Lately I’ve been listening to podcasts while I paint. Today I listened to Ten Percent Happier in which a woman talked about her research on hope. Not surprisingly it was a very positive interview which raised my spirits. I would like to be a more positive person, someone who looks to the future with hope and optimism. It seems a lot less stressful than always being concerned or doubtful, which are just ways I cover up feeling afraid and unworthy. I think I’ll check out this woman’s book [The Science of Hope by Jaqueline Mattis].
I was working again on my painting of Tobin Branch Library at Oakwell. It’s coming along nicely and may be finished after another day or so. Last week when I was researching libraries it got me thinking about the longevity of libraries. I know in ancient times libraries were where people went for information, but with the internet will libraries become obsolete? A quick Google search (lol) revealed that libraries are more popular than ever. Apparently the internet doesn’t know everything. [Britannica]
That puts me at ease. I’m not the only one who loves to peruse the stacks looking for one book hoping to find more, even better books. I still love the feel of a book, the smell of the paper, the weight of it on my lap. It’s easy to tell where my bookmark is, how far I’ve come and how far I have to go. I know you can also get digital books at libraries, libraries aren’t synonymous with outdated and old-school, but I just love books. I enjoy the occasional audio book, but there’s nothing like something I can sit down with and not have a light flashing in my face or a player I need to rewind or search for a lost place on.
My plan is to go plein air painting Monday but the weather’s not looking too hot. I don’t mind overcast but I’m not so hardcore that I’ll paint in the rain (yet). I’m sure I’ll get there eventually but with my library series I assumed I would paint these buildings when the sun’s out. I guess I could reconsider this. Not every painting has to be perfect looking. A lot of the library branches near me are under construction, which I’m guessing is a good thing. It sounds like the city is making improvements. I will maybe check out Cody library or Forest Hills. We’ll see.
I also want to get started on my other series of historic churches. There’s a really pretty one downtown called St. Marks. That might be my next outing. I haven’t said much about this series yet, but although I’m not religious, I’m fascinated with old churches and their steeples and stained glass. I’m curious why churches chose these design elements and why things changed. New churches look like malls or stadiums rather than spaces that were artfully designed and crafted. I guess that’s true about a lot of modern buildings.
I found a book on the history of libraries and put it on hold. I’m going to do some more research and report back. Stay tuned.