dotty seiter: now playing diary of an artist at work

On My Nightstand, On My Easel 4/24/24

On my nightstand:

It may be, then,
that form serves us best
when it works
as an obstruction
to baffle us
and deflect our course.
—Wendell Berry (again)

Wendell, you have got my number! I set out with form and intention here and met with obstruction with dazzling speed. I fought and wrangled and nearly jumped ship.

Until I didn’t.

Flow and joy returned once I let myself be deflected.

But the obstruction was so necessary. I’m grateful for the insistence and discomfort of the obstruction just as much as for the flow and joy of the deflection.

On my easel:

Love and Beauty Are Specific
3 x 3.5″; acrylic, ink, and oil pastel on an art journal page
landscape
2024
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Dotty Seiter

7 responses to “On My Nightstand, On My Easel 4/24/24”

  1. Sheila Marie Delgado Avatar
    Sheila Marie Delgado

    These song lyrics came to mind when I saw your inviting landscape. 🙂

    Thanks for sharing your joy with us, Dotty 🙂

    … Take me away (Take me away)
    A secret place (A secret place)
    A sweet escape (A sweet escape) …

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    1. Dotty Seiter Avatar
      Dotty Seiter

      A sweet association, those lyrics, Sheila. Thank you for sharing them; I love hearing about what a piece of art evokes.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  2. Joyful Puttering Avatar
    Joyful Puttering

    Intention, obstruction, flow and JOY! What a journey into this lovely spring woods!

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    Reply
    1. Dotty Seiter Avatar
      Dotty Seiter

      Perfect précis, MaryAnn! Thank you : )

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      Reply
  3. imajenationgmailcom Avatar
    imajenationgmailcom

    (first comment lost in the internet processing space – here it is again!). I love this piece! Whatever obstruction got you THERE, it was worth it! xo

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    1. Dotty Seiter Avatar
      Dotty Seiter

      I’d like to spend an afternoon someday in the lost comment/email/text department of the internet reading stuff that’s gone astray. Wanna join me? We could read things aloud to each other and invent backstories.

      —

      YES >>> whatever obstruction got me to the THERE of this piece, it was worth it, not least of all for the empirical reminder of the blessings of obstructions. I need regular infusions of that reminder!

      Thank you!

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      1. imajenationgmailcom Avatar
        imajenationgmailcom

        I would love to join you in that cyber space of lost words! Let’s go!

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

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My Story

In 2014, I grab an unexpected opportunity to paint.

To make art.

I get hooked.

In 2015 I start a blog—a diary of my life as an artist.

I post my paintings and their stories. The good, the bad, the ugly.

My compass points: bust through fear, be playful, get messy, trust my gut.

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