Rufus!

This morning is March 20, 2008, Thursday. The day after I originally posted the latest round of Rufus drawings.
I had gotten up much earlier this morning, planning to write a brief synopsis of what stage the drawing process is in for my subject. What stage of creating I am in, as I get closer to committing to the painting that Rufus as subject, will ultimately become.
As a brief aside, one of a relevant few that may confirm potentially forming apprehensions that this is a morning, side-tracked.
Yet irresistibly, you must read on:
Last night, I was talking with another artist colleague. We were agreeing that posting artwork on the web is an intriguing visual experience: to look at our individual work in another medium.
Take these drawings of Rufus for example. I am noticing that the Prisma colors that make up the drawings look so velvety, all the more visually sensual when I stare at them on my computer monitor! I love looking them!

I also had planned to go to Seattle today, to check out the weather and other employment details of interest to me. Yet, thus far yes, I have let myself get sidetracked. Instead, I seem to be in Tibet, looking at wonderful people and their stories through their photography, as I found it on a "blog of note."
The idea to create a blog for a variety of Tibetan voices and views seems to be facilitated by a non-profit in NYC, called: Bread & Roses! Their goal for this and other photography projects around the globe as I understand, is to have the photos exhibited in a variety of venues in order to make the unseen, seen_ une idée naturellement qui est bonne! And because I have allowed myself a detour, I know this day has already been blessed.
I have cried recognizing the universality present in these images. That they are accompanied by very humble, articulate, and simultaneously noble personal stories enriches the viewing. I have learned these are life-stories in pictures and words, from a variety of Tibetan people currently in exile in Dharamsala, in Northern India.
Through this project, I have experienced an intimate glimpse into a way of being in the world: Tibetans who are of a spiritual history and culture, a human presence that embraces life in ways that are inspiring for me. Because of this detour, I am grateful to be a little bit better aware through their own words, their own images of a people I know I already love.
Yet, as an observer of other cultures this sounds very lame as I write it.
I have access to the Internet thereby experiencing the world at my fingers... but it isn't enough.
This recognition brings me back to my original intention for today, the reason for checking out Seattle in the first place: the job search.
My job search.
I am interested in connecting to meaningful work, where currently my own arduous transition, still seems to involve traversing no particularly dangerous mountain passes. Nonetheless, there are metaphoric and social mountains that do take their toll when one works vigilantly to find the good job. I won't quit until I find it, and even then, there will be countless opportunities to reinvest in it so that I continue to grow! My 'escape' to good work, is to connect to what I know at last I can be successful doing. To work in a setting I can stay with, will also help a lot.
I want to be effectively participative with the world, right along side many other employed people!
I have skills, a degree and I have a deep desire to work well and long. Now, where is my job and first right place of work in this world!?!
Pace and environment are my two criteria for success, oh, and the right money is also a factor. Wait, hang on! Hello? ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...!
That was my daughter! It's the morning break where she is training at her new job, and she called me! How cool is that?!
She is spending spring break training (and studying!) to work in a bike shop. Last summer she impressed two of the women working there, with all her enthusiasm for building her own bike so, they offered her a job!
We are actually a cool family. I am an artist who really wants a day job and has the skills and chops to back it up! My daughter is a music major at a very good school, and right now she wants to work on bikes!
It is this isolation, the helplessness one feels when one is unemployed that is a wasteful experience. Ok! I hear the voices saying the differences between successful people and those who wish to be successful... I am continuously doing stuff to keep my skills updated, knowing full well this is the kind of stuff that puts more polish on the rés...

Meanwhile the morning's adventures have also included another light-hearted stop here to visit cowgirls with dogs, both of whom I would like to know and know better! Oop! Time to get back to the drawings and painting then.

How's your day startin' out?