Posts tagged ‘relationship’
my new motto
I found this pillow today in the spare bedroom. It’s one of those rooms that no one goes into. My mother’s taste was strictly modernist so I don’t know where it came from. I think I will try follow its precepts though: live well, laugh often and love much.
It is so much better than living miserably, crying all the time and hating everything.
how do you know who you are?
My favorite illustrator/writer/artist on the planet, Maira Kalman, has posed this question repeatedly throughout her work. I have secretly, and not so secretly, wanted to be her. I tend to pose these questions silently or obscurely because I am afraid to be too direct. And when I venture out, it feels like my skin has no sheath.
In this interview, Kalman talks about her work and how she moves through the big questions of life. She is able to cut through the clutter to what is essential and meaningful for her path. And the biggest lesson for me – understanding when we have exactly what we need, no more, no less.
the power of negative thinking
The Anitidote, by Oliver Burkeman, proposes that living with uncertainty will make you happier than positive thinking. I’ve been living with uncertainty for over 5 years (actually my whole life but that’s another blog) and I’m not sure if I agree about the happier part but it is a more realistic way to navigate our current crazy economy.
I saw this trailer on my favorite blog, Brain Pickings. Blogger Maria Popover has an omnivorous curiosity for all things science and art. I highly recommend signing up for her newsletters. It’s like Christmas (or Hanukkah?) for the mind every Sunday morning.
Wisdom of the elders
I highly recommend this interesting talk by Andrew Zuckerman about the Wisdom project: a moving compilation of interviews with some of our world’s finest elders about life, work, wisdom, love, and creativity.
If you are an artist struggling with inspiration, the blank page, or whatever you call a block, Zuckerman has some wisdom to share. I especailly resonate with his discussion about what he calls the ‘anxiety of influence.’ How do we make work that is not derivative or influenced by others? How do we quiet self doubt so we can get something done?
The architect, Frank Gehry, thinks we each have a unique signature that no one else can replicate. In Zuckerman’s words, “projects are collections of our responses” and if we respond consistently throughout the life of the piece, it will be uniquely ours. Chef Jacques Pepin went a few steps further to say that even if he gave five people the same recipe, at the end of the day, there would be five unique dishes placed on the table.
For Zuckerman, the goal is to “put myself in a situation where I can respond truthfully and honestly.” If he trusts himself, the outcome will be truly his. Why is that so hard to remember?
Caine’s Arcade
This is a moving story about a little boy in East LA who built an arcade out of cardboard. I was deeply touched not only by his ingenuity but also by the filmmaker’s desire to make a difference in his life. It is the perfect synergy between art and life. I kinda got all choked up.
Just Tolkoff 