(originally published august 3, 2022 via my Buy Me A Coffee page)

Honesty hour ~ It was a week of recalibrating. I had hit a wall and had to admit that the commute I chose for this leg of the residency was not sustainable - at least not for a five day work week. It took a moment to fully convince myself, but I settled on going into the studio 3 to 4 days a week until my time in Brooklyn is over, using that extra weekday for exploring New York (the NY Public Library is on the list this week). After I welcomed and released my guilt I’ve been enjoying the process and my time so much more. Rest is good. Restoration is good. Filling up your cup is so very good.

I chose this opportunity for a handful of reasons - gathering inspiration, exploring, slowing down (even in the midst of this crazy fast-paced city) are just parts of that decision. It took a very tired mind and body to remember that, but I’m glad I did.

Some things that have filled me up in the last week :

caught a Braxton Cook show at Blue Note Jazz Club
popped in and out of art galleries with a friend in the Chelsea District
came across a tap dancing rehearsal at Little Island (there's just so much creativity happening everywhere around this city. it's kind of unreal)
finding out an artist that I like, Eryn Allen Kane, was playing a free show at Central Park
stumbling upon a bilingual church service and taking my time perusing another Brooklyn neighborhood

*although not a new practice, loosening up my hand and mind by way of doing quick composition practices / doodles have been helpful in getting out of my head*

a home in Manhattan - the craftsmanship and patient detail that went into so much of the architecture here has been so inspiring. every detail counts. I've been asking how I can continue to carry that into my art

*a lot of the larger paintings are in their "awkward teenage phase" where there's some hopefulness and* ***a lot*** *of discomfort. that's when going back and forth between large and small paintings come into play*

Here’s a short clip of some studio and life moments of week 3.

-A