up close
"Everything is connected, continuous"
Took Theo ice skating in NYC, our third year doing it. For the first 20 minutes his legs were noodles. I was holding him up. It was hard. On maybe his 100th slow fall down to the ice I found myself laughing so hard I could feel tears forming. It was comical, so hard but also light. I reminded myself that he is literally learning how to move on two thin pieces of metal on slippery ice. We decided to pick a spot in the near distance, a flag or a mountain of dirt, and “glide” like birds towards it. Slow, arms out. We skated holding hands, for more than an hour. Slow and focused on a spot. When we reached it we took a break then picked a new spot.
Rainy morning. Cafe au lait I made for myself and sitting at the kitchen table. It’s round and wooden and we found it at a second hand store before Thanksgiving. We’ve already had nights sitting around it with friends and a drink talking for hours.
To me, seeing the tree as close up as you can, is always worth it. I sometimes forget that I use to work in Rockefeller Center and would walk by the tree everyday.
Went to the MoMA with Lila to see the Ruth Asawa Retrospective. I wrote about Ruth earlier in the year here and am moved by her ability to be an artist and a citizen- unyielding in her values. Her work must be see up close. The wire spirals, the delicate line work, the videos of her talking about her garden and murals. I was in heaven and Lila who was suppose to be napping, didn’t. Instead she looked up at the art, held my chapstick, took off her socks, and listened to Ruth.
Met up with Andy and Theo in the lobby of the MoMA and switched kids. Theo and I searched to find our favorite Matisse (the Dance, Red Studio) and Van Gogh (Starry Night). We were very lucky to see Helen Frankenthaler’s A Grand Sweep exhibition and looked at her colors for a while. Seeing art in person, up close, is one of my favorite ways to spend time. A person made that. They made all the decisions that lead up to this piece. They used their hands and started somewhere. And now I get a moment with it, standing here.
I always write hand written notes when I send your orders out, but recently I’ve been adding in a small collage and I love it. Worked on a logo design and was able to surprise myself a bit. If I am not sure what to do, I need to draw and draw and draw until something comes. It always does.
P.S. If you have been thinking about joining the Collage Club now is a good time. I will be making my winter collages in January and sending them out as I do. They will also be receiving a “Family Vision Board” activity that is a perfect activity for Jan.
P.P.S Collage Club subscriptions make a cute gift for a far away friend.