Nature of inertia.

Acknowledgment itself can alter action. After getting so excited by the prospect of time off to create work, I haven’t been motivated to make work yesterday or today. I think that by trying to prevent myself from getting carried away with new ideas so that I could follow through with my current ones, I actually messed up my momentum.

I picked up my car from the mechanics today. The problem with the “hard-start” issue is supposedly related to a deteriorated inertia switch. Inertia is simply the resistance something has to changes in its momentum. I’ve mused all day at the oddity of being able to switch inertia on and off again and I’ve come to the conclusion that I must have my own inertia switch.

Despite my reluctance to physically work on something, I have been reading and thinking. I can’t quite get out of the mood for that aspect of my artwork – it’s compulsory. While browsing in our local used bookstore I found three books which are perfect for my thesis: The Artificial Kingdom, The Power of the Center, and Mind and Brain. I cannot believe how serendipitous these finds have turned out to be.

The Artificial Kingdom, while directly discussing Kitsch art, contemplates the transition of nature from exterior to interior and fortunately has a great deal of footnotes. Many ideas have been addressed that I have not previously considered, such as the very major role Victorian culture has in the decorative aesthetic of natural motifs as we know them today (rather than the more historic motifs which are rooted primarily in magic and myth).

I have been aware of, and interested in, the Victorian aesthetic but I was unaware of how central Queen Victoria’s personal taste has continuously impacted modern society. I am only about a third of the way through The Artificial Kingdom but so far it has been thoroughly engrossing and unexpectedly applicable.

With all the winter weather I made sure to grab some materials from my studio so that I could safely work from home. I’m hoping that a day of Christmas dalliances will help rejuvenate my tired, overstressed mind. We purchased a small Fir Tree from a local farm (living – we hope to use it next year too) and we decorated the house with lights, garlands, and ornaments. I baked cookies all afternoon as the snow fell outside coating everything in white. Come early evening I was singing Christmas songs and feeling rather festive and light-hearted.

Perhaps I needed a bit of a break to restore a little of my own natural inertia – I just have to wait for the switch to trigger so I can pick up where I left off.