Sometime in early November, I swore to myself that I would not write a New Year’s blog. At the time, I thought I had good reasons to exempt myself from this task.
First, I’m not inclined to make opinions about recent history without a time for consideration, reflection, and refinement, traits I've developed as I've grown older. Second, my work life has many demands in an economy that requires many demanding adjustments. Thus, it just
seemed too challenging to think that far ahead and commit myself to such a blog. Third, it scares me to share ideas that demand some sense of forecasting which is what all commentators’ seem to do when discussing the New Year. Fourth, I tend to shy from sharing incomplete ideas for fear that they may go badly and thus destroy any good ideas that are germinating.
But here I am, the headlights of a New Year bearing down on, a Blue Moon rising, and I am writing a New Year’s blog post. Why?
Initially I saw this communication platform as a form of reportage about my own rants and raves, perspectives on emerging fine art photographers, product reviews, and odds and ends. Reportage is an outward, factual voice, but now as Wendy Richmond notes in her recent Communication Arts article, one can use the blog to ‘speak in’ as well as to speak out.
In the past, I’ve relied on my daily journal for those ‘speak in’ moments. It is a place where I keep undeveloped ideas, sketches, notes and try out various iterations. It is also the place where self-criticism takes place, and fears reveal themselves. But I see now that the blog is a good place to share work in progress, to share the thought processes (or lack of thought) with kindred souls who create fine art, because my own failings are often the seeds of someone else’s success as well as my own.
So as I am about to be overrun with a New Year and a Blue Moon on the near horizon I’ve decided to change perspective and use my blog to accomplish some new things.
First like all artists, I need deadlines and destinations for my work. So I’m committing to a new blog every fourteen days. This means the blog will function as something of a personal trainer one that forces me to come up with something new on a rigorous schedule.
Second, I’ll share the agony and ecstasy of developing new works, the first of which is the Past Gas project. Most of my Calumet workshop crew is already aware of the drivers in this project and I’ll share the creative statement with the rest of you on the next blog. This kind of self-revelation will serve to support the development of a new body of work.
Third, I’ll keep the blog’s reportage elements but I want to expand the reports on other artists projects. This is a small step to help create community and exposure for those who are making art that matters, because making art that matters is an act that makes a life that matter.
First, I’m not inclined to make opinions about recent history without a time for consideration, reflection, and refinement, traits I've developed as I've grown older. Second, my work life has many demands in an economy that requires many demanding adjustments. Thus, it just
seemed too challenging to think that far ahead and commit myself to such a blog. Third, it scares me to share ideas that demand some sense of forecasting which is what all commentators’ seem to do when discussing the New Year. Fourth, I tend to shy from sharing incomplete ideas for fear that they may go badly and thus destroy any good ideas that are germinating.But here I am, the headlights of a New Year bearing down on, a Blue Moon rising, and I am writing a New Year’s blog post. Why?
Initially I saw this communication platform as a form of reportage about my own rants and raves, perspectives on emerging fine art photographers, product reviews, and odds and ends. Reportage is an outward, factual voice, but now as Wendy Richmond notes in her recent Communication Arts article, one can use the blog to ‘speak in’ as well as to speak out.
In the past, I’ve relied on my daily journal for those ‘speak in’ moments. It is a place where I keep undeveloped ideas, sketches, notes and try out various iterations. It is also the place where self-criticism takes place, and fears reveal themselves. But I see now that the blog is a good place to share work in progress, to share the thought processes (or lack of thought) with kindred souls who create fine art, because my own failings are often the seeds of someone else’s success as well as my own.
So as I am about to be overrun with a New Year and a Blue Moon on the near horizon I’ve decided to change perspective and use my blog to accomplish some new things.
First like all artists, I need deadlines and destinations for my work. So I’m committing to a new blog every fourteen days. This means the blog will function as something of a personal trainer one that forces me to come up with something new on a rigorous schedule.
Second, I’ll share the agony and ecstasy of developing new works, the first of which is the Past Gas project. Most of my Calumet workshop crew is already aware of the drivers in this project and I’ll share the creative statement with the rest of you on the next blog. This kind of self-revelation will serve to support the development of a new body of work.
Third, I’ll keep the blog’s reportage elements but I want to expand the reports on other artists projects. This is a small step to help create community and exposure for those who are making art that matters, because making art that matters is an act that makes a life that matter.
Happy New Year everyone!!
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