Jenny Doh

6 Things :: Food, Flattery, and Criticism

 6 things on my mind right now.

6 There is no "quick answer" to questions that I occasionally get like: "Hey Jenny, I have a really quick question for you. Can you tell me how to start and run an art studio? Just message me, would ya? My friends and I want to start one too." Well, the question might be quick but the answer is not. And with all due respect, the answer is based on years of blood, sweat, tears, and huge risks that I have personally taken. Though I'm sure there is no bad intent, it's insulting to be asked to just instant message answers to matters that I've invested years of myself into while I steal the time from my other projects to do this for people I hardly know. For those who really want to ask me questions on whatever the topic may be (usually it's publishing or studio-related) ... I have a path that allows for that to happen. And it has been gratifying to know that people who have used that path have found what I share to be helpful. :) 

5 Spontaneously and without warning, I've started to cook. It is the most wonderful thing that has happened to me. I wake up every morning excited about coming up with a menu. I feel it's one of the most creative processes and it has so many parallels to the process of painting. I love it and I love life more because I am cooking.

4 You may have noticed through the photos I post that I use things like butter, olive oil, chicken, beef, pork, coconut milk, and of course lots of veggies. I don't use grains, refined sugar, legumes and with little exception, lactose. As much as possible, I cook paleo. To me, coupled with regular exercise (that includes not just cardio but lifting heavy things), paleo is the key to long-term fitness.

3 It makes me happy to see The Mister and my son Andrew enjoy my food. That's actually the best part. Andrew and I had a good talk about it recently. He has a tendency to lose control with portions when something tastes good. Don't we all?! So when he was wanting more and more of something delicious that I had prepared for him, I said "Andrew, tomorrow is another day. I'm going to be making something different but also delicious so no need to consume and possess all of this right now."

2 What I said to him must have resonated because the next day, he mentioned how good food is like good art and the creative process, where we may think what we've made today is as good as it will ever get, and there will be nothing better and so we better hold on tight, and possess, and don't let it go and not think of making anything else. But of course tomorrow is a new day. A new day to let go, and create something different and wonderful.

1 Whether it's food or art, I am happy that I get to make what I want. Sometimes, when someone says they "love love love" a painting of mine, there's this notion that I ought to make more of that thing that someone "love love loves." And when someone hates a painting of mine, there's a notion that I ought not make more in that style. The privilege that is mine right now is that it matters not one Iota to me, whether my paintings garner flattery or criticism. I paint to express who I am, what I see, and what I feel. Georgia O'Keefe said it best: "I have already settled it for myself so flattery and criticism go down the same drain and I am quite free."

8 Things :: Dog Days of Summer

8 things on my mind right now.

8. I'm convinced that most things that need to be done to the house either costs a thousand dollars or 10 thousand dollars. Like we recently had some plumbing work done. One grand. Carpeting for one small room. Another grand. A new bed. Another. Roof repair. Another. Tree trimming. Another. It feels daunting to just keep up.

7. I almost flipped out after seeing our latest electricity bill. And so we've stopped running the air in the house. And this week, I found myself (a person who loves the heat) actually cursing it becuase it was so hot. I also found myself Googling "dog days of summer" because as I was cursing it, the phrase came to mind and I really didn't know what it meant. Well what I learned is that it is the name for the most "sultry period of summer, from July 3rd to August 11th." Sultry. Interesting word choice. Makes me want to grin and bear the heat just knowing that what I'm going through isn't miserable, just sultry. 

6. Speaking of Google ... what's up with people who publically ask questions when common sense would tell them that the answers to their questions are just one Google search away? Hmmmm?

5. Same thing about people who publically ask "where can I buy that?" Uh ... that would be Amazon.

4. I ran into my former cello teacher today at Trader Joe's. She asked me whether I've been practicing. I told her the truth, which is that I've been neglecting the cello and paying more attention to the ukulele as of late. I left Trader Joe's a little dejected realizing how there's never enough time to do everything I want to do. Because the truth is that I've not just been neglecting the cello but I've also neglected a whole bunch of stuff on my "i want to try this at least once in my life" list. Sigh.

3. I was just at a kickoff event for one of my college friends who is running for our local school board position. At the event were some other mutual college friends, one of whom whispered to me "now we have to get you to run for political office." To which I said "Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Dude, I paint boats with vaginas."

2. I really adore Louis C. K. He is so wonderfully dialed into the dark side of life in such a hilarious way.

1. As if I didn't hate toll roads to begin with, I realized a week or so ago that toll roads no longer have the kiosks where you stop to throw payment in. It happened so fast that I knew I passed the usual stop without paying. And lo and behold, the bill for $61 came today. So their new system is this. If you don't have a toll account, you can pay online but only within 48 hours of driving through the toll roads. If you miss that time period, then you get a ticket. That would be me. And as Louis CK would point out, this is complete bullshit.

10 Things :: Floppy hat, cauliflower, art for sale, etcetera

 10 Things on my mind right now.

10. After looking for just the right floppy hat, I finally found one. It fits my freakishly enormous head, which makes me wonder if there are other people with enormous heads like me. Because it wasn't sized large. It was sized one size fits most.

9. It's been so fun making earrings and charms for sale! I've been wanting to make bracelets for sale but I'm stuck on how to long to make them. Along with my freakishly enormous head, I have freakishly tiny wrists. So my idea of a standard bracelet size is freakishly distorted.

8. Cauliflower used to be white. And then I saw that it comes in purple. And now in yellow and green. Does anyone know if nutritional value changes per the color of the cauliflower?

7. Andrew starts school tomorrow. Hallelujah. But he doesn't have his license yet so it'll be a new routine of taking him and picking him up. I think I can. I think I can.

6. My thumb is almost all better. So strange that it got all swollen last week where I couldn't move it. Couldn't work out properly, couldn't make art properly, couldn't drive, eat, brush teeth, hold a book ... and other things. All of a sudden my left thumb became the most important body part on my entire body. Now that it's feeling better, it's been relgated back to its rightful insignificant place. 

5. I love the word "etcetera." It allows me to cut short my words and then when I say it, most people nod as if they know and agree with what I really didn't say. It's a lovely word. It makes me feel happy, smart, ...

4. ... etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

3. So there's this big project looming over my head. I am supposed to finish making a catalog of my paintings for this wonderful art agent person who is championing my art so that she can start dialoguing with galleries who may want to hang my paintings. It's been a long process that I've made some headway on but I still have a lot to do.

2. While I make the catalog, the challenge is to continue making quality paintings and selling some along the way of course. This week, I sold 3. A very good week. It makes me feel so happy. No, I don't sell prints. Just originals. It's either dumb or smart of me. I don't know. I don't have time to do everything, that's all.

1. I frequently get asked if my art is for sale. With very few exceptions, the answer is yes. I've struggled with letting my yes be known, though. Like there's this weird feeling I've had that you're not supposed to say your art is for sale. Like I'm supposed to be this person who makes a ton of art, and lives a perfectly well-funded life without ever having to sell any artwork. But I'm becoming more comfortable with saying my yes. I want to find ways to be more explicit about my yes in an honest way. Yes. I make art. Yes, my art is for sale. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

10 Things

10 Things on my mind right now.

10. I recently saw the movie BOYHOOD. The one where instead of hiring a boy actor and then a pre-teen actor and then a teen actor, they hired one boy and filmed the story in the course of 12 years. The story doesn't have huge dramatic happenings. Rather, the drama of everyday living. I liked it a lot. The best line in the movie was at the end: "It's always right now." So true. It's never not now. It's always right now. It's not yesterday now. It's not tomorrow now. It's now right now.

9. I haven't done a blog post in a long time. I wouldn't say it's writer's block per se because I write plenty on IG, FB and other places. So here I am again. Trying to just jump in, even though I haven't written about so much that has happened since the last post.

8. My daugher will be starting college the first week of October. I realized in observing her behavior as of late that this period of time ... the summer after high school graduation and before the start of freshman year at college is the time when you are MOST free. Late to bed, late to rise, eat some, play some, and hang out with friends some. I guess she deserves it, given the rigors that await her. But I'll be happy when this period is over.

7. I can't believe Lenny won the title of the next food network star. No offence to him but I was rooting for Luca. :(

6. Almost done reading Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. I feel like I am related to him in some way. Or related to the characters in this beautiful novel in some way. Or the words spoken by the characters in some way. (BTW I'm a slow reader.)

5. My 16-year old son Andrew has not been in any hurry to get his driver's license. But as of late, I've been giving him lessons mostly in the giant parking lot near our house. The other day, I actually had him go on real streets and even had him go through the drive thru of a McDonalds. (In honor of Jim Gaffigan.) When the voice on the speaker asked him how she could help him, he turned to me and asked, "what do I do?" and I said "order what you want to eat." And so he ordered a filet o fish, fries, and a hot fudge sundae. And when we pulled up, he paid and got the change and got the food. I asked him how he felt and he said "like a grown up!" What a thrilling moment it was for him.

4. I really dislike the "That's not a Buick!" commercials. I wish they'd stop.

3. I recently went to the OB/GYN for my annual. Another clean bill of health and lots of praise for staying healthy. So I'm re-inspired to stay with it. To keep investing in fitness and training so that I can hopefully go for another decade or two without any medication, any surgery, any anything except for good ol' exercise and moderate eating.

2. Later this month, I'll be going to Bakersfield for a family reunion of sorts, to celebrate 40 years of being in the United States of America. We came in August of 1974. There will be so much to reflect on when we are together, I'm sure.

1. My recent trip to Korea with Monica was amazing. So many beautiful things happened, including the poignant realization that the person who made the trip possible, and my reconnection to my family possible, and my rediscovery of my heritage as an important facet of my essence possible is my late brother Jinil.

Top 10 List :: Motherhood 2014

10 things about Motherhood on my mind.

10. I've not always done my best. Not surprising. No one ever always does their best. Sometimes, I have done average. Or less than average. In spite of that, my kids turned out ok.

9. Motherhood isn't the end all be all. Sometimes it's really tough. And even if you never become a mom, I think you can live a fulfilled life.

8. Having said 9, I know for sure I've become a better human because I have had the opportunity to be a mom to Monica and Andrew.

7. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to have had a 3rd or even a 4th child. I like to imagine what they might have looked like. And how Monica and Andrew might have related to them.

6. I am grateful that I didn't stop at just Monica. If I had, I may have become a preacher of dogma about how to raise children after just raising one child. But with Andrew, what I learned is that each child, no matter how similarly you try to raise them all, are different. Each child is wired differently. I am grateful that I didn't become that mom of that one child going around being unable to understand this important truth.

5. When my kids were little, I became frumpy. Hair, make up, clothes, body ... lots of neglect. And then after they started getting older, I thought to myself: "Why am I frumpy? I still have a life to live. I'm not just a mom. I'm a mom and so much more. I don't want to be frumpy." And so I took action. Just because someone's a mom doesn't mean they want to be invisible in terms of their womanhood.

4. When I think of my own mom, I know she hasn't always done her best. And I need to recognize that is because she is a human. Just like me. Sometimes, she's done average, other times, less than average, and occasionally, the best.

3. The thing that makes my heart happiest is when I see my two children show affection and protection for each other. It makes me believe that once I'm gone, they will be there for each other.

2. I hope that at the end of it all, my children and I will love each other as we remember the best we did for each other and forgive each other for all the ways in which we did less than best.

1. Because it all happens so fast. And without a manual.

Have a happy Mother's Day. If you want to. ;)

Top 10 List Week 8 of 2014

 10 Things.

10. It's that time again! Saturday, March 1st is the next Art Walk in Santa Ana's artist village! Hope you'll stop by Studio Crescendoh! I'll have my latest paintings hung and other neat stuff. Maybe some live music if I can swing that. :)

9. And then after Art Walk ... is Pam Garrison! A few spots left. :)

8. And then after Pam ... is Alena Hennessy! Yep. Just a few spots left. :)

7. One of my greatest fears is losing my car in a parking lot becasue I don't remember where I parked it. So these days whenever I park ... especially in huge structures ... I have started taking snapshots to remind me where I parked. Not just shots to show the immediate surroundings but also shots intermitently as I'm leaving the structure. I swear I could make a stop motion movie of every place I park these days. 

6. I think there should be a rule that if you're sending out inviations, that guests can RSVP via phone AND via email. I mean really. The idea of picking up the phone to talk with a human to say "yeah, i'll be there" is just beyond me.

5. So last night I went to this art/music thing. And this lovely art agent human who I didn't know came up to me to say she saw my art in the Santora and really really really loved it. So I hugged her. It seemed appropriate.

4. I've been reinspired by my friend Terry to shop for and prepare (as much as possible) the food I put in my mouth. Of course I've known the value of this practice but sometimes with life getting so busy it's easy to forget. It's a surefire way to save money and reduce consumption of bad things. There is a parallel that this has to art, I feel. Like I could get a buy a bunch of stickers and patterned papers and cutouts and make art with it but I always feel it's better when I don't use anything pre-designed or licensed or fabricated ... everything prepared straight from my hands.

3. Lately I've been eating sliced tomatoes sprinkled with a bit of coconut sugar. You haven't heard of coconut sugar? It's so good! And it's paleo. And on sliced tomatoes it's dreamy.

2. Every once in a while I make a pilgrimage to a Dick Blick store in the Los Angeles area. But this coming week, my pilgrimage will be to the Utrecht art store in Fullerton. First of all, I never knew we had such a place in the OC. And second of all, Dick Blick bought this Utrecht so I'm hoping it'll be very much like a Dick Blick. Hope so.

1. If you saw my IG feed today, you saw me modeling a shirt I bought at Albertsons! Isn't that the funniest thing? It's my second shirt I got from my local grocery store and I love both so much. Who knew? I can't wait for my next grocery shopping excursion so I can look through their single clothing rack ... located next to the painfully understaffed flowers and mylar balloons department.

Top 10 List :: Week 7 of 2014

10 Things floating in my mind.

10 I really really really dislike this currently popular cliché: "Go big or go home." Every part of it at every angle makes me squirm with dislike and discomfort.

9 I like Tom Cruise. I know he's displayed his weird side on occasion but haven't we all? I think he's cute and for the most part, as weird as people make him out to be and as weird as he may be for real, I think he's tried to be sincere to who he is. So yeah, I like him. As the saying goes, everybody is somebody's weirdo.

8 I also like Robin Wright. Actually I crush her. Can she be any more sexy and awesome?

7 The Mister thinks I should talk about this thing with my therapist. This thing is that when I learn of a song that I like, I buy it on iTunes and then I play it on repeat for at least 2 days but sometimes more. I don't think it's odd at all. It's the way I've been all my life. Love a song. Buy the song. Play it on repeat until it's been listened to death and fully digested and understood. Then let it live with all the other songs in a normal non-obsessive way. Among other things, right now it's
Say Something by A Great Big World. Gawd, I love that song.

6 Nail clippers. Is it just me or does everybody have the problem of not being anble to find nail clippers when you need them? I buy them all the time and never have them when I need them. By the way, talking and typing about clipping nails is really grossing me out. Fingernails are gross enough but then there are the toenails. Like I don't even think we should acknowledge that we have toenails.

5 I finally got a new pair of glasses from Lenscrafters. I no longer am going back and forth using two pairs. I now have a pair that accounts for all the near and far sighted issues. Hallelujah.

4 With my hair longer now, I find myself putting it up almost every day. It's a whole new me I feel! The photo shown here shows my hair up and I dig it. Hip Daughter approves, which is a good thing. And we call it "updo-ology." We actually add "ology" to everything when we are talking. Like what's for dinnerology? Did you do your homeworkology? Why are you in such a weird moodology? It's part of our unique freaky language that makes me happy and can frequently break awkward ice.

3 I just started a Chinese calligraphy class. It's very very exciting to learn all the things I've been wanting to learn, including how to grind an ink stick in slate to make my own ink. My teacher says that ink made in this way isn't necessarily superior to pre-made inks but that the process is a meditative one that gets the letterer in the mindset to letter with the ink. I think that's such a cool concept. It's a way to show respect to the process and the materials.

2 I've come to develop a strong dislike for this kind of language: "my secretary" or "my students" or "my this or that." I don't know ... the older I get the more I feel that even a few words that come out of our mouths that might seem trivial actually matter a great deal and sets the stage for the way people are treate.d How about "my colleague" or "my fellow artists" or something else that doesn't build in hierarchy or ownership into the langauge? Sort of what is on my mind in a big way lately.

1 I got nothing. I don't have a 10th thing to complete this Top 10 list but I figured that still calling it my 10 things instead of my 9 things was kind of cute and ok. It's ok, right? Ok.

Love and Rockets,
Jenny

Top 10 List :: Week 6 of 2014

 10 things on my mind. (I'm a day late cause I usually do this on Sundays. Sorry.)

10 I was in my studio today, getting it ready for my upcoming Painting by Heart class, a 1-day class that will take place on Saturday and also Monday. As I was setting the room up, I was thinking how much I look forward to seeing how each student will let it in, let it out, and let it happen. And then I couldn't resist adding a little addendum to these phrases, my favorite words of all: "if you want to." I remember when I taught it last October. (Recap 1. Recap 2.) It was such a remarkable experience for me and all students. I can't wait to experience the magic again. If you are a last-minute joiner, there is still space if you want to sign up. Here's the link where you can enroll.

9 Have you noticed that at any given time, all asparagus is either thick or all thin? I personally like thin asparagus, which is why I haven't bought any in the last few days because no matter where I go ... Albertsons, Trader Joes, Ralphs, Mother's ... the stalks are all so thick. And then they'll become thin again, at every store.

8 I have this tendency to hoard certain foods. Right now it's cans of sliced cling peaches in 100 percent juice. I don't know if it's actually hoarding because I go through them like crazy. My light night snack. I know it's not as good as fresh but I'm strangely addicted to them. And I have this fear that they might go away or get discontinued, which is why we have 23 cans in the cupboard right now. Does anyone else have this disorder?

7 Everywhere I turn these days, there's a vitamin shop. I don't understand.

6 I've never been good with names but these days it's getting ridiculous. Unless I have given birth to you, chances are, I won't remember your name. Not personal at all.

5 Speaking of memory loss ... as I'm talking with people, I find myself saying in between every few sentences, "Have I told this to you already?" And then I wait for the person to reassure me that I have not, before I continue telling the story. Because OMG ... I'd rather be something something than that person who just goes on and on repeating stories. (BTW, my fear is that I might repeat some of these entries in future Top 10 lists as readers think to themselves, "There she goes again, talking about memory loss.")

4 So today when I was at the Santora, this guy came up to me and said all these nice things about my work. Like he really got it. And he was so moved. It felt so good.

3 I just got this super soft hooded sweatshirt from Target. It's by Mossimo. It's the thing that makes me happy right now. And the hoarder in me wants to go back and get like 5 more ... as back-up hoodies ... you know ... just in case I lose this one or something bad happens to it. And then the second and third and fourth one might also get stolen or lost. Then I can pull out my fifth extra hoodie that is exactly like the first one and all would be well with the world. Does anyone else have this disorder?

2 I have 3 typewriters. All vintage. I bought them all (one at a time) with the hope of using it regularly. And when I bought them, the description on each of them said "in great working order but needs a new ribbon." But you know what? It's not that easy to get a "new ribbon" that fits a particular vintage typewriter!!! It took me 3 vintage typewriters to figure that out! So I'm in search of a 4th typewriter that doesn't need a new ribbon that is in great working order. I know my family will view me as the freak show that I am when I lug in a 4th typewriter into the house. Does anyone else have this disorder?

1 My Prius is about to hit 100,000 miles! Can you believe it? It used to be The Mister's car, and then he gave it to me after I gave my Camry to The Daughter and he bought himself a little Toyota pickup. The pickup is a stick shift (which helps him relive his youth) which means I can never drive it. We bought the Prius when they were still considered a novelty with being the first hybrids and all. I had no idea it would still be doing so great after all these years. I hope it lasts another 100,000 miles because the LAST thing I want to EVER do is to buy another car. The whole idea stresses me the hell out. But I think it's inevitable when The Son starts driving. He'll probably get the Prius. I wonder if I can start biking everywhere when that happens. I probably could if I didn't have to transport all my canvases and paints and cans of sliced peaches and stuff.

Top 10 List :: Week 5 of 2014

10 things floating in my mind this week.

10. Scout. He's become this barker who won't shut up. Just when he goes outside. It's like he's reciting some speech to all the neighborhood. You know here in America, we say that when dogs bark, they say "arf arf" right? Did you know that in Korea, dogs go "mung mung" and in Mexico, dogs go "wow wow"? So interesting, right? I always wonder the other ways people in the world describe how dogs bark. I'd really like to know.

9. Just saw Wolf of Wallstreet. I sort of want to do a whole post about it but I'm not sure if I'll get a chance to so let me try to summarize how I feel about it here. Magnificent. I went into it knowing that there is some criticism by some who feel that the movie glorifies greed. I don't think it does. I thought it showed how corruption and greed infultrate and consume the human being ... and how not only that many human behings are succeptable to corruption but that humans are willing to potentially become so, in exchange for difficult lots in life that many humans have. It's not an easy movie as we are made to deal with the complexities of human beings ... namely how we are simultaneously good and bad. There is not a single scene in the movie that is uninteresting. The entire cast was great and Leonardo DiCaprio took my breath away. Even minor characters who were in the movie for maybe two or three scenes were developed so well that you ended up caring about them very much. That ain't easy to do.

8. I feel guilty about not being an active participant on Pinterest. Like I'm letting the Pinterest universe down. But I just can't get into it.

7. How come when humans mess up we can't say "I'm sorry. I messed up" and instead say "I'm sorry for the miscommunication"?

6. Well, I let the entire month of January pass without listenting to the voicemails on our land line. I do plan on listening to them this month some time. I'll let you know what I hear.

5. I feel all proud and puffy because for the month of January, I missed just 3 days of working out. So final score was 28-3 out of 31 days. My goal had been to be at 27-4. That means that my extra day can be rolled over because my goal for 2014 is to miss no more than 48 days, which is 4 days per month. Rocket science, I know.

4. My birthday just happened. As it always does in January. God. With the days going so fast, I feel like we might as well bring out next year's cake now.

3. I've just started using a sumi brush pen. Very exciting. I'm in total practice mode. Will post results soon. #practiceopensdoors

2. My art show was yesterday. I was kind of in weepy mode all day today. Just a mixed bag of emotions about it being over, and just about how this big boulder of continued efforts to make good art never leaves ... how the journey is never over ... which great and daunting.

1. I've just realized that the one big difference between men and women is that women use coins and men do not (even though they always have a whole bunch). How else do you explain the fact that I'm always in search of coins and can always find them near my husband's nightstand, his coat pockets, his desk area? I'm not just talking pennies. I find quarters, dimes, nickels and I steal them all on a regular basis. And I use them all too because I'm always out of them when I need them. But when I'm with him somewhere and we need coins, he just reaches in his pocket and out come the coins. How does he still have so many when I steal them from him regularly? And it's not like he is wanting to use them because he'd rather use a bill to pay for things but it's just when I say "hey, do you have 47 cents?" He's like superman and his stash of coins comes to save the day.

Top 10 List :: Week 4 of 2014

 The Top 10 things floating in my mind this week. 10. Every year I think I won't be able to do what I must do, which is to complete 1099s for everyone on behalf of my company. And then I do it. I make small mistakes but they are usually the same mistakes that my extraordinary accountant has gotten into a rhythm of preidicting and correcting. I could take time to learn how to not make my small mistakes but I find it easier just to keep making them and having someone who knows how to correct them correct them. I'm glad I don't make new ones. BTW, I hate it when someone says "that's why I hire someone to do my 1099s." Really? Well of course, I hire someone to help me with my 1099s and other accounting and tax-related work but you really can't have nothing to do with doing them, even if you hire someone. I just can't imagine a small business owner not having anything to do with doing them.

9. Within the art/craft universe, it's very hard, almost impossible to say publicaly "I don't like that," lest you be labled a meanie or a bully. That's why "I don't like that" is said privately.

8. Southern Cal. Edison shut down our electricity for half a day last week, which threw our timed sprinklers off. And so our lawn gets watered at completely irrational times of day. And because we are so not handy, I'm sure that the next time the timer will change is when our electricity goes off again ... either intentionally or accidentally.

7. I just saw this saying that I love: "Get your halo dirty." In other words, stop acting all perfect and start doing good shit.

6. If I ever become a fitness instructor and I end up teaching a class, I won't be one who asks the students questions like "how's everyone doing today?" followed by questions like "why is everyone so quiet today?" Because no one in a group class is interested in answering questions like that. We just want to work out. (This is different from one-on-one training sessions, by the way.)

5. I've learned that people who say "be vulnerable in your art" are the ones who are least vulnerable in their art. Same thing with all the other over-used words that I avoid like the plague ... not because I don't like the words, but because their over-use has transformed them into such tired cliches.

4. People try to distinguish art from craft. I actually think there is another distiction that is more important and harder to talk about ... and that is the distinction of art from decor. It's one of those things that also gets talked about privately.

3. I eat pretty healthy. But when I hear about people talk about doing a "juice cleanse" for a day or even a week, I think "oh that sounds like a good idea I want to do that too." And so I think about stocking up on juice and just having that and nothing else. And then I start drinking juice for a meal and when I realize I can have nothing else, I think "this is the shittiest thing I've ever tried in a long time." And I stop the cleanse. Actually, I think what I am attracted to is the word "cleanse." Who doens't want to hug that word? It's such a great sounding word. Cleanse. Cleanse. Cleanse.

2. I just got a card from Lenscrafters saying I will get free lenses if I buy a new frame. Yeah, right. "Free" as long as you have single vision with no other weird stuff like astigmatism and all the other short-sighted vs. far-sighted shit that happens to your eyes with age. But I'll still take the card in becuase it's time and I do need a new prescription. Usually my AAA card ends up giving me a bigger discount than these periodic promos that come in the mail. But no worries. I do love my lenscrafters.

1. I started installing my show yesterday for I See Boat People (which you are invited to attend, by the way). Before yesterday I had been thinking "Oh I wish I had a bigger studio to show all my stuff" but after yesterday, I thank my lucky stars that my studio is not any larger. One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that it's hard to fill a studio with a body of work where every piece feels worthy and right. And I also learned that I trust deeply the feedback and editing that my daughter gives me about it all.