BirchLane.net

May 2004 (edit mode)

Sunday 30

Sunset. Last night:

I went for a long walk today around town and through the park.

A few more here:

Saturday 29

Art Walk.

Ad created by Adell Donaghue.

I like JEM.

Front-Page Hysteria.

Friday 28

Where.

I was out early this morning and took the above photograph to which someone responded:

Before reading, please go see the photograph to which I refer in what follows. This photograph did what it was intended. I stopped . . . and now I am thinking. Had the image graffiti said "STOP RACISM" instead of "FIGHT RACISM" I would have nodded, admired the technical skill of the photographer. But that word: Fight. There is so much implied in a single verb. The right word choice makes just that much difference. Can I stop racism? Yes. I can stop it within myself. I can strive in every minute of myself to resist the urge to think of anyone as other. So often in the past few years, I have heard people say things in anger and resentment towards Muslims. A knee jerk reactionary mentality which is akin to the attitude that led to 11 Sept. I hear people mumble against immigrants who "can't learn the language" and even, on an oh-so-subtly acceptable level, I hear women complain about how hopeless and useless men are. Stopping racism . . . I cannot do this. I cannot stop another person from feeling what they do or believing what they believe. I cannot make another person feel or believe what I want them to. I can only stop racism in so far as I can control it. Inside of me, these random hateful and fearful thoughts are my own. I cannot blame another for their thoughts if I cannot reign in my own. Whatever is not infused with love should have no relevance and I must release every thought that undermines the unity of myself with everyone else. No matter how small or even amusing it may seem in the moment. But I can fight racism? Yes. I fight it in every choice I make not to accept it in any of its manifestations. I fight it by not judging it or hating it. I fight it by learning to love myself so much that there is no room inside for anything else--then the only thing I can or will give is love. All of these thoughts, stirred by the difference in two words. All of this . . . about difference or the lack thereof.

And another person writes:

Oh my gosh, that is bringing tears to my eyes!

All day the mist rises from the mountains:

Thursday 27

This:

There are no words to tell you how much I love your work. The variations and different styles amaze me.......Thank you for your work. I am humbled. ~ With Grand Respect,  Mandolin

What a great joy it was this morning to wake and find this note in my inbox.

My Dad and sister, Darlene, visited me today  for the first time in my new place.

Wednesday 26

What Would Jouke Do?

It is a Mondrian morning every morning here at Studio 19:

Tuesday 25

Thunderstorms.

I woke up and found the following early this morning:

Through the course of the 20th century Modernism has progressively lost its way, until finally disintegrating into crass Post-Modern commercialism. At this appropriate time, The Stuckists, the first Remodernist Art Group, announce the birth of Remodernism. 1. Remodernism is the rebirth of spiritual art. 2. Remodernism takes the original principles of Modernism and reapplies them, highlighting vision as opposed to formalism. 3. Remodernism upholds the spiritual vision of the founding fathers of Modernism and respects their bravery and integrity in facing and depicting the travails of the human soul through a new art that was no longer subservient to a religious or political dogma and which sought to give voice to the gamut of the human psyche. 4. Remodernism discards and replaces Post-Modernism because of its failure to answer or address any important issues of being a human being. 5. Modernism has never fulfilled its potential. It is futile to be 'post' something which has not even 'been' properly something in the first place. 6. Remodernism is inclusive rather than exclusive and welcomes artists who endeavour to know themselves and find themselves through art processes that strive to connect and include, rather than alienate through elitism. 7. Remodernism embodies spiritual depth and meaning and brings to an end an age of scientific materialism, nihilism and spiritual bankruptcy. 8. We don't need more dull, boring, brainless destruction of convention, what we need is not new, but perennial. 9. Spirituality is the journey of the soul on earth. Its first principle is a declaration of intent to face the truth. Truth is what it is, regardless of what we want it to be. 10. True art is the visible manifestation, evidence and facilitator of the souls journey. 11. Being a spiritual artist means addressing unflinchingly our projections, good and bad, the attractive and the grotesque, our strengths as well as our delusions, in order to know ourselves and thereby our true relationship with others and our connection to the divine. 12. Spiritual art is not about fairyland. It is about taking hold of the rough texture of life. It is about addressing the shadow and making friends with wild dogs. Spirituality is the awareness that everything in life is for a higher purpose. 13. Spiritual art is the painting of things that touch the soul of the artist. Spiritual art does not mean the painting of Madonnas or Buddhas. 14. Spiritual art does not often look very spiritual, it looks like everything else because spirituality includes everything. 15. Spiritual art mediates between the mundane and the unconscious. By definition, the unconscious is what we need to explore and integrate. 16. It should be noted that technique is dictated by, and only necessary to the extent to which it is commensurate with, the vision of the artist. 17. Spiritual art is not religion. Spirituality is humanity's quest to understand itself and finds its symbology through the clarity and integrity of its artists. 18. Why do we need a new spirituality in art? Because connecting in a meaningful way is what makes people happy. Being understood and understanding each other makes life enjoyable and worth living. 19. We need an art that integrates body and soul and recognises enduring and underlying principles which have sustained wisdom and insight throughout humanity's history. This is the proper function of tradition. 20. The Remodernist's job is to bring God back into art but not as God was before. Remodernism is not a religion, but we uphold that it is essential to regain enthusiasm (from the Greek, en theos to be possessed by God). 21. The making of true art is man's desire to communicate with himself, his fellows and his God. Art that fails to address these issues is not art. ------ like what you read? hate what you read? go here. stuckism.com then come here. stuckism   ~found here.

Monday 24

Editing Is Hard To Do.

 

Sunday 23

The Hilton.

 

Saturday 22

Ahmad Jamal. Yes, Ahmad Jamal. Last night I listened to old jazz albums (Yes--albums) and took photographs; today I am arranging the albums in ABC order; but classical and jazz in their own sections.

There are many bugs on the screen today:

Today, I was reading about "paper " journals and

Friday 21

Denise. I came home yesterday from a job interview to find an e-mail from an old friend.

Do you remember me? You'll have to guess. I remember Bruce that we would sometimes, on leaving work, walk downtown and stop for drinks at a downstairs bar in the West 40s. There was a good juke box and you drank gin gimlets which I thought very urbane. I came across birchlane today and read a poem. It referenced a mother's death. I remember how deeply affected you were by your mother's death and thought this may be the same Bruce I knew. Then I found your photo diary, and it's funny how we all don't really change much. Except for the smile. Where did it go? It did not appear in any of your pictures. Please post a broad grin...

The smile  part I found interesting. My niece, Nina, noticed it, too--months ago; and wrote and asked me what happened in my life which erased the smile from my face.

I am smiling now; once again. Daryl, Danielle and Mike (and Daisy) came over for dinner.

Thursday 20

Table With A View.

Wednesday 19

A Vote. Keep in mind I live in a building Of Artists and Crafts People: I had a hard time yesterday deciding between the Black Frame and the Blonde Frame. 16x20. Image size will be no bigger than 11x14--often smaller. Voila! I thought; hang them both In the hall and let the people vote.

Photo below is before the polls opened:
 

Early this morning:

And Queen Anne Olives from last night:

And the view this morning:

Tuesday 18

Mondrian.

Monday 17

More About Yesterday.

And today: I have been alone for seventeen days.

Sunday 16

Laundry.

Danielle and Daryl will be here in one hour for dinner. They love Wasabi Peas. I am also making Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Baked Chicken Breasts (Marinated in a Lime Garlic Cilantro sauce and Dusted with Crushed Corn Flakes), Green Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing.

Saturday 15

One Hour.

Friday 14

Blessing of Solitude.

The 20th Anniversary issue of the Artist Magazine had an interesting article called "the 20 habits of highly successful artists.

1- Identify what you want to accomplish through your artwork.
2- Get in the studio regularly and create a consistent body of work.
3- Challenge yourself and your art audience.
4- Organize your office.
5- Professionally photograph your art.
6- Put together your resume, artist's statement. biography and press coverage.
7- Create a professional presentation portfolio.
8- Design and produce postcards and business cards that have an image of your art on them.
9- Organize and use your own mailing list.
10- Learn to price your artwork consistently.
11- Have one studio show a year.
12- Be a publicity machine.
13- Enter competitions and juried art shows.
14- Match your market to your art.
15- Expand your network.
16- Be comfortable talking about your art.
17- Put it in writing.
18- Become a visible participant in the art world.
19- Keep showing your work.
20- Explore the Internet.

Thursday 13

Talking with Adell. I had a fascinating meeting with an artist/graphic designer yesterday (The day before, I might add, I had a late afternoon tea with the artist across the hall--Xiaodong Zhang, a  Chinese painter of great skill and vision).

Wednesday 12

Add Info Here. What more needs to be said?

Tuesday 11

Dali.

"Every morning when I wake up, I experience an exquisite joy — the joy of being Salvador Dalí — and I ask myself in rapture, ‘What wonderful things this Salvador Dalí is going to accomplish today?’"

Celebrating his birthday. More here.

When I moved here I was not sure what I would see; today:

And, of course, there many interesting people who work in the building:

Monday 10

Church Chimes. I read this at another journal today:

Adapted from What Happy People Know, by Dan Baker, Ph.D. and Cameron Stauth (Rodale Books, 2003). We all want to be happy, but most of us are trapped by ways of thinking and behaving that seem to keep us perpetually dissatisfied. But there are six simple tools that will help us to be truly, deeply happy. Find out what they are, right here: 1. Appreciation. This is the first and most fundamental happiness tool. Appreciation is the purest, strongest form of love. It is the outward-bound kind of love that asks for nothing and gives everything. Research now shows that it is physiologically impossible to be in a state of appreciation and a state of fear at the same time. Thus, appreciation is the antidote to fear. 2. Choice. Choice is the father of freedom and the voice of the heart. Having no choices, or options, feels like being in jail. It leads to depression, anxiety, and the condition called learned helplessness. Choice can even govern perception. Anyone can choose the course of their lives, but only happy people do it. 3. Personal power. This is the almost indefinable proactive force, similar to character, that gives you power over your feelings and power over your fate. Personal power has two components: taking responsibility and taking action. It means realizing that your life belongs to you and you alone, and then doing something about it. Personal power keeps you from being a victim. 4. Leading with your strengths. When you give in to the automatic fear reaction, it makes you focus on your weaknesses, which only reinforces your fear. But when you take the path of the intellect and spirit, you naturally begin to focus on your strengths—and start to solve your situation. People often think that fixing their weaknesses will save them, but it rarely works. It's just too painful. Leading with your strengths feels good, and that's why it works. Simple but true. 5. The power of language and stories. We don't describe the world we see—we see the world we describe. Language, as the single most fundamental force of the human intellect, has the power to alter perception. We think in words, and these words have the power to limit us or to set us free; they can frighten us or evoke our courage. Similarly, the stories we tell ourselves about our own lives eventually become our lives. We can tell healthy stories or horror stories. The choice is ours. 6. Multidimensional living. There are three primary components of life: relationships, health, and purpose (which is usually work). Many people, though, put all their energy into just one area. The most common choice is work, because work best assuages our survival fears of not having enough and not being enough. Other people become obsessed with relationships (because relationship is another word for love), and some people limit their lives in the name of longevity. None of this works. Happiness comes from a full life.

And when night falls:

Sunday 09

Eastworks. Many interesting people live and work in Eastworks. Across the hall, a new guy, like me, and an amazing painter. To his right (different apartments) a sculptor, another sculptor and her two little children, and then a painter and a doctor. Next to me: an attorney who collects art on one side; on the other an outstanding watercolorist. There are a few photographers, and the second and third floors are chock-full of artist studios and interesting business venture. On the first floor we find a great restaurant, Apollo Grill, where the woman pictured here works.

Saturday 08

Dedication. I am going to dedicate this weekend to writing, exercising, and getting ready for June 5th Art Walk.

 

 

Friday 07

Church Windows.

And other images:

 

 

Thursday 06

Before.

And The Next Morning.

Wednesday 05

A Place.

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