Looking for Words

I have lost my voice and am looking for words. My head cold has morphed into a chest cold that leaves me speechless today. Ironically, my new series is word-less too. And so this afternoon, I have spread out each new print on my studio table and, with my thesaurus in hand, have been brainstorming. Whatever words tumble in I write down on pink post-it notes attached to each print. Words like..

Harbor
Sanctum
Anchor
Landing
Compass
Encompass
Chart
Ashore
Exploration
Angling
Notation
Gestation

The list goes on and on, and I am not sure where it is leading me. The prints are resisting words, probably because they were shot as a visual and emotional exploration – not an intellectual one. In my last two series, Milagros and Bottle Dreams, a story or concept was the key driving force behind them. So this time I wanted to make work that was simply about looking and responding to the objects and artifacts in my studio, creating what I hope are evocations of states of mind.

The next day or so must hold the answer, as it is time to take this work out into the world. One of these images will be the announcement image for my upcoming show at the Bolinas Museum. The postcard must be ordered tomorrow.

Maybe in the end, I will honor the silence of my own speech today by allowing each piece to remain a mute mystery, simply called Untitled. Time will tell. For now, my list continues to grow.