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Zivah Avraham's avatar

I only started shopping from my own work relatively recently. I saw an artist on YouTube talk about being inspired by her own work and it made me glitch a little - and then I thought, why not? I am more inclined to revisit my old art work over my written work, and that’s interesting to me. Why, I wonder? Am I more forgiving of myself as a visual artist? I think that’s the case. I’m not sure why.

Either way, your new take on an old piece of your own is fabulous.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks so much, Zivah! I think hearing that would have made me glitch some too. If I would have thought of it that way I probably wouldn't have done it, haha! I think you've described the process so well, it really was a matter of bringing a today approach to yesterday. A re-imaging. Normally, I'm not one to revisit previous work, but I've been working way to give myself more grace, this seemed like a creative way to do it. So glad to hear you're doing the same. I'd be really interested to see and hear what the outcomes are for you!

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Zivah Avraham's avatar

Giving yourself more grace… that’s such an elegant way to put it. I’m terrible at it.

I’ll be interested to see what comes of it too! 😬😂

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Duane Toops's avatar

I wish including take credit for the idea. I was meeting with a therapist every week before I got laid off. It's one of the things they were having me work on. It' definitely doesn't come easy to me. I just try to find little moments to practice it in small ways.

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Zivah Avraham's avatar

Little and often. It sounds like a solid plan.

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Martin Hughes's avatar

The hopes and strengths of what's within. 💚

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Duane Toops's avatar

Well said! Thank you Martin!

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Shital Morjaria (she/her)'s avatar

These are lovely Duane. Very interesting.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thank you, Shital! It was really interesting to work! Glad you enjoyed it too!

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Yoso's avatar

Urban chaos, splashes of language! Great work! I like the way you use your post format too! It’s a promo, but above all, a really nice presentation of your work! Thank you for the inspiration! 🙏

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks so much for such a great description! I appreciate it! I’m always trying to experiment in at least some small way.

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Yoso's avatar

That’s the beauty and the responsibility as an artist! Keeping an open mind, risking to fall in the trap of our own ego, yet we must explore, trying to create sense of the world we create and live in! Ephemeral catharsis! Best wishes! 🙏

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MamaCarole's avatar

Use what you have and evolve!

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Neil Barker's avatar

Very cool way of presenting this poem, Duane. I like the collages using the classic comic figures.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks so much Neil! Had fun with it.

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Kim Nelson's avatar

a step forward

into the impossible

revealed the elegant arrival

of perhaps

...

truth revealed!

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Emily Foucart's avatar

I love your work Duane! Have you been a graphic designer? You 've got such a talent for composition and type

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks Emily! I appreciate it! So much of my work is based on the things that I wish I was or wish I could do. Graphic design is one of those things, haha. Several of my creative influences are graphic designers, Chris Ashworth particularly. My collages tend to be a way for me to do some graphic design pretending 😂

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Helene's avatar

Those are something else! Revisited successfuly! 👌🏻

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks so much!!! Felt like I may have went a little over the top with it, but it was a lot of fun working in it. Thanks again!

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