A year into teaching at Landmark School in my early 20's, halfway through working my second summer program there, several colleagues and I grabbed a rare weekend off to head north to Acadia National Park where we took it upon ourselves to hike up a steep trail that overlooked frigid saltwater far below us in one direction and ended near a little freshwater pond at the top. Hot and sweaty, we wasted no time plunging into the refreshment of that little body of water.
Several of us emerged with bloodsucking leeches attached to an arm or leg.
Similarly, I think a leech attached itself to either my current patch-in-progress or to me today. Something sucked the freedom and brightness right out of this piece.
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| patch in progress |
8 comments:
There is nothing quite like THIS title of your blog post to grab the viewer's attention! LEECHES! Ack! Remember "Attack of the Giant Leeches" the movie? This little patch - a push and pull of tension going on. The dark is weighty. There seems to be a message in there.
The message is: watch where you go swimming! Thanks for your comments, Jen. A 'push and pull of tension'—helpful language as I navigate that dark weighty stuff. Meanwhile, I wonder what toxins the leeches are releasing … buh bye!
This is more somber that the before. Still, that shiny black Ginger & Fred dance floor and those pearly white lights make me hopeful for the second act :)
Well he certainly got your attention! I am sure in the next layer no one will even remember him! I could use a cool pool right now. Third day of a Khamsin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khamsin. But no leeches please. 10 more days till our pool opens.
Agreed, Sheila, more somber (to my regret). But: shiny black Ginger & Fred dance floor! pearly white lights! second act! awesome—thanks for the energy boost!
You're right—what seems so
attention-getting/dramatic/discouraging/wonderful/whatever in any given moment will give way to the next moment and the next, each barely remembered! It's all part of the flow!
Leeches!! Leeches!!! - just hate them!! And now I will try to concentrate on the art.....I see lots of great experimenting - veiling, glazing, mark making, lights and darks, pure colour and tones. When I read this and look at where you are with the painting I think you are still searching and this part of core values will go through a few more changes.
I don't know if I've seen a leech since that episode I describe. Fine with me!
Janet, thank you so much for your thoughful feedback/critique—always so helpful to get your take on what you see. Very affirming to have you pick up on the veiling, glazing, mark making, lights and darks, pure color and tones—you picked up exactly on what I was playing with, and I'm impressed at and appreciative of your ability to discern all those elements. You are also right on the money, I think, with your conjecture that I am still searching with this piece. I had an idea of where I wanted it to go, but when it didn't, I began searching to see where it WOULD go that I might like.
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