when i received an email from the nice folk at Aichi
a week or so back
inviting me to submit work for their natural dye exhibition
i was quite chuffed
even though
deep in my explorative work here in New Orleans
i would have been hard pressed to find a finished piece to send
other than the work i showed recently in Cleveland
[the reserves at home are far away]
we had an email conversation about whether that work would be appropriate
and they said that would be fine "because the exhibition had not been a competition"
which is when i realised that the Aichi event was a competition
my work is about paying attention,
not about winning races.
i want to find the quiet space inside
invest in wordlessness and mindfulness
listen to inner stillness and to stories
lining up to be judged doesn't make a deal of sense to me.
so i took the hook out of my mouth, let that one go
and went back to my stitching
I applaud you and every other creative person who turns down/ turns away from the idea that art is a competition - a race to be won... at times it doesn't seem possible to avoid the art-rat-race. yet art - the stuff that makes sense to me - is not about the largest/ most expensive/ prize winningest piece.... nope - art is the stuff that is life affirming and touches on the mysterious divine.... and then some!
ReplyDeleteGo grab a moffaletta sandwich and enjoy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteyay for just doing what you're doing. no need to impress; your work is incomparable
ReplyDeleteand that's what makes it beautiful
ReplyDeleteah, yes, the "competition that doesn't matter". good you stood firm (those magnificent boots must help).
ReplyDeleteBravo!
ReplyDelete"i want to find the quiet space inside
invest in wordlessness and mindfulness
listen to inner stillness and to stories"
You have read my thoughts.
india, i so love and resonate with your post; thank you! i look forward to the time when i get to meet you ... take a class with you when you are in the U.S. peace and gratitude ..... joanne desmond
ReplyDeleteThankYouThankYouThankYou !!! I applaud each and every word you express - the love we all share for our art is just that - love coming thru our beings and shared with those who want to receive it : ) I know, I'm babbling here but I sooo wanted to thank you for your insight and as always, your wonderful art : ) I too loook forward to someday meeting you in person and taking one of your classes, ohhhhh what a thrill !!! Happy Thanksgiving : )
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Sandra in AZ : )
India, thank you for this post, I agree with every single word. I love your insight along with your amazing work. I too sooo loook forward to meeting you and taking one of your fabulous classes. I have had read and followed your 'eco colour' book since the day I purchased it, lovelovelove it !!!
ReplyDeleteI hope this comment posts, have tried a few times before with no success, ha : ) I believe 'blogger' does not like me !!!
Happiness to you each and every day : )
Blessings, Sandra in AZ
my apologies Sandra, for the late publishing of your contributions...it seems that Blogger has a spam device which had for some unknown reason, picked on you!
Deletewarmly
india
"i want to find the quiet space inside
ReplyDeleteinvest in wordlessness and mindfulness
listen to inner stillness and to stories"
That is why I love you.
Thank you for this validation.
was looking for you email to reply privately
Deletebut it is buried somewhere [sigh]
thank you for the kind words my dear
oops, spelling. should read "your" not "you". blush.
DeleteExactly so.
ReplyDelete... and the 'stories' link... WOW!
ReplyDeletewith thanks
i should really be thanking Melanie Mowinski for writing that one in the first place :o)
DeleteHere, here.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteBrava!
Usually I am flipping about gasping for water on teh dry deck before I've relaized there is a hook in my mouth. Glad your detectors are finely tuned.
Oh! Well said India!! Thank you for taking that hook out of your mouth to speak so clearly & it's particularly poignant for this Piscean tonight feeling a bit down about not getting selected for the big drawing prize here at the AGNSW... yeah I know it's a huge field and it's all run by a committee & it's a lottery but I do love the Dobell, the selected drawings are alway superb and so inspiring & it would be so very cool to get hung just once in this lifetime... but ha! you're right, it's time right now to get this darned hook out of my mouth and get back to the drawing board!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome India...I do hope one day our paths do cross.
ReplyDelete