when i was an undergrad at cal state long beach i received a very good bit of guidance from one of my instructors, Tony Marsh. Tony and i were talking one day about how artists work in the studio. how every artist uses a different approach to their studio practice. i asked him about how he does it. what was his deal behind that closed door. we could all see his studio. few of us knew what went on in there. it was like that Tom Waits song/poem on the record Mule Variations--what's he building in there. Tony said that one of his favorite things to do is sit and watch his kids play. how kids have the ability to get lost in whatever they were doing. kids can build whole worlds out of wooden blocks, legos, etc. Tony is amazed by imagination. Tony said when he goes into the studio he tries to get lost in his work and imagination just like his kids did when they played.
i have carried that nugget around with me for the last seven or so years. through grad school and beyond. my best days are when i go into the studio and emerge hours later not realizing hours have gone by. the work is almost automatic. almost. sometimes when everything is running smooth and the engine is purring i am amazed at the amount of work i can get done.
i was reminded of this today when i went in THERE. i have been painting for the last four years but my background is ceramics and sculpture. i recently have been slightly bored with my painting. haven't stopped but a little bored. i decided to build something. something small. something fun. something i could do in a relatively short time. just to get my shit back. practice and all that.
so there i sat. nothing. so i sat. listened to whatever was on the turntable. sit. listen. then i just started fucking around. putting square pegs in round holes. drilling things. sanding things. gluing things. taping things.
then it started.
i realized, not for the first time, what had happened. it's what Tony was talking about. ultimately his point is--you gotta put in the time. if you spend enough time in THERE something is going to happen. it is not about waiting for something inspiring to happen and then you go work. it is about working when you do not want to . getting in THERE when it is the last thing you want to do . work. work. work.
thank you Tony.
I think your list(s) may be getting in the way of your creativity.
ReplyDelete"Tony is amazed by imagination. Tony said when he goes into the studio he tries to get lost in his work and imagination just like his kids did when they played."
It is the getting in and doing, that is the planted seed, then watered with your imagination as you go along. I remember a young child that would climb into a milk box. As the moments went by it would change from a fort to a car, then if a sibling would cooperate their boxes became a train, or toboggan. And on and on they would go, no two times the same, but sometimes reminding you of something you have seen before.
It is the journey that becomes the destination, sometimes you can't believe how awesome 'it' is - on the other hand ....
Keep up the 'good fight'.
thanks dad.
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