While standing at the studio sink, going through my ritual of very occasional brush cleaning, I was thinking about an article sent to me by writer friend Pam on brain plasticity in black-capped chickadees. I rinsed some Turpenoid Natural out of a brush and my thoughts shifted to a recent conversation I had with a neighbor who also paints, and as I scrubbed the brush handle with Lava soap, Betty Edward's writing about the elusive 'Aha' moment reminded me those seemingly random thoughts were not random at all. . . .
Symmetry is everywhere. It is easier to see and understand than complexity. But it is the combination of symmetry and asymmetry, or order and disorder, that creates diversity in the natural world and interest in the aesthetic one . . .
There is not one of us who does not like being juried into a show or winning an award for our art. It is, of course, a validation that what we do is appreciated by someone else. Making art is primarily a solitary profession, and we all like to be recognized by others at some point in our careers. Entering juried shows and possibly winning an award is a path to acknowledgment and increased recognition. But we need to remember that judging art is not a science. . . .
