Still not about art (there may be something later today. Depends how the flu makes me feel. Yes, my cold has become flu. Lovely). Instead, the pressing issue of pseudonyms.
We are all warned about the dangers of the internet and particularly about the dangers of the internet with regard to our children. The problem as a parent is that parents LOVE to talk about their kids, and love to show them off, because we LOVE our kids and they are a big part of our lives. Plus, my children inform my art production, not just in terms of time and access (I think that's hamper rather than inform) but also sometimes what I produce and how, ideas, inspiration, blunt blunt criticism (brutal may be a better word, but gosh it is so useful). And then there are the things they get up to, and say, and introduce me to.
My daughter loves Deviant Art and uses it to interact with her friends (it's a web forum for the arts, don't panic), and sends me links to really interesting things I probably wouldn't see otherwise (I send her links to Colossal articles in return, so it is a two-way street).
So they pop up from time to time, here and on Facebook and wherever.
I don't post photos of them (or if I do they are heavily restricted). I thought about should I post drawings of them and decided that yes, I'm okay with that. I don't reveal their names. You can call me paranoid if you want, but these are my choices regarding my children, so suck it up.
So I use pseudonyms for my children (and for my spouse, but that's just continuity). My daughter was easy. The Steamgoth fits her perfectly, it is apt and precise, and she rather likes it (which is a miracle). My son was much more difficult. He has been The Son for some time because I couldn't think of anything else. The Pokemonster? What if he finally grows out of that obsession? (I live in hope, vain though that feels) The Early Riser went out the window when he started to sleep in (ie, still asleep at 6.45 when I wake him for school).
But we have hit upon it. Actually, the Spouse hit upon it.
The White Sheep.
I have always encouraged my children to be themselves, to not worry about other people's opinions on how they dress, what they like, what they do (within reason. Manners are important, as are being polite and respectful). We are a family of strongly opinionated people, with well-formed ideas and notions. Three of us dress in black. The Spouse is and always will be a goth, with coffin rings and pentagrams and Mick Mercer's radio show constantly playing on his ipad. The Steamgoth is a steampunk goth, or a goth steampunk. I'm not sure which. I was a goth, but I want to go full-on steampunk. I'll get there.
In the midst is my boy, who fits us with a lot of things, like music and reading and film and tv tastes (Pokemon aside). We love science fiction and fantasy and science and art (we are all nerdy, go us), but he has his own dress sense. Not for him black or brown or gears or crosses (to use blatant stereotypes). Track pants, camouflage gear, pop culture t-shirts. He wants to be comfortable above all else and he likes colours, bless him. And he does it. Which is a bit mainstream. And makes me very proud. He stands against us all and is his own self.
So, given that we are a family of eccentric black sheep (I don't know what my siblings think of us) and he likes "normal" clothes, the White Sheep seems an obvious choice.
I explained what Black Sheep meant and how I am using White Sheep, and he is actually quite pleased with it. After all, this is the boy who chose the Abney Park dog tag "Expendable Crew" because he thought it would be a hoot. I was pretty sure I was on firm ground with this.
Although I have put down one restriction on his clothing choices. He may not EVER wear sandals with track pants. There has to be a limit, if only for the sake of sartorial decency. Some rules are there for a good reason. Look mainstream casual by all means, but look good while doing it.
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