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| "Awakening Breath" in process |
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| "Awakening Breath" in process |
Thought I'd share some of the work in process for our collaborative show, Awakening Breath. These are some of my center panels laid out on the table in different stages. The final pieces will be triptychs, with Johntimothy, my husband, doing the side panels. We've talked a lot about meditation, the breath, reflection, quiet, balance....all manner of issues related to trying to live in a mindful way. There is a lot of drawing on my pieces, a layer of different patterns in pencil and then ink drawing on top. What we realized after my last finished Fork in the Road work, shown in an earlier post, is that there is a feeling of a zen garden....a sense of quiet, but with energy flowing and that idea was the springboard for our collaborative show. We've also talked a lot about how the pieces might appear to look the same, but we know and we are hoping that it is a reminder for us all that there is much to be seen in subtle changes and subtle differences.
One of our favorite moments in a film comes in "Smoke", co-written by Wayne Wang and Paul Auster. In that scene Harvey Keitel's character is showing a photo album to the character played by William Hurt. The album contains all the photos in chronological order, that he has taken from the same spot in front of his smoke shop, at the exact same time, every day for years. He calls it his life's work. As William Hurt slowly turns the pages, he says that they're all the same. Ah, but they are not the same at all. Different people are passing by, or perhaps the same people are seen in different photographs, thinking different things, perhaps smiling in one and not in another, the light is different, the seasons are different.....in short, everything is different as the drama plays out day after day. I absolutely love that, in a way I can't describe.
Day after day, our lives look very much the same, but each day is different and the accumulation of them builds a history that adds up to a life. Thanks for reading and I'll be sure to share more pictures as the work unfolds. Tuesday is our deadline and we still have quite a way to go with these 30 pieces!
Patti, your work is lovely, as is your writing.
ReplyDeleteThe "field" area of these pieces reminds me of the raked patterns of Japanese gardens, which, in turn, tie back to your narrative about the smokehouse photos: The gardens, static in so many ways, and especially to the unobservant viewer; yet changing each time the gravel is raked into a new pattern. Your show will be beautiful!
Thank you so much, Gloria! Yes, the Japanese garden notion came to us both with the first drawing and brought with it all manner of associations that has informed the collaborative work we're making. I've found myself on a new fork in the road with so many ideas to explore!
ReplyDeleteHey Ms. P and JT LOVE THE WORK, know you both are working very hard.
ReplyDelete"Multum in Parvo"
peace,
Jeffery
Thanks, Jeffery! Great to hear a comment from you here on the blog! We are working hard....in the home stretch....I finish up my part of the pieces tomorrow...yay!
ReplyDeleteI've just looked up "Multum in Parvo"....for others who don't know, as I didn't a moment ago, it means "much in little"....perfect. Thank you, my friend Jeffery!
ReplyDeletelove all your writing about mindful meditation and living in the moment-- what I have trying to do myself-- your concept of breath is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Donna...I've thought of you many times while working on these pieces! We've finished up the work and delivered it. I'll post some images tomorrow, I hope. Thanks for commenting!
ReplyDelete