office :: southwest corner

office :: southwest corner Originally uploaded by dressform.

for corners of my home . i'm so happy we decided to paint the office charcoal gray. it's a tiny little space and so i like the dark color.... plus we have a lot of metal furniture in there so it's all matchy matchy :) you can click on the pic if you want to go to flickr and see all the notes i made....

trying to move onward thru the rest of this week. garbo so appreciates all the good vibes and kisses you sent.... it IS a neck thing. we're hoping that the giant doses of steriods and muscle relaxers we are now giving her will prevent the necessity of surgery. that and no more neck leashes, tug of war [sadness!] or funny fast jerky head movements of any kind.... paws crossed! and i'm trying to get thru my list.... i can't change what i can't change so instead i grade grade grade [there's still those taxes taxes taxes too]... with some drawing in between. it's been a bit rough getting back to it. i'm finding i have to chew on the pencil for a bit longer than i had to before my break.... but it's nice to be back in that routine. tomorrow... the dark doily.... heh heh

so... thoughts on talent that have resonated with me....

:: it's innate - waiting to be activated
:: it links up the heart, mind and eye
:: it's not something that can be quantified per se [it's like taste how do you define that?]
:: it's the ability to soak up different impressions and being able to convert them into some kind of art...painting, cooking, singing... maybe talent is a catalyst?
:: discipline and passion are also part of the equation... together they can become talent

hmmm. so if there's a will there's a way? one of my favorite teachers [quite well known and respected in the artworld] used to say something along the lines that he thought was a B artist, but because he had an A+ work ethic he was considered a B+/A- artist overall....

when i was at the CCA undergrad review i realized that the school was full of talent - recognizeable skill - but that all the work didn't exhibit "talent" [or longing, desire, interest, thought, passion] and i thought about how another friend likes to talk about her students that have facility [they draw or paint well - it comes easy to them]... i like that... because it doesn't discount the ones that don't have it so easy. they can still have talent, but lack facility.

can you nuture and thus further talent? can you over or under water it? can skill stand in [the idea of if you practice something hard enough??]? can you spread it too thin? or is it elastic, plyable, moveable, moldable?

got a bit inspired today... went to the hair raising show at the ICA this morning before school. whip-up just mentioned this show a few days ago too....


paula santiago . a lot her work uses her own hair and blood... creepy, but also captivating.

but what i really liked was this:

a victorian hair crown.... yes... there is an eeeww factor, but it's also incredible crafted. such detail. such care.... i love when you have a simultaneous reaction like that - love/repulsion... curiosity/tinge of disgust.... that's good stuff to me!