This week I had some pretty wonderful experiences and I attribute them to the discussions from my walking class, walking itself, and bringing my studio outside.
In class, we discussed two words: rupture and open. Students shared their experiences of rupture from the week before. It was extraordinary to hear all of the ways that paying attention to ruptures - from physical interruptions, to emotional or mental interruptions, to breaks or ruptures seen within nature - all contributed to a heightened awareness. There was something powerful about addressing these ruptures and giving them a little space to breathe. I observed both a dismantling of their power and a recognition of the gifts they can bring.
We then discussed the word open and talked about ways to increase one's capacity to see. I shared the film trailer about the artist Robert Irwin, A Desert of Pure Feeling and the website of walking artist Alexandra Huddleston and encouraged students to re-frame their walks, looking for openings, cracks, and over-looked spaces. This sparked in me an inspiration and a desire to really focus my attention on seeing the extraordinary in everyday life. It also inspired me to bring my studio outside once again as the days have been beautifully sun filled.
Outside, I was able to step back and see this painting. It opened me up to adding layers in a more spacious way and helped me connect to the over-all vision of the painting. After I had completed my painting for the day, I brought my laptop outside to work on some other things. Suddenly I looked up to see the light dancing across the painting. It was extraordinary and added fuel to my growing clarity for the vision of my next series of paintings.
Until next Friday!
Be well, breathe, read, and make some art!
Jen