Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Dealing with the vast differences in cohousing

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

>> But if after we follow the process and sort out the legal
>> issues (fire codes) the community likes them it doesn't matter whether every
>> graphic designer in the world, including me, would reject them.
>> It only matters that people are happy living with them.
> 
> But *you* have to live with them!  So how you feel matters, not
> because you are a graphic designer, but because your opinion
> should count just as much as everyone else's.

But when I know process has been followed and other people are happy with
them, I'm happy. I do trust our process. Changes will be made and the number
of signs will be reduced. Our process, when we follow it, has always
produced better results.

I had a similar problem with the sculpture we have in our fountain. It was a
gift from the developer and I couldn't understand why people had accepted it
without even seeing a picture. Long story short, I insisted on a process in
which at least a large number of the group gave careful consideration and
discussion to the design understanding that they did not have to accept the
gift, the person making the sculpture had no credentials as an artist that
should intimidate them, that this was a work of art and could not be
abandoned in an empty field later -- it had copyright protection -- and that
it would be a major feature in the piazza and would likely become the focus
of all the photographs taken of the property.

The fountain was put to the side, not in the center, so it has not become a
focus of all the photographs, it is still ugly, it doesn't work  well (bad
water design -- part had to be disconnected and the flow has to be very low
or it splashes all over the piazza -- and is a pain to take care of -- mold
and peeling paint. BUT the group did discuss it and decide that all things
considered, they wanted it.

Given that, I'm happy to live with it and there is no grousing. The process
was followed so the sculpture has not created factions and no one feels that
it was forced on them. I will protect its copyright rights in support of
respect for the work artists do.

(It helps that I don't live next to the fountain and can avoid looking at it
or being responsible for cleaning it.)

Sharon
-- 
Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org

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