I am happy to announce that an article I wrote, “The Art of Emily Squires Levine” appears in the latest issue of The Polymer Arts. You can access a sample version of the magazine here. Besides writing about the gorgeous, colorful, vessels works of art that Emily constructs from the dinky plastic dough made for children that we call polymer, writing the article sparked a personal exploration of why the process of artistic growth, or any type of growth at all, can be so achingly frightening. Even when we know what we must do.
The process of shifting from one stage to another involves leaving part of one’s self behind. This process can be made less painful when it is part of a ritualized experience (think of your first day of school), or a group experience. But we are usually on our own when it comes to personal transformation. And it is so hard to let go of what is familiar and what (we tell ourselves) has worked so long. Why change?
I think that all change involves letting go, but our human nature and instinct for survival can make us resist letting go. Letting go involves a death of sorts. But without letting go, things don’t change. We don’t change.
How to let go? Acting in love is one possibility. Love can help us do things we never thought possible. There are concrete examples of this in “The Art of Emily Squires Levine. ”
I am still thinking about all of this and would like to know how you feel if you care to share your thoughts.
Ornamento 