22 Comments
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Neil Barker's avatar

This is a great point, Duane: "Your greatest freedom as a maker is deciding where the agitation and anxiety will live."

There is a liberating feeling in realizing this. I've found this in my own creative endeavors of writing and Nature photography. Thanks for sharing

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks so much! I think you’re right. There is a kind of liberation here, a letting go, a way of simplifying. Deciding what things in your life to minimize so that you have more bandwidth to emphasize the things that are worth the difficulty.

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Emily Foucart's avatar

Interesting stuff happening in the new b&w + beige series. And very valuable advice 🙏

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Duane Toops's avatar

Much appreciated! Definitely enjoying this series too!

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Manuela Thames's avatar

Love the collage with the birds and as always I could quote everything you said here. Thanks for this, once again!

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Duane Toops's avatar

I appreciate you! Thanks so much!

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Michael Macfadden's avatar

“Making things shouldn’t be comfortable.” I lived up to that standard today.

I placed the sound hole for my latest guitar build half an inch off center. Now I’m trying to figure out how to recover from it.

Growth will happen on the other side—even if I scrap the whole project.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Ouch! That sucks! It happens, nothing makes it easier, you do what you can and move on to the next thing.

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Michael Macfadden's avatar

I think I can salvage it by placing a telecaster style pick guard over the entire hole, and then adding an f style hole elsewhere

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Duane Toops's avatar

Dude! That sounds gorgeous!!

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Michael Macfadden's avatar

We’ll see.

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Claire Cayson's avatar

Oh Duane you aer my inspiration love the collages I am studying visual haiku and surrealist text within art woe love what you are doing Discomfort I have cleased myself like a shaman of all the negative people who do not understand or adhere to boundaries and negative ancient blurting Duane I have cleaned up and cut off those demonic destructions I am alone but I have a clean house in which myself and I can restoring in the process of evolving abd be coming. Thank you dear one blessings and peace to you at all times

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Duane Toops's avatar

Much appreciated! Glad you’re enjoying it!

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Richard's avatar

I like the notion of ‘softening the edges’. Sounds like things are tough from time to time. Wish I had something profound and inspirational to say that would help but best I can offer is a heart felt expression of gratitude for the fact that you keep ‘showing up’ and are so generous in sharing your work. Please hear and know that you have inspired and made a difference as far as this ‘maker’ is concerned. Thanks for doing what you do.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks so much Richard! Love your thoughts here. Making is an act of service and showing up is generosity! Thanks again!

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Elyse’ Jokinen's avatar

This feels so relevant right now. Thank you for your words! (& art!)

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Duane Toops's avatar

thank you Elyse! Glad it resonates, it's been heavy on my mind. A subject I'm currently coming to terms with, or at least trying to.

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Andrea Dixon's avatar

Thanks for the reminder that we need to push ourselves to doing uncomfortable work. That really is where the stretch and movement forward comes from.

Congrats on the new shop!

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Duane Toops's avatar

I appreciate it Andrea! It’s been something I’ve been learning and relearning over the past couple months. Sometimes it’s really hard, and sometimes it’s not fun, and sometimes it doesn’t feel particularly good, but it’s necessary if you really want to learn and make discoveries.

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Jenn's avatar

If you’re uncomfortable you’re growing ❤️. Beautiful work and words!

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Duane Toops's avatar

Well said! I really needed that reminder! Thanks so much!

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Jenn's avatar

Me too. You’re welcome!

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