Gregg Levoy, Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life
A Memento Mori - a reminder of the fact that humans fail and make mistakes; intended as a reminder of the fact that humans die.
The world around me is a constant reminder that humans fail and make mistakes. The world I come from is full of the consequences of our failure and mistakes. Life is short. While it is inspiring to have something to remind me that life is short and so pursue my dreams, I would like a memento-mori that celebrates creative spirit; a memento-mori that reminds me everyday not just how fragile life is but how exciting and wonderful it can be in its fragility when I let go and live creatively.
A memento mari!!!
Figure 1: Azuukuka (She awakens) Jan2012
Memento Mari - a reminder of the fact that humans create;intended as a reminder of the fact to celebrate life .
“Azuukuka” is my memento-mari. The first sculpture piece I have done solely from my mind, with no references or photos to go by.
Just my own imagination.
“We need to learn to allow the tensions between head and heart to hammer out a compromise-meaning a promise together.”
Gregg Levoy, Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life
It has been a long journey to the compromise between my head and heart tensions. My heart is to create fantastical figures, to create stories in clay and felt and wood and anything that can be molded. My heart spends a lot of time on the Weta Workshop website unable to decide between the design studio or models and miniatures. My head on the other hand has worked the probability of a little African girl ever working at the World re-known Weta Workshop in NewZealand. Zero. Have you seen how amazing those people are? Do you know that they already have 5,000 portfolios on file of people who want to work in that workshop?
My heart is to travel the world telling stories and being a part of life’s stories. My head reminds me that traveling costs money and telling stories needs equipment and can be done by a thousand other people. My head reminds my heart that I can teach art, I can be a Communications Specialist. I have done that before and been successful at it. And well paid at that!
My heart reminds my head about the number times we looked up into the planes flying overhead wondering where the people on it were going or coming from, or when we spend a lot of time reading the National Geographic magazine. My heart reminds my head of the longing, the sighing, the wondering. My head says settle down. Stop dreaming. Be grateful you are alive.
So my head and my heart have come to a compromise. That while I “work” at whatever it is that will provide a roof over our head and keep us healthy, "Azuukuka" is right by our side reminding us that we are alive and within us is the amazing ability to create. That we will find all means to do both. To “work” and create. And be open to the creating becoming the “work”. For without the creating, the “work” will be death.
