practice

Let Your Mind Go Blank - new collage drawing - 7 x 12 - Susan Black - soon in shop

Practice means to perform,
over and over again in the face of all obstacles,
some act of vision, of faith, of desire.
Practice is a means of inviting perfection.

Martha Graham

For a few hours after finishing this piece I felt terrific. This piece turned out almost as perfect as the image that I had in my mind (since doing the tiny thumbnail in my sketch book) and there always is that picture, in my mind, of near perfection anxiously waiting for the final reveal. A better than good feeling. A great feeling. That elusive feeling ... the one I'm always looking for.

While listening to Q (favourite CBC radio 1 show) yesterday Gian interviewed Tom Waites. He asked Tom what were his favourite songs from his newly released album. Tom answered that his favourites were the songs yet to be created, the ones being worked on & the songs that were still just tiny specks of ideas - that once a song is finished & recorded it's done and he's on to new & better stuff. This description so resonated with me as I've so often wondered over the years why it is when I do create something I'm proud of, something I'm really happy with those feelings never last long & are always so very fleeting. On to the next thing for it really is all just practice.

Late to the game I know but I am completely obsessed with this Adele song listening to it makes every little sad cell in my body wake up & start yelling at me ... we've all felt that helpless ache. That ache of wishing & wanting with all your heart that you could have someone, something or sometime - back again.




sketch/in progress/ & 2ft x 3 ft black & white poster hand inked with pale blue - soon in shop