Category: Reflections

I had this dream about doing a whole show of white paintings. Do you ever do something because you have a dream? I never have, but why not? Maybe the dream paintings ( I would totally call them that) are the most interesting ones you have ever done. The difficult process of making something pretty interesting in all while shades would be  a challenge.

Ok what I did right there is just free form dreaming doodling just let it go kind of thinking. Who cares where ideas come from. Maybe you have a hairsbreath of an idea but it sparks you. Go for it.

Most of the time you start somewhere definite and go toward the light, but it is really fun to start anywhere  and go for what might be a glimmer of a light then a shadow, then a flood light.

 

so with that in mind. 10 white paintings might look all the same till you went close and then you see the nuances. Sort of like a whisper.

things seem more important when you have to move close to see their beauty.

 

To get to different  level  of  accomplishment  , you have to do something you aren’t expecting. You need a wrench . The unexpected forces you to have to overcome your usual way of thinking and planning . It forces you to do something new and  maybe  better. You can make your own problems too. Your own obstacles to overcome.

I like to look at tiny houses. I like the see what people can do when given the tiny space they are forced to use to create a functional living home. It has to be livable. It has to be very small. Where you walk and dress and cook has to make sense. “The Cube” was an English design that used the ten feet up space to put levels of living.

Problems that come up, can help you look until you find new paths that may lead to a better product.

I invented my technique for painting just that way. I had done this painting in ink and it was just becoming a black mess, I had invested 10 dollars into this heavy duty piece of paper so did not want to just throw it out.  I put the whole thing into the sink and scrubbed it off with a scrubby sponge. What remained on the paper was so beautiful that I framed it and won first prize in an art show later that month.

I told that story before but there is more. I have since learned to remove layers of paint with paint remover which is even more aggressive .  I tried a scrapper too and even  burning it . But that is just the same idea rehashed. Once its a proven thing you lose the wrench.

I think I will try lemons next time. They are more subtle than a wrench.

 

 

When you go to the Korean Spa , two things you get over really fast. First you have to walk around naked. Its all female in there so it doesn’t matter but if you aren’t used to that you might find it unnerving . Many people won’t go there for that reason alone.

The second thing is Heat. You have to get used to being in very hot rooms and pools and staying in them for as long as you can. The first few times you might have to get out of everything and just cool off so you won’t get light headed

The thing most people spend the least amount of time in is the cold pool. It is pretty chilly and there is a waterfall to stand under and let it beat on your shoulders. I would say most people in there avoid that pool.

Getting in the cold pool for the first time is shocking, especially after all the hot pools and rooms. You have to mentally tell your legs to keep walking into it or you will stay in for one second and jump out. But each time you go in it becomes easier and easier till you can stay in a few minutes at a time. That is when you discover the joys  and relief that the healing cold freezing pool has to offer. Overcoming the compulsion to jump out and Making Yourself! stay in the water is like conquering some scared part of you. That feels good. Then when you body gets used to the cold, the water shocks your body into releasing toxins  which does make you feel better too. Exhilaration is the next stage. It a so fantastic to get almost a shot of energy that surges through your body after a plunge. That is why the Finnish people jump into snow pools. Good clean fun on a molecular level.

All this to illustrate how other things in life are like the Cold Pool.

When you are scared of pain, which is most of us all the time. Just throwing your self into something knowing full well it will not be comfortable  is probably the greatest exercise you can do. Thats why people bungee jump. It makes you stronger, better, smarter, cleaner, more creative, bolder, mightier, and braver.

Can you imagine Michelangelo putting the first paint stroke on the Sistine Chapel and realizing that he had a huge huge area to fill with images that would bogle your mind.

Or someone who wants to sail around the world.

Or forgive someone who hurt you .

so many levels for the cold pool.

You know what they say,

“The waters fine.”