Patrice A. was the author of a thought provoking drawing challenge this
week: ‘proverb or saying’.
The first adage to pop into my mind was: “one day at a time”, a saying that literally saved my
life. As I walked each morning, rolling
the phrase around in my mind, I was also thinking of a book I am reading, Josef
Albers’s classic ‘Interaction of Color’.
Albers writes that even if a group of people focus on the same color, so that
everyone receives the same projection on their retinas, no one can be sure
whether each has the same perception. I
considered my conception of time, which I have always visualized as a circle of
twelve months that I am traveling around counterclockwise. I
wondered what others perceive when they think of time.
I decided to illustrate my notion of time using a volvelle built
using techniques found in ‘Making Handmade Books’ by Alisa Golden, an absolute treasure trove of inspiration, instruction and delight for
artist book makers.
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| 'Time is Not a River' volvelle; card stock and recycled calendar pages |
I titled the piece with another favorite saying, part of an old joke I love: 'Time is a river... or maybe it isn't.' What do you visualize when you think of time? You won't be wasting yours if you visit Patrice's wonderful blog where artists are airing adages this week.
Another treasure you have made. I see your little books as 3-D art. I love what you make Sus. You are so precise. Exact. Neat. Awesome. Arty. These art books knock my socks off. I'd like to see this done with archetypes in them. Or Goddess ones, with snakes and tools of the 'trade' so to speak. Or witchy ones with cauldrons. Maybe a Halloween one with pumpkins and ghosts and ghouls and bats. I love this book format!! Any chance of a wee tut? I think of time as a line (very linear and one-directional) and I don't know why. Maybe a literal time-line. But really I think time is circular or at least happening spirally so that at a point in time it can happen in two different spots but at one point where it crosses itself. This would explain [in my mind's eye anyway] deja vu, or e.s.p. or foretelling the future, or past life memories, or karma (especially karma) like in a karmic wheel, or having two things happen at the same time as we perceive it. I once saw on a British t.v. show called "Most Haunted" a scene shot on the Queen Mary ship which is now in California or somewhere in the U.S.A., a scenario where a camera man or someone off camera saw a woman come out of the swimming pool which was in the bottom of the ship and completely devoid of water, and go toward the changing room. Apparently this ghost is often seen. The investigation team raced to where she was and found WET feet prints. They analyzed them and found them to be that of a woman. Another time, one of the hosts of the show called out to a child to play with her. The host threw a key chain or something and the key chain came flying back to her. The entire thing was on camera so it couldn't have been set up. You could hear the child laughing faintly. Another time (believe it or not), a very unfriendly spirit beat up a guy who was part of the investigation crew. The spirits or ghosts attacked him, knocked him down and scratched and kicked him. You could see the nail marks on his back and blood lines. It was so awesome man!! Brilliant. One of my all time favourite shows. So these happenings I think, happen on the time spiral where time crosses itself if you know what I mean (two things can happen at the same time, but different times.) Aren't you glad you asked the question Sus! HA! Love Norma, xo
ReplyDeletemaybe time is both, a river and a circle, as a river is in fact a circle too, a circle of water, raindrops falling on the earth longing for the sea and become raindrops once more,
ReplyDeleteyour circle is a beauty, again finely made, the months, the seasons, the flowers; i feel time that way i suppose, the time of the snowdrops, the columbines,the lilacs, the roses etc.
keep making these 3D's Sus,xx
I love what you made, the beautiful colours against the black, just wonderful! Time is difficult for me, I always feel I have too little...If I'm doing nothing I feel that I'm wasting my time so I'm always running. It's important for me to feel time and just sit.,.. I try;-)
ReplyDeleteit's wonderful to see the cycle of the seasons - and so intersting to think about time as a circle. It would be great to get more time for wonderful things like painting, visit friends, cooking, walking, singing...
ReplyDelete:-) mano
what a clever project! I have have been coming to the conclusion that time is an illusion or maybe a dream and that it's really the moment that is true...and that the cycles we experience are just memory's way of keeping continuity or collecting moments to form a bigger picture.
ReplyDeleteYour piece is wonderful!!
HA! Time is a river - or maybe it isn't - that made me chuckle. I too love your creation. so beautifully created. Time has gone far to quickly for me at times, and I work to stay in the present and still learn from and remember the past and plan and prepare for the future - whew - it is a big job. Staying still for bits of time each day is helpful. - I too found strength and comfort in the words 'one day at a time'.
ReplyDeleteLove your creation, enjoy your time this weekend and throughout your circle.
Oh, Congratulations, a great and interesting work!
ReplyDeleteI think that at the time, you never lose it.
at the time, you finds,
you find time to think, you find time to create, you find time to rest, love, mourn, laugh, even at that time that we get out of hand, and that we call, mistakenly, "lost time", one must find it, and when you realize this, never ever call it "lost time".
You found, at that time, and passed through your life leaving something.
Have a nice week!!!
I love it all, the proverbs and esoecially your clever and wonderful artwork about the circles of time. I guess when it comes to nature it seems to be a circle, but at other times it could be all a river sn illusion something somehow unreal.
ReplyDeleteSue,
ReplyDeleteNot at all how I envisioned that you would put this idea together, but so very detailed and lovely! I think your "center" is perfect.
xxx Cindi
interesting, your mention of colour, and the ways of perception. same goes for time, i find. i'm amazed at how different people relate to time, e.g. when one is waiting on another, or the other is running for the one?
ReplyDeletethank you for that alica golden link, i've looked well into it. i've actually ordered the book! hee hee... because i'm impressed by your take here. reminding me too of viewmaster. it'd be lovely to slot it into a master machine...! ;)))
n♥
your words reminds me of one of my lessons
ReplyDeletewhere i tried to explain that everyone has it's own reality
we all see different things and colors
and i think it's the same with time
one day at a time or step by step
are mantras in my head, every day
and
besides that
you made a wonderful piece!
i have to focus on the now, on today
thanks for playing
love
Patrice A.
xo
Great! Idea, implementation, colours, thoughts, everything!
ReplyDeleteReminds me of a documentary about time I saw some time ago, and me reading the wiki-article about time afterwards, which left me totally confused. I realised that time is one of those phenomenons that humanity hasn't even come close to understand...I bet this saying comes from a time scientist! ;o)
Time ....?
ReplyDeletesitting in an early sunshine ....
cycling along a long strait road ....
lots of tiny stitches on some quilt or embroidered piece ....
photos of the time you/your kids were little ....
a granddaughter all of a sudden nearly 12 ....
the wrinkles in the evening in the mirror ....
(and lots of other things) ;-)
Excellent :–)
ReplyDeleteI divide my months up in 28 days times 13 months =364 days
wow, this is fantastic, I would love to play with it (carefully of cause) - there are so many informations in your post, I have to think about... could time be both, a circle and a river?
ReplyDeleteLove your input x Stefanie
oh yes it is indeed
ReplyDeletea circle
beautiful interpretation : )
dear Sus, may i invite you for our next dc, i'm hosting nr. 105,xx
ReplyDelete