Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Thin Line


This photo makes my fingers positively vibrate with inspiration. That moment when the calligraphy pen scratches ink onto the creamy paper. Ack! This is a shot from the Arcano Type Project a font completely designed by hand, Chinese ink on Japanese calligraphy paper. It is one of the things driving me crazy lately.

Crazy. Like when I start to consider creatives who obsess to the point of social disruption, and I think how easy that would be. Ok, I am just going to shut myself up in my studio now. You know, the one with the cement floors, high ceilings, huge windows, and the soft couch in the corner? Yeah, that is where I will be. So don't bother me. Because when your head gets so full of ideas, that they come out your fingers; and simple tasks like fixing dinner, and driving, and answering the question, "What are you doing?" become monumental (What do you mean, what am I DOING? Can't you see that my head is about to explode?)

See, there is a reason that creatives get a reputation. That they are considered cantankerous and strange. You don't get to be Georgia O'Keefe by say, being a good mother. I don't know for sure, I could not find any record, but the fabulous Milton Glaser does not strike me as a family man. How could he possible find the time?

If this seems a bit stream of consciousness, it is. One of those chapters that flowed in my head on the drive home, but stutters when I sit down to write. It is not meant to be negative. I am not bemoaning my family life. It is simply the recurrent cogitation during my stretches of most inspiration, and continuing quest for balance.

2 comments:

Lynda said...

Excellent post Katie. I've read it over and over :)

Erin Joy said...

That is a lovely photos - makes me want to get my pens and nibs and ink out.