introducing myself

[Cooperix]

Zen koan...
THE CROOKED PATH
How do we go straight ahead
On a narrow mountain path which
Has ninety-three curves?

Greetings all:

Richard is working on an exhibit set for September and thus has taken some time off to focus on that effort. He’ll be back.
In the meantime, Jundo has invited me to facilitate the art circle group for a bit. I am humbled and honored.

A little background: Richard is a painter. ‘I do everything but paint’ (that’s how I answer the complicated question…’what kind of art do you make?’). My work is object oriented, concept specific installation art (mostly environmental issues), or drawings focused on the beautiful but mundane in nature (seeds, grass, insects etc.). I am a crafts-person. I love working with materials, wide variety of materials have crossed my studio in the 40 plus years I’ve been an artist. From steel to grass, wood, clay, paper, graphite to bee’s wax, really anything that I must use to say what I want to say. Most recently I’m working with paper and thread (e.g. Rakusu Project and some more recent thread ‘drawings’).

I'd like our discussions to be about how we approach art, our relationship with it and how it fits into our life. Anyone who is affected by art, makes art, thinks about creativity (which means really everyone) is invited to participate. So, writers, musicians, photographers, sculptors, painters really everyone, please participate. Even if you are not actively making art, you have a lot to contribute.

Some possible topics:
- inspiration including interdisciplinary inspiration. Who/what is our muse and how we find her.
- a post on how we prepare to make art, what that practice might look like.
- discuss art making intuitively or intellectually, and how to access the intuitive
- what is creativity (philosophers, poets everyone has tried to figure this one out)
- wonder and curiosity in the creative process
- importance of creativity and art in our lives
- a topic that sometimes terrifies but can be constructive and welcome: criticism, how to look at and respond to art
- materials, how they move us, how we respond to them, how we let them speak through us
- rules in art making, are they to be followed?
- and one topic I find most interesting: blocks, how we overcome creative blocks (my blocks are legend)!
- Attachment! How attachment to our creations can block our creative path

I’d enjoy a conversation, where we listen to each other and the discussion grows. I know there are many creative people out there and we’d love to hear what you have to say. And what topics you might want to discuss that are / or are not listed above.

Art-making is a rich, complex, lonely, rewarding, scary, painful, satisfying occupation. Art is core to our human connection, human fulfillment, experience and joy. Art making spans eons. It's a wondrous part of life.. And the discussion itself can stimulate creativity. Besides thoughts, post images/writings/music of what you are working on, images that relate to the discussion or not. We can inspire one another.

Let us know what’s on your mind and we can get going! you can post here or PM me.
PS. the above koan speaks to my path as an artist for these 40+ years.

Gassho,
Anne
~st~

[Shokai]

Thanks for taking this on Anne. I love your opening koan. I'm always reminded of the broken pine needle symbol we use.5307

On the back, at the neck piece of a Soto shu rakusu are crossed casuarina needles from an ancient tree signifying that this is a mountain path that takes you deep into the journey into your true self. As Rilke said, so that we walk into the silence, for hours meeting no-one. Also the needles are the green shoots of the Way, the manner in which the Way will spring up like dandelions in a pavement in the city. Somewhere, no matter where you find yourself, you can always find a little green trace of it. There are two needles crossed with each other. Every time you are caught in an opposite, at bottom there is always some unity there, if you can find it. There’s always some way to hold the two together. And that is the enlightened task. So that we can find the true action.

Best of success with the Art Forum [claps]

gassho, Shokai
stlah

[Meitou]

Such great topics Anne, and so much to think about here. Thank you for taking this up, I'm looking forward to getting involved.
Gassho
Meitou
satwithyoualltoday/lah

[MyoHo]

One step at the time and enjoying the view?

Thank you Anne. Looking forward to it.

Gassho

MyoHo

ST

[Seishin]

Anne

Hoping to contribute here. I guess most of my "art" has been mainly related to photography over the years, which I've submitted input to some of Richards threads over the last two years. But as a budding guitarist, have started learning again on retirement 7 years ago, I've also leaned to the audio side of things, providing some nowness recordings when out and about (but no recordings of my own work bar some lyrics a while back [morehappy] ). I started to try and write a few songs in the last few years and will review your topics in relation to that, as it was something that seemed to appear from nowhere but your "framework" has got me thinking, where they may have originated from. I am yet to finish a single project but have a few in the pipeline but will look at each one and consider your discussion criteria and hopefully provide some input to the thread.

[Mp]

Thank you Anne. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Alfaiate]

Great!!! Thanks!

Gassho
sat

[Kokuu]

Those look like great subjects to work with, Anne. I look forward to it.

I wonder if there might be a place for a joint reading and discussion of a book such as John Daido Loori's 'Zen and Creativity'?

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Koki]

Pleasure to meet you Anne, and thank you for being here!
Gassho
Frank
Satoday


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[Kotei]

Thank you Anne,

looking forward to sharing and discussing.

Gassho,
Kotei sattoday.

[Ryushi]

Welcome, Anne. I am a hobbyist photographer and graphic designer. Glad to have you here.

Sat today.

Gassho.

[Cooperix]

Thank you all!

I must say inspiring responses all around.

Shokai, the Rilke words alone can open creative doors. I'd like to discuss in my next post where we find inspiration. And that's a wonderful example speaking to our practice and really to life. I find the images invoked powerful -will spring up like dandelions in a pavement.

A couple of you mentioned having more than one creative outlet. That's another topic I should put on the list. How interdisciplinary skills work with one another. Do they clash, stand alone, or inspire?

And Kokuu, of course, 'Zen and Creativity' is sitting at my elbow as I type. And I had the same thought, but had not been able to figure out how to have it as a discussion point without asking folks to purchase it. So if you can help figure me out how to have a robust discussion on a book that not everyone has let me know. It would be good. SO much fine material there.
BTW, the koan at the beginning of my post is from his book.

Bowing to you all. thank you for the vote of confidence and I will post the 'inspiration' thread soon. In the meantime any ideas you have to share do so..

Gassho

Anne

~st~

[Koki]

Regarding the introductory koan...

Follow the yellow brick road (dharma)
The scarecrow, tin man and lion (Sangha)
As the Wizard takes Dorothy home (Buddha)

In essence... "There's no place like home! ( Shikantaza)

Gassho
Frank
Satoday


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[Kokuu]

And Kokuu, of course, 'Zen and Creativity' is sitting at my elbow as I type. And I had the same thought, but had not been able to figure out how to have it as a discussion point without asking folks to purchase it. So if you can help figure me out how to have a robust discussion on a book that not everyone has let me know. It would be good. SO much fine material there.

I wonder if we might be able to use a certain amount of it as "fair usage" without contravening copyright laws? Specifically, the creative exercises might be fine without the rest of the text. Can anyone with a greater knowledge of law speak about this?

There are a few copies available for around $5 on abebooks.com but I agree that people should not feel obliged to purchase it.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Zenmei]

IANAL, but I’m pretty sure nonprofit educational stuff falls under fair use:



the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright


From https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107.

Gassho, Zenmei (sat)

[Cooperix]

Hello again...

Jundo has requested that for the time being we not ask folks to read another book. What with other book studies, precepts study, book club. So let's hold off for a few months. In the meantime we can discuss ideas and concepts around the creative process. And maybe after the first of the year we can delve into Zen and Creativity. Wonderful creative exercises there as Kokuu mentioned. We can also discuss our own practices to access our creativity.

Gassho,
Anne

~st~
Onward!

[Nenka]

This is exciting!

I am an amateur metalsmith, mostly focused on jewelry. I also knit, crochet, and draw a little.

Looking forward to this. :encouragement:

Gassho

Jen

ST