I made my first post on Currents and Color ten years ago on July 29, 2010.
I wasn’t sure what direction I was heading in, but I’m glad I took flight. For the ten year anniversary I wanted to reflect on my two largest and most surprising categories:
Writing
Writing came to me later in life. I remember I was given a diary as a child and balked at the idea of journaling something everyday. It seemed laborious. I didn’t do anything particularly exciting and I had no deep, dark secrets I was holding on to. I was still too young for serious inner reflection.
In high school we were given a journaling assignment and it turned me off writing for years. My sophomore English teacher was the only one I had a hard time getting along with. She wanted us to write something about our lives every day. I found the assignment dull and approached it with a very matter-of-fact sensibility. The teacher criticized me for not using enough “flowery words”.
“Do you want to read bullshit or do you want to read information?” I protested.
She was not thrilled with my response and I had nothing flowery going on in my life so it felt pointless to use flowery words. To top it off most of my high school and early college years were plagued by the “Gordon Rule”, a guideline for writing that meant that anything need to contain a minimum number of words. It forced me to think in terms of length as opposed to quality. You had to jump a hurdle, not create something impactful. Haikus, poetry, song lyrics, and short stories can be brilliant forms of expression. A powerful experience is created by meaningful content, not by merely hitting a predetermined number of words.
Once out of high school it took a while for me to come back to writing. My best friend Amber suggested a start a Live Journal. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I was old enough for inner reflection and without the needless demands of high school I was free develop a style that fit me.
As a grew into my writing I became more aware of my internal struggles. I was better able to articulate my thoughts and I found my voice. I branched into writing poetry and short stories. I have always been a talkative person but a lot of what I write about would not come up in most conversations. I tend to struggle with complex emotions and writing has allowed me to pull a lot to the surface that my have remained hidden. For as talkative as my be, there is still much that brews internally. Writing has become the bridge to that innermost world.
Photography
Another avenue that came to me later in life. I never thought I would love photography as much as I do now. But I stumbled into a photography class at a Photoshop Conference and I haven’t been the same since.
If writing was the bridge to my inner self then photography was the vehicle. I often take photos of fleeting or seemingly insignificant moments that become catalyst for writing prompts. What starts off as luck or observation becomes part of the bizarre mosaic of events that makes up my life.
I find that I enjoy big and small moments in equal measure. I try to see the art in every day subjects like bugs, lizards, or even the oil leak in my car.
I spent a significant amount of time photographing some behind the scenes moments at DRIP. The show we created was stunning but the mechanics of how it came together were equally fascinating to me.
I captured my adventures through the SCA and learning how to fence. I chronicled the healing of my broken nose. I love taking pictures of my best friends children and catching people when they aren’t looking.
The photos I take while traveling can be the most exhilarating because I’m always seeing and experiencing something new. I spent my childhood watching nature documentaries with my dad and admiring the photos in National Geographic magazines. Small trips only fueled my desire to take bigger trips. I found myself similarly awestruck with the soaring vista of the Brazilian skyline and the sleepy stray dogs napping on the beach. The breathing stained glass windows of St. Chapelle and the overlooked patterned floor beneath my feet.
Collecting all these little moments to build something great. It was a way to showcase my artistry and maintain my creativity while I had day jobs, obligations and responsibilities. I was able to hold on to that dream that most people dismiss as foolish. I remained an artist. I am immensely proud of that.
The one year anniversary post, which explains how I go started - Full Circle
