I also made time for reflecting the past through my sketch journals where I randomly pick a book and spend sometime with it sometimes adding a little here and there but most of the time recapping moments of my past, where i have been and what have I learned in each and every circumstances. The journals are my record keeping of who I was and who I am now. Each page and every note written was a record keeping me informed of my past actions and movements, my thoughts and reflections in time and space for better or worse. The History of the World may not interest you in the least but your own personal history should at least warrant attention if you are to know who truly are.
Teotihuacan, the Mayan and Aztec cultural exhibition was held at the De Young Museum of Asian History located in the Golden Gate Park of San Francisco. My late wife and kids, we used to live two blocks from the park. As I was the babysitter while my wife worked the kids and I had the park to ourselves all six miles long of it.
It used to be that I was never anywhere without my sketchbook and I sketched like there was nothing better to do i life except being where I was with a sketchbook in hand. The art of drawing and sketching is one strong form of meditation in action. When you sketch what is before you or from your own imagination, your mind is focused in what you do and often you are not so easily distracted. This is why children should be encouraged to do allot of painting, drawing and sketching or any other artistic, creative activities in their schools.
I didmost of these sketches at Golden Gate Park, celebrating the colors of spring in the park. When I graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Green Bay my degree was self designed. I designed my degree by participating in a pioneer project called University Without Walls. It was to encourage students to create their own future as far as what they expect from college. What is your intention? What is it you hope to achieve? Do you know what it is you are looking for? And last but not least do you know who you are?
One of professors, my mentor and God father was Mr. or as I always called him, Don Prevetti. To most of his collogues and friends called him Bill for William Prevetti. He was in his sixties when we met and right off I felt I had found my Guru when I first set my eyes into his I felt humbled by his gentleness.... as only a Buddha knows a Buddha. Bill once touched my shoulder and whispered, "None of the guys can hold water up to you are capable of, Sam" We were at the Faculty Art Show that was held at the campus.
Perhaps is my ego that always wanted more, to go all the way with a gusto, perhaps it is my ego that is telling these in order to impress others...perhaps. However with his word I was accepted to participate in the 'Univesity Without Walls' program. My proposal letter was entitled, "Art In Quest of the Universality." In other words doing art out there in the streets instead of being stuck in the studios.
My first trip was to England for a month with a group of students doing the same project in their own disciplines. There I was travelling to London with a group of young Wisconsin boy and girls, it was a blast. This was when I decided to keep an on going journal of wherever and whatever I did or as close to as possible. My thoughts and intuitions, my senses and my consciousness was awakened as if from a state of being 'comfortably numb' towards pains and sorrows, from living a fleeting, meaningless life, being in England for one month threw me a curve and I took it with gusto. Till this moment i am still doing my study program..."University Without Walls"...I had to enter through the Gateless Gate to find the truth.
I am sharing as much as i can of my journey collecting memories from the images I am looking at and reflecting into the past to connect the dots. The sketches of the horses were inspired by the Golden Gate Horse Stable where adults an children alike were given horse riding and caring lessons. A great place to hangout for the kids. This is what I do too while being away from my Blogging. I realize now how these books keeps me in touch more closely as to who I am , where I have been and where I am at.
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