Day 2: Distraction--Progression of a Painting

When I was just a wee one, I loved Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends. One thing I really enjoyed doing was reading the book while going to the bathroom and bringing colored pens in with me. For some reason, I filled in every single letter Æoê in the book. ThatÕs what was going through my mind when I started filling in all the handprints. I truly believe that everyone does what they do to distract themselves from the happenings in their own mind. Some think that creating is a natural extension of the mind but I donÕt think so. I think the mind is a sad, lonely sphere and it is the human spiritÕs or the human bodyÕs instinct to avoid such loneliness. Thus, everything from sex to art, drinking to phone conversations, cooking to showering -- it's all a way for us to distract ourselves from thinking about our own existence-as a solitary human on this beautiful mud ball.

And this drives people to seek out others, to seek out one in particular. It gives energy and encouragement to people to go out with friends, to find that special lovey-dovey, and cohabitate and procreate and just plain old recreate. That special someone who makes the water falling from the sky become a rain-falling symphony, who makes you add another squirt of whipped cream to the ice cream because you can already see the smile on her face when she sees it, and that someone who links their finger in your beltloop as you walk down the street.

IÕve often wondered why you never see happy self-portraits? People always paint or draw themselves as being very serious or sad. To circulate my discussion, please re-read the paragraph above now.

Go back, go forward, or start over.