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Jill McDougall's avatar

I LOVE the Transcendence piece.

Also my daughter outshines me constantly as well. 🩵 It's a good, if humbling, feeling, isn't it?

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thank you! I realized that I rarely do abstracts, though maybe it might be a good palette cleanser lol.

I’m quite possibly at my happiest when I’m being humbled and outshined by my kids. Lucky for me, they’re both good at it, haha!

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

How old is your son? He sounds so wise!

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Duane Toops's avatar

He turns 20 next month. The kid is brilliant, definitely smarter than I am I can assure you!

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Bone folder press's avatar

Sometimes creators are masochists

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Duane Toops's avatar

You didn’t need to call me out like that haha!

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Bone folder press's avatar

lol am I creators?

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Duane Toops's avatar

I can neither confirm nor deny, haha!

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Josh Datko's avatar

I've been thinking about the opposite thing too. My life, and many others, seem to be contradictions. I'm an analog artist posting online for example, I'm a veteran exploring pacifism.

Adam Horiwitz from the Beastie Boys once said, "I'd rather be a hypocrite than the same person forever" and I'm learning to be a little more accepting of opposites.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Josh! Thanks so much for reading and for taking the time to comment! So well said. We are never just one thing. We are always-already a conglomerate of oppositions and antagonisms, and somewhere in the intermingling is where the magic is. Thanks again!

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Davor Katusic's avatar

I read somewhere that art is opening up and pointing to mystery and transcendendence. Enjoying your collages, as always👌

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Duane Toops's avatar

I love that! I totally agree. It’s wondering at something, and inviting others to wonder with you. Thanks so much!

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Anxious Frank's avatar

I wonder if the truly “successful” people have found a balance in the many paradoxes life presents. How to turn pain into beauty, or parts into a whole.

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Duane Toops's avatar

I think you’re absolutely right. Some paradoxes just can’t be resolved, so it’s best to become friends with them. Art, is always a kind of alchemy, something base become something wonderous because of the attention we bring.

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