Love this! Regarding your midlife crisis questions about what next and perfection, check out Wabi Sabi: The Wisdom in Imperfection by Nobuo Suzuki. I’ll be 69 in less than two weeks and I’m still asking the same questions!
These conversations are so charming. I read Boomtown on your recommendation years ago, and I can vouch for it as a person who is neither a fan of basketball or Oklahoma. It was wonderful, especially because Sam read it on the audiobook. (I did recommend the book to my daughter's wife who grew up in Oklahoma and who vouched for the school activitiy of little Sooners with their wagons lined up on the playground!) Sam's New York Times pieces are also the best. Thanks for introducing us to so many great artists.
We need more of this! It was so enjoyable. Listening to other makers/ creators talk about process and inspiration and what drives them but also what heals them... this is why I love being an artist and writer. Not in the sense that my art is in museums or my writing published, just that I make and write. And I keep doing it. As I get older, like what you all talked about, why do I make this stuff? The mixed tapes! Oh man, that took me straight back to my bedroom, waiting for my favorite song to come on, poising my finger to be as fast as a gunslinger, to catch it that song the exact moment it came on. Then the endless recordings of my awkward tween voice trying to sing my favorite jingles. So fun. I absolutely love how you wreck the old/new tapes. You both have given me a lighter heart this morning.
In November 2000 I got to go on a work trip to Bordeaux which included a lunch with the family who owned the Chateau de Montaigne. The grandsons of the owner were starting a wine website very similar to the one built by my coworkers. (aka they totally copied it) and wanted us to partner with them or something. We ate lunch in the formal dining room with their grandma and have a photo of her wearing the baseball cap with the company logo we gave her. We connected to the internet via AOL.fr to look at their website from the castle, which seemed ridiculous and archaic even then. We got to look inside his 16th century tower after lunch and I was struck by the words painted on the ceiling beams. I think of that ceiling whenever I hear Montaigne’s name. It was so cool!
“The discipline of creation, be it to paint, compose, write, is an effort towards wholeness.” -- Madeline Engles
I think the reason I write and hand make books is that it makes me feel my life is not irrelevant and that perhaps what I write or make matters and matters cosmically. (Also halfway "stolen" from Engles.)
As to pets in one's life: It's very simple. I could not live without an animal in my life. They make me laugh (very important), make me feel wanted, give me a taste of unconditional love, and in my case give me art ideas. I am about to have my web designer redesign my book arts web site to include a special section on TeddyBoy, my tuxedo cat. For example, I did a great little zine on his feline advice on how to cope with the recent pandemic. And yes, it was the best advice ever....
Great conversation-- so much good food for thought. I especially want to think about the Exploratory Line some more--and how it contains a surprise. Where does that surprise come from if I'm the one writing it??? And I always love that feeling I get coming home from a trip when I can--just for a couple of minutes--experience our home like I'm a visitor. I can see, and smell, and feel its vibe in a more intense, observational way. I'm always trying to figure out small everyday ways to be more exploratory. Meditation seems to help a lot. Also walking the same trails in the woods all throughout the year, without expectation of anything in particular--just seeing where my attention falls. I guess there are always surprises on any ordinary day; maybe it's just a matter of relaxing into that state of alert awareness that makes the mind more wide open and receptive.
Thanks Austin and Sam for this. I like to hear stories about divorced kids. It is interesting that Sam mentions "writing as a escape from chaos of life" and you mention that fact that much of your work is based on the fact you want to be "feel whole again".
Since I am divorced and always worry if my son will be alright. And I can say you guys turnout alright! 😂
Love this! Regarding your midlife crisis questions about what next and perfection, check out Wabi Sabi: The Wisdom in Imperfection by Nobuo Suzuki. I’ll be 69 in less than two weeks and I’m still asking the same questions!
These conversations are so charming. I read Boomtown on your recommendation years ago, and I can vouch for it as a person who is neither a fan of basketball or Oklahoma. It was wonderful, especially because Sam read it on the audiobook. (I did recommend the book to my daughter's wife who grew up in Oklahoma and who vouched for the school activitiy of little Sooners with their wagons lined up on the playground!) Sam's New York Times pieces are also the best. Thanks for introducing us to so many great artists.
Ohhh.. Going to put this on and do some drawing later today!
We need more of this! It was so enjoyable. Listening to other makers/ creators talk about process and inspiration and what drives them but also what heals them... this is why I love being an artist and writer. Not in the sense that my art is in museums or my writing published, just that I make and write. And I keep doing it. As I get older, like what you all talked about, why do I make this stuff? The mixed tapes! Oh man, that took me straight back to my bedroom, waiting for my favorite song to come on, poising my finger to be as fast as a gunslinger, to catch it that song the exact moment it came on. Then the endless recordings of my awkward tween voice trying to sing my favorite jingles. So fun. I absolutely love how you wreck the old/new tapes. You both have given me a lighter heart this morning.
In November 2000 I got to go on a work trip to Bordeaux which included a lunch with the family who owned the Chateau de Montaigne. The grandsons of the owner were starting a wine website very similar to the one built by my coworkers. (aka they totally copied it) and wanted us to partner with them or something. We ate lunch in the formal dining room with their grandma and have a photo of her wearing the baseball cap with the company logo we gave her. We connected to the internet via AOL.fr to look at their website from the castle, which seemed ridiculous and archaic even then. We got to look inside his 16th century tower after lunch and I was struck by the words painted on the ceiling beams. I think of that ceiling whenever I hear Montaigne’s name. It was so cool!
“The discipline of creation, be it to paint, compose, write, is an effort towards wholeness.” -- Madeline Engles
I think the reason I write and hand make books is that it makes me feel my life is not irrelevant and that perhaps what I write or make matters and matters cosmically. (Also halfway "stolen" from Engles.)
As to pets in one's life: It's very simple. I could not live without an animal in my life. They make me laugh (very important), make me feel wanted, give me a taste of unconditional love, and in my case give me art ideas. I am about to have my web designer redesign my book arts web site to include a special section on TeddyBoy, my tuxedo cat. For example, I did a great little zine on his feline advice on how to cope with the recent pandemic. And yes, it was the best advice ever....
Great conversation-- so much good food for thought. I especially want to think about the Exploratory Line some more--and how it contains a surprise. Where does that surprise come from if I'm the one writing it??? And I always love that feeling I get coming home from a trip when I can--just for a couple of minutes--experience our home like I'm a visitor. I can see, and smell, and feel its vibe in a more intense, observational way. I'm always trying to figure out small everyday ways to be more exploratory. Meditation seems to help a lot. Also walking the same trails in the woods all throughout the year, without expectation of anything in particular--just seeing where my attention falls. I guess there are always surprises on any ordinary day; maybe it's just a matter of relaxing into that state of alert awareness that makes the mind more wide open and receptive.
Thanks Austin and Sam for this. I like to hear stories about divorced kids. It is interesting that Sam mentions "writing as a escape from chaos of life" and you mention that fact that much of your work is based on the fact you want to be "feel whole again".
Since I am divorced and always worry if my son will be alright. And I can say you guys turnout alright! 😂
An inspirational day. Thank you and Sam!
What a great way to start the day! If you want to be a little freaked out by spirals and snails forever, check out Junji Ito's Uzumaki.
https://bookshop.org/p/books/uzumaki-3-in-1-deluxe-edition-junji-ito/10438240?ean=9781421561325
I love this bit about surprise! It's a key element in comedy, and why any creation method that relies on prediction will struggle to be funny.
Thanks for the James Hollins reference in this post, and in a previous one. I listened to A life of meaning and loved it.