One thing leads to another. This is the way art happens in my world. I’ve been unconsciously making piles of tea bags and spoons on counters for years. Sometimes I hang and dry the tea bags. A couple months ago, I paused to examine my thoughts while I was throwing another bag on the heap. I noticed “reusing” was my intention. I pulled apart the layers of the pile, noticing the wonderfully stained papers, and in those stains, wonderful characters.
A few days later, I opened a neighborhood library door and found a bright orange book, “Spanish in Record Time.” Inside was French, not Spanish, instruction. There were letters and notes in all sorts of languages dating back to the 50s - as if it had been sent back and forth between friends and, as it appeared, enemies. My face lit up in a massive grin.
Back at my studio, black ink practically leapt onto the pages of Spanish in Record time and, with it, tea stain characters. There have been many days during this strange time that I either don’t have words or I needed to process words. This journal has become both my punching bag and my welcome mat.
Often, when I paint or draw, I simply follow my breath. Other times, my hands move to music or my heart reacts to words. I welcome whatever comes up, whatever happens, without judgement of good or bad.
Here are some of the things I listed to while creating the pages below:
Podcasts (Spotify Playlist):
10 Percent Happier: #259 How You Can Help Transform America’s Racial Karma | Dr. Larry Ward
Tara Brach: Sustaining Our Caring
10 Percent Happier: #248 How to Be a Good and Sane Citizen in Ugly Times | Ezra Klein
Insights at the Edge: Latham Thomas: Self-Care Is a Radical Act
Tara Brach: A courageous presence with Racism
Insights at the Edge: Larry Ward: Mindfulness in Action, in business.
Audiobooks: Alicia Keys, More Myself, Michelle Obama, Becoming
Music: Tupac Shakur (happy birthday, 6/16!), Alicia Keys, hip hop and sultry mixes.
