Here’s a snippet of an article I came across yesterday in a cafe magazine:

The artist is photographer Bruce Connew, the subject is his process for putting together his latest collection of images.

Bruce’s process reads as gradual, logical, methodical – a measured progressive system:

• amass the many potential elements
• edit and refine
• sequence and fine tune
• hand over to the next person in the process for finishing
• voila!

In contrast, here’s the best image I have come across to illustrate my process:

Maze, by Joe Read, c2012

When I am working on a project I experience my own process as a blind, chaotic yomp through hostile territory. Every day I work to make progress. My mind writhes and races:

• try-this-no-try-that
• wait-what-about-this
• read this, no read this

I thrash and wrangle and then try sitting peacefully, yet nothing builds, things don’t amass. Ideas soar for a day then shrivel and die and I wake again to tumbleweed. Here’s a recent update to Liesbeth:

I am struggling at the moment to solidify a vision of what we should present at the Objectspace show. I can have an oblique view of a promising picture when looking elsewhere but it swims away when I try to pin it down. Very frustrating. It will come. I am hoping for ephemeral, want to avoid heavy-handed. But still want to give a feast to the viewers. And a participatory experience, rather than just a view…

This morning on my run, ideas that seemed significant kept coming to me. So as not to lose them I emailed them to myself before running on. This is my inbox now:

Perhaps this means I am getting closer.

To try to force the issue I have committed to three conversations/crit sessions with jeweller/artist friends who know my practice and will talk straight; it’s  important not to waste the time of these people, so I must go and prepare.

Meanwhile, on a lighter note, here’s the view from the top of Mount Vic this morning – literally the high point of my day:

Not too shabby eh.