Be a doer

He said, "don't do your best...". The class fell silent as though the Professor spewed expletives. We almost couldn't believe our ears the "advice" given by an educator. "Just do what you can" he added. Perhaps we are so used to the If I rest, I rust kind of ethos. A tinge of guilt emerges even while taking a break is unsurprising. 

What's the best? When's good enough? When you put care into your work and the world hated it, is it still good work? How do you know it's good without receiving affirmation? When do we stop working? Is try a weak word? 

The Professor doesn't mean not to give your 100% in work but to know your strengths and shortcomings. My spirit and flesh live like separate entity. The spirit persists but the flesh is weak. Tug-o-war begins, I dread. I know I could have done more but if the body weakens further, the spirit will be defeated. I can't let it happen. They must learn to synergise and think win-win. Otherwise, that means being in a clinical care programme for a longer time.

~learn.unlearn.relearn~

Art methodology

The methodology I'm adopting is the immediate process between the documentation done in Japan and my painting process. I'm exploring print and painting while developing compositions and colours. Coloured rocks are so pretty, I wish I live along a stream.

I've been busy experimenting with making colours from scratch. Searching for and gathering the equipment necessary took some time but I'm glad I found a pestle and mortar. 

I used glycerin as a plasticizer to improve flexibility, brushability and solubility. Tried egg tempera but its final colour is not as close to the pigment colour. Making test sheets of washes from these paint are really fun and I'm looking forward to painting. However, I can't help but wonder if I'm wasting my time. Is it worthy to get the small amount of natural pigment produced from the large amount of time invested? Why do I even possess such evil thoughts? :(

Being aware of my practices of reflexivity means that I'm constantly trying to justify what I want to do/ did. But is it necessary? If I apply the principle of Occam's razor, then I should look forth to simplicity. 

"It is vain to do with more what can be done with fewer"

Musing the amusing

"One can travel the world and see nothing. To achieve understanding, it is necessary not see many things but to look hard at what you do see."

Giorgio Morandi

Awarded with satisfaction, the brain constantly seeks funny/ interesting things that appear to be a natural phenomenon in another culture. These stand out and remained etched in my mind. 

Does that happen to you too?

I'm sure the fruits are feeling the heat.

Bring toddlers out for learning journey

On the way to the supermarket

Resident VS Tourist

"Art... must do something more than give pleasure: it should relate to our own life so as to increase our energy of spirit." 

Sir Kenneth Clark, Looking at Pictures

Situated in a new place can be an overwhelming sensory experience. The tourist learns the names of places and recognises landmarks. As the unfamiliar slowly transforms into the familiar, there is a slight sense of belonging. As curiosity sets in, there is an urge to extend the exploration of new terrestrials.

As a tourist, our agenda is to go to as many places as possible. The places we go to may be deprive of the reality because we only know it superficially. 

Therefore, to test my hypothesis of the differences in experiences between a resident and a tourist. I've decided on spend my 3 month in a quiet town of Hokkaido. It's sufficient for me to know the residents, make friends and strike impromptu conversations with the locals.