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:
I have no head for heights, and just watching this video has made me jump a number of times! Despite that, I have always loved this picture because of the simple fact I could never even think of something as working up so high. There is something so awesome about these men . . . and the photographers as well.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 