In Pennsylvania we are looking at more snow. However, I also realize there is 18 days until spring. Recognizing that a transformation is slowly in process, I thought I would follow up from the last post with some of my own progressive movements. Here I am adding a bit, turning the soil, and keeping a watchful eye for changes.
I did not have a lot of ideas for blog posts this week. However, the picture above came about to reflect this dilemma. Sometimes it is the little efforts or acts that sustains us and can provide for us in unexpected ways.
Tom, who is a friend and co-worker, left a paper on our work desk that said “Fill Poppin”. I was left to wonder what this was about? In my mind it quickly became a person named Phil Poppin. Later I found out that Poppin was merchandise and Tom’s job was to fill a display of Poppins products. Having kept the paper with the note on it, I decided to fill it with what I considered poppins. This reminded me of my work creating portraits of Mr. Wisor. Because Mr. Wisor represented wisdom, I tried to fill him up with the wonders the world has to offer. Mr. Wisor was/is a real person and someone I met. However, Phil Poppin will have to come into being or perhaps I will bump into him.
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| Title: Mr. Wisor, Size: 22″ x 15″, Mixed media, Date: 2008 |
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| Title: Mr. Wisor (Occidental), Size: 24″ x 18″, Mixed media, Date: 2009 |
Valentines Day brought about two surprises. First, a wonderful co-worker made cheesecake served in little jars (akin to a parfait) for all of the workers on the clock. Second, my friend Emmet surprised me with a book about the printmaker Hercules Segers. We had talked about Segers and this book for months and little did I know he ordered it. Never, did I feel so thankful and blessed to have good friends. Regarding the photograph above, I cannot recall another time that I felt a picture need to be made fast because the primary subject would be digested. In more ways then one it seems that a treat in a jar and a book are food for thought.
Since a snow storm knocked out power in my house (this has lasted 5 days), blogging has not been at the center of my attention. However, I got out today and attended a lecture and worship meeting. One of the messages was a simple but profound reminder to ‘consider what you can give without consideration for what you can get’. If one follows this approach then one will be less likely to be disappointed and more likely to feel the warmth that contribution provides.