The Value of Experimentation

Sometimes when I feel stuck, I grab me a camera, a good ole macro lens, and I go outside and take a bunch of photographs. Without thinking about it too much. And then, when I get back into the studio, I stretch the images to within an inch of their lives in post production. If its film, perhaps I'll boil the roll in salt water or bury it in the earth for a few days, who knows. Usually the experiments fail, sometimes partly, often completely, and I end up with nuttin' much. But that's just the nature of things, y'all. The key is to learn something from the experiment, get an idea of a new direction and head out again as soon as possible. 

Have a productive hump day. That's what my old man used to call Wednesday. 

Quote of the Day: EM Forster

“How can I tell what I think till I see what I say?”
                                                    --E.M. Forster

I found this quote in the middle of a NYTimes article about the artist Christopher Wool, who uses photography as a part of his overall artistic practice. While it must feel amazing to get featured in the Times, the link to an article from two decades ago describing Wool's work as 'unrelievedly dull' must smart just a little. Why do they always do that? Oh well, sounds like his paintings are selling like hotcakes, so, like, whatever. We all tend to draw our own conclusions about art these days anyway it seems.

I guess the photographic version of this statement would go something like: "How can I tell what I think till I see what I saw?" A bit clunky. Somehow, just extrapolating from Forster seems better. But the concept of making a photobook from time to time to see how your work hangs together, that is a pretty solid idea that would be a good part of anyone's process. 

Enjoy the holiday as best you can...