Daily Practice 158/365

Title: "Total Eclipse"

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"Purposeful drift" was an oxymoron Lynda Gammon used in discussing an artist's process in her keynote address at the graduation ceremony yesterday. Drift implies aimlessness, which would be the exact opposite of purpose. In her own practice, Lynda mentioned that she goes to the studio every day (purpose), even if she has no idea what she will work on. Once there, she may do something mundane like sweeping the studio floor (drift) allowing herself to be open to the accidental. I think of this as a great description of my daily practice - I have the intention (purpose) of making images each day, but many times how the image making occurs is really the result of drift. Being open to the momentary possibilities becomes easier through practice.

Today I arrived home in the early afternoon and was reading a book out back when I noticed the shadow cast by a table. I made a few images, not sure of how I might work with them, and continuing a drifting process, I evaluated different treatments until I found myself returning to this final image. I like the very stylized look of it, it could just as easily be an etching as a photograph, the graphic treatment working extremely well with the subject. I've made a few images of shadow patterns now, and I intend to look at them side by side to draw new purpose to use in making more in the future.

Daily Practice 157/365

Title: "End....beginning"

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I was invited as a former board member to attend the graduation ceremony at a local art school. As I was sitting waiting for things to get under way, I found this simple composition that I felt symbolized the event I was attending. Those who had occupied these chairs were finished their formal education, and were leaving to embark on independent careers.

The keynote speaker was Lynda Gammon, a visual arts professor from the local university, who told the graduates that teaching art was a funny business. It was possible to give students context by showing them work that had been done by other artists, and it was possible to teach them technical skills of drawing, painting etc. But because the question of "what is art" was constantly changing and evolving, it was impossible to teach them that. In fact, she said, those graduating today would be the ones to define what art is in the coming years.

This message resonated with me for several reasons. For one thing, I teach science at the same university and while I can teach my students the fundamentals of the discipline (giving them context) and teach them some general skills in setting research questions and solving them, I cannot predict where science will be in 5 or 10 years. The other reason Lynda's message resonated with me was that it encapsulates the excitement that drive my own art making - I can't predict what art I will be making in the future, so I am on a never-ending adventure. That's exciting!

Daily Practice 156/365

Title: "The slow descent"

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At the end of a perfect day with the right mix of slothfulness and industry, night slowly arrives on the heels of the last vestiges of light. The clouds are witness to all that has passed before, delighting in the secrets they hold.

Daily Practice 155/365

Title: "In the circle of enlightenment"

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Quiet contemplation, no words, no thoughts. Just being and not being.

Daily Practice 154/365

Title: "In tight formation"

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I was drawn to the shapes and textures of these buds, which come through in the tones and textures of this image.

Daily Practice 153/365

Title: "Portent"

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There is nothing like black and white to transmit drama. Today the weather was quite variable, changing from rain to sun to rain again, the clouds at this time of the afternoon on their way to bring drama to parts east. Shortly after I made this image, the wind began gusting and we lost power for 3 hours. Just as the clouds had predicted.

Daily Practice 152/365

Title: "Night Moves II"

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Taken on the way to the meditation/yoga studio out back. A fair representation of what it is I try to understand, make sense of through meditation - that whirlwind of thoughts, the mind constantly in motion. Taking time to slow things down, to realize that thoughts and thinking are not the same as being.