from 2006

Mushrooms; oil on canvas mounted on board; 4" x 5.5"; 2006
 

Some bloggers like to organize their content by announcing certain days for special topics.  They come up with cute names for their weekly structures, like "Flashback Fridays" and "Tool Time Tuesdays."  I know this, because I was about to do the same.  Thankfully, I googled "Flashback Fridays" and saw not only the blogs that are guilty of this practice, but also a lot of commentary, mostly derisive, cautioning one against this rather hokey practice.

But routines and habits are important to me - and they're important to my work.  In the end, one's personal style simply boils down to what one does over and over again.  The tools they prefer, the materials they can't live without and the daily mechanics that put them in motion - these are the meat of what makes an artist unique.  Yes, there's a lot of stuff that goes on between our ears and it's wonderful to write and read about it.  And it might be pretty boring listing habits and routines.  But then again, maybe not.  Isn't that what makes studio visits so fascinating?  You cut through all of the verbiage and see the stuff and grit of the day to day.

So, from now on, Fridays here are a day for me to reflect on past work.  In order to examine what has been constant for me throughout time, I've chosen to post an image from the past and talk about 1) why it called to me through time 2) what I was thinking then 3) what it can teach me today.  I just won't give my Friday posts a hokey name.

As seen on a T-shirt recently: "What if the Hokey Pokey is what it's all about?"

And - Robert Genn has a lovely click-back on habits and routines (scroll down a bit)  - referencing Twyla Tharp's book, The Creative Habit.