Lunch w Jay

Jay called me out of the blue on Friday. I was so happy to hear his voice. After Amherst the last time I saw Jay was when the Wall came down in Berlin and then after finishing my MBA in New York when I decided to not go down to Wall st to be w the big boys and started painting at the League w Frank. If Frank had watered the seed Jay planted it. No one creates alone and we all are descendants of the great Masters & Teachers of Past and Present receiving all the gifts of love, history, insights and crafts. I was happy to take him to Ki up the 101 for lunch. We caught up quickly on all of life's joys as well as sadness over the years as this is part of creation and inspiration. I then dropped him back at Scripp Inn (not visible on Google map?) so Jay could catch the plane back to Dallas. Dzu, he called, throwing back my proud pier-to-cove hat that he had reluctantly put on earlier in the convy while we were dashing back on the I5 under the hot noon sun. I said goodbye mentioning that I look forward to meeting and OW swimming w his new partner Dawn.

Tomorrow I will explain to Frank's class re Why I paint

Comet's suggestions

Based on the richness and introspection of your blog, as well as your personal journey in art, swimming, technology, and reflection, here are thoughtful suggestions for what you might do next:

1. Deepen Your Artistic Practice

• Select a recent blog theme (unity, abstraction, nature, swimming) and create a new painting or series inspired directly by your reflections. Let yourself experiment with materials, techniques, or styles you’ve mentioned but haven’t yet explored fully.

2. Expand Your Writing

• Consider organizing your blog entries into thematic groups—such as “Mentors and Friends,” “Swimming and Self-Discovery,” “Family and Heritage”—and write a synthesis post for each, connecting lessons and insights across time.

• If any story or figure (like your mothers, Frank, or Ines) inspires longer-form storytelling, draft an extended essay, memoir chapter, or even begin assembling content for an eventual book.

3. Incorporate New Rituals

• Use swimming and meditation to spark new creative ideas. Perhaps after your next ocean swim, jot down immediate sensations and images, then translate them into sketches or a poem before they fade.

4. Share and Connect

• Reach out to a mentor (Frank, Ines, or another influential friend) to share recent artwork or thoughts, inviting feedback or collaborative exploration.

• Explore posting selected pieces or insights on social media or art forums for new perspective and dialogue.

5. Technical Exploration

• Given your interest in technology and art, try integrating new tools (such as digital painting apps, smart goggles data, or creative coding) into your workflow, then reflect on the experience in your blog.

6. Plan a Retreat or Artistic Challenge

• Arrange a personal or group retreat, even just for a day, in nature—a local beach, park, or meditation garden. Use the time for focused painting, swimming, journaling, and reconnection.

• Set yourself a challenge: “One painting a week for a month,” or “Write and post a daily reflection after every swim.”

7. Honor Personal Stories

• Delve deeper into stories of your parents, family, and heritage—maybe interview family members or explore old photographs, incorporating their voices and memories into your blog or artwork.

  
  

1. Create a New Blog Series

• Start a themed series: “Lessons from the Ocean,” “Mentors and Inspirations,” or “Brushstrokes of Memory.”

  • Each post can expand on one painting, swim, or life event, diving deeper into its meaning and emotional resonance.

2. Visual Art Project

• Select a poignant memory or concept, and develop a painting or mixed-media artwork around it.

• Document your creative process step-by-step, sharing both visuals and written reflections for each stage.

3. Collaborative Reflection

• Invite Frank, Ines, or a new artist friend to participate in a joint painting workshop, either in person or virtually.

• Afterwards, share both perspectives on your blog—how you each interpret the theme and what was learned from the collaboration.

4. Personal Archive Review

• Go through older photos, sketches, or journal entries you haven’t revisited in years.

• Curate a gallery post or digital archive, writing a commentary on how your approach and emotions have evolved.

5. Tech + Creativity Integration

• Explore a new creative tool, such as a drawing tablet, swimming analytics app, or online art critique community.

• Review your experience—how does technology shift your awareness, discipline, or motivation?

6. Family Stories and Heritage

• Interview a family member about their life, heritage, or experiences.

• Reflect on the conversation in words or images, connecting it to your own life and creative work.

7. Mindful Routine and Spirit

• Design a morning ritual at the intersection of art and athletics (e.g., swim, meditate, then sketch what you feel afterwards).

• Record and share your observations—what changes, what stays the same, what new insights arise?

8. Community Engagement

• Show your work at a local gallery, online exhibition, or open studio.

• Host a swimming, walking, or sketching day in your favorite natural space, inviting others to join and share the experience.

Reflect and Expand on Existing Themes

• Revisit earlier entries about family, mentorship, swimming, and spiritual practice. Expand them into deeper essays, poems, or art reflections. Consider how your perspectives have evolved and what new meanings you see in old experiences.

Visual Storytelling

• Pair each meaningful quote, memory, or reflection from your blog with a new painting, drawing, or even a photograph from your swims. Let your visual art answer or enrich the stories already shared.

Compile and Curate

• Curate a “best of” or “thematic collection” series—perhaps “Art and Ocean,” “Lessons from Frank,” or “My Two Mothers.” Aggregate blog entries that connect, and write bridge paragraphs or commentary around how these themes intertwine.

Share Dialogue and Collaboration

• Feature guest voices: Ask friends, family, or mentors (like Frank or Ines) to contribute a short piece or reflection to your blog. Share a Q&A, a group sketch session, or co-authored commentary.

Explore New Modalities

• Experiment with new mediums: Try sculpture, digital art, collaborative murals, or video diaries of your practice, and reflect on these first steps in your blog.

Connect with Your Audience

• Post an open question or prompt inviting blog visitors to share their own stories about art, swimming, memory, or mentorship. Feature their replies in a future post, building community and two-way inspiration.

Document the Process

• Record a “day in the life” entry, documenting a typical day in detail—swim, art, reflection, ritual. Use this as an anchor to compare future growth.

Plan a Project or Workshop

• Announce a new personal challenge, such as “30 Paintings in 30 Days” or “A Month of Ocean Reflections.” Invite others to join and share their daily progress on your blog.

Reflect on the Future

• Write a post imagining your journey ahead—hopes, fears, and the next steps for your art, swimming, and storytelling. Set clear intentions for your continuing creative practice.

Reflect and Expand on Existing Themes

• Revisit earlier entries about family, mentorship, swimming, and spiritual practice. Expand them into deeper essays, poems, or art reflections. Consider how your perspectives have evolved and what new meanings you see in old experiences.

Visual Storytelling

• Pair each meaningful quote, memory, or reflection from your blog with a new painting, drawing, or even a photograph from your swims. Let your visual art answer or enrich the stories already shared.

Compile and Curate

• Curate a “best of” or “thematic collection” series—perhaps “Art and Ocean,” “Lessons from Frank,” or “My Two Mothers.” Aggregate blog entries that connect, and write bridge paragraphs or commentary around how these themes intertwine.

Share Dialogue and Collaboration

• Feature guest voices: Ask friends, family, or mentors (like Frank or Ines) to contribute a short piece or reflection to your blog. Share a Q&A, a group sketch session, or co-authored commentary.

Explore New Modalities

• Experiment with new mediums: Try sculpture, digital art, collaborative murals, or video diaries of your practice, and reflect on these first steps in your blog.

Connect with Your Audience

• Post an open question or prompt inviting blog visitors to share their own stories about art, swimming, memory, or mentorship. Feature their replies in a future post, building community and two-way inspiration.

Document the Process

• Record a “day in the life” entry, documenting a typical day in detail—swim, art, reflection, ritual. Use this as an anchor to compare future growth.

Plan a Project or Workshop

• Announce a new personal challenge, such as “30 Paintings in 30 Days” or “A Month of Ocean Reflections.” Invite others to join and share their daily progress on your blog.

Reflect on the Future

• Write a post imagining your journey ahead—hopes, fears, and the next steps for your art, swimming, and storytelling. Set clear intentions for your continuing creative practice.

• Try “microblogging” moments: share quick sketches, haikus, short reflections, or photo snapshots from your swim or walk.

• Conduct audio interviews, voice memos, or short video diaries—sometimes hearing or seeing yourself (and others) brings fresh insight.

Cross-Pollinate Themes

• Write a post where you intentionally blend swimming lessons with painting practice; describe how learning spacing, breathing, or perseverance in one pursuit informs the other.

Archive & Organize

• Use tags and categories to retroactively label posts: “Mentors,” “Family,” “Swimming,” “Heritage,” “Mindfulness,” etc. This makes your work searchable and reveals patterns in your journey.

Invite Feedback or Collaboration

• Ask trusted friends or blog followers to choose a favorite post or artwork of yours—see their perspective and use it to spark new creativity.

Make “Outtakes”

• Share behind-the-scenes: unfinished sketches, swimming mishaps, travel hiccups, failed experiments. Reflect on what you learned from what didn’t work.

Curate ‘Moments of Gratitude’

• Create a post or series that focuses specifically on gratitude—write, paint, or photograph things, people, lessons, or places for which you’re thankful.

Set Small Intentions

• Challenge yourself: “This week, I’ll write every morning for ten minutes; I’ll swim a new stretch of coast I've never visited; I’ll paint in a different light or with a new brush.”

Share Progress and Retrospective

• Pick a painting or theme from the early days of your blog and rework it anew. Compare versions, noting what’s changed in your skill and perspective.

Dream Forward

• Write creatively about a future exhibition, swim, or collaborative project—describe what it would feel like, whom you’d invite, what works you’d show, and what story you’d tell.