The Basis – Temporary Textures on Rocks
So what is Temporary Textures on Rocks? I can’t tell you for sure, but here’s my current thinking, which will probably change as I write it out, and I’m going to start with the short thoughts, get them said then deal with the big thought. (If you think all of the following is artistic BS, I’m not going to disagree. As a former boss used to call it, “mental masturbation”, but as much as that may be true, it’s also necessary. Or at least enjoyable.)
It’s a study on texture. The texture of light through a medium. The texture of rock. The texture of whatever is in the water or has come to rest on the rock. It’s the study of a layer of texture on top of another layer of texture, with other textures mixed in. It’s a study of the prominence of one texture over another, visually, with the need for the underlying texture, a texture to form the basis.
It’s an exploration of water and rock. The first I had lots of in the Midwest, but while occasionally I was fascinated by it, water was in the end always there. In Vegas it’s not, most of the time. Here it’s fascinating when you get those rare days when you get flowing water. In Vegas you do have plenty of rocks though, more than anyone would know what to do with, in all kinds of variety.
Temporary Textures on Rocks is an exploration of time. It’s an exploration of the prominence of a very temporary texture, the texture of light, the texture of light through water, on to a texture with great, but still limited, permanence. It’s about the speed of change of one thing, water and light, and the slow but wearing, steady change the water brings to the rock. It’s about how those two are intertwined inexorably and unending-ly.
It’s a study of the the relationship between a very short term, fleeting texture and a much longer term, but ultimately impermanent texture. It’s the study of their interaction, the interaction they have with other textures and what the mixture of all these textures and shapes create. What they create in their complementing of each other, and their contrasting. And how each is ultimately unfulfilled without the other, and they don’t exist without each other.
At the end of the day, I’m pretty sure, but not completely sure, this project, Temporary Textures on Rocks, is about, for me, mortality. And that’s something I’ve thought a lot about over the past year.
When You’re the Boss, and When You’re Not
Sid, a 6 week old puppy, seemed to think he should be alpha over all dogs, and most people as well. Alas, when doing this around a 3 year old 45 pound pure muscle pit bull, the result is some time with a beagle on his back learning he may not be in charge.
And just to be clear, Stella was very nice about flipping him. Enough force to do it, not enough to hurt him. She taught him his lesson, with no harm done, except to his puppy pride.
Dogs Walking Dogs
Walking the dogs is fun for us, largely because we go for a hike someplace cool and pretty.
We do though have the occassional problem of Stella, an energitic pit bull running too and fro. She doesn’t run off, and she won’t, but she likes to stick her nose into snake holes and generally just bounces off everything and anything she can.
The pug, Esther, is just slow.
We were coming back from a hike, Erin, her mom and I, her mom needed a bathroom, and quick. The trail was to busy for options other than the toliet at the trailhead. I dragged her pug as fast as I could but it’s annoying.
Until Erin hit on a genius, and as with many great ideas, obvious, solution. We let the pit bull pull the pug.
Stella got a resistance workout. Esther got used to having to walk faster. It’s also supposed to be good for building pack mentality and such.
Any which way, I like it.
Stuff in the Backpack
So I asked for a fresh battery out of the backpack I was carrying. The backpack has two pockets, a big one which is partially filled by a water bladder (water in the desert is good) and a smaller one for the knick knacks.
This is just some, some, of the stuff from just the smaller pocket.
This doesn’t include all the other stuff from the big pocket or the camera gear on my waist.
We pack too much crap.
Super Pit Bull Sunday
Some of the regular readers/viewers here may be aware of my the basis for Pit Bull Sundays, if not go here, find out if you want.
So as the last of these “official” Sundays, I offer up these two images of our Stella. Though somehow I’m betting we’re going to keep doing long walks with her every week. It really is one of the best ways I can think of to spend a day off.
