Dear Jeff,
Hope you’re well. I’ve got a broken keyboard on my computer thing and no internet at home. Please forgive my stutter-step correspondances.
Regarding meditation, in short, I sit in a half lotus position then cup my left hand under my right facing up, then count my breaths as described over the course of twenty minutes, twice daily. Sometimes I wear my glasses, sometimes not. Sometimes eyes open, sometimes not. Sometimes I switch hands, or legs. I guess the idea of it is to reduce bodily variables, and just listen, let the thoughts happen, and just notice them. It will become more automatic through time. To me, well, I relate to a sentiment expressed by Eric Hoffer, and that’s the curiosity at adult politicians or, careerists. He’s fifty-five when writing this (in his Working and Thinking on the Waterfront). And that’s it. How can anyone be themselves. It’s curious. What’s the will to power? This meditation practice helps me realize where I am and go forth. I’ve found it’s better to wear some underwear than go nude, to prevent temptation.
My days have been wildly interesting in a tedium and variety fourth-year student in an art factory kind of way. I have moved to west Philly, which you know. I walked home from center city last night. I’ve done this a few times, and it counts as my exercise, and helps me to sleep. I slept at the school the night before. I plan to make this a semi-regular occurrence. I’ve learned the virtues of decaf coffee after six, and reserving meal times to twice daily, another bit gleaned from the musings of Eric Hoffer. I’ve been ordering books. I got this book from Gilbert White, who was a favorite author of painter Eric Ravillious. The book is comprised of letters of the Nature of The Natural history of Selbourne, and it’s called the Birds of Selbourne.
“As the parish still inclines down towards Wolmerforest, at the juncture of the clays and sand the soil becomes a wet, sandy loam, remarkable for timber, and infamous for roads. The oaks of Temple and Blackmoor stand high in the estimation of purveyors and have furnished much naval timber; while the trees on the freestone grow large, but are what workmen call shakey, and so brittle as often to fall to pieces in sawing. Beyond the sandy soil becomes an hungry lean sand, till it mingles with the forest; and will produce little without the assistance of lime and turnips.”
I’m making a piece that’s a little poly,er-clay wall kind of like a stage set and it’s painted across with the words “western Art History” a la graffiti, which aside from being a little bitey (of artist lush), it’s I think a good idea and worth doing. Another painting-on-the way is a rip-off of the napoleon crossing the alps motif, but the protagonist is a character fom a dream of mine, a claked figure (think lord of the rings) with a stone wheel, pocked in a helllinnistic fashion looking square into the camera. It maintains a sense of humor along with its impending. Other projects I won’t elaborate on but I’m much excited ot be “in studio” this year, and to have the guidance and encouragement from a team of critics! My critics are Stuart Shils, Jessica Able, and Didier Willliams, should you care to look them up.
I’ve stopped going to therapy, my critics fulfill me in a way far superior. Also, the insurance deal was running out.
My courses are as follows:
That’s it for now! TTYL!
On Fri, Sep 7, 2018 at 11:33 AM, Robert Goethe <goethero@pobox.pafa.edu> wrote:
On Sep 4, 2018, at 3:21 PM, Jeff Jones <austinjack135@gmail.com> wrote:
