first came what

I set up this picture to use in a cute text message back in February. The black and white paper is part of a collage I’m still working on, the white and red heart, well I thought it served as a nice contrast. I like polka dots and stripes together. I am also partial to red, white and black together particularly when crimson, though not as prominently used, is dominant (oh that red with its attitude!). The appearance of metal was quite by accident and I had planned to crop it out. However, the unplanned inclusion added an unintentional dimension necessary to round out the thought.

In March, I was at an exhibition, didn’t have very much time to drink it in so I snapped pictures of the pieces that immediately spoke to me, grabbing the catalog to later luxuriate in leisure over what each artist had produced. I love color filled canvases but really take note of those devoid of color because of their stark boldness. My downloads revealed a picture of a small picture -- simple geometric design in black, red and white. It didn’t click until maybe a month later that my composition and what this person composed were so kindred. And then I thought about the bowls I sculpted and painted when I was trying to keep my mind from focusing on a body in pain. I remember looking at the designs once I had finished and inherently knowing that somewhere at sometime I knew them, they had met me. I couldn’t explain it and had no idea if I had actually seen anything with the same markings, especially the more tribal vessels.

It is one thing to deliberately copy, another to have imagery written to the soul memory from when and where we don't know until it manifests in front of us produced by our own hands. There are things out there we have already imagined without knowledge of their existence that are waiting for us to discover them. And while they and we are on the way to making an acquaintance, it is very possible that we will create our own version, a cousin to that future remembrance. Which begs the question…what actually did come first?

keep your peepers open! ®