June 25, 2024

Good forgetting

There’s good forgetting and bad forgetting. Bad forgetting is when I can’t remember where I put my keys or glasses. It’s when I can’t remember which shade of green I used for a character that I now need to re-draw for an entire picture book. It’s when I miss my nephew’s birthday. It’s when I can’t find the exact brush I need when I’m mid-wash and only have a limited time before I miss the chance to correct it. Bad forgetting is the type of forgetting that needs structure and routine to guard against.

Good forgetting is entirely different. Good forgetting is when I can’t quite remember how upset I was when grandma died. Or the searing pain when I busted my knee. It’s when I forget I that I couldn’t draw that particular scene many months ago so I try again, and this time, I can do it. It’s when I don’t remember I’ve read a poem, until after I’ve read it a second time, so I get to experience it more than once at different times of my life.

We often associate the idea of forgetfulness with something negative. We talk about it as if it’s a failure and we wish to be less forgetful. But forgetting is useful, it’s an evolutionary advantage.

I wonder what else is like that?

Other observations
November 5, 2024

Consistent or resistant

Is my aversion to change about my wanting to be consistent? Or, am I actually being resistant and am I losing something because of that?

October 22, 2024

Critically unacclaimed

What do reviews really tell us about the work? Does it matter who’s reviewing?

October 15, 2024

Proper technique

If I’m learning a new art form, do I focus on technical correctness first or building an emotional connection with the medium?

October 8, 2024

The importance of mess

Physical art materials are messy and inconvenient. But isn’t that the point?

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