art.of.a.rock

Tag: philosophy

  • Metaphysical Creation & the Mind’s Elation

    The upside of entering your 30’s is that ideally you have ten+ years of trying many things, going many places, meeting many people, with the result of attaining a more tuned sense for your place in the world… That is discovering what you enjoy doing most and realizing where your energy is best put in place. Encapsulated within it all is a both a sense of urgency to create a strong, meaningful body of work and experience, intertwined with a casual nature wherein disregarding the seriousness of it, in realizing it need not amount to anything, only the slice of the moment in which it is spent.

    The work we do as artists and humans is deeply personal, stemming from what has past, not even always known to us, yet if done properly, it still taps into a universal knowing that travels beyond our visual cortex into the euphoric void, awakening a sense of curiosity, wonder, and awe.

    Aside from all that, I’m thankful for how life continues to unfold, the importance I put in various aspects of my life, continuing to check in with myself, gauging where I’m at in relation to where I could be; not in physical location, but my personal reality that progresses over time, which in turn branches out into the network of everybody else. That is basically to say: getting my life in order, keeping it in order, so I’m able to put more energy into performing at my best for those in my life, whether it be brief or long term. And so I can spend more time painting of course.

    If something is hindering me, disrupting my daily flow; I notice. I believe it is the difference between being able to figure out a solution right away, or letting it get the best of me day in, day out for weeks on end. This could be as simple as a loose door knob, or something more involved such as a disorganized/dysfunctional workspace. It reminds me of something I heard once, something about how the best tools, gear or equipment is the that which you don’t notice. It should flow seamlessly; you should have to think about whether it’s working properly or affecting your ability to perform. It simply works. This can be carried over into most anything, whether it be a good conversation, interior design, hiking shoes, etc.

    With my painting, I notice what works and what doesn’t with my setup, I’m left handed, so my palette must be on my left. I now have a comfortable chair that swivels and rolls so I can more easily play with my dog when she comes to me with a toy. I work on many paintings during one session, so I have a large glass surface to mix acrylic colors. I don’t have the greatest lighting, but I had a nice under-shelf light that I was using for another purpose weeks and months prior. Since I was doing less of that, and much more painting I relocated the light which has elevated my painting experience! I have since purchased another under-shelf light for its original purpose, on my art print work table. This is where I cut prints to size, frame them, package them etc.

    To speak on my paintings themselves, I have come to create them to the degree that no brush strokes, no colors, no compositional details will disrupt my viewing experience of the painting. Sure, I may never succeed entirely at this feat, but I can inch closer in closer with each work that I create, working relentlessly to rid it of all flaws that my eye can see. Each painting is another leaping off point— with new techniques, and refined taste gained. While know nothing will be perfect, I’ve found satisfaction, and ultimately comfort in the striving to be better, to encounter less disruptions in the day to day (my dog gets a pass) by having the presence of mind to notice. Sure, there are many things to address in this way, some for a long time now, but they are prioritized, and in time will lend well to the mindful, minimal, and productive life that put emphasis on myself to embody.

  • The Question

    The question that stumps everybody is what happens after the last breath. Everyone may see it differently, some of us have perhaps seen it at the end of a lengthy corridor, or stared it right in the eye. And for that, we are much more alive, or rather grateful to be alive than those who haven’t had this glimpse or shaken its hand.
    Truth is, we’re all still here; making moments last and giving this life our best shot. Whether we were given the tools needed or have to craft them with what’s around us, we’re all here for the same purpose. All have the same intrinsic needs, only with our own unique ways of going about them.

    If the question is “What?”
    The answer is “Love”
    If the question is “Who?”
    The answer is “Yourself”
    If the question is “How?”
    The answer is “Idk figure that shit out! 😅”
    I think it begins with laughing at the absurdity of it all.

    Continue learning and expanding perspective. All else stems from this.⚡️♥️⚡️

  • Influential Sway

    There’ve been various times throughout life where I’ve either done things because other people were doing them, or decided not do do things I wanted to do because I didn’t see anybody else doing it, or somebody would say something to the tune of “that’s not how it goes”

    I went to college, because all my high school friends were. I transferred twice, was extremely close to dropping out. I’m glad I finished, yet I feel strongly the many wrongs in the system as whole. The fact of “grabbing” young students as they are getting out of high school is bothersome to me. $40,000 dollar loan and you know nothing about money? Here you go, buddy!

    There are upsides that have come from me attending college though, that I’m still discovering 8 years later.
    Alas, for the most part, we simply do what the people around us are doing. I think this is partially why I tend to spend more of my time alone. It’s so nice to get together with friends and catch up, hike, and get creative. But that isn’t always the reality. I know myself best when I’m by myself. I’m able to love myself most when by myself. I know my lane and I stick to it. I work on developing my creative career.

    Truth is, people can be influential with their words, especially on someone who is young and impressionable. It’s easy to take advice that tells you not to do something, ie. “play it safe”. Somebody once told me to quit photography. I forget the exact reason, but it just didn’t work out for him; he regrets failing. And he didn’t want me to fail. Yet quitting is failure. I’m a lifelong artist, and photography is just a piece of it. It’s a way of seeing and capturing the world that inspires me further. Why would I quit something that provides such joy and motivation to get out in the natural world?

    I also distinctly remember (~10 years ago) a fellow coworker saying “it’s weird to go out just to take photos”. And I believed him at the time. I was just getting into photography. I don’t recall how much it affected my motivation, but it clearly stuck with me. I’m just glad I didn’t abide by a sentence such as that, because half of the best experiences in my life have been driven by going out to take photos.