The Practice of Practice
Selections from the Modulations SeriesAn artist’s studio practice is such an individual pursuit….each artist must forge their own path, finding a foothold that keeps them steady. Decades of a creative studio life and I’m still finding my way! It’s strange how the last decades have changed everything….social media, technology, and twenty-four hour connectivity. I used to say, in the “before times” that I would always make art, even if no one ever saw it. That was when the only way to get your work out in the world was through exhibitions or a gallery. After art school, I continued to make work, but it took decades for me to feel as if I’d finally slipped into my own skin as an artist….that is to say, I remember when I started making the work that was truly my own….the work I recognized that was made with my own language of mark making. That journey took a long time and there was no social media to distract me from the task.
After more decades than I’d like to admit, I’m still at it, now amid the love-hate relationship with the connected world. So many artists, so MUCH beautiful work to behold…online and in life. How to stay true to yourself as an artist? The practice….the time alone, looking in instead of out. The trick, at least for me, is to stay connected, but be able to close the door and let the quiet of the studio allow the outside influences to fade into the background. Eventually the noise dies down and once my hand starts moving, I relax….and slip back into my own skin. I draw, I paint, I stitch.
And so, the work continues to accumulate around me….drawings, more drawings, works of art, each of which captures the moment of the person I was when I made it. I want and need this art to go out into the world…to connect with folks who connect with the art that I make. Many who offer advice for selling art encourage the artist to identify their audience. Self-promtion is not something that comes naturally to me, nor is it a skill I’ve been able to build all that much….because, well, here’s the trickiest part. The paradox is that I don’t make the work for the buyer, the collector or for anyone else out there….I make the work for me. That’s the only way I can see to make work that is truly your own. But, there’s also nothing more rewarding than hearing from people who connect to my work, who are touched by the marks that I make. And so, while it starts out with an audience of one, ultimately the work is meant to be shared with my community of connection across the globe.
Feel free to be in touch if you are interested in the bodies of work here on the website….only a fraction of it is available at WildHareDrawing!
From Sheds to Artists’ Studios….The Journey
Newly created studio spaces for WildHare Print and Drawing from fully finished sheds.
It’s been a journey alright! Having managed to buy a house in Athens, Georgia (lovely, but with no studio space alas), relocate ourselves across the country from South Dakota, we set about working on creating adequate studio spaces for ourselves. When the bids for our original plan, to just add a simple, detached 2-car garage with a loft, proved to be about half the cost of the house itself….well, it was time to turn to plan B. We had begun perusing sites for the possibilities of turning sheds into charming and usable spaces, but now it was time to get serious. A local company had a number of good quality sheds that could be customized at an affordable cost and we found a contractor who was not only willing, but excited about helping us realize our dream for much needed studio space! He and his crew moved those basic structures through wiring, plumbing, insulation, drywall, painting, interior detailing, the adjoining deck and now, several months later, we are fully immersed in our space making art. We don’t think of ourselves as retired….we think we’ve finally landed our dream jobs!
The pictures above show a bit of progression from delivery to the site back in October of 2022 to the last couple weeks when we got ourselves moved in, settled and began working…at long last! Johntimothy and I were so anxious to be in our spaces back in the fall that we each hauled one of the patio rockers up into our studio and started drawing. Johntimothy brought a table and little homemade press out from the garage and cranked out a few prints while we waited for the action to begin.
As I sit typing now, on a blustery afternoon, I look into those woods, waiting for further signs of spring. I’m so happy in my space….it’s just perfect…my own little creative sanctuary. The star magnolia in the backyard is about to blossom and leaves are emerging on all the trees around. Spring comes earlier than it did in South Dakota! Our next step is to get the studio deck stained and rework the landscaping. That is another creative opportunity we are looking forward to with much anticipation!
Notes for the Artist Within: Reminder No 3 - Keep Your Hand Moving
Belated happy new year wishes to you! So far, the year has been a bit of a whirlwind, The latest variant of the coronavirus that plagues the world has keep us all on edge, but I write with the anticipation that perhaps we are turning a real corner at this point. It seems we are learning to adapt to this new normal and all that entails. Regardless, hope you are safe and well and of good cheer.
This post brings you a continuation of my list of reminders for the artist within — No. 3-Keep Your Hand Moving. This was a bit of wisdom I first encountered from Natalie Goldberg in one of her books on keeping a writing practice. If you’ve ever read any such book, the wisdom and advice pertains just as easily to a visual arts practice. I encourage you to pick up any of her books — inspiring on many levels.
Here’s the thing about keeping your hand moving….your brain is operating from a different place and you don’t have time to edit. Just drawing, just move….keep your hand moving and get out of the way. The way to free yourself is to stop thinking, as the inner critic doesn’t have time to get a word in edgewise. Again, these tidbits of advice I share come from my own experience and have worked for me, especially when I find myself frustrated or bored in the studio. Sometimes, when I keep my hand moving long enough, with the inner critic shut out of the way, I find I’ve moved into a surprising new territory….one I didn’t know you had in me! When that happens, it is exciting and rewarding, because it opens up new spaces and avenues and it come from right inside….the place of authenticity.
The timing of this post is quite striking, as I find myself in need of this very reminder! I haven’t been in the studio in weeks, as we are in the midst of BIG change here. Johntimothy and I are retiring in the next few months (well, I’m effectively retired now, thank goodness) and will be relocating across the country. Lots of planning, sorting and packing is going on and it’s been hard to concentrate on anything else of late. And yet….I am feeling that nagging feeling that something is off balance and I know what it is….I simply need to get my hand moving!
Details forthcoming regarding our move. And guess what….Missouri Bend Studio will need to undergo a name change, as we’ll no longer be located on a bend in the Missouri River, with the gorgeous sunsets and churning waters flowing down to the Gulf of Mexico. It’s time for a name change, so stay tuned….it’s in the works. And now, time to get my hand moving in the studio! Cheers….
Notes For The Artist Within: Reminder No. 2 - Show Up
Reminders for the Artist Within, no. 2 — Show Up, inspired by an amazing Ted Talk by Elizabeth Gilbert
Happy Holidays to everyone! In my last post, I talked about my list of 10 reminders for my own creative practice…inspired by many other creatives who have come before me. These are aspirations and I find they are part of my little toolbox of helpful ideas to keep me motivated and on an even keel. It’s sometimes a lonely and rocky road as an artist, despite the wealth of connections most of us have in person and across the world via the internet. Still, for me, there are days when I wonder what is the point, do I need to go into the studio to make another something? This is part of the bigger question that I find on my mind each day of late…what is worth doing? I’m planning to expound on each of the remaining ten reminders in future blog posts, but for now, here’s my entire list of 10, followed by some notes on no. 2 — Show up!
Ms. P’s Reminders for the Artist Within (inspired by many others and my own experiences)
Look Inward
Show Up
Keep Your Hand Moving
The Mind and the Body Are One
Leave a Trace
Live the Questions
Nothing Is Wasted
Make More and Then Some
There Are Countless Paths Through the Woods
Living Is a Creative Act
Today’s post deals with no. 2 on my list…showing up. The TED Talk given by Elizabeth Gilbert many years ago has long been my source of inspiration for showing up. I’ve just watched it again myself and still think her words and her story are powerful and moving. I share it with you here, because this is the reason my list contains the reminder: Show Up. There are days when this is a tough one, because motivation wavers and sometimes disappears altogether. This is really quite a normal part of the ebb and flow of our days—certainly not something to chastise yourself for, though I sometimes do that myself. And yet…
Daily Teapot Drawing, December 16, 2021 (2.5x3”) — the result of 5 minutes of showing up
For me, the impetus to show up has little to do with inspiration, because in my own particular practice inspiration comes through the making….this might more sense after watching the video. Showing up is kind of a habit to develop, which provides me with the drive to be there on a regular basis….even if it is only 5 minutes. I remind myself that whole worlds can open up in mere moments. But you have to be there…you have to show up. The daily drawing practice grew out of the habit of showing up. I’ll admit that I do go through phases where the habit of making the daily drawing for my Etsy shop falls away. I get discouraged, I talk myself out of things and into a downward spiral. But the best recipe I’ve found to get grounded again, to find your center….show up, be present, make some marks, listen….listen. Before long it is a habit, reinforced by the mysterious richness of the rewards. Cheers to you all and thank you for the support and connection. Best wishes for the New Year….see you early in 2022.
Notes For The Artist Within-Reminder No. 1
Inspiration for the artist within
Daily Drawing Project, November 29, 2021
As I come within days of yet another birthday, I’ve been reflecting on the meandering paths I have walked as an artist and the pearls I’ve picked up along the way. After more than forty decades as a maker, I’d like to begin a series of blog posts with some snippets of advice I’ve learned from others as well as my own experience. In the spirit of Rainer Maria Rilke’s, Letters to a Young Poet, as well as the rules for artists developed and promoted by Corita Kent and John Cage, I offer these 10 truths that have worked for me. Though I post this to send it out into the world, I am speaking just as much to the quiet place in myself that needs to be reminded of these truths again….and again.
Reminder number 1: Look inward….make the work that is yours to make.
Many of us came of age in the days before social media, though now we’ve all become so attuned to the impulses and inputs the connected world requires of us, it no longer matters. We are all so immersed, embedded and interconnected in virtual spaces that we’ve come to depend on the constant stimulation and positive reinforcement as a kind of lifeblood. There is so much of value in being able to find kindred spirits across the globe….and yet, it is ever more difficult to disengage and find the quiet space inside us, which for me, is the only place I can find my own voice as an artist.
I have spent decades looking at art, reading about art, and have met many, many wonderful artists in person and in the online realm. I have found huge inspiration and creative energy in all those encounters. But, now I find myself engaged in scrolling Instagram too many times a day. I become easily ensnared, easily overwhelmed by the wealth of possibilities that abound in pursuing this or that technique, new trend or tool. I also continually remind myself that I am only seeing images of art and not engaging with actual art in any real sense. I do so appreciate the interest and support of those who follow my work and deeply admire the dedication and creativity of many others. But, if I’m not careful, the work of those artists who inspire me, follows me into the studio and I catch myself trying unconsciously trying to make that work and lose myself in the process. The danger of following down all the rabbit holes is that my own work can become derivative. On those occasions, when things go poorly at my desk, it is most often because I am trying to make “that” work, which is not mine to make. Each of us, I believe, has our own artistic voice, honed from all the experience that is unique to us. We each have our own inner language of mark making, a sensibility arising from the view from our own ground zero….that can be found nowhere else. That is powerful….and empowering!
The way forward and what works for me, is to balance our engagement of the “art world” with looking in, spending time alone, digging deeper inside. I am continually reminded that I need to close the metaphoric door behind me when I come into the studio. All the creative work made from the dawn of time up to the very present moment is part of our shared humanity. I have experienced and been touched by only the smallest fraction of that….yet the noise that creates is sometimes deafening. I must turn the volume down on all those voices. I need quiet in the room when it is my turn to speak.
One way I do this is through the daily practice of journal writing and the daily drawing project. This quiet time, allows me to return to myself, back on the path of making the work that is only mine to make. The daily drawing allows me to let go, make marks and connect with my deepest self through the meditative act of drawing. It is my responsibility to be true….I owe it myself and I owe it to the world, for our time here is short.
Meditation and Flow
Greetings from my tiny corner of South Dakota in the waning days of autumn. As the days rolls by and the seasons come and go, our lives undergo transformations that are often so subtle they go unnoticed. And sometimes there are more seismic shifts in which our priorities are rearranged and our attention refocused. Having left my full time office job in the late summer, I have now returned to a full-time focus in the studio. It has taken me some time to feel grounded, to have fully slipped back into my own skin, so to speak.
I am refocusing my attention on exploring the richness of my daily drawing project for a number of reasons. I’ve come to see this daily practice as a true form of meditation and I consider it a spiritual practice. The focus on letting my hand move at one with the materials, in the moment, is akin to a focus on the breath, letting thoughts come and go without latching on. For me, this is not about making “art”, but about letting go of all the voices, all the visual stimulation and inspiration I encounter, in order to let my own voice, the marks that are mine to make….allowing them to bubble up and flow out onto the page. I am the first to admit that this is often a mighty struggle, just as it is to focus on the breath and not on the inevitable thoughts are flit through. When I am in the moment, when there is flow, I feel it….an affirmation that feels physical, deep inside the pit of my stomach. I felt that this morning as I relaxed into the drawing process with the drawing above (available via Etsy with the title/link).
Establishing a flow is sometimes a struggle….like yesterday. I remind myself that the Daily Drawing Project is a practice and I can always learn something in the process. Because these pieces make their way into my Etsy shop, so they can bring some joy to others, I must be careful that I begin from the right place. If I set out trying to make “art”, rather than being willing to let go and be fearless, I will struggle mightily. The metaphoric door to the studio must be firmly closed, all the artists past and present that inspire me….they must wait outside, along with all other striving. It is only when I am truly alone that is is possible for me to find my inner voice, my inner language. Yesterday, I forgot to close the door….eventually, I ushered everyone out of the studio and there was some sense of closure, but I have to admit…little joy.
Still, I share them all…these drawings are a record of my journey. Each is a trace of the moment and a bit of the conversation, with myself and with the world. I’ve found that these drawings resonate with others across the globe….there is a communication beyond language and that mystery is a wee bit of the magic!
Transitions
Missouri River, Burbank, SD, June 20, 2021
Greetings on the first day of summer! Having already experience 100 degree heat, around here we thought summer started a week or so ago. Still, the transition from spring to summer is another way to mark time on the calendar and provides for moments of reflection. This has been a year of transitions already in so many ways—a striking contrast to 2020, which dragged on endlessly, with day-to-day life on a cycle of repeat. Looking back, if feels as if the entire year is a missing chunk of time swallowed into a black hole. While the pandemic (not over yet!) provides a collective memory for humans across the globe, we each experienced the year differently and for me, the lockdown provided many positives that allowed me to reflect on what was and is important in my life.
With continued reflection upon transitions and change in my life, it occurred to me that it was time to move the mountains of artwork on my Etsy shop tables out into the world! That spells summer sale! Treat yourself or a loved one to some lovingly made original art. With a minimum purchase of $20 receive 20% off everything. This includes the collaborative print/mixed media pieces that Johntimothy and I both worked on. The works are all intimate in scale and can fit in small spaces and tight corners. Help me find good homes for these pieces…visit MissouriBendStudio and peruse the drawings, collage, mixed media pieces available there. If you have questions, feel free to get in touch! Enjoy the summer days!
Turning the Corner
Early morning ice fog, April 2021
Greetings! As I write, I am filled with glimmers of hope that, at long last, we are turning the corner on the devastation of the last year. Johntimothy and I are grateful to now be fully vaccinated. I have been working from home for more than a year and will make my way back to the office to join my colleagues at the University. I’ve actually enjoyed working my 9-5 job from home, but going back to the workplace signifies that my life can begin to shift from fear to hope for the future. I am fully aware that the coronavirus is still quite prevalent and we certainly are not ready to declare the nightmare over, but we have forward momentum, as more of the country is vaccinated. I only hope the positive trend continues. My heart goes out to those who have suffered so terribly and lost loved ones. I’m not sure there is anyone who hasn’t been touched in some way by this frightening virus.
Daily Drawing, April 15, 2021 from the Daily Drawing Suite: Third Week of April
I also want to share with you that the daily drawing project has taken another twist! I am working on suites of drawings, which can be found in my Etsy shop under the section Daily Drawing Sets. Each suite contains a week’s worth of drawings — all seven are related and meant to work together as a grouping. Above, you can see how the drawing itself floats in the middle of the page, which measures anywhere from 9-11 inches, depending on the week and the stack of paper I’ve made for the week! Each suite of drawings is a consistent size. The set here is from the third week of April and, as you can see, I ventured into some color—shocking! But, aha, now that I’ve shown you that opening photo from an early morning at the beginning of that week featuring the warm glow of a lovely icy, pink fog….well, perhaps the color was no surprise! Below you’ll see the full week’s drawings — visit MissouriBendStudio on Etsy each week to see another suite of daily drawings.
Stay safe and well….and hope these little drawings bring some joy to your day!
Cheers!
Daily drawing-April 15, 2021
Daily Drawing-April 16, 2021
Daily Drawing-April 17, 2021
Daily Drawing-April 18, 2021
Daily Drawing-April 19, 2021
Daily Drawing-April 20, 2021
Daily Drawing-April 21, 2021
Echoing Across Time
Missouri River from Mulberry Bend Overlook
Yesterday, Johntimothy and I took a little drive through lower Vermillion on over to the Mulberry Bend Overlook on the Nebraska side of the river. We hadn’t been up there in a couple years and it was time in enjoy the spring weather, before the rain-on-the-way-to-snow we are getting now. It was a beautiful morning and we both marveled, as always, at the view, but also how different the river looks each time we are up there. Mulberry Bend is a lookout point high on a bluff, giving an expansive view of the Mighty Mo that is pretty spectacular. Johntimothy took some very interesting photos, like the one above, with his phone held up to the binoculars.
Missouri River from Mulberry Bend Overlook
Even this panoramic, which I took with my phone, doesn’t capture the scale or the wide expanse of this ever changing river. Massive sandbars exist now where they didn’t previously and in other places, it seems clear that the river has claimed land on either shore. You can imagine, by looking at the land, how the river has changed course over the many centuries. There are places where the dividing line between Nebraska and South Dakota was and still is in question because the river shifts course. We know that the expedition of Lewis and Clark came up the Missouri in the early years of the 1800’s and I like to think they came right along where our house sits on the river. But maps will show that the river’s course was in a slightly different location at that time and even has changed course a number of times since then.
Missouri River from Mulberry Bend Overlook
The photos through the binoculars have a nostalgic, pinhole quality to them. They echo the idea of the river as metaphor, as representation of time passing and the flow of history. I am always aware that the land is a keeper of history. The events of the past centuries lie buried in the land and the memories continue to rise up, echoing faintly in the soft breeze. The stories of immense tragedy and majestic beauty mingle in the stillness on a quiet morning, a year into the pandemic.
Flying Dreams
Flying Dreams, no. 1
Greetings on the last day of February! There is a renewed energy and discipline in the studio these days….perhaps buoyed up by the possibilities that spring will bring. Maybe you feel it too….is hope around the corner? A new series is underway, which is going by the name Flying Dreams. The drawings are large format (relatively speaking), vertical compositions on Stonehenge paper, clocking in at a monumental (for me!) size of 22x15”. They are the result of a willingness to let go and allow randomness and play rule the day. I am much more comfortable in a smaller, more intimate scale, as those familiar with my work will know. And so, in a spirit of abandon and breaking boundaries, I ushered the inner critic out the door and decided to go for broke. There was really nothing at stake and nothing to lose. What’s the worst that could happen….another failed drawing to tear apart for collage pieces down the road?
Flying Dreams, no. 2
As these pieces began to take shape, I became aware of a couple of things. While I wanted to explore random marks, which I find more interesting, I saw myself becoming more careful and holding on to things that I liked…and sometimes trying, even just below consciousness, to repeat marks, which caused a sense of internal struggle…a kind of tug-of-war. And yet, as I reminded myself, letting go is letting go and that means a willingness to take chances. For me, those surprises that occur when I do let go, are the source of delight and joy. Those moments don’t happen by a force of will. There is an inner working going on that I must trust….and that is the source of struggle between the need for control and the desire to let go.
Flying Dreams, no. 3
The other aspect of the pieces that had me intrigued was the vertical sense of space that called to mind many compositions in Chinese and Japanese art. This might be stretch to anyone else, but there was a link of familiarity that I recognized from my love of seeing these beautiful pieces in museums across the country. I was intrigued by what I perceived as my own take on this sense of flattened two-dimensional vertical space. While I am not, in any sense, depicting a three dimensional world on the flat surface of the paper, there is some vague reminiscence for me of the vertical nature of the compositions I’ve seen. I am intrigued enough to explore more about the Japanese sense of space in an article I found in Contemporary Aesthetics, by Ken-ichi Sasaki, entitled Perspectives East and West.
Flying Dreams, no. 3 (detail)
The other lesson for me is this: the magic cycle of doing and discovery, learning through making. Everything we see and experience adds to our expanded understanding of the world and if we are open and curious, there are endless horizons to explore. Would I have been curious enough about the use of space and perspective in Japanese art to find out more about it, had I not made these random marks that developed into finished pieces? I don’t know, but I am now more curious than ever. I am inspired and reminded of the vast richness in the universe, in which each of us is maker of the tapestry that is the story of our humanity. The threads we weave day-by-day are both visible and invisible.
Hope you find inspiration somewhere in your encounters during the coming week. Cheers!
Flying Dreams, no 3 (detail)
Seeking
February 1, 2021
Hello February! Here in South Dakota, we are in the middle of the long slog of winter, with a week ahead of bitter cold. I’m reminded that we are also closing in a year since the pandemic closed everything down. This pared down life does feel endless by this point, but as more of us get vaccinated, there will be a return to something we once took for granted….what we now call “normal.” That hope is what motivates me. Meanwhile, life continues in the same rhythm, week after week…day job during the week days, the weekends of studio time & reading. A glass of chardonnay to soothe the rough edges. And some Rumi quotes to inspire.
“When you let go of who you are, you become who you might be”
Letting go….stage 1
Speaking of letting go, my days in the studio continue to reinforce the reminder to let go in order to actually move forward. I am not the same person I was when I last worked in the studio. We are always in the process of becoming and often we are held back by our desires to hold on to what we know. As I started working in the studio yesterday, I found my grip too tight, as I had been trying to continue pieces in the vein of the Foretold series I’d been working on. But my work sessions ended in a sense of frustration, since my efforts ended in chaos. Eventually, by the late afternoon, I came to my senses and had the dawning realization that the work wanted to move on and it seems I was the last to know. I was looking behind me instead of gazing into the future. So, I loosened my grip and then I let go and made the marks my hands wanted to make with brush and ink.
“There is a voice that doesn’t use words, listen.”
Letting go…stage 2
Abandon thinking, that’s my first step….which means letting go of the steering wheel. Trust. Play. Keep your hands moving. Create through chaos and trust that eventually, the moment of recognition will come. For me, that moment manifests itself in a kind of double-take when I look over at the work in progress and realize we’ve arrived….not at the finished piece, but at the point where my thinking mind may enter the conversation with the work. It takes quite awhile sometimes and a multitude of accumulated history for that moment to arrive. I am sharing with you these early stages of works in progress to let you know that it’s ugly at this stage, but it is part of my process. And also, that there are as many avenues of the creative process as there are creators!
“What you seek is seeing you.”
Letting go….stage 3
Here’s where the piece is at the moment, the ink still drying downstairs in the studio as I write. I somehow understood, I just need to keep going, adding layer after layer, accumulating the history of winding and tangled lines. I let go of the intention to hold the warm color palette dominated by my beloved antelope brown ink…nope. I don’t know where this is going. But I do know this…..the work and I will meet at a common ground where the sky will open up and I will understand what is happening and why. That last Rumi quote so aptly describes what happens for me in the studio…..what you seek is seeking you. I look forward to further conversations at my ink splattered desk in the studio….next chance I get.
Have a good week and please stay safe.
Cheers and thanks for visiting!
Moving, Thinking, Hands
I’ve always been convinced that I think through my hands. When I express this to others, it sometimes elicits a quizzical look, but then I explain that my work is intuitive and I don’t plan ahead, but rather start a new piece with a sense of play and making marks. What happens on the page is a reflection of my thoughts, revealed in layers, slowly and over time. Many artists work from the outside in and have a plan they want to execute. My practice has never quite worked that way….if I “think” of something I want to express and then go about trying to make a piece that conveys that idea, I can count on a dismal failure, one that is forced and contrived. But when I let go, give up that cherished idea and just begin to play, eventually that kernel of an idea finds its way to a resolution, maybe not right away, but eventually. And it usually arrives, as I like to say, through the back door…that is, in a way that is more nuanced and fresher, than I had once envisioned. “Oh”, I find myself saying, “this is the piece about that idea I abandoned in frustration.”
After decades, I’ve learned to trust myself and trust my own instincts. If I could share one little kernel of advice from my own studio practice to quell those moments of creative angst, it is this. Each of us must quietly close the door behind us, be with ourselves alone in the studio and trust our hands to reveal our innermost thoughts and feelings. There will be a revelation for ourselves and for the world, because the most authentic work must come from inside us and it is born through the movement of our hands with the materials and with the surface. We can each break new ground, rather than try only to emulate the work of those we admire. There is no other source in the universe for the work that we will make from our core. Each one of us is the product of a unique combination of body, mind and life experience. Who else could possibly make the work that is ours alone to make? Leave the phone outside the room, close the door quietly behind you and let your hands move. There will be revelation. This is what brings me back into the studio every chance I get.
Winter Days
Measure of Beauty (Construction Series) by Johntimothy Pizzuto
Foretold Series, no. 2 by Patti Roberts-Pizzuto
Johntimothy and I have a series of routines that vary only by whether it is a weekday or a weekend day. Despite the pandemic and the travesty of what has happened over the last year, we have realized that we are truly creatures of routine and our pared down life suits us. We spend time in the studio, cook, read, take walks outside when weather permits and move briskly about inside when it doesn’t. And we watch the river, appreciating the view at all times of the day and in all seasons. During the week, he is involved in preparations and teaching and I am stationed at my little desk off the kitchen, working remotely in my day job with the university. But there are still the daily practices we each undertake, with a little time eked out in the studio and a often bit of time carved out for reading.
Sometimes, over breakfast, I ask Johntimothy what’s on his agenda for the day…and of course, we both laugh, because it is the same as the day before generally. Our routines bring a level of comfort and continuity to life and the structure allows our creativity to blossom in the studio. I find I get so much more done in a day when I give myself the structure and framework to accomplish the things I want and need to do.
I know that with the constraints we are all under, due to the pandemic, many folks are bored and at a loss for things to do. But I find that there still are not enough hours in the day. So many books to read, so much work to explore, not to mention films to watch and things I want to learn. While it is easy to become paralyzed by the fear and tragedy that unfolds around us, there are still infinite possibilities around us to find joy and creative energy. Even from the spaces of our own homes, we can begin to explore almost anything, either online, film or in print. It only takes a measure of curiosity and whole new worlds unfold before us.
And now….back to my current reading adventure! Have a great week!
Finding Balance: A Daily Practice
Life can feel overwhelming, as we all know. Sometimes, there are just far too many things that need our attention, and alas, one too many items on the list to get done in a day. Our commitments and our goals drive us ever faster on the relentless treadmill, as we work ourselves into a frenzy trying to keep up with everything. I know I feel that way and my life is relatively uncomplicated, compared to many others. Here’s a suggestion, something that I have found has a calming effect, one that evens out the ups and downs.
I have a daily practice that helps me keep perspective and balance, in both good times and bad. When I begin the day with the daily drawing project project, I have given myself time to make the marks that reveal what I’m thinking and feeling. In so many ways, it can be described as a mediation practice, as I focus on the movement of my hands and the marks that come freely, without judgement, just as I would focus on the breath in a mediation practice. When I sit down at my drawing table, I take a sheet of the Japanese paper from the stack and begin with a pencil or ink, touch the paper and let the journey begin. I don’t plan, I don’t know what will happen and I don’t care. The most important thing is that the judgment is set aside and I don’t try to make “art”, I am just letting go. Instead, here’s what does happen…..there is a simultaneous immersion and detachment from the drawing process. Each moment, each mark, leads to the next until I know I have reached the end. And at that point, sometimes, but not always, I feel good enough about the drawing to view it in terms of its artistic merit. Many times I do not…and I don’t feel badly about it, because that was never the point. The point is to see myself be myself. Because the marks I made on the page that day are a revelation, a way to process the events of life and a manifestation of an inner landscape of thoughts and feelings that would otherwise remain hidden. The drawing made each morning is a document, stamped with the date, an additional record in the ever accumulating repository of days.
At the end of the week, each drawing from that week is dipped in melted beeswax, which encases the drawing, creating a translucent page with an deeply enriched surface. I changed the process a bit at the beginning of this year by adding a second layer to the drawing. The second sheet is a sturdier drawing paper that has marks made with colored ink, paint, or perhaps a pencil wash, that engages in a kind of conversation with the beeswaxed drawing. I make these marks after the “meditation” drawing is finished. The two pages are attached to one another with small pamphlet stitches in each top corner.
When the inner critic is allowed into the room, it becomes clear that I am happier with some drawings than others and it is those drawings that will find their way here to the website and/or to the Etsy shop, but I go through the same process for each.
The daily drawing project is one I have maintained off and on over at least a decade and I can tell you that when I let it go for a month or so, it is only a question of time before I recognize what’s missing in my life. There’s a small empty place at my core that only the daily drawing practice can fill.
The Road Is Made By Walking
“There is no road, the road is made by walking. ”
Welcome to the long-awaited 2021! I came across this quote again the other day, which has always resonated with me. It provides a gentle reminder of an open ended future filled with possibility. Though what lies ahead is always shrouded in a kind of darkness, our paths uncharted, I think these words are a reminder that our choices are many and that our lives are a creative act. We move through our days, making decisions large and small that have the effect of clearing the path as we step one foot in front of another.
Reflecting on the new year, as we all do, I would like to spend my days ahead more mindfully, more aware of the small things that can easily miss my gaze, like the pattern of tiny bird feet in the freshly fallen snow. I hope to listen more carefully to the layered chorus of birdsong against the rustle of leaves and the sound of my own breathing. That means slowing down and paying attention, sifting through to find the things that matter.
There is much sorrow in the world now, but there is also much to savor. We don’t have a map and there is no path laid out, except the one that we make after we’ve rested for the night and arrive once again at the start of a new day.
May 2021 be filled with brighter tomorrows!