JUST THINKING

JUST  THINKING  by William Stafford

Got up on a cool morning, Leaned out a window.
No cloud, no wind. Air that flowers held
for a while. Some dove somewhere.

Been on probation most of my life. And
the rest of my life been condemned. So these moments
count for a lot -- peace, you know.

Let the bucket of memory down into the well,
bring it up. Cool, cool minutes. No one
stirring, no plans. Just being there.

This is what the whole thing is about.

YOUR OWN WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS

Inner Journey by Robyn Gordon

"In order to accomplish an experience, you have to have a chance to dance with it. You have to have a chance to play, to explore. Then each style of exploration that takes place is a different manifestation, we could say. Nevertheless, it is all part of one big game." -- Chogyam Trungpa

It's a good feeling to be surrounded by my totems again. 
Just before the big clean-up, 
I was sitting quietly
trying to trace back to a time when I didn't feel
that something was missing from my art practice
and it dawned on me 
that I was no longer surrounded by my own art. 
I've been setting my totems free too soon 
and feeling empty without them.

Stillness by Robyn Gordon

There are now three completed pieces watching over me, 
a work in progress nestles on the workbench

and the missing spark has returned.

"Stop thinking about art works as objects, and start thinking about them as triggers for experiences."  -- Brian Eno

Party Girl by Robyn Gordon

When I met my muse  by William Stafford

I glanced at her and took my glasses
off -- they were still singing. They buzzed
like a locust on the coffee table and then
ceased. Her voice belled forth, and the
sunlight bent. I felt the ceiling arch, and
knew that nails up there took a new grip
on whatever they touched. "I am your own
way of looking at things", she said. "When 
you allow me to live with you, every
glance at the world around you will be
a sort of salvation." And I took her hand.

Inner Journey by Robyn Gordon


" .... and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own." 
-- Mary Oliver (from The Journey, here)

"Do you keep your creative work close enough? Is it always available? Keep it so close that when you turn around you run right into it!"  -  Eric Maisel

A BOOK FOR SHELTERING POEMS

Homemade poetry book from a manilla folder. See how it's done here

At the beginning of the year I started a journal for favourite poems,  quotes and thoughts. I call it my stillness journal.  It has become quite important to me though it really isn't anything special on the outside (but that will change when the time is right).  On the inside however,  it is exactly the way I want it. I'm filling it with poems and quotes that make my heart leap in recognition. Recognition of my thoughts and ideas about life that I have difficulty expressing in my own words. I don't want it to be a book that I'm afraid to write in.  It has lines because crooked poems would worry me.  I use pencil rather than pen and it's the sort of book  that I  can jot down comments in the margin without feeling that I'm spoiling the pristine pages. Leslie sent me an envelope of "scraps" from her studio. Leslie's scraps are my treasure and they beautify my journal. 

Page in progress. A "scrap" by Leslie Avon Miller  and a poem by Mary Oliver

I've been noticing many journals that would be beautiful for sheltering poems in. I love Lotta Helleberg's journals. Treat yourself to an interview with Lotta here . You won't be disappointed!

 Lotta Helleberg creates amazing journals. See website here.

 Lotta Helleberg's journals.

 Lotta Helleberg

Breathe in, Breathe out by Leslie Avon Miller. See more of Leslie's books here.

 A page in Elizabeth Couloigner's art sketchbook. See Elizabeth's pages here .... and be delighted.

 Ward Schumaker. See blog here and website here.

 Ward Schumaker. Blog here.

Miklos Szuts. See more on Pinterest here   and website here

Susan Bouwer's first artist's book. Read blog post and see more images here.

Nag Hammadi by Dorothy Krause. See website here

"And I have always wanted to write about everything. That does not mean to write a book that covers everything -- which would be impossible. But a book into which everything can go. A book with a little of everything that creates itself out of everything. That has its own life. A faithful book. I no longer look at it as a "book"."  -  Thomas Merton
(Thanks Shawna Lemay)

India Flint mentioned a workshop being taught in Scotland by Sandra Brownlee in August. TACTILE NOTEBOOKS. It sounds wonderful! Click here to read more about it.

THE PASSAGE OF TIME

Walter Rast (mixed media on canvas). See website here

Many of us are drawn to objects marked by the passage of time and this fascination is often transferred to our art. Looking at the images in this post one can see that some artists use old, sometimes decaying and often patinaed found materials while others achieve the time worn effects through art techniques.

Walter Rast. See more of Walter's work on his website here

Walter Rast uses materials such as concrete, sand and pigments applied in successive layers. He scrapes back and scratches into the surface and also uses gold leaf and symbols. 

Old Posts Hold Stories by Fiona Dempster. See Fiona's website here. and blog here

"There is warmth and strength, gentleness, tenderness even, and respect for worn and used old things."  -- Fiona Dempster

Metal Book by Fiona Dempster. See more metal books here

"I really love the look and feel of rust. I love it's discarded beauty; the way it proudly wears its history and I love the sense of rediscovery that happens when I begin to work with rusted materials. 

It feels as if the old, the worn, the forgotten, the discarded and the weary have found; their beauty recognized and valued, and new life given to them."  -- Fiona Dempster

Object by Tim Rowan. See more at the Lacoste Gallery, here.

Marleen Vansteenvoort. See website here

Lu Bin. See website here

The Book by Sally Lee. See more here

Jeanne Medina, weaver/designer. Website here

 Collage by Robert Ohnigian. Website here

"Robert Nickle's collages evoke the passage of time and the present's ambiguity; they forshadow future disintegration. By locking paper detritus-soiled, crumpled, cracked, folded, marked, printed, stained and decaying tags, wrappers, cardboard, foils, etc. - in a poetic time capsule, Nickle shows us where we've been, are, and by progression what the future holds." - Devonna Pieszak

Collage by Robert Nickle. Website here

Gerry Keon. See website here

Randall Reid. See more at Nuart Gallery, here