Hello All – Joy to you and yours throughout this Holliday Season!
Ms. Lill is exhausted from all the reading we have been doing-
These words, are the opening lines of the Dhammapada, were spoken by Gotama Buddha 2500 years ago. They illustrate the central theme of Buddhist teaching, the human mind.
Mind is the forerunner of all (evil) conditions.
Mind is their chief, and they are mind-made.
If, with an impure mind, one speaks or acts,
Then suffering follows one
Even as the cart wheel follows the hoof of the ox.Mind is the forerunner of all (good) conditions.
Mind is their chief, and they are mind-made.
If, with a pure mind, one speaks or acts,
Then happiness follows one
Like a never-departing shadow.
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I have created a survey that goes along with this series of
“The Geometry of Joy” artworks. The physical art is now being displayed in Saratoga NY and can be viewed in person by appointment. I created the questions with the help of, two scientists who worked in mental health for government programs research. Originally Lisa thought a survey would offer data and details for the final report but after the 22nds Skype meeting, she seems to have changed her mind. I think its interesting and many of my friends have to support the process and chosen to take it.
Please consider taking the survey as you have seen the work via this blog and can revisit the entirety of it by clicking the link.
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Paintings are moving slow and dont apear that they will be complete for New York, so that option is a no.
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The Lisa Challenge – This month’s sculpture.
In the last advisor meeting, Lisa said she didn’t believe my work was intentional and challenged me to create Joy on purpose in sculpture. I have looked at chance, and read extensively- coming to decide my work doesn’t reside in chance and is very intentional!
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Michael Bowdidge’s Assignment –
What do you see- While looking at “Three Pi” the sculpture.
I did this writing exercise over the last four months three times and all three times from a separate and different point of view, after all that- I realized I could have incorporated all the points of view as the final crescendo:
“Perspective is a personal point of view- Joy is personal perspective hinged on feelings, emotion, experience, subconscious, and conscious mind at the time of reviewing the work of art. Joy is not only the reviewer point of view but also the creators time in interaction within the work. Some Joy can not be seen but still resides in parts of the process.” “Joy is like the Wind”
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Drawings and oil Pastels I didn’t list here being told- the content is a little long but if there is an interest or need I’d be glad to add a sample- just ask!
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This month I had a Major – Epiphany that was brought about by long periods of driving and sitting with or reading Agnes Martins: Paintings, Writings, Remembrances; through which I realized how off track I have become through this course.
I hate making video’s in the studio it’s clumsy, slow, invasive on my time and there’s so many things I’d prefer spending time on. I Spend all that time getting ready to video when I feel I could have used the muse on making then only to find the muse frustrated. Video and the studio —-not my thing- Id prefer to- do – make- see- think- collect = JOY!
“I have one and only one alliance that is to my work, I am here in this place time continuum, for one clear reason- to create- works of art, that are visual dialog’s- offering a platform for my voice or viewers personal perceptions.”
-With that said I have declined on 2 job positions and decided to remain in the studio.
“Its been a long strange trip!”
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The topic of Joy has brought the defining principals of Personal Perception to the foreground.
In the reviewing of the song “The Thrill is Gone” done many times by many people – BB King 1963, Aretha Franklin 1970, Jerry Garcia & David Grisman 1991, it is clear each artist carry’s a different sub category of intention, personal connection, meaning and feeling this is the “Nomenclature of Joy” the landscape of Joy is extensively vast.