worth; and in popular commotions especially, the clamors of interested and factious [individuals] are often mistaken for patriotism."  —Alexander Hamilton

"You're not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it." —Malcolm X

As we observe the Fourth of July the question of how we define patriotism in America has become an ongoing debate and a source of division within the country. 

Whose beliefs are more patriotic—someone who carries the flag into the Capitol because they think the election was "stolen," someone who carries the flag to protest racism and injustice, or someone who kneels during the national anthem?

• An old Saturday Night Live skit asked the question—Who is more macho?
Today the question is—Who is more patriotic?

Is it someone like Michael Flynn, former US National Security Advisor, who appeared at a “For God and Country Patriotic Roundup,” suggesting that we call for the military to overthrow our democratically elected president, or is it someone like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who asks, “What’s more patriotic: fighting for the inclusion and rights of ‘more’ Americans, or working to exclude and marginalize fellow Americans based on their beliefs and identity.”

The answers to these questions are open to each individual’s interpretation. On the Fourth of July—fly our flag for your beliefs, honor our freedom—but also recognize that our freedom is not perfect, and there are many among us who feel that they have been marginalized or denied liberty. 

As Amanda Gorman so eloquently said in her Inauguration poem—
"While democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated. We will not march back to what was but move to what shall be. A country that is bruised, but whole, benevolent, but bold, fierce and free."

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Key's work can be seen at:

For ticket information to the Ruth Bancroft Garden:

https://www.ruthbancroftgarden.org/sculpture2021/ 

Additional work can be seen at:

Jeff Key Website: http://www.jeffmkey.com/

Blog:   https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

“We're waxin' down our surfboards. We can't wait for June. We’ll all be gone for the summer. We’re on surfari to stay.” —Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys, Surfin’ USA 

“We all have a wave in our life; and you learn to surf that wave to shore.”                             —Paul Theroux, author of “Under the Wave at Waimea”

As we enter the summer of 2021 the wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic is finally cresting. The tension of the past year ebbs and flows like the tides trying to placate a restless moon. 

We grab our boards and head for the beach hoping that the sun and surf will begin to heal our psychic and physical wounds

Can the sound of the ocean drown out the the anguish lingering in our heads from Covid-19, systemic racism, gun violence, climate change, and the continual threat of raging fires?

For a few brief moments when the light hits the water and temporarily lifts the weight of the world off our shoulders, the summer sounds of the Beach Boys spin in our head as we “catch a wave and sit on top of the world.”

To see more of Jeff Key's artwork:

Website: www.jeffmkey.com

Blog: https://jeffmkey-art-blogspot.com

Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

They emerged from a swamp—lost in the belief that the world as they knew it was slipping through their fingers.

They marched into the Capitol dressed as shamans with horns, faces painted like America flags, armed with automatic weapons, chemical spray, clubs, and shields while chanting, “Stop the Steal,” and threatening to kill our elected legislators.

Standing right behind them, as incredulous as it might seem, were members of the House and Senate, and propping them up was the biggest fool of them all—an orange-haired buffoon spilling lies and drumming up fear.

How did America, the pillar of the free world, become the land of collective delusion and bad dreams?

America has a history of following hucksters: from supernatural religious leaders, to conspiracy theorists, and now social media truth benders.

QAnon, a cabal of conspiracy theorists that the FBI has listed as a domestic terrorism threat, now boasts two members of Congress—Lauren Boebert (R-CO) who vows to "carry my Glock to Congress," and Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) who believes that the California fires were started by PG&E using a space laser in order to clear room for a high-speed rail project.

No—the Covid-19 Pandemic was not a politically motivated hoax, 5G wireless broadband does not spread the virus, and Covid 19-vaccines do not harbor microchips that can monitor your actions.

Yes—Climate change is real, systemic racism is real, universal health care is a human right, and voting is a basic democratic right.

April Fools Day is over—it’s time to wake up—question what we see, hear, and read—and stop the disconnect from truth and reality.

To see more of Jeff Key's artwork check out:
Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155
My Blog:   https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com/

My work can be also seen at my Website: http://www.jeffmkey.com/
and Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

“Character is the tree, reputation is the shadow.”  —Abraham Lincoln,                              16th US President, 1809-1865

“Good wombs have borne bad sons.”  —William Shakespeare,                                           The Tempest, 1610-11, (Act I, Scene 12) 

On February 15th we celebrated President’s Day. Originally established in 1885 to recognize George Washington’s birthday (February 22). In 1968 the Uniform Monday Holiday Act added Lincoln’s birthday (February 12) and permanently moved the holiday to a Monday so we could have a three-day weekend honoring all US presidents.

With the departure of arguably the worst president in US history and the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden as the 46th US president, it’s a good time to pause and look at the office of the president and the standards we hold for the occupant of the White House. 

"Vessel #20—The Fallen"         "Honoring Harriet Tubman"

In the wake of the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor America’s history of racism, injustice, and persecution against people of color came to the forefront of our consciousness and made us reconsider our honored heroes and how they conducted their lives. 

Were our revered presidents model citizens, or did they harbor traits that in today’s world would be considered not only contemptible—but criminal? 

A number of US presidents were slave owners. Some harbored racist attitudes and made racist comments. Presidents have been accused of corruption, and others were known to have engaged in sexual misconduct.

Their names now grace monuments, buildings, airports, schools, streets, and US currency. Should their character flaws be enough for us to delete their namesake?

We need to teach our children that our presidents and leaders did great things, but like most mortals, they also had character flaws?

Having taken the day off to honor our presidents and the role of leadership, consider the words of former First Lady, Michelle Obama, “I’ve seen firsthand that being president doesn’t change who you are. It reveals who you are.”

To see more of Jeff Key's artwork:
Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155
Blog:   https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com/                            Website: http://www.jeffmkey.com/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

“If you look at a dancer in silence, his or her body will be the music. If you turn the music on, that body will become an extension of what you’re hearing.”

—Judith Jamison (American Dancer and Choreographer—Artistic Director Emerita—Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater)

We danced in 2020 with high hopes for a new decade. Then the music stopped, we lost the beat, and the dance was over. Sheltered-in-place, rocked by injustice, and drowned out by a constant chorus of lies we shut down for the year.

2021 arrived with the attempted subversion of the electoral process followed by domestic terrorism in the US Capitol. The events of January 6 temporarily overshadowed Georgia turning blue, the rebalancing of the Senate, and the message of healing from the new administration in the White House. 

               "Scherzo—First Steps Into The New Year"   (Archival Print on Rag Paper)

Music can be heard once again in the distance. A new host of partners has arrived on the scene telling us that we can defeat Covid, justice and equity are possible, violence and mob rule will not be tolerated, access to clean air, water, and healthcare are basic human rights, and that truth and decency have returned.

"Vessel #91—Scherzo"          Wood & Flax, 42" x 28" x 6"

Replacing formality and pomposity with humor was the order of the day in the 17th Century. The French “Minuet,” an upbeat number, was soon followed by the Italian “Scherzo,” a light-hearted symphonic movement that got people up and dancing with abandon.

As the first notes of 2021 fill the air may laughter and optimism return as we put on our dancing shoes and take the first steps into a new year. 

(left) "Vessel #84—Icehouse".      Wood & Flax, 42" x 33" x27"
(right) Vessel #92—Locus" Wood & Flax, 40" x 28" x 6"


Scherzo

Two oboes and a bassoon creep in with the nascent light,                                            waking the dreamer with a trio buzzing in her head.

Faster and more light-hearted than a minuet,                                                                      she chews on the tempo with her morning toast.

Each bite harmonizes with the chorus of birds                                                              shaking off dawn to announce a new day.

Scrambled through branches a yolk-colored sun sets the beat—                                    One-two-three, one-two-three—the dance has begun.

What the caterpillar calls the end—the rest of the world calls a butterfly.”                             - Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher, 6th-Century BC

Every once in a while The Book of Life needs to skip a chapter, learn from its mistakes, and move on…….2020 was one of those chapters. 

As Charles Dickens wrote in his 1859 introduction to A Tale of Two Cities, a saga of the French Revolution,  It was the worst of times, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of darkness, it was the winter of despair.”

Words that framed 2020 need to be struck from our lexicon—excised from history—Covid-19, Pandemic, Autocratic Rule, Deceit, Hubris, Hypocrisy, Economic Despair, Racial Injustice, Inequality, Voter Suppression, Hurricanes, Fires, Floods.

It’s time to write a new chapter—new words—new paragraphs—a new beginning. As 2021 unfolds we can once again look to Dickens for how to begin with the hope that we are entering “the age of wisdom, the epoch of belief, the season of light."

Happy Holidays and Cheers for 2021……

Click Here for the Osha Hayden KSVY-FM 93.1 Interview with Jeff Key

To see more of Jeff Key's artwork check out:   

Jeff Key's Blog:   https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com/

Jeff Key's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace the whole mess, and that's what I mean by ‘Hallelujah.'  Leonard Cohen (Canadian composer/lyricist of the song, Hallelujah)

We pause at this time in history to say good-bye to narcissism, corruption, lying, name-calling, bullying, and dysfunction— and say thank-you to civility, truth, empathy, humility, compassion, and healing. 

"Hallelujah".     Vessel #30—Axis,"  Wood & Flax, 16"x12"x10"

Knowing that there are still deep divisions within our country and that no magic wand will instantly make them disappear, we can take some solace in knowing that the winds of change are finally sweeping through the White House.

On this coming Thanksgiving there might be people at our socially-distanced celebration who don’t share our political or social views. It would be a good time to consider the words of Maya Angelou from her poem The Human Family, “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”

Happy Thanksgving and Hallelujah!

Click Here for the Osha Hayden KSVY-FM 93.1 Interview with Jeff Key

To see more of Jeff Key's artwork check out:   

Jeff Key's Blog:   https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com/

Jeff Key's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

Will we see a regime change next month?
Will hubris leave the White House?
Will Republican Senators learn the meaning of hypocrisy?
Will the Senate Majority Leader ever exhibit a conscience?
Will Covid-19 finally fade away?

Some people have said that miracles happen once in a "Blue Moon."

Well.....a "Blue Moon" will soon be upon us.
October 2020 is a time for a rare occurrence—two full moons—
the first was seen on October 1 and the second—
a "Blue Moon" will be seen on Halloween night—October 31.

So hopefully, on November 3 as the moon begins to wane, we can all howl
with the wolves and celebrate the beginning of a new era
filled with healing, health, equity, and hope.

Click Here for the Osha Hayden KSVY-FM 93.1 Interview with Jeff Key

To see more of Jeff Key's artwork check out:   

Jeff Key's Blog:   https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com/

Jeff Key's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

Cantata—a narrative piece of music for voices with instrumental accompaniment.

“Music does a lot of things for a lot of people. It’s transporting, for sure. It’s uplifting, it’s encouraging, it’s strengthening.”  — Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, Winner of 18 Grammy Awards, (1942-2018)

“Music is life itself”. —Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, Jazz trumpeter, composer, vocalist (1901-1971)

We danced in a new decade and then fell into the black hole of a catastrophic pandemic, economic despair, the devastation of racism and police brutality, raging wildfires, torrential hurricanes, and petty sniping surrounding the upcoming election. 

It’s been a difficult road and we are far from recovery…..but it might be time to pause, take a deep breath of the waning summer breeze, and sing….

…a cantata for healing, compassion, resilience, revival—and the coming of better days.

J.S. Bach wrote cantatas for spiritual awakening. Lukas Foss, who escaped from Nazi Germany, adapted Carl Sandburg’s Prairie into a cantata to commemorate freedom. South African, Philip Miller, composed REwind, a cantata based on testimony from South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

If we were to compose a cantata for the troubled days of 2020—what would it include? Would it be filled with fear, frustration, rage, and grief? Would it address nature’s invasive destruction, inept national leadership, systemic inhumanity?        

Yes—to all of the above…. 

….but it should also be uplifting and remind us of the simple wonder of “watching dawn linger and the moon slide into place.”

As Bob Marley said, "One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155