Guest Post

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The artist and his artFirst, I want to apologize for my sporadic absence in this blog. I’ve been busy and honestly, I had no inspiration to write. Last week I completed 3 paintings and this week 1 sculpture (after destroying a nearly finished one). I’ve been also working on the sculpting and painting parties, and also started teaching a basic computer skills class for the Literacy Center of Milford. Soon I’ll be announcing a group art show in New Haven. Before that show, I’ll be speaking at The Grove in New Haven May 21st, and where we are holding our Sculpting Night, Friday, April 24 (get the information and RSVP here). Speaking of which, better than writing a blog about oneself or what is going on is to read when someone writes about it. I want to share this guest post article with you: Sculpt Your Brain. Enjoy it! Let me know what you think about it.

Drawing or Writing

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What comes first, drawing or writing? I know another question that sounds very similar to that. As I am writing this post, I am also drawing. I am also eating, having some coffee, checking the comments and likes, the pictures and postings on social media, and talking to my wife. I like to draw and write in the morning as part of a morning routine. I don’t have to, but I like it that way. Some days are very busy specially during these two weeks. Let’s go back to drawing or writing.

If I have to pick between drawing or writing, drawing wins all the time, but I enjoy writing too. It is challenging but it is fun. I finished the book, so the blog now is just part of my own developmental process for future books, to continue public speaking, and it is also good for me to put my ideas out of my brain to save storage space. Sometimes the inspiration for writing hits before drawing does, sometimes they come together, sometimes drawing knocks at the door first. It varies.

The sketch I’m working on as I write this is already providing a path for the next post. I like when that happens. Either way developing discipline in what you love is very important for improvement no matter what it is. If you are passionate about something you will pursue it. Natural raw talent can only take you thus far, but practice and commitment makes it part of who you are. There is no need to practice all day or stop enjoying other things in life. That will turn you into a slave and take a way the fun of it.

Working on the Book

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After thinking for a while about it, and as part of the 100 post celebration a few days ago, I decided to take a look back at all the postings and how they can be put together to shape the book I want to publish. That is the main goal of this blog, to write the things that come to mind in order to write a book little by little. Better yet, writing pieces of the book. It is a big puzzle. Interestingly, the current posts were more than enough to put it all together. I am not looking to publish a 300-500 page book; not yet. Let’s build up to that with a smaller goal.

It is so exciting to be working on the book. It is taking form. I finished last night with the core content. The rough first draft is ready for me to read it and clean it up and make several revisions before I can send it to a few people for their revisions. I still have to cast the pieces of the new collection this book presents, and take pictures. The pieces will come together to create the graphic art work and select the pictures that would be included. It is going to be a long process but at least the most difficult part is done. 

Someone told me years ago that I would be writing books. A short 100 page book is a very good start. I am really enjoying the blog and how it keeps my brain working actively every day. I like how it is enhancing an awareness of my thoughts. I am also more aware of my creative process. Nevertheless, the writing exercise is also helping me to listen more and observe more. A lot of inspiration and ideas are accumulating in the process but for now I am going to concentrate on my goal. I truly appreciate that you are reading this. I appreciate the comments as well. It is very encouraging when people make comments here and the messages I receive. Thank you for that.

One Hundred Posts

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One hundred posts ago I was debating if writing a blog was a good idea or not. Who read this things? Who would be interested in reading what I write? I am not a writer, not a poet, I’m no longer a comedian, and the things I know are not that spectacular. When I began writing I thought I was writing a journal just for myself to build up towards putting together a book, which is still my main goal. Although the book is going to focus on the technological and philosophical aspects of the new collection, this blog contains a lot of related pieces. Writing a blog was not my idea. It was my wife’s idea.

After 14,000 views, 15 or more posts published as articles, all the great comments, and a few contemptibly obnoxious individuals, I think it was a good idea. It has been a great learning experience so far and also an exercise of discipline. It keeps me thinking about what to write next. It helps me to pay more attention to what I say and it is teaching me to listen more and read more. Not only I’m developing the strategies to write my book but also paying more attention to my sculpting process both technically and conceptually in order to be able to explain how the mind of this artist works. This is a new kind of awareness for me. I discovered that my brain is more hyperactive than I thought and even when I talk a lot I’m also more insightful than it seems.

The responses from people not only on the website, but the emails,and the discussions in social media platforms derived from the blog make the writing process more interesting. I love how the things we write and how we write online tell a lot a bout who we are as people. You can tell so many things about a person just for the way they approach an online discussion. There is always something to add and think about when any of these subjects are presented. Being able to provoke a camaraderie in these online discussions is a good thing.

I hope to continue writing a few more posts. I am not even close to halfway there towards my goal. Nevertheless, one hundred posts is a great milestone for me.

Empty Page

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empty page

Writing a daily post for this blog is one of the most fun challenges I imposed to myself. When I considered the idea of writing a blog I thought about writing one long post a month. Can you imagine how boring that can be for a hyperactive brain like mine? If I decided to post once a month in a matter of a week I would have written all the posts I need for the year. Once a month is not an option for me. I considered posting once a week. That could be more reasonable. I only need 52 posts to cover the year which means I can write the content of a year in about 2 months. That could possibly turn out boring rather quickly. I prefer the choice of a daily post not for entertaining purposes but maintaining the original goal in mind: to write for a year in preparation to writing a book.

While sculpting and preparing my new collection, I am also writing the concept ideas for the book while maintaining an empty page for what may come along in the process. I think I know what I want and what the book should look like but it is still to early in the process to have a definite concept design. The collection is acquiring a cohesive message. It is fun to sculpt and research at the same time. I found myself these days taking notes of different ideas during the sculpting process and it felt good. I am not only connecting with the piece in progress but adding scenes to the greater story in which each of the pieces already created play an important role. They are all part of a bigger story, our story, the story of mankind. An empty page is important because we know about the past (or so we say), and we know about the present (although that’s also a matter of perspective since the present only lasts long enough to be the past), and the future is somewhere out there.