Desire Lines

i've been holding on to this for almost a month now...not quite sure if i was ready to let go of it yet.  i created this for Patti Digh's 37 days book project and the essay that i was given to illustrate was called Desire Lines. 

in this essay, Patti talks about her delight in finding out that there's an actual name for the "off the official path" pathways that people create...you know the ones...where the grass has been worn away and they lead off to where people really want to go rather than where they're being directed.  landscape architects call these well trodden paths that are found in parks and public spaces...desire lines. 

when i read the essay i felt, as did many of the artists involved in this project, that it was it was the perfect one for me to receive.  for most of my life i was aware that i didn't fit into the boxes that others seemed comfortable in.  with time, and life experiences, i've come to realize that it's not only okay to feel different, but it's essential to my physical and mental well being that i honour the differences.  like many creative souls, the left brained corporate life always felt slightly uncomfortable for me...my ideas, my approach and my outlook was a little too eccentric to be mainstream so i learned early on as did many of us, to stick to the paved paths.  it was easier to fit in and not "stand out" .

the time comes though, in almost everyone's life when, as Anais Nin says "the risk to remain tight in a bud is more painful than the risk it takes to blossom" and eventually i began to wander off the beaten path, to follow my own desire lines...covertly at first and then gradually risking exposure in the light of day.  starting this blog was probably my biggest step towards following my desire lines...by revealing my art and my thoughts on life, not only to strangers but to friends and family. (and why is it that the friends and family part is almost always harder than with strangers!)

the artistic concept came from a post by Donna Downy (thank you Donna!) in which she writes about learning from other people's art...finding a style that speaks to you and incorporating it in your own work until you make your own style out of it.  in the scrapbook world, this is called scraplifting and is considered to be a compliment to the artist.  it's not copying per se, but using techniques and styles as inspiration and when combined with our own style, it becomes uniquely our own. 

i've also become very interested in art journaling recently...combining art and journaling together, to express thoughts and feelings, so i typed out an excerpt from Patti's essay and then covered it up with digital 'paint strokes'.  keeping most of the words partially 'hidden', i erased the paint over the words that were important to be revealed and then highlighted them, demonstrating my sometimes conflicting desires of remaining private and yet baring my soul...or staying on the official path versus creating my own new paths!  i've recently returned to painting so it seemed natural to incorporate the free wheeling style of paint brushes here, digitally.

the orange line that goes veering off into space represents my renegade desires and yearnings (bright colour and certainly not hidden!) that are finding their own way off the beaten path.  the way unfolds with each step we take when we purposefully stray from the path and the destination is as yet uncertain.  even the frame, though trying to contain, is made up of lines that are unruly with yearnings and desire.

i did two other pieces for this essay...both more traditional in approach...that i'll post later this week... 

...but this one felt to me as though it really spoke about those unbridled and unofficial, renegade desire lines that i'm finally creating.

Comments

[Helen]

I love this Kate and I can see that you really enjoyed the creative process. I am also an `eccentric' so I liked reading your thoughts here. This is very like an `altered book' which is something I want to try next year.

[sorrow]

This is awesome! I am so glad to read you enjoyed your 37 days challenge!
Art journaling? it's funny that is how I like to describe your blog,for you combine such sumptuous photo's with such challenging and thoughtful commentaries.hmmm
Thank you for sharing this, I really enjoyed.

[martie]

Great post Kate. Lots of food for thought! We sure are glad you took the desire line that led you to Blogging!

[Olivia]

I love this too, Kate, and I especially appreciate you describing your process and how and why you did what you did...xxoo, O

[Crafty Green Poet]

I also enjoy wandering off down different tracks. I like your art here and the way you described the process.

[Leah]

Both image and essay are so very wonderful and imaginative; thank you!