I am a big believer in listening to what people say—being curious about their point of view and considering how it may or may not apply to my own life. An evening at the artist residency at Château d’Orquevaux was one of those moments worth paying attention to.
Tivoni, one of my fellow resident artists, was sharing her insights about numbers and their meaning in our lives. I selected a number, and Tivoni, with great energy and eloquence, talked about its meaning. I jotted down a few words and went to bed. Bright and early, at 6 a.m., I woke up with a strong need to create something inspired by those words. And this is what happened.
Tivoni, one of my fellow resident artists, was sharing her insights about numbers and their meaning in our lives. I selected a number, and Tivoni, with great energy and eloquence, talked about its meaning. I jotted down a few words and went to bed. Bright and early, at 6 a.m., I woke up with a strong need to create something inspired by those words. And this is what happened.
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Some of the words Tivani talked about were “point,” “power,” and a moment of decision. I kept thinking about the point: What’s the point? How do we reach the point? Whatever that point may be.
And then, in a flash, it dawned on me: for me, the point was intuition—the way I use it to navigate my life. Intuition is a source of power, a way to move through daily life with insight, but also with gentleness and care.
I do several exercises every morning—repetitive stretches that help me begin my day. Some are fluid; others may look awkward. But they are mine. They are a way of connecting with my body, and the time I give to my body belongs to me, too. Interestingly, I do these exercises in public—while waiting for a flight, for example—without any sense that I am out of place. This experience has led me to ideas about intuition, being comfortable in my own body, and feeling at home in my own mind and heart.
The series of nine works took shape in less than two hours that morning. Equipped with coffee, I picked up an acrylic marker and drew lines with my eyes closed. These lines honor some of the movements and moments from my morning exercises. Then, having found a remnant of this fantastic blue paint, I covered the watercolor paper with long strokes. I dipped into glue and added crumpled tissue paper to bring another dimension to the experience.
And then, in a flash, it dawned on me: for me, the point was intuition—the way I use it to navigate my life. Intuition is a source of power, a way to move through daily life with insight, but also with gentleness and care.
I do several exercises every morning—repetitive stretches that help me begin my day. Some are fluid; others may look awkward. But they are mine. They are a way of connecting with my body, and the time I give to my body belongs to me, too. Interestingly, I do these exercises in public—while waiting for a flight, for example—without any sense that I am out of place. This experience has led me to ideas about intuition, being comfortable in my own body, and feeling at home in my own mind and heart.
The series of nine works took shape in less than two hours that morning. Equipped with coffee, I picked up an acrylic marker and drew lines with my eyes closed. These lines honor some of the movements and moments from my morning exercises. Then, having found a remnant of this fantastic blue paint, I covered the watercolor paper with long strokes. I dipped into glue and added crumpled tissue paper to bring another dimension to the experience.
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Our lives are not flat, are they? And so there was layering, pausing and rushing, fingers covered in paint and glue—a deeply physical experience. It seems to reflect the direction of my life: understanding my body and mind and honoring both with gentleness, good food, movement, and positive thoughts.
I am calling this collection “Coming Home.” Oh, the experiences that can come from simply listening! Thank you, Tivoni, for your insights and willingness to share what you know.
I am calling this collection “Coming Home.” Oh, the experiences that can come from simply listening! Thank you, Tivoni, for your insights and willingness to share what you know.
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