January 14, 2020

Command – Tab

It takes me half a second to Command+Tab and change focus. My computer is a swiss-army knife of distractions. It’s the antithesis of an environment conducive to productive, deep, meaningful work. Command+Tab.

I persist with non-digital work because there’s no Command+Tab. No Ctrl+Z. No way to undo, cover up mistakes, get distracted. When I’m sitting in front of a piece of paper, armed only with my pencils and brushes, there’s focus. I can spend 12 hours a day like this. It’s fun.

Maybe it’s my fault. Maybe I lack the self-control to stay focused when I’m working in front of a computer? Maybe if I turned off the internet, I would work differently. Or maybe digital is just the wrong medium for me. Maybe the computer wasn’t designed to help me make the sort of art I want to make. It’s great for processing accounts or email correspondence. It’s great for managing the business. Maybe it’s not me after all. Maybe it’s just about using the right tool for the job.

Other observations
October 1, 2024

Surrounding the idea

Might the act of mark-making be a pathway to the subconscious where we get to meet a version of ourselves we’ve never met before?

September 24, 2024

Feeling useful

Why are there so many people wanting to be published in children’s literature?

September 17, 2024

Abstraction and invitation

What benefits come from leaving room for another human or two to intepret and find meaning in the work we make?

September 10, 2024

The amateur artist

Why do so many kids stop drawing at the age of about 10. And what if they didn’t?

September 3, 2024

Who decides?

Who decides what gets to embed and live continuously in our culture for hundreds of years? And if it does, does it mean it’s good?

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