Hungry? I am...

The changes I notice today in having to post a daily blog are interesting. It's easier if I just decide to come up with something a little more reality-like. I say reality-like because I don't feel like it's a departure from my usual process. I still start with a few ideas that are narrative in nature and start abstracting them. I've been at this seriously now for nearly two years and process-wise I have observed a regular pattern in myself that I enjoy. It causes me some trouble in school sometimes, but it basically goes like this:

• I look at the given idea and there is an immediate narrative that comes to mind. I plan that, and it begins to abstract itself.
  
• I narrow down my images to basic ideas of form and relationship.
• I connect the work to my school work as a whole somehow, either in name or structure.
• I remove the personal and focus on my moments impetus (here, it's I'm hungry, I'm stressed, it's probably time I focused outside of myself).
• Edit.
• Present.

This is personal process, because I like it. The daily practice makes elaborate structures and formal elements a little cumbersome, but in this case it's fine to let those darlings go. Also, I wouldn't normally do this kind of work because I personally feel it's a little over done. I thought a lot about that when viewing two things this past week, Umali's still collection and in Variations when he is watching the plastic bag scene. Here are two works that are clearly far in advance of their popular counterparts "Noah takes a picture for 6 years" and "American Beauty." I spend a lot of energy trying not to copy. V-logs, and plagiarism just seem a little done to me. This is not to discount influence and it's function, but if I am going to make something that looks like someone else's something, I kind of feel like I'd like to have it be accidental, or at least attributable as an abstraction.

That said, I guess I have to take a look at whether or not that is just another darling I need to let go. Like my recent questions in my two black and white film classes, which is the personal element this video kind of addresses- take a step back, eat something, do some things for other people and release my pursuit of certain ideas that I have been obsessing over. They may be unnecessary, and my hunger may be clouding my judgment. Simplify. Release some creative control.

So, if you happen along this entry, there will be cinnamon rolls where I work tomorrow. Meat and dairy free, if that matters to you. They are part of the piece. They might be a little weird, but I think they'll be really good. Of course, we'll just have to see.

Today's i-fluence: