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Neil Barker's avatar

I like this point you make, Duane: "Pasts that never were and futures that will never be." It's funny how we can fall into this trap sometimes and get anchored by regret. Interestingly, the older I get, the less I think this way, which is quite the opposite what I thought would happen as I got older. Interesting times indeed.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Much appreciated Neil! I find that for me it’s reversed a but. There was a time when I had no regrets. When, despite some terrible events, I would have said that I wouldn’t change a thing. All those things made me the person I was and got me to the place I stood. But as I get older, I find myself disappointed by the person I’ve become and dismayed by where I am. And some days I think I’d like to go back and change everything. It’s a strange shift, and I’m not sure yet what it means.

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Manuela Thames's avatar

Also, the colors of these collages are stunning! The second one especially…

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thank you! The second one was just some left over bits I was absent mindedly shifting around while I was doing something else, and I thought it actually looked kind of interesting. One of many things I’d like to explore more if I only knew what I was doing to begin with, haha.

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Manuela Thames's avatar

I so relate to this: “It's a homesickness for places that don't exist, in the struggle to understand what it means to be here…”

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Duane Toops's avatar

Yes! It’s one of the reasons I have such difficulty with being ‘present’. The present is the one place I most want to escape from. Sometimes I think I’d rather be anywhere but ‘here’. Being creative at my workbench is the surest method I know of to sneak up on being present in a way that isn’t filled with remorse and restlessness.

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y/a (or anniey)'s avatar

Again, hits with nostalgia and good art

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks so much! So glad you like it!

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Sonia Otero's avatar

Me gusta esa definición que haces del lugar en el que se encuentra tu trabajo, entre la historia y la ciencia ficción. A veces es el único al que podemos llegar y posiblemente no esté mal.

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Marta Blum's avatar

Such beautiful pieces, Duane

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thank you Marta! Some of these got a bit more experimental and gave me some things to think about exploring in other pieces going forward.

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Brian Funke's avatar

I love the collage and need to find a frame!

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Duane Toops's avatar

So glad to hear it! Thanks so much!!

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