June 23, 2020

To paint like a child

As adults who have learned about the world, we carry a version of it that’s influenced by our loves and fears, our likes and hates. These things make us who we are. They influence the decisions we make, the risks we take, and the stories we tell ourselves about the life we’ve led. They also influence the art we make, and how we make it.

It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child. – Pablo Picasso

Perhaps the pursuit of art is about unlearning what we know and what we’re afraid of. To put aside what people think we should or shouldn’t do and take the selfish time to discover who we were before we learned how to exist as adults in the world that may not be made for us.

Other observations
June 2, 2026

The Usual

Is there value in being consistent & predictable? Is there value in the opposite?

May 19, 2026

It came outta nowhere

Could thinking of ourselves as a characters in an unwritten movie help us process good and bad surprises and make the movie more interesting?

May 12, 2026

Lists work

How do I organise, prioritise and complete the life shrapnel that gets in the way of making more significant work? Can an empty square help?

May 5, 2026

Quentin Dupieux makes films

Why bother making a weird idea that’s really difficult to make if it won’t make you money, find an audience?

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