What is this exactly?

I know, I know...I should finish writing about Germany and my art show scramble. That would make more sense.

And I'm going back and forth about writing this post. In short, I'm feeling feelings. And why do I want to post them? Is it to keep an artsy record of my time here, my "journey" (don't worry, I made a face as I typed that)? Or is it because I'm helplessly exhibitionist and oddly comforted by attention?

My brain is a bit of a jumble. I've got a lot of new information to process. And figuring out the next year or two to get to. Eeesh.

And it seems to be spring already. I think, if I weren't involved, this would be a mostly glorious occassion (keeping in mind, of course, all that rain). And while the smell of spring sends me into a hyperactive euphoria (woo!), it's entirely too early for that. My little brain is confused. I really do get good and miserable at this time of year and it's all I can do to just wash up ashore in March. Well, Korea seems to be an upgrade in that sense, but it's mighty disorienting. I feel rather like a ping pong ball in a dryer. One that lights up. And changes color whenever it's struck.

There. That oughta do it.
Carry on.


Edit: 12 February 2010, 9:30am
I didn't want this pheonomenon to get washed away so soon in the bustle of facebook. It has weight and merit and I want to keep it.

I had bookmarked this talk before my vacation as "something I should watch later." I just /accidentally/ opened it while organizing my ridiculous, unfoldered, list of bookmarks and the talk is BY the author of the book I'm currently reading, loving, and finding my sanity in (Eat, Pray, Love). And it's an excellent lecture. Sweet Moses. Between this and the [serendipity of the Klimt panel in my art show]*, I'm feeling...well, to put it secularly, "lucky." Simcha.

*My work for this exhibition used found objects (as does much of my work). For two weeks, I assigned myself to bring home at least one new thing. It was terribly easy...there's always lots of neat, large objects in the recycling collection areas in front of my apartment. And when there's nothing good there, a quick trek up any number of stairwells will yield artsy fruit before the 5th floor (that's where I found my slide).

I hope this slide really was garbage...otherwise, some 4-year-old is seriously bummed.

So, one day, I found a small, white, fiberglass panel, which had part of some Klimt painting screen-printed on it. I saw a neck and a nipple. And for my work, having a nipple around is always a good plan, so I was pleased to find it, but didn't have anything specific in mind.

The Klimpt panel is there on the left, standing behind a low Korean table.

A few weeks later, I was doing an image search for "mother and child," again, for no terribly specific reason, but because of the thematic importance. I found a few images to that end and moved on to tracking down images of Patrick Stewart being painfully handsome. About a week later, after looking through my reference photos at least a dozen times, I saw what I did there.

"Mother and Child" (detail from "The Three Ages of Woman"), Gustav Klimt, 1905

I mean, I could have figured out what the rest of the painting was of not long after finding the board and been really pleased. But this way was more fun. And more seemingly serendipitous. Which is a fun word to use, really.