9.11.2013

I got an email today from my
great-aunt in Houston
who pointed out to me that
my recent drawings did not seem
as happy as they used to be.

It was a really terrific note and I answered her right away.

After re-reading my response to her I thought that I owed the same reasoning to those on the email list who might have similar feelings. I don't think she'll mind me sharing that particular part of my email reply.

Dear Aunt M---,

ЕЕЕЕЕЕ

I tried to write online about this shift you've noticed but my writing can be cryptic, I know. Recently I realized that I use the term 'creativity' synonymously with 'art'; or at least use it to refer to 'making things'. But I see now that the term 'creativity' is much broader - the connotations seem deeper - and I have been trying to adjust my view to accommodate the idea that not only 'making', but 'taking apart', is creative. It was not intuitive for me but I can appreciate now that destruction and construction are equally creative. For example, if a building is torn down, a vacant lot is 'created'.

So being open to this has brought in some darkness but at no cost to my personal happiness - thank you for your concern. I am happy. At least as happy as before and probably more so because there is so much new territory to explore. And what has really shifted is that while being just as happy, I have a broader sense of contentment that understanding can bring. I can allow the negative space to have a voice and I can still remain an observer, not caught up in it, knowing all changes are creative.

ЕЕЕЕЕ

All my love,

JFSjr

Home

Next Drawing