"Idleness is the enemy of the soul." - St. Benedict's Rule for Monasteries, ch. 48
So I've been assembling a portfolio for clients and publishers and it's been endless. I had a conversation recently with someone who told me about a Japanese theatre philosophy that was all about the here and now. There is no "soon", no "when the curtain rises". This is it. Whatever it is you're doing --- the practice, the preparation, the getting ready --- that is the thing you do, the end product. That's what counts. Whatever it is that you're preparing to do, you're doing it. There is no "next time".
Not that she or I completely accept this as Truth but there is something to it and it got me thinking. All my little watercolors, studies, and informal pieces, are what I have to start with. They're what I have. I've run out of time.
I just did this watercolor painting of rocks. I liked the composition and their sizes, colors, and shapes. The rough paper was difficult to work on but it turned out alright. It looks like what I saw, so that's good. It will go in my portfolio along with others from the past year.
So, thanks, Tracy. I owe you.
