5/1/2019 0 Comments The thing about an open mindis that someone always comes along and tries to fill it up. That's on of my favourite Terry Pratchettisms. Most of the time I like to be the person filling up my mind. I do a lot of commuting and have gotten into a few habits that are really worthwhile. I make an effort while I'm traveling to not jut have my phone put and my head down eyes on a screen. Sometimes I succumb but more and more I'm getting to be in the moment. Since I travel the same routes I challenge myself to look beyond what I've seen over and over and look for new things to notice. Sometimes it's as simple as looking at the opposite side of the street, or glancing down a sidestreet. Sometimes it's paying attention to the murder of 200 crows traveling as a group in the opposite direction, the bald eagle riding the thermals or the peron who is jaywalking between Abbot and Granville. Sometimes it's knowing that on this street I always look at this shop as we drive past, today I'll look past that towards the next one. It is an exercise in breaking monotany and also keeping my eyes fresh. When I was taking photography at University I had a theory that shooting in film combined with darkroom printing enhanced a photographers ability to see the world differently. That the hours spent in darkness with only negative images creating the light to see by, changed they way we look at the world. The camera lens focuses in on our surroundings in a different way, and the combination of the two; framing the world within the viewfinder of a camera after intensive periods of sensory deprivation within the labs allowed us to see more succinctly, to notice how the light is creating a mood, how the shadow cast by the swingset creates a dynamic shape on the reflection in the puddle, how a gleam in the eye of a friend can convey their personality. We come out of the darkness and see. The game of looking past what I see everyday, looking with fresh eyes from a new perspective is a different take on that idea, as an artist I want to always be looking at the world from a new perspective, to make myself think a little before I make assumptions, to ask questions to become better. Better as a person, better as a creator and better as an art teacher. Another way I am working towards that goal is to listen to new ideas about creating, about thought processes and thinking from a wide variety of people who know a lot about these subjects. I've been listening to Podcasts a lot over the last few months on my commutes. It helps to keep my eyes up and on my surroundings while giving my brain something to digest. I find it funny how many of the same ideas keep popping up from cast to cast, ideas around creating, ideas about thinking and thought and ideas about sharing ideas. similar themes pop up. These are the things that strike a chord and urge me on. Iam in the act of hunting inspiration.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Peanut
|