 |
| "a river runs through it" mixed media on canvas 36"x12" |
do you ever feel overwhelmed
by the barrage of information
or sheer amount of words,
images upon images,
(even the relevant/beautiful/powerful ones)?
overload.
do you struggle
with the weight and worth
of your additions
to the massive pile to sift through
as i do?
self promotion seems to be
a necessity of our craft these days...
yet, even when done humbly and respectfully
it feels a little bit like
pulling a bandaid.
and throwing it in the pile.
doesn't it?
 |
| "a river runs through it" mixed media on canvas 12"x36" |
my attempt at a respite:
step 1: unplugging.
a walk through the fields. playing in the dirt.
picking fresh vegetables. making a child laugh.
jumping in a bouncy house. sipping my tea slowly.
sitting around the fire with loved ones.
leaving the camera at home.
step 2: simplifying
my own input.
editing the heck out of my thoughts.
ruthlessly cutting out unnecessary words.
really digging
to get to the heart of things.
visually,
if i must paint
(and i must),
this is not a joke:
i paint everything white.
i use mostly materials
others would consider trash.
i wash them in white
(paradoxically, covering them in paint
actually reveals their essence to me)
and hesitantly proceed
to add my contribution.
then i feel that even
this entire last paragraph
was perhaps not
entirely necessary.
forgive me.
then i add a few more images,
not even ironically.
and finally i say good night,
without further editing.
 |
| "a river runs through it" detail |
 |
 |
would love to hear your strategies for dealing with information overload! please do share!
