Tonight I have a new green and a new blue. It's always good for the soul to try new things. And 333, what a satisfyingly symmetrical number! I'm rapidly coming up on a year of prints. I've been trying to photograph this body of work for several months. The learning curve has been steep. I keep thinking I have everything right only to find I've miss another detail. However, I think I've finally figured it out. I photographed about a half of the pieces today. It was truly an experience to see so much of this year again and how much the monotypes have evolved from where I started. I really felt a deep sense of power of working and not giving up. I have been transformed by this process and I felt filled up viewing the results even as I was doing one of the least fun tasks for an artist. I feel endless gratitude as an artist to The Artist who is the source of all creativity. I love this poem about the Source within us.
The Path of Amazement
by Seyyid Seyfullah Nizamoglu, trans. Jennifer Ferraro and Latif Bolat
I cannot say who it is I am I am amazed, I am amazed!
I cannot call this self ‘myself’ I am amazed, I am amazed!
Who is in my eyes seeing?
Who is in my heart enduring?
Who is inhaling and exhaling? I am amazed, I am amazed!
Who is speaking with my tongue?
Who is listening with my ears?
Who is understanding with my mind? I am amazed, I am amazed!
Who is stepping with these feet?
Who is tasting with my mouth?
Who is chewing and who swallowing? I am amazed, I am amazed!
Who holds these riches in his hand?
Who is the one throwing them away?
Who is buying and who selling? I am amazed, I am amazed!
Why is there life coursing below my skin?
Why are my eyes bloodshot from crying?
Why this religion, why this faith? I am amazed, I am amazed!
O Seyyid Nizamoglu, hear this:
Everything comes from the One.
Abandon yourself to this mighty beauty I am amazed, I am amazed!