What shows
how little
we know?
What can be is
oft far less than
what we expect.
What is now
has never been
what it was.
07/25/2024 j.g.l.
value beyond
Simplicity.
Is there emotion in austerity?
Humanity?
What do you see when attempting
to define your limited visibility?
Minimalism, abstract impressionism
or incorporeal thought.
Less is more, but is it enough?
Texture, tone, and value beyond
your current scene. If you take it to an
extreme, you will question
what it means.
What is really there?
What line do you cross?
Can simplicity be complicated, or
should it even be attempted?
07/23/2024 j.g.l.
Mondays are just young Fridays
Things will not go as planned. Intentions will be disrupted, even overlooked, in the aftermath of an unexpected reality.
Where you are headed will not be the place you end up, undoubtedly or undeniably. No matter how hard you attempt to make each gesture, brushstroke, promise, prayer, or pastime as perfect as you believe it can be, many times you will not arrive at a perceived destination. All too often your endeavors never hit the mark; at times your work may be better than expected (celebrate those moments), but everything (even your judgement) is subjective.
You are not limited to, or by, the colours in your paintbox or progression of your process.
Imagination is as limited or expansive as you want it to be. Give it time to blossom; in certain instances, you may even have to reel it in. This is all about possibilities, no matter which media, method, or style you are beholden to.
You owe your art (or life) nothing but your presence; the value comes from the practice, as rudimentary or spontaneous as it is or will become.
07/22/2024 j.g.l.
I'm like a pencil;
sometimes sharp,
most days
well-rounded,
other times
dull or
occasionally
broken.
Still I write.
j.g. lewis
is a writer/photographer in Toronto.
No Better Than A Letter
Posted on August 22, 2022 by j.g.lewis
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Before the Dear, before the date,
a letter is nothing more than a receptive, yet vacant, page; nothing
there except intention and will to communicate.
All those thoughts, where you were, what you sought, a point
of view, daily news, perhaps of no consequence to someone who
was not there, and that may be the whole point of a letter.
Handwriting, immediate, as it was, scratches steadily across the
paper. An occasional pause, yet the mind flows freely. Topics
appear out of nowhere; the weather, where you are, how is it there?
Of course you write, of course you care, you tell it like it is, you’ve
got something more to say, and no better way to say it than a letter.
Your Truly
j.g. lewis
Do you write letters, collect stamps, and maintain a relationship with a penpal across the globe?
I do. Monthly-ish letters from a gentleman across the waters, over the past couple of years, have broadened my perspective and enriched my personal life.
We are looking to form a small, yet effective, letter-writing group with an international flavour. There are two of us, right now, but we are looking for a few more dedicated souls who will, with some regularity, share words and thoughts, memories, and a little bit of themselves.
I tried setting this up a number of years ago but, perhaps because of the number of people who were first involved, the exercise dissipated to what it is now: two guys sharing life stories from the other side of the globe.
Both of us believe it could be more. We envision five or seven people responding or replying, writing among ourselves, and sharing a connection that surpasses the theme-like groups you find of Facebook.
This will be unlike electronic communication. Letter writing takes time. There is always a wait for the postal service (some countries are swifter than others) but when a personally addressed enveloped arrives in your mailbox you get a feeling that simply cannot be matched by an email or text message.
We have no real expectations of the group (other than a bit of commitment), but seek writers who will respond, by hand, to letters they receive. We intend to let this unfold as it may, and hope it will take on a life of its own. We hope to begin group activity in the fall.
This will be a non-judgmental group where courtesy is respected and respect is expected.
If this interests you, send a few sentences telling us why you think you would be a good fit to soultalk@mythosandmarginalia.com
This initial email will be the only “electronic” communication we anticipate being required in getting this group off the ground.
