I think just because we’re in a situation, especially if we’re struggling, like a fish in a sea of leaves, we can decide the situation is not for us and leave. Find water.
I’m currently swimming in some seriously leaf-infested water and trying to find my way out. I need the courage of fishy.
I was in a yoga class recently and she read a quote that was something like “I used to think I was a ship on the ocean and riding every wave as it came. Then I realized… I AM the ocean.” So this makes me think of that. We get to pick. The boat riding the waves. Or the calm of it all being one.
You have no idea how relevant (eea, not eae) this is. The exhibit I am currently installing, which is too high profile to be more specific, so I will only note that it involves fish, has seen me brutally beaten down as the personal punching bag of the GC's superintendent that it is only through stubborn pride in my work that I am continuing on with it. last week every morning around 3am a little more anger built up in me until I considered myself ready, bolstered enough by self preservation and lack of sleep, to walk out.
This was Thursday morning (almost hump day Thursday), nice and early, when I received a text showing a handful of passive aggressive photos indicating how I had somehow, once again, failed in the eyes of the Almighty Super (intendant.). Waking up to this, understandably, was a thing. But when I then drove my car into the side of my house trying to get out of my super slippery driveway, having parked over onto the muddy side to fit the massive box truck I have been using to get the ten tonnes of shit out of the building because they wanted it "cleared out before the weekend" just for I don't know why even though we weren't scheduled to be finished until April at the earliest, and seeing as it was only me with any "authority" (haha) I had to do all the truck driving and subsequently storing said truck, but being early and my head still groggy so not as attuned to the slippery conditions as I should have, causing me to slam my foot hard down on the gas and dig myself further into the mud while simultaniously sliding backwards into my house, things went from ugly to surreal.
After that the day was as liberatinglty "fuck it" as I have ever experienced.
Idk. The first thing I thought/felt (as someone that tirelessly works to be supportive and help everyone—often forgetting myself in the process) was that even if escape to decompress from the world... the world will keep on moving along. And when I'm ready to return, the world has held that space form me. It's a very comforting image and something I need to remind myself of often. Plus, it's a beautiful drawing.
I love this. I take it as if you aren’t comfortable, it’s ok to leave the situation. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of you, because life will go on and you will be your best self if you do what’s best for you. Do what makes you comfortable and happy and screw anyone who disagrees with it!!
All I can think of now is the scene in M*A*S*H when Radar is taking the final exam for the high school diploma correspondence class and he says "we didn't study [rhetoricals] questions sir". And Henry Blake's blank stare....
It is beautiful. I am always amazed by the detail you have in your drawings. Reminds me of a wayward ship that will eventually find its bearings once the clouds clear a little.
I love your use of negative space. I’ve been slowly illustrating a book about belonging using animals in weird situations. We all belong somewhere, but sometimes find ourselves in the wrong place. A fish doesn’t belong in a sea of leaves anymore than I belonged in my formative family. That’s my take on it, though the ship is sailing along anyway.
It's beautiful and intricate and makes me think of soaring above the earth, almost close enough to reach the clouds but satisfied knowing they're THERE.
I like the idea of a ship in every port or weathering every storm but for the fish, it’s just water- she’s just swimming. I think of “this is water” a graduation speech by David Foster Wallace.
I think just because we’re in a situation, especially if we’re struggling, like a fish in a sea of leaves, we can decide the situation is not for us and leave. Find water.
I’m currently swimming in some seriously leaf-infested water and trying to find my way out. I need the courage of fishy.
I was in a yoga class recently and she read a quote that was something like “I used to think I was a ship on the ocean and riding every wave as it came. Then I realized… I AM the ocean.” So this makes me think of that. We get to pick. The boat riding the waves. Or the calm of it all being one.
ooooh... I like that!
A be-leaf system carries us along.
Below the surface some of us have fish shaped gaps.
That makes me smile. I'm remembering this and using it! ...I'm so sorry, it's just my fish-shaped gaps!
You have no idea how relevant (eea, not eae) this is. The exhibit I am currently installing, which is too high profile to be more specific, so I will only note that it involves fish, has seen me brutally beaten down as the personal punching bag of the GC's superintendent that it is only through stubborn pride in my work that I am continuing on with it. last week every morning around 3am a little more anger built up in me until I considered myself ready, bolstered enough by self preservation and lack of sleep, to walk out.
This was Thursday morning (almost hump day Thursday), nice and early, when I received a text showing a handful of passive aggressive photos indicating how I had somehow, once again, failed in the eyes of the Almighty Super (intendant.). Waking up to this, understandably, was a thing. But when I then drove my car into the side of my house trying to get out of my super slippery driveway, having parked over onto the muddy side to fit the massive box truck I have been using to get the ten tonnes of shit out of the building because they wanted it "cleared out before the weekend" just for I don't know why even though we weren't scheduled to be finished until April at the earliest, and seeing as it was only me with any "authority" (haha) I had to do all the truck driving and subsequently storing said truck, but being early and my head still groggy so not as attuned to the slippery conditions as I should have, causing me to slam my foot hard down on the gas and dig myself further into the mud while simultaniously sliding backwards into my house, things went from ugly to surreal.
After that the day was as liberatinglty "fuck it" as I have ever experienced.
Next week, I will return for more.
Idk. The first thing I thought/felt (as someone that tirelessly works to be supportive and help everyone—often forgetting myself in the process) was that even if escape to decompress from the world... the world will keep on moving along. And when I'm ready to return, the world has held that space form me. It's a very comforting image and something I need to remind myself of often. Plus, it's a beautiful drawing.
A ship sailing on a sea of possibilities, with the unexpected lurking beneath, waiting to be discovered if you look.
I love this Stacy!
Oh, yes. Nice. Works for any possibility. "Lurking" does have me hearing the Jaws theme, but I guess it's like that sometimes.
I love this. I take it as if you aren’t comfortable, it’s ok to leave the situation. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of you, because life will go on and you will be your best self if you do what’s best for you. Do what makes you comfortable and happy and screw anyone who disagrees with it!!
The fish was in an ocean of leaves. She decided she should be in an ocean of water. So she left:)
"She decided she should be in an ocean of water. So she left"
Excellent phrasing. That feels like so much like things have been written in the you are here coloring book.
It means to me you can take up space any way you want, even if it means taking up space other than the room you’re in now.
All I can think of now is the scene in M*A*S*H when Radar is taking the final exam for the high school diploma correspondence class and he says "we didn't study [rhetoricals] questions sir". And Henry Blake's blank stare....
It is beautiful. I am always amazed by the detail you have in your drawings. Reminds me of a wayward ship that will eventually find its bearings once the clouds clear a little.
I love your use of negative space. I’ve been slowly illustrating a book about belonging using animals in weird situations. We all belong somewhere, but sometimes find ourselves in the wrong place. A fish doesn’t belong in a sea of leaves anymore than I belonged in my formative family. That’s my take on it, though the ship is sailing along anyway.
there is nothing i love more than a churning sea of leaves
It's beautiful and intricate and makes me think of soaring above the earth, almost close enough to reach the clouds but satisfied knowing they're THERE.
It's earth in sea and wishful daydreams...
Thank you for sharing! 🌻
I like the idea of a ship in every port or weathering every storm but for the fish, it’s just water- she’s just swimming. I think of “this is water” a graduation speech by David Foster Wallace.