The Mossletter 32

Hey Friends,

I know it’s been many moons since I’ve fired off one of these missives, but I truly hope your Winter / Spring / Summer (and soon to be) / Fall have been the bees knees (minus the stings). 🐝

PS: did you know that it’s possible to be stung by a bee — underwater? (I should know — it happened to me in a pool this summer! 😬) So what did I takeaway from this experience?

Nature is heavy metal. 🎸

✏️ Art Drop

Let’s dive into it: here’s some “on location” sketches I worked on not too long ago. Again, my goal with these sketches was not perfection, but to challenge myself to “capture the essence” of the subject. (Essentially, I gave myself some structure and limitations to see what I can come up with in about an hour or so, not in the comfort of a cushy studio, using good ol’ fashioned pencil and paper.)

Oh, and guess what? 😉

… yup it’s true, for the first time in years — I’m back in the (art) studio working on a series of paintings. Stay tuned!

🎧 Spin It To Win It

My old buddy Wayne G Miller has put out some legit-infectious tunes lately, and I have to share ‘em …

I can personally relate to this track (Bad Self Talk) for a couple reasons: Wayne and I both shared the experience of growing up in small-town Oregon, and well, sometimes I too fall prey to the titular affliction (alas, I am human). Good news is, this song isn’t a downer; it’s a shimmering little ditty that rings in clear and bright.

If this song (Nantucket) doesn’t make you smile (or maybe even laugh), I can’t help you. This is (probably) more funny to people that live in Los Angeles, but on the flip side of “adulting” — if you’ve ever had the urge to just ditch the city and go back to simpler living in the country — then this song is for you.

… and finally, here’s another earworm (Anchor) that you’ll likely be singing along to the chorus by the time the second verse rolls around … I’m not exactly sure what compelled Wayne to write this song — but these lyrics speak directly to me:

Let it out, let it out

If you never share

then you’ll never know

Let it out, let it out

If you don’t let go

Then you’ll never grow

… and honestly, that tracks perfectly with my own artistic journey at this moment (for me, it’s the guts that I’m mustering to share my new series of visual artworks, because at the end of the day — why just keep them to myself? That would be lame.)

TL;DR — Wayne has gotten (really) good at crafting layered and polished pop pieces that still retain peculiar edges and contours and quirks to them (and that’s a tricky line to walk, but IMHO he aces it). ♠️

PS: he’s also an in-demand Producer over at Selma Studios (if you need help realizing your musical vision). 🎧️

📖 Take A Look, It’s In A Book

Speaking of prolific music producers (how’s that for a segue?) I’ve been savoring The Creative Act: A Way Of Being by artistic soothsayer / beard aficionado Rick Rubin. 🧔

‎The Creative Act

‎Health, Mind & Body · 2023

Apple BooksRick Rubin

If you go into his book thinking you’re gonna hear sweet backstories from when he worked with the Beastie Boys or Johnny Cash, you may come up a tad disappointed. Instead, this is a zen-like meditation on the creative process itself. The chapters are small, yet mighty (making them the perfect snack to pop here and there when you need a dose of inspiration). While you may not ascribe to some of his more spirtually-charged language, one cannot help but read his deepest thoughts and find a connection to something … greater … than oneself (which could simply be the thrill and elation of releasing your creativity into the zeitgeist).

I’ve nicknamed this “The Technicolor Dream Book” because I’ve highlighted it in so many colors and on so many pages … Honestly, there are far too many nuggets of knowledge or mind-bending koans to list here, but I’ll drop a handful of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Tuning In” 📻️

The best artists tend to be the ones with the most sensitive antennae to draw in the energy resonating at a particular moment. Many great artists first develop sensitive antennae not to create art but to protect themselves. They have to protect themselves because everything hurts more. They feel everything more deeply.

“The Unseen” 👁️

By conventional definition, the purpose of art is to create physical and digital artifacts. To fill shelves with pottery, books, and records.

Though artists generally aren’t aware of it, that end work is a by-product of a greater desire. We aren’t creating to produce or sell material products. The act of creation is an attempt to enter a mysterious realm. A longing to transcend. What we create allows us to share glimpses of an inner landscape, one that is beyond our understanding. Art is our portal to the unseen world.

“Self-Doubt” 🧠

The making of art is not a competitive act. Our work is representative of the self. You would be amiss to say, “I’m not up to the challenge.” Yes, you may need to deepen your craft to fully realize your vision. If you’re not up to it, no one else can do it. Only you can. You’re the only one with your voice.

“Make It Up” 🏺

In Japanese pottery, there’s an artful form of repair called kintsugi. When a piece of ceramic pottery breaks, rather than trying to restore it to its original condition, the artisan accentuates the fault by using gold to fill the crack. This beautifully draws attention to where the work was broken, creating a golden vein. Instead of the flaw diminishing the work, it becomes a focal point, an area of both physical and aesthetic strength. The scar also tells the story of the piece, chronicling its past experience.

We can apply this same technique to ourselves and embrace our imperfections. Whatever insecurities we have can be reframed as a guiding force in our creativity. They only become a hindrance when they prevent our ability to share what’s closest to our heart.

🖋 Parting Words

You build on failure. You use it as a stepping-stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space. — Johnny Cash