Repetition

So this is how the day went.  Woke up happy.  Puttered around the house doing my morning activities. Packed orders. Chatted with my bud, Mike. And then the allergy started. We had lunch and I sneezed. I sneezed again and again. John offered to take the orders to the Post Office for me so I wouldn't have to go out amongst the dancing and swirling pollen.  

I was in a really steady rhythm:

Sneeze

Blow my nose

Dab my eyes

Repeat.

In the mid afternoon, Gayle Pritchard popped over for a visit and got me out of my rhythm. In a good way.  It is always good to have a friend pop over, really good.

Now my new rhythm was:

Talk

Sneeze

Laugh

Blow my nose

Talk Talk

Dab my eyes

Sneeze.....I became out of whack with my allergy.

Gayle gifted me with a sheet of music from the 1918s!  She brought it because she read my blog about the "welcome Virginia" sign.  The music was gifted because it is titled "My sweet Virginia Rose".

Gayle was delighted she had given me something "Virginia".  John and I kept repeating how unique it was, how surprising it was, etc, until finally we realized that Gayle didn't know my middle name was Rose.  So then she did several minutes of how serendipitous it was.  This started us all over again.

Repetition can be comforting.  The mundane dailiness of life, repeating simple tasks and acts everyday, allows one to function and still carry on a vivid inner conversation with one's self.  In the latest issue of Where Women Create (excellent again) one artist says she vacuums when she needs to come up with new ideas.  Packaging, for me, is the same.  Once I have the rhythm down, I can mentally pursue all kinds of ideas.   Walking, one foot in front of the other, is also conducive to deep thought.

In art, whether it is writing or visual art, repetition does the opposite.  It gives emphasis and clarity to a piece.  Think Edgar Allan Poe or Andy Warhol.  You know, "Nevermore" and multiple Marilyns.

In art, repetition enhances the artist's work as he becomes  more knowledgeable with his tools and supplies and what can be done with them.  Repetition can enhance work as one idea leads to another. Repetition can and often does increase skill in just about any aspect of life.  How often do we hear in this little art world of ours to just start and then keep on?   

By the way, I will be writing this same blog tomorrow.  Maybe it will get better.

Comments

[Andi Sexton (rrlscrapgal)]

I LOVE the font and images on that sheet music!!! Gorgeous!!!

It's still winter here... my allergies are waiting to wreck holy heck on me...

Claritin-D is my bff once Spring really kicks in!

Hang in there!!

[Gayle Pritchard]

Hope you are feeling better today! I couldn't agree more with your observations about repetition. I am convinced that there is a connection between the movement of our hands in repetition and accessing our creative core.
PS: I'm still blown away by the serendipity of My Sweet Virginia Rose.

[Maureen]

I do laundry. I like to hear the sounds of the machines outside my studio, and it DOES result in something being actually done. Now back to a page I've had in mind to do today and the start of some ATCs.