13 Comments
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Neil Barker's avatar

Great points, Duane. Especially on the "a story that speaks to not only our insecurities, but also our aspirational values."

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks Neil. I think the things that we do to make up for what we feel we’re lacking reveals a lot if we’re really looking. It confesses where we think we fall short but it also reveals who and what we aspire to be.

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Ann Collins's avatar

I think art is for evoking emotion--in others and yourself. Make whatever you want to evoke.

Btw, the new shop looks really nice and navigates well!

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Duane Toops's avatar

Yes! It’s about creating a change. Doing something that makes something different at least in some small way. Glad you like the shop, still a lot to do to get things moved over, it’ll be worth though…hopefully…lol

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Jeffery Saddoris's avatar

Love this...and the new shop looks terrific!

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks so much Jeff!!

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The Sea in Me    (Síodhna)'s avatar

Our adaptive selves, our protective masks, are who have the disagreements and strong negative emotions maybe. But what a gift to know them now, and by knowing ours we can show others theirs, just by speaking to their higher, unmasked self. Maybe.

Us without ours.

Really thoughtful post as always Duane.

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Duane Toops's avatar

This such a generous perspective, its an invitation and an act of service. Thanks for this!

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Sue Clancy's avatar

So true!!

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks Sue!

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Davin Trail-Risk's avatar

The copier pages are a really nice addition to these collages.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks! It’s been a humbling experience. I was given an old, boat anchor of a copy machine, and I was so sure that I would come up with so many clever ways to use it, but so far it’s shown me how unclever I can be, haha!

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Richard's avatar

"I don’t think that an artist should bother about his audience. His best audience is the person he sees in his shaving mirror every morning. I think that the audience an artist imagines, when he imagines that kind of a thing, is a room filled with people wearing his own mask." (Vlad Nabokov. 'Strong Opinions')

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