Transformation

Since the New Year, I have been making many positive changes to my life. But I think the source of all this change actually came not from my free will, but because I had to stop drinking to take Accutane. Its not as though drinking were some kind of issue, but when it was absent I noticed how much a filler it can be, much like the other things I've phased out

Reductions:

• Not Drinking
  
• Quiting TV
• phasing out myspace
• checking email less

Additions:

• Revamping my studio
• Working on exciting ideas for my new show
• reading more
• going to see more art, going to museums
• collaborating with friends
  
• Volunteering and taking classes at Shambhala
  
• Re-committing to my daily meditation practice and trying to work with lojong
  
• Keeping this blog and my accutane blog
  

Without the time filler activities, I've been able to add in so many more positive activities. One down side is that the Accutane makes me feel like a lethargic arthritic old lady, so I haven't been exercising at all, and it is driving me crazy. I am looking forward to May, when my skin transformation is complete, the accutane is over, and I can maintain my new life style, but with energy.

Research and Searching

Researching for art is sometimes funny.

My next task today, after taking care much teaching paper work and what not, is to research for the video I'll be making this weekend.

I'll take a bath.

I need to take a bath to determine how much water I'll need and to practice my moves.

On Saturday with the help of my friend Tesia I will make a video of my face sinking and emerging from a white opaque liquid to take a breath. Its like a video version of my piece Breathe . I figured the best way to accomplish this would be in my bath tub. Yesterday I bought three boxes of powdered milk, enough to make 15 gallons of fat free reconsituted milk. Tesia will bring a light kit from school and her video skills, and at times we will both be in the tub of milk in my bathroom. She will need to stand in it to get an over head shot. I hope it turns out well.

I am making this video for my upcoming solo show at Northeastern Illinois University Gallery for this summer. I will show this new video, Breathe, and reconfiguration of Sentient and a few other new things. The show is called White Moment.

I am searching for mirrors for this show. I'd like to collect many mirrors of any rectangle or square size, with any frame or no frame, but I can't seem to find any at the thrift stores...

Three Conversations

Last night at Hilary's annual Festivus party I had two interesting conversations.

Hilary and I talked off and on about consciousness in reaction to another conversation she had. She had recently read the answers to an annual question posed to a community of scientists and mathematicians: "What do you believe in, but can not prove?"

Also, Tesia, George and I talked about the idea of souvenir in relationship to contemporary art. Like when a video artist sells still images from her work. How this is a simplified and thus consumable version her practice. This idea has interested me in my work. But until last night I hadn't thought about the relationship that may exist between the "dumbing down" of work and its saleability. But upon writing the word "souvenir" here in this blog, I realized am very interested in a sovereign and consumable version of my art!

And, I think Brian Gillis an I are starting to really talk about curating and exhibiting in a religious art and topics in contemporary practice show, hopefully for Chicago, but maybe we could even get it to travel? He just sent me a really interesting statement, via email.