Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Working Out the Demons

I was in a mood a little over a week ago. Ever have that? It happens to me every so often—here comes Mr. Mood being all chummy. I didn't know what to do with him. I got a little tired of just listening to old music that would make my heart hurt (Billy Holiday, Marlena Dietrich, that sort of thing). So I opened up an old suitcase that I keep of collage materials and in it I found some of my work.

It was strange to see unfinished things that I had done or started years ago. I flipped through them, made a neat pile, and stuck them back in the suitcase... for a few minutes. Then I opened the thing back up, pulled the work back out, and hung a few pieces on the wall so that I would have to think about them. I had a couple of painted boards that I took a Sharpie® marker to, writing and writing until I felt like I didn't have to anymore—I could always paint over them. It was cathartic. I feel better.

When in doubt, get your Sharpie® marker out!