Friday, September 08, 2006

Code blue: crafting inspiration--stat!

horoscope.pdf.eps
I was downtown today at a coffee shop, and while the barista was mixing up my peanut and chocolate blended, I saw my horoscope posted on the counter. Hmmm...
So I decided to tell you about my emotional state. To vent, to exorcise the demons, as it were.

Warhol exhibit
Today I took myself to see an Andy Warhol exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. I really wanted to see the exhibit before it closes this weekend. (when did visiting a museum get so expensive? Ten bucks! Holy crap).
Anyway, I also went because I needed a boost--a spark to ignite my frozen creativity.

The deadline is quickly approaching for the magazine article, and I've done very little toward reaching that deadline. I have been crippled by the limitations of having to use copyright-free materials. Normally I use illustrations from 60s-era cookbooks, but those are off limits if the work is to be published. It's one thing if you make stuff for yourself or friends, but there's a completely different spin involved if publication is involved. I can't use newspaper or magazine images unless they're dramatically altered. Clipart is too boring. I don't like to draw my own images. I doubt I can use food labels. I'm not even sure if there are restrictions with fabric. So I'm faltering...

I cannot let this opportunity escape.
Is it fear of failure? Well, partially, yes.
There's some evil voice in my head that keeps saying I can't possibly produce anything worthy enough.
Then out of the blue one of you will write, extolling my talents (thank you. No, I am not soliciting for compliments).

I was going to say that I can't motivate myself without a class assignment or something, but in essence I did exactly that by attending the event. I took notes at the exhibit, and I got new ideas. Now to turn those ideas into something concrete. I wish I had a studio, or at least an inviting space in which to move. Make do, Barb, make do. Think outside the box. Figure this out.

And on a completely different subject, I need to post a photo for Photobooth Friday, but I need to take the time to sort thru pics and find some more booth photos. But I don't want to ignore the idea altogether, so here's a photo of my grandfather.

Gramps
Ah, my beloved Gramps. That second drawer down behind him was the "candy drawer". Every time I visited, he would open that drawer and give me black licorice and red licorice. It was a cute little house in Coronado. He had been a dentist in the Navy, so everyone called him "Doc". He was at Pearl Harbor, and came away a little bit off after that, understandably. I miss him. I miss that house. After my grandparents died, it took me ten years before I could go back to Coronado. I finally drove by the house, and it had been turned into a parking lot. I guess I had always believed that elements of my childhood would last forever. I sat in my car and cried. Now I just hold dear my memories, and am a far better person for having had the fortune of knowing them.

6 Comments:

Blogger Claudia said...

Dear Barb,

memories of your childhood indeed last forever. In your memory...

Funny: my parents live in the house I grew up in, again, after having lived in several other places in the meantime. The house has been painted somewhat ecru and they had to tear down a garden shed and several trees. But when I think of that place, I always think of the black house it once was, and the shed is still there in my memory, as well as the old pear and plum trees. It's strange to come "back" to this house, because in my imagination, it hasn't changed since way back when.

It's all in our memory. The people are still in our thoughts. And as long as this is the case, the people and places are not gone for good.

Take care, and have a lovely weekend!
Claudia

9:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Barb,

I stumbled on your blog on this beautiful Saturday. Take a deep breath on the article, okay? And if you need help finding sources for copyright-free images and fun things, just email me. I'm hopeful this article will be a fun expderience for you!

And loved the mention and memory of your Gramps. I had a "Gramps" also and miss him dearly!

11:23 AM  
Blogger Teri M. said...

Hallo - I came over from LeSophie's. It's always fun finding other San Diego blawgers and especially one who grew up here, too! I love the picture of your grandpa and thank you for sharing your memory and sadness. That can be a difficult thing to do. I live about a mile from the house I grew up in. After 18 years, it's still the place I dream about when I dream that I am at "home".
I don't know if you've already looked at some, but Dover Publications puts out a pretty big range of permission-free design books. Many with CD-ROMs. The Barnes & Noble in Grossmont Center has a whole rack of them.
Have a great Saturday and good luck (wow, that sounds corny) with your article.

11:40 AM  
Blogger LouAnne said...

Hello Barb:

About the article: I KNOW you can do it! You are always so full of fresh & fun ideas. Your blog a fav and because I go to the bottom of my alphabetical list at Bloglines to read every morning, it's the first one I read every day! Thanks for not calling it "Arf Nanny!"

I have to admit I shed tears over your Gramps story because I never HAD a "Gramps" - my folks had me late in life. But my 3 girls had TWO "Gramps" and I love that they have warm loving memories of both.

good sunny weekend!
LouAnne

3:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for reminding me to take advantage of the free museums around here... (It is so easy for me to get holed up in my own little world...)

BTW It is official we are home owners complete with bathroom remodel and kithcen appliance replacements!

8:57 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

B:

This is my favorite line from a wonderful movie, 'Excaliber'. Merlin says it to King Arthur:

"For it is the doom of men that they forget."

It's a type of human destiny that we must always fight against, but which we can DEFEAT. Memories are strong and their grip can never be loosened.

8:18 PM  

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