Sharpie on paper. That's it. I don't want to get carried away with colors and canvases and specialty drawing tools. Stuff turns into more stuff, art gets overly stuffy, and nobody can relax. I want people to relax. To feel air, space, and comfort.
Keeping my drawings simple is one way to say, "Hey, you don't have to have a lot to be a lot." http://www.flavors.me/wavular
The Way: A film about how 'You don't choose a life. You live one.'
If you haven't seen it, this is a good one for self-reflection.
Prioritizing.
Making sense of where we are, and where we really can be.
Not in terms of "success" that we usual think about in a capitalist society. Something else.
A different kind of currency.
One that runs on joy.
I'm talking about lifefulness.
What does that even mean?
Simply this.
You don't have to have it all.
But you do have to be it all.
I mean, you can't control what life gives you in terms of health, wealth, or this abstract concept of "happiness."
But you can do something else.
Live your life. Your fullest, best life. Without critiquing yourself. Or worrying about what others think.
Two things happened.
I got to catch up with a dear friend of mine. We chatted about how she lost a very wonderful husband, and a good friend to so many people. Richard Stott.
The "C" word.
Not the "D" word.
That's the other thing that happened.
Rewind to 2008. A close friend. Who had to take care of three tiny children. Plus process a very different kind of loss.
Both stories have a happy ending.
Both of my friends seem to have pulled themselves to a wise place.
They seem aware of all the flaws we have as human beings, and their own, too. They're forgiving.
They're open.
They're listening to the world, and trying on new clothes that befit changed personas.
It's inspiring.
It's amazing.
Do you know what I'm saying?
Life is complicated.
Or....
Simple.
If you can focus on what you do have, instead of what you don't.
You know what?
I think that's what Richard would have said, too.
It's my last chance to see it, too.
All four panels (hanging on the window) sold before I even got there.
Encouraging.
More Sharpie shows to come -- woot!
Remember how I promised I would bring I Went 2 the City to Durham?
The four 2' x 10' panels are hanging up at The Carrack Modern Art as I type.
Opening reception is tonight.
I'm excited to see what happens. Parties. Art. People.
Yeah.
More:
Pecha Kucha Night in Raleigh, I mean.
Lightning talks. 20 slides in under 7 minutes for "Beautiful Simple."
Got to talk straight about my feelings on simplicity. A whole writeup to get myself in the mood is posted here: Clearing Clutter and Making Meaning Part 2.
I wanted to wing it, kind of.
Not overdirect. Overprepare. Made that mistake for a show last year at Pecha Kucha Night in Raleigh, where we got too nerdy too fast about how to pick a name.
This time, I did it differently.
I even recited a poem, surprising even myself.
One I wrote.
In India.
In the late 1990s.
I'll have to post it here sometime. It's called "Have You Ever Seen the Sunset in the Desert?"
I'll stop there. The video of the talk should be at PKNRaleigh's Web site in the coming weeks.
