day 5

29 faces

this morning i started with an unfinished early collage 

sitting in on a closet shelf.    i find knowing i will paint a painting a day 

is a soothing thought.  i know that i will spend

whatever time it takes to discover what painting 

will emerge.  there is no conflict, only a focus and 

willingness to be with the process.

after more paper and glue

and then completed.

according to the authors of creative collage techniques, 

collage was first used about 200 bc after paper was invented

in China.  but it wasn't until the 10th century in japan that it became 

widely used by calligraphers to accompany their poems.

i like thinking that perhaps some of my ancestors where early

collage artists and poets. 

a poem by hermann hesse

translated by robert bly

sometimes

sometimes, when a bird cries out,

or the wind sweeps through a tree,

or a dog howls in a far off farm, 

i hold still and listen a long time.

my soul turns and goes back to the place

where, a thousand forgotten years ago,

the bird and the blowing wing

were like me, and were my brothers.

my soul turns into a tree,

and an animal, and a cloud bank.

then changed and odd, it comes home

and asks me questions.  

what should i reply?

sunset from redondo beach looking at palos verdes where i live