The desk clearing moment
Whenever I am working wildly on many things, I let everything else in my workspace run amuck. It's an ordered chaos and I know where things are in the debris. The mess troubles me as it accumulates, but it seems a part of the process. (I once worked with a film editor who had a sign on his wall: "A neat stall is the sign of a dead horse." Ironically, he wasn't a particularly imaginative guy and his suite was always neat as a pin. I don't know why he had the sign.)
Eventually the day arrives when all the trucks pull out of the warehouse and I start to pick up my toys and put them back in their boxes. I'm at that point today. I threw out every computer printout, coffee cup lid and bent paperclip and saw the surface of my workstation for the first time in three months. Then I killed a little time and surfed the web, pointlessly, something I've not had time for in ages.
My manuscript is still with Kelly and her blue pencil. My Paris drawings are safely in Cincinnati. For a few hours at least, the first in close to a year, I actually don't have anything pressing. I could make something for the fun of it ... but I don't need to.
I have been reading odd books of late. I ordinarily never touch Science Fiction but have been all consumed by two books by Orson Scott Card: Ender's Game and now, Ender's Shadow. I also started reading Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. Odd that I am suddenly attracted to fantasy. I lived on a diet of non-fiction for close to a year then, after the election, I switched to high-brow modern fiction, Graham Greene and Don DeLillo, but now I just want to have fun and adventures.
Between my Paris drawings and my sketch crawls, I haven't done any work in color in ages. Maybe this weekend I'll start. Tom tells me he has a folding stool now and if the warmish weather keeps up, perhaps we'll perch in the Park.
A record of my exploration into all aspects of drawing, illustrated journaling, creativity, and the inspiring aspects of art. By the author of "Everyday Matters," "The Creative License", and "An Illustrated Life" and other books.
Comments
I feel the same way about SF, 'Ender's Game' "transcends the genre" as they say.
Posted by: Joy | December 9, 2004 09:19 AM
Wow, what a great drawing. For some reason I'm drawn into the partially open window in the left foreground. It makes me wonder, "What's inside ... who is inside, and what different worlds are in there?"
Posted by: TomD. | December 9, 2004 09:23 AM
Have you read any of Eric Maisel's books? I recently discovered him. I just finished The Van Gough Blues and it's a great book about the ups & downs we artists seem to go through. He's a creativity coach & therapist and has lots of good things for us to think about. Just thought you might like to use some of your free time reading... Love the Paris drawings...
Cynthia N.
Posted by: cynthia | December 9, 2004 10:01 AM
ooo.... can't wait for color...
Posted by: fern | December 9, 2004 11:17 AM
Well I feel better knowing there are others who work in the chaos of a messy desk. Thanks so much your words inspired me. . . it's time to edit and sort through the layers of stuff.
Posted by: Michele | December 9, 2004 11:44 AM
I think those are the sweetest times of all. For me it was always that catch-your-breath moment after my last final for one semester and before the next term began ... or after a big project delivers to a client and before they give us instructions on the next one. You know more challenges are coming but at the moment you can just blissfullly ... rest. Enjoy the break!
Posted by: Karen Winters | December 9, 2004 12:16 PM
My version of the saying is "A clean desk is the sign of a sick mind" - my mind is very healthy!
It delights me to see that you have discovered Orson Scott Card. He is the only SF/Fantasy author that my DH has ever read and enjoyed, and personally, I think he is a genius. When you have finished the Ender series you should have a go at the Alvin Maker books.
Another author that you might enjoy is Charles de Lint. A poster on one of the journaling list to which I subscribe was extolling his virtues recently so I bought a couple of his books and find them very entertaining. I think he would be classified as magic realism.
Posted by: Robyn | December 9, 2004 03:15 PM
I was just talking about "Ender's Game" this morning. I'm lending it to a friend at work.I re-read that book every now and again - it's very engaging.
Lovely, lovely pen sketch.
Posted by: josie | December 9, 2004 03:55 PM
Dumb question, but I've always wondered...
When you do these black & white (gray?) drawings, with what do you paint them? In other words, I know you're using a pen for the line drawing, but what medium do you use to fill it in? Is it watercolor? Do you just have a huge tub of black watercolor that you use for this?
Sorry for the newbie questions...
Fred.
Posted by: Fred | December 9, 2004 05:39 PM
Whenever a person says "I rarely look at SF, but just now I'm in the mood for it, and I'm reading....(whatever)" they have to be prepared for an onslaught of folks saying, "Oh you must try so and so..." You asked for it!
So here's my two cents....
Ursula K. LeGuin!
Don't you wish those uncluttered desks would stay that way just for a little while??? No chance! Enjoy your healthy mind!
Posted by: Kathleen | December 9, 2004 06:48 PM
I too am reading Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell and am finding it a delight, a hearty meal, but a delight. The illustrations in it add to the wonder.
Speaking of adding to the wonder, your drawings of Paris are absolutely fantastic.
And I LOVE the quote about the dead horse with the neat stall.
A comfort to us horses whose stalls are ever messy.
Posted by: Donavan | December 9, 2004 11:00 PM
There's lots of good SF out there! Or maybe it's just easier to call them good books and ignore the classifications.
There just might be a bit of a warning sign haning over Orson Scott Card though, depending on personal convictions, of course.
http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2004-02-15-1.html
Posted by: Niklas Dahlin | December 10, 2004 05:10 AM
Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Jan | December 10, 2004 11:48 AM
I'll join the chorus of approval on Ender's Game. It
is one of the most compelling SF books that I can think of. It's much less about science, and much more about the nature of people.
Another author who works brilliantly in that space is John Varley, who uses the science bit of SF to explore human societies. I've read him for years, but he's just brought out an anthology, which is very good.
Thanks for the pictures - I've recently discovered your site, and come here frequently to see what's going on.
Posted by: Kate | December 10, 2004 05:20 PM