Deconstruction and Possibilities
May 15, 2009 by Janice
Take one perfectly fine graphite drawing on very fine printmaking paper and tear it into 16 pieces. What do you have? A ruined drawing? A loss of all your hard work? Tossed income down the drain? No. Not even for a second.
You have equities.
All 16 pieces carry the character of the original forward, share the flavor of the intent and the consistency of your skill. You now have multiple ways to use them. Multiple ways to innovate.
Sit with that a minute. I am.
No don’t worry with the math on the combinations. The math isn’t the point. And besides my brain has not had enough coffee to deal with that this morning, but there are so many ways and combinations to use them now. I have to play with them a bit. When you deconstruct in process, you are not limiting yourself, you are providing options. Opening doors. Tweaking everything a bit. To get to another place. You are also finding those equities. Those things you’ve earned or been gifted with. Solid kinds of things.
Solid kinds of things that are a part of you.
In Private Studio there are such things as equities and economies. I am not talking money, but I am talking riches. Destroying a whole drawing cost me inventory short term. It could be finished whole and sold. Make a handsome textured piece, very fine lines and shades of grey. Be very luxurious.
Keep me right where I was.
But things have changed and I changed with them. Not essentially changed as in you would not recognize me, but irrevocably changed. And that whole drawing is not as relevant to what is now more truthful, and more importantly, what is probably now richer and harder earned and interesting.
I don’t want to settle for just getting by.
I never want to be that person who is stuck in past glories or safe habits. There’s too much discovery to be had. There’s too much relevance to explore. So equities are treasured. Kept safe, protected, nurtured. And when it is time to use them. Well, use them we should.
Because equities provide more riches when you invest them well.
Remember the 3 key points? 1)Befriend random 2) Experiment 3) the constant becomes you. So I tore up a drawing. It’s paper and pencil and some of me. But now that equity is ripe with possibilities.
Can I deliver?
Ahh, that part. That part right there? That’s the thing that will keep some people from making that first tear in the paper.
It’s just paper and pencil and you. Trust it. It’s got you this far hasn’t it? Give it a chance to wow you all over again. Yes, that’s what it is like in Private Studio.
And hey, we’re kicking it later at the Dragon Room for some Naughty margaritas, right? We’ve earned it , and besides I owe you all a round. Thank you for your incredible, amazing moral support and words on Monday and all this week. We’re doing it. We are so doing it. The artist smiles, then gets back to work…have a great weekend.
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9 Responses to “Deconstruction and Possibilities”
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Naughty margaritas sound delicious. You have a terrific weekend too, Janice!
Writer Dad’s last blog post..The Classroom is Only a Baseline
We have a long weekend here. First one of the “Summer”. YAYYYY.
Even though it’s supposed to rain tomorrow and go below freezing at night.
No matter. Brett’s coming over to drink tonite.
Not margaritas, though. But beer, and manly Scotch.
Sean,
Thanks so much. You too.
Fantastic launch of Cindy new site this week BTW. Congrats to you both:
http://cindyplatt.com/
Friar,
Have a scotch for me . I love single malts. Wow, a long weekend and you two pondering the Universe… look out Splatt Creek!
Naughty Margaritas indeed!
Every so often I have to remind myself of that very same thing: I do indeed have the tools and the skills to get the job done and it’s okay to follow my intuition because I know it’s not empty whim.
The space between reminding oneself of that and acting in response to the reminder is a very scary one to cross. I’m always glad when I’ve made the leap though!
Heavy on the limejuice, please. Have a great weekend!
Seth Simonds’s last blog post..Bridging Books & Blogs: Writing For Kindle
Seth,
Extra lime it is for you.
I think we sort of know this space a little, deep inside, don’t you? That’s where the excitement comes in… at getting to explore it maybe. No matter what the cost.
I am so glad to see you here. Glad you stopped by.
Janice,
Deconstructivist abstractions, collage and color, where will it all end?
I love that you’re looking for new truths in your work, and capturing the evolution here in your lyrical prose. Feels very edgy right now. Janice on the precipice.
(Imagine if Picasso had blogged as he was falling off the edge into Cubism, or Georgia O’Keeffe when she first decided to blow up a flower… hehehe.)
Enjoy the possibilities!
Regards,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Aha! Moments, Haha! Moments, and Naked
‘Janice on the precipice.”
LOL.. a very ‘edgy” place to be indeed. I am so glad you get it.
Good point too about the others. I have always been drawn ( no pun intended) to the artists between the wars, the shift that took place there and after. It keeps tapping me on the shoulder and saying, hey, come on over…
edges again….places in between.. seems to be a thing.
Have a good weekend and some good Kid time.;-)
Janice,
Lots of world shifts going on right now. It’s actually not a bad comparison. People get shaken up when the world gets shaken up, in a hundred little ways. Which, if we’re strong, can be a good thing…
Until later,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Aha! Moments, Haha! Moments, and Naked
Kelly,
Exactly. Strength, flexibility and endurance and a willingness to take a look and see the possibilities… all good things.