A Very Raw Plan
March 11, 2009 by Janice
Rain is pattering on the rooftop, urging me to be cozy, settle in. But I want some adventure. And lucky me, I made a map. Not a complete one, just one to get me started. One that has the bones of a piece with plenty of room for possibilities and play. Nope, nothing refined or finished about it. Except it has the impact, the desire, of destination already embedded within it.
Now desire is a very good thing.
Yes, even Buddha has to admit that the move to be totally present in the moment, is desire. Being IN the moment, that’s different. That’s alignment. So here’s how alignment is going to work in this piece. There’s a framework. There’s a strong impulse to create a piece that taps into color, line, form, texture just as much as, maybe even more than, it taps into story.
And there’s desire to touch something more sublime.
Strong, willful desire for nuance as much as boldness. For contrast as much as familiarity. For exploration of places that pierce my status quo. So perspective as I knew it, is off the table. Color needs to be pushed. And form, well it may have to take perspective’s place. Already my brush is hungry to trace some new paths across an expanse of white. Dip into magical water with pigment suspended, waiting to be spread. I like not knowing exactly. I like that I can feel my way through it.
Feel, is the operative word.
So within the structure, within the map, there is plenty of intuitive trust. Plenty of here, just let it happen, you actually know inside you what this is already. Let it out. Look what the forms are already suggesting. The shapes the lines trace. Sweet, sweet anticipation. Yes, it is a very raw plan. One designed for exposure. One that could very well fail.
But I’m thinking, it won’t.
If we can’t trust ourselves in our practice, then what are we about? Know what I mean?
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7 Responses to “A Very Raw Plan”
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From your feed on twitter, sounds like banana bread is a part of the process! I’d like to be in your here and now to sample a piece.
But I do know what you mean. I was out photographing yesterday and wasn’t sure what I would focus on. I meandered a while… some places were dead ends… but ended up finding the orchard pruning a worthwhile subject. Trust is everything… That’s when discovery happens. Otherwise were just recreating what we’ve already done – we’re doing what’s safe.
Todd Smith’s last blog post..Website and Blog Down Until New Cart is Installed on Friday
LOL. Just realized how many times I have made banana bread while waiting for paint to dry… it IS part of the process. Sometimes it is quiche. Here, catch, there’s a nice buttery piece for you. Orchard pruning, very wabi sabi… I was wondering what was on your shoot
meanderingschedule this week. Trust is huge. I feel like I am just connecting puddles…one then the next , then another…Mmmm. Got the banana bread. I was hoping for lots of butter!
The orchard pruning shoot is still a work in progress. I want to go out again. I’ll feature that next week.
Can’t wait to see how your painting is coming…
In the end there is only puddles! It’s all how you connect them!
Todd Smith’s last blog post..The blog is back and Todd Smith Photography has a new web design
“In the end there is only puddles! It’s all how you connect them!”
Best. Just the best.;-)
I ‘ll look forward to that. Nice to think of you wandering there as they make room for new growth.
Janice,
just wrote a blog post (scheduled for tomorrow, so you can’t read it yet), and I experienced the same process. I had a very raw plan, and then – my words went here and there. I hope I didn’t fail!
Ulla Hennig’s last blog post..Vivaldi,The Four Seasons: Spring
Ulla,
I think of how we played at recess as children, just went out and played within the given amount of time.
I am sure your words will not fail.
I look forward to reading them.
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