cartoons and GoingConcern.com

I've forged an e-mail friendship (my favorite kind in the work world) with Caleb Newquist, the informed funnyman behind GoingConcern.com. He posted a cartoon that I did last week; click here to see it! Regardless of your involvement in accounting, GoingConcern has hilarious bits and news about the many ridiculous things that occur in accounting. Enjoy!

drawings from 9.27.09

three more drawings

airplane ride conversation

On my way up to Columbus for the Ohio State / USC game this weekend, I sat next to a wonderful man named Giora Carmi, a New York City-based art therapist. He was headed to speak about art therapy at a conference held at Ohio State. I really enjoyed talking to him; he's my kind of person: he likes talking about what really matters, which is how we feel, why we feel that way, and what we can do to change the way we feel. Giora spent some years as an illustrator, including six years working for the Wall Street Journal, and then he went back to school at age 58 to become an art therapist. His insights - about life, love, art, and things in between - were wonderful. For more on Giora, please go here.

After a little conversation, I asked Giora if he wanted to draw. I did not originally intend for us to discuss what we drew, but it flowed that way naturally. After bearing down (as I usually do) with this drawing (below), Giora supplied feedback.

He then asked if I'd draw an up-close shot of this man's chest hair (below). I found the exercise freeing. At first the hairs were rigid, straight lines (see the long ones in the center). Having previously discussed my shaky hands, I decided to let free, and I felt really good after that. Although they could be viewed as abstract, the resulting smaller hairs seemed more real.

Letting go has always been a goal of mine. It's easier said than done, and I wish I could imprint on my mind the end effect: feelings of understanding and liberation, just from a ten-minute art exercise. Perhaps, next time, if I can recall the results of this exercise, I'll make the leap toward letting go much more sooner rather than later.

Maybe that means right now when I draw before I catch some zees.

drawings during airplane ride