In making a new piece, the first feeling is fear. It’s terrifying to hang out in the unknown. But you go ahead anyway on blind faith. There’s usually some point in the process where my interest and curiosity take over…At a certain point your curiosity and interest and your immersion in the material take over and then the fear is not there any more. The end result is usually fairly satisfying and fulfilling. But there’s also a kind of sadness because by then you’ve lost the early excitement in the potentiality of it. When you actually make the form you have to live with that.
The time between finishing a piece and starting the next one is always hard. It’s a time of emptiness. I know people who start working on the next project right away to protect themselves from that feeling of emptiness. I’m never able to do that. The periods of emptiness are hard to bear but it’s tolerating them that leads to your being able to make each piece be itself; you’re not just going ahead with habitual behavior to protect yourself from these feelings.
- Interview with Meredith Monk in Speaking of Dance: Twelve Contemporary Choreographers on Their Craft by Joyce Morgenroth.
Archive for March, 2010
just thought this was interesting
i’m trying to avoid the credit card minimum at 1001 liquors.
I tried to post this earlier (honest!) but youtube was being weird.
threads
a little late:
Mostly I am just excited that I finally made a video short enough to use that song (“One Sly Move” from incompetech.com)
it’s not a waste
Quote from Michael Giacchino’s Oscar acceptance speech. Via Jezebel.
zentangles
I’ve heard about zentangles before but lately I’ve been seeing them everywhere, so I figured I should pay attention for once. According to the zentangle.com:
Zentangle is an easy to learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns. It is a fascinating new art form that is fun and relaxing. It increases focus and creativity. Zentangle provides artistic satisfaction and an increased sense of personal well being. Zentangle is enjoyed by a wide range of skills and ages and is used in many fields of interest.
The idea is that you doodle. But it’s a sort of focused, repetitive doodling that ideally creates a sort of relaxed/meditative state. In other words, I did a lot of meditating in school (and sometimes at work). I did a couple the other night and found it to be pretty enjoyable – they’re kind of addictive and I did four before I stopped (but only scanned three because I’m lazy):
I wasn’t doing it “right” thought because I was chatting with a friend while doing it so I guess these aren’t the full effect. 
But even still I found it relaxing. I used the Sakura glaze pens for these ’cause I felt like it but I guess most people use the Micron pens because:
If you are going to do something, then do it with the finest tools and materials available. We use the best paper and pens available to ensure your Zentangles will be a respected and treasured work of art. …Using fine materials is an act of respect for yourself and respect for your art.
I laughed for like 5 minutes; this is actually my favorite part of the Zentangle enterprise. It’s a relaxing art form that anybody can do….buuuut also you can buy a $50 set from us because god forbid you use a pen from the drugstore on your magical works of art. On the site you can buy “pre-strung tiles” aka squares of paper with a squiggle on them (to get you started) for $19. It’s so simple and genius! I wish I had thought of it. I think it’s funny when people sell stuff that nobody really needs to teach them how to do something they already know how to do (not that high-quality paper and pens aren’t nice, they just aren’t absolutely necessary to do something like this).
In conclusion, “zentangling” is enjoyable and I’ll probably keep doing it, but since I apparently don’t respect myself or my art I’ll just use regular pens or maybe even a crayola marker. :O
