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Neil Barker's avatar

Great point on grabbing "as much as possible and holding on tightly to avoid letting go." It's a stark reminder of mortality. On the positive side, it makes those moments of creating art that much more special.

That collage titled "peculiar to the conditions" and the caption "I HAD THAT" is quite fitting to your topic today! Thanks for sharing.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Much appreciated Neil! The “I HAD THAT” is a wonderful moment of serendipity. I made that piece before I had finished writing the newsletter. It’s great when the different media align unexpectedly.

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Amy Cowen's avatar

I love that one, too! That’s what I was heading to comments to say.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Haha, glad to hear that one is well-received!

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Ann Collins's avatar

Well said, Duane. It's tempting to make it more complicated, but it's really so simple. We want to hold onto our work until we feel it's polished enough to be seen. But in doing so, a lot can be lost by interrupting the natural, generative flow of creativity. Probably why small projects like ICAD can have such a profound effect on a person--the dailiness of practice. It generates self-trust.

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Duane Toops's avatar

It's the 'trusting' that probably makes it feel more complicated. At least it is for me, especially lately. I've become increasingly unsure of my work and it's directionality. It's become increasingly difficult to trust it, to trust the process. To believe that it'll find its way again. That it'll become something interesting. But it's the implicit trust in that "dailiness" that gives me something steady to lean on, knowing that, if nothing else, tomorrow I'll try again.

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Joel J Miller's avatar

Man, I get that.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Glad to be in good company brother.

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James Hart's avatar

I don't cook from recipes or measurements anymore. I open the fridge and make something happen with whatever's there.

My wife doesn't get it and asks me how I can just "do that." I told her I used to work in restaurants, and I spent endless time in the back just trying stuff out during slow periods. I've destroyed and ruined so much food over the years that now, I stand a reasonable chance of making something at least passable, even if I don't know what I'm doing.

She said for her that'd be too stressful, but I tried to explain that it has to be fun. You can't worry about the outcome, you just gotta get in there and have a blast. Even if you screw it up, you're learning heaps. Exactly like what you're saying here.

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Duane Toops's avatar

An absolutely perfect example. I’m the same way in the kitchen, though I’ve never really worked in a restaurant before. Instead, I live vicariously through the work of you real cooks!

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