within the familiar - the purpose of writing

Canal Museum

Amsterdam, 2013

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Prompted by my new daily exercise - as prescribed in “The Artist’s Way” - of writing morning pages I have been thinking a lot lately about the art of writing - specifically about writing long hand.

It is a peaceful and thoughtful process as one scribes slowly across a blank page. Handwriting itself an art form, it is communication, it can be personal, it can be everlasting. 

we write letters

we keep diaries

inventories

lists

thank you’s

declarations of love 

- or at least we used to. What has replaced this art form now? What will be the outcome if there is no more hand written letters?

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Yesterday I was visiting a local historical home, the John Brown House, and at one point in the audio tour it was said that the “18th century was the pinnacle of letter writing”. That statement touched me and got me thinking more about “writing by hand”.

We know so much about the everyday past through personal histories; letters and diaries. Bits of life left behind for us - we see the handwriting, we infer from their words - we can create a picture of that person, that time, we hear their voice. 

How will we be remembered? Will our blogs exist longer than us? Will they mean anything? Will we be remembered only through our Facebook posts or tweets……… God, I hope not. 

Who will know my handwriting?

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Final letter, 1955

John Rossi to his daughter (my mother) Rosemarie Rossi Spadafora

within the familiar - needing a reboot

Wintery Mix

NYC

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Is it like this at the start of every new year with the need for a new challenge?? Or is it because the groundhog saw his shadow and I have a gnawing desire to be outside again in a green world of uninterrupted sun? or both? Whatever it is.... a re-boot is needed.

I have spent the last 3 weeks in NYC - working. The city, for me, is filled with memories, the youthful adventures and naiveté of my past. It is the first home that I created for myself and it is where my dreams were built. 

It is the foundation of me.

“Return to old watering holes for more than water; friends and dreams are there to meet you.”                         African Proverb

But being there was more reflective for me this time. I felt like I was on the outside looking in at the industry that has employed me for the past 6 plus years. Taking a bird’s eye view I saw the need for a new order. The system is broken and I felt the shell tearing away. I do not know who will replace the “garmentos” or what the new business model will be….. but like the change in how we get our music today….. from whom, how and where we get our clothing is also going to change.

All of which promoted me to re-look at my art and what I am doing/not doing. I have been feeling quite stuck creatively since after the first of the year and the need for a re-boot has been in order. A new approach, some new challenges, and a watering hole….. 

First - I signed up for an online class that begins on February 24th!! So excited!  The class is out of CaLARTS and is called "Live!: A History of Art for Artists, Animators and Gamers!". It is through an MOOC (massive open online course) called Coursera  and, best of all, it is free! I have been wanting to see how online classes actually work and it will be even more interesting to see how a class that requires a sketch book and museum visits uses the tools available. Hoping this class brings a new dimension to the way I "see" things.         

I have also been seeing a number of blogs recently where creative people have been sharing weekly drawing challenges.... sounds so cool. 

Patrice A.:

Stefanie Seltner

I like the idea of a challenge. Random.

And, finally, I have once again gone back to “The Artist’s Way”, Julia Cameron’s book about the path to creativity. 

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One way or another - we begin.

Early morning

Goodale Park, Columbus, OH