Thursday, May 12, 2011

Still Learning After All These Years...


thank you, Paul Simon.
Had an epiphany on the drive home the other day.  I don't usually think any harder than what is necessary to remember the lyrics to a Transplants song, but somehow some way, in the 20 minutes it takes me to get from here to there, a truth hit me upside the head hard enough to sink in.  It's this:  whatever you do, do it like you mean it.

Like playing guitar.  Most people learning try to play quietly, so the world doesn't hear their mistakes (and I am one of these people!).  But you have to play it loud to be heard and to hear yourself.   Tentativity is the mortal enemy of creativity.  Look!  I made a homily.  And a word!  But seriously, it's true, even if it's not quite grammatically correct. 

It's a damn good thing I recognized this truth.  I'm starting Beginning Drawing on June 2nd.  The course materials list suggests at least an 18 x 24 drawing pad.  18 inches!  by 24 inches!  At LEAST!!!  That's a foot and a half by two feet!!!  The biggest paper I've ever sketched on is 8 1/2 by 11, and my typical doodle pad is yellow and has sticky on one side.  How in the name of Wile E. Coyote am I supposed to fill in all that blankness?!?!

Fully epiphanated, I will boldly draw where I've never drawn before.  I'm not saying it will be good.  But it will be meant.



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