Nothing like cleaning house and thinking about corners. I looked up here and realized I had never noticed the crack in the plaster, nor the little indentation toward the shelving above. I expect I will find all sorts of weird things as I look at corners.
There is something about corners that I really like. Corners intimate something new and unseen. Corners provide a place to hide. Corners are edges. Altogether, corners have many meanings, some subtle, some not.
There are lots of phrases about corners, too:
Yeah, lots! Then there is the definition of corner from Merriam-Webster, also loaded with information, some of which I don’t get (like “cornerback”).
1a : the point where converging lines, edges, or sides meet : angle
1b : the place of intersection of two streets or roads
1c : a piece designed to form, mark, or protect a corner
2a: the angular part or space between meeting lines, edges, or borders near the vertex of the angle <the southwest corner of the state> <the corners of the tablecloth>:
2b: the area of a playing field or court near the intersection of the sideline and the goal line or baseline
2c (1) : either of the four angles of a boxing ring; especially : the area in which a boxer rests or is worked on by his seconds during periods between rounds (2) : a group of supporters, well-wishers, or adherents associated especially with a contestant c : the side of home plate nearest to or farthest from a batter d : corner kick e (1) : the outside of a football formation (2) : cornerback
3a : a private, secret, or remote place <a quiet corner of New England> <to every corner of the earth>b : a difficult or embarrassing situation : a position from which escape or retreat is difficult or impossible <was backed into a corner>
4: control or ownership of enough of the available supply of a commodity or security especially to permit manipulation of the price
5: a point at which significant change occurs —often used in the phrase turn the corner
You get the idea. Now I have you cornered!
I’ve done watercolor off and on since I was a teenager, back before the dinosaurs disappeared, but I have never made it a resolution to spend time – a lot of time – mastering it. Rather, the approach I have had has been sporadic and amateurish. Now, I want to be the “serious student” I never was . . . and while I think I am off to a good start, the real question which lies ahead is how well will I integrate painting into my work life? I’ve managed to integrate both sumi-e and photography into my life, but I began both of those long before I ended up working 10-hour days.
There are a lot of good books about “how to” watercolor, and I have looked through and purchased a number of them. As well, there are a number of good YouTube channels with talented artists, with whom you get to cruise along with as they produce a painting. For me, this visual is what gets me all the time. While books show you step-by-step photos, some in color, some in black and white, there is absolutely nothing like the video of beginning-to-end, with commentary as the painting develops.
I still plan on pursuing photography – in fact, I have a 365 project planned, with different subjects on a monthly basis. While I am shifting my focus away from photography as my primary creative outlet, I really want to master watercolor and drawing, and to do so, I need to spend more time doing it rather than thinking about doing it.
So, Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you have new intentions to keep you happy and creative in your life!
I’ve been looking over a lot of my photography from the past few years. I’ve learned a lot. Sometimes I wonder why I do it. Digital and analog photography have become quite comfortable . . . and, admittedly, I’m bored with what I am doing. Something needs to get shaken up a bit.
This past year I’ve totally enjoyed the 366 photography project by Fraggy. She did a different subject every month, planned out ahead. Following her, I know at times she has been stuck or frustrated, but as each month wore on, there was progress and creativity that developed. Inspired, I will do the same for 2017. I’m feeling a bit burnt out with what I have been doing, so I figure it could prove to be inspirational and creative. Here is my list for 2017:
My New Year’s resolution – intention as one newspaper put it – is to return to art and creativity as a part of my daily life. Ever since I was a kid, paint and paper and ink have been the big draw. The biggest problem with me, though, is distractions. Staying focused on one thing is not easy for me. The result is what I would like to master is pushed aside as too hard or time-consuming, or by comparing myself to this or that person. In particular, this applies to watercolors and drawing, but it also applies to so many other areas of my life.
My life style is my main crutch. I blame it for everything. My 10-hour work days leave time for little else. A 30-minute lunch where all I do is stuff food in my face to make it to the next task is another excuse. So my question to myself is what can I do to change my sense of frustration and of waiting for more time? More time isn’t coming, that’s for sure. Each second vanishes before it is even acknowledged.
Art requires thought, but it also requires just diving in and doing. I tend to get stuck in thought or stuck in doing, but somehow neither alone gives much satisfaction or sense of accomplishment. The two need to be tied together. Learning and practicing, thinking and doing, analyzing and trying again – this is the process.
Thus, my resolution: for the remainder of my holiday break, I will focus on watercolor and drawing. Once I return to work, my favorite mechanical pencil and a small sketch book, along with my camera, will be with me. One drawing at lunch. One photo a day. Evenings have no guarantee of time, but the long weekends do have that element.
Let’s see where this goes.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 