#1 Decembrance 2020

Welcome to December and the first in a series of 21 images, some memories and a poem or a quote. As is often the case the beginning of December takes me by surprise.

Over the last few years of this project I often get a running start making a few images in advance so I can focus on ideas. This year I shifted an upstairs studio table to a new position so I can photograph with north light. The rest of the room is in disarray but I made a start.

I found boxes of old postcards, piles of letters, boxes of photographs, files from exhibitions, proposals, and notes for teaching jobs. I threw out paper samples and old unused tools. I vacuumed up dust and mouse nests, stink bugs and weird seeds collected for forgotten reasons. I found postage stamps, scissors, labels, brushes and rubber stamps.

I went through the accumulations of things that I used to throw out when I moved every couple of years. I went through memories and wish lists. I found attempts at articles and dreams of books, inspirational clippings and class evaluations, beginnings of paintings and sketches for projects that have been long since completed. There were cool things that could be used for new concoctions but have passed their expiration date. Some remnants of a few projects I got lost in that did not hold up to the test of time. Today was a good day to move on.

heron at twilight

stillness of dark lake séance

old spirit rises

— Greg Sellers, Haiku journal entry, 1 December 2020