Moving along with grace...
I had what amounted to a perfect morning for me today. The day continues to be good but this morning was special. In my latest monthly newsletter, I mentioned that I was basically taking a posting break on social media (FB, IG, Threads). Not posting as much and “checking in” here and there. That was on May 30th. So far, I’ve been “ok” about the posting part, but I’ve still been scrolling more than I’ve wanted to.
It can be tough to pull back from engaging with socials suddenly, so I’ve been making gradual changes in my behavior on a day-to-day basis and giving myself some room to not be a perfectionist about it, stay present and do what I can to move towards my goal.
Anyway, this morning marked a big step because I didn’t even pick up my phone until it was nearly time for me to leave, after being up for two hours. I busied myself with morning chores of cat feeding, filling the dishwasher, making breakfast as well as food for the studio. I did pretty good concerning the phone and am proud of myself for staying focused on what I needed to do instead of needlessly scrolling. Part of that “needless” scrolling is me distracting myself from uncomfortable issues in my life at the moment, with finances being at the top of that list.
I’m not going into it here, but things have been tighter than usual and the effects of that have been challenging. Nevertheless, I’m pressing on and am thankful for what I do have.
It was great riding to the studio today. I started using my bike again recently after too many months of not doing so and it’s made a difference. It’s roughly a 20 minute commute from where I live in South Philly to my building in lower Kensington. Having the bike trail that runs parallel to Columbus Blvd. and the Delaware River
(side bar: a section of Delaware Ave. on the southern end was renamed Columbus Blvd. some years ago. As a Philly native, it’ll always be Delaware Avenue to me. I’m kind of stubborn that way).
Last night, I left a new work on paper in progress (above left) and will most likely finish it this evening. I’ll post the finished version soon.
The shape of things to come…
Yes, I went there. You can’t say that I don’t have a sense of humor. Well, you could, but you’d be dead wrong. Maybe not dead, just unbelievably wrong.
Before I could imagine myself working on that piece on paper mentioned above, I had to dive head first into another project that I’m hoping to show in a solo show at Mercer County Community College (New Jersey) this fall. The way things are shaping up (ok, did it again), this is going to be a much more experimental exhibition than All Of This Is True, the one I just had at the Bridgette Mayer Gallery that closed on May 18th.
As I’ve been working on these beginnings of new work, I had a deep feeling of relief that I’m going in a good direction with these new ideas. There’s a ways to go, but right now, things are looking bright for this new work. I’ll most likely post about this stuff once its developed a bit. Stay tuned.
Through the lens, lately…
Passed by a pile of huge, broken down cardboard on the sidewalk. Obviously from a move-in. This was way funnier to me than it should have been.
Clouds and flowers, a great combo and perspective.
Remnants. I never grow tired of capturing images like this where graffiti has been removed, but the drips are left behind
“Thursday, I don’t care about you…” This is my ear worm of the day and, maybe, now it is for you, too.
That’s it for now, see you in a few days.
To see more of my work, visit TimMcFarlane.com
For artwork inquiries and purchases, contact the Bridgette Mayer Gallery
Curators, collectors, and others who are in the Philadelphia area this summer and would like schedule a studio visit, get in touch: tim@timmcfarlane.com.
I feel you! I've also reintroduced technology-free mornings and evenings. I turn off my phone at least one hour before bedtime, ideally two hours, and only switch it back on when I really need to use it. I keep it off most mornings until I leave the house, especially when it's my day off, like today. It feels refreshing to disconnect. I want more of this! My best friend is a musician, and he has been dedicating his Wednesdays to "flow" days with another musician friend. They disconnect from everything and spend the entire day creating at each other's houses. He mentioned that it has significantly boosted his creativity. I would also love to have more half-days or full days without using my phone.