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Ann Collins's avatar

Duane, I appreciate how you make this space. It's a relief to visit here. It seems you try--daily-- to broaden and deepen your way of seeing, not just for yourself but for others who are curious about designing their own daily practice. Thank you for showing how simple it can be to nourish ourselves creatively! There is such an ever-present hunger for this unconditional state.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thank you! We’re often told to ‘write what you know’ but I think it might be more important to write what you wish you knew, to make the things you most need. More often than not my instinct is to check out, to pay as little attention to the world and my life as possible, to unconsciously get on with things and go about my day. What I most need then are ways of waking up, of looking around, or looking closely, of seeing differently. And I think one’s creative practice is perfect microcosm for experimenting with ways of living.

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Ann Collins's avatar

Absolutely 💯 agree

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Neil Barker's avatar

I like this point Duane: "To make a temple. A refuge. A fortress. To share the shelter of your aloneness. To give it as a gift. An offering."

I've found that creating something is like a refuge in itself. The process, time spent, thoughts thought, imagination is in itself a temple and refuge. It's like a timeout from the world is distraction. The end result, the piece of art created, is the physical result. Thanks for sharing.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Yes! So perfectly said Neil! A piece of art, a poem, a piece of writing or music, these are movable habitations, tabernacles we build for ourselves, but then in the sharing of them we are inviting others to find a temporary haven, a momentary reprieve that they to can take rest in. Such a wonderful thought, Neil! Thanks for that!

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Emily Foucart's avatar

I absolutely love your collages!

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thank you so much Emily! That means a lot to me!

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Fantastic work.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks Gloria!

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Patris's avatar

Your work and your artistic approach are brilliant

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Duane Toops's avatar

haha, ‘brilliant’ seems like a stretch, but I appreciate it!! If there’s a thin line between genius and insanity, i say it’s best to err on teh side of insanity, haha! Thanks again!

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