Sometimes it's the simple lines and simple thoughts that just need to spark a conversation. Anthony Bourdain always said simple questions brought out the most thoughtful answers. Let people take it for how they see it and expand on it.
I read this morning's piece while sitting in a coffee stand I go to every morning, where I thoroughly enjoy people watching and chatting with strangers. So the reference to sitting in a Burger King and connecting that with it really hit home. thank you.
On the subject of walking, have you read Erling Kagge's "Walking"? He's walked to both poles and has interesting things to say about what to do with the mind while undertaking both monumental and mundane walks / what it does to the creative mind to walk.
What jumped out to me is how Ray defined 'practice' as something professional, related to knowledge, expertise, while 'behaviour' is more physical, related to acting, doing. And I realized that yea, in a lot of art the physical activity is very important, and it's maybe what I have most trouble with. I have no trouble with coming up with ideas, or even executing them digitally, but to physically make the art… yes. Maybe I should start walking more.
I'm already plotting how to start walking more! Interesting how that physical activity leads to thinking, and then that thinking leads to the physical activity of making something.
I agree that maybe the reason it's not a *practice* for him is because it's not professional, predictable, linear, defined.
If you would like an appointment to walk, I make a podcast which helps people to carve out just 10 minutes a day for walking at lunchtime. Have a look at walkthepod.com. I hope it will help 🙂
Yes that makes sense, making art is a behaviour. To me, that behaviour creates a practice. Though at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what you call it, it matters more that you actually do something towards your art!
Yes, I agree that the labels ultimately don't matter! I think I was just intrigued by the idea that Ray feels "almost allergic" to the idea of a practice—made think, hmm, what is so objectionable about the idea to him.
I used to always walk after an edit. It gave me a chance to reflect. Problems would solve themselves with each step. Lately I’ve been listening to podcasts and this article reminded me that when I’m listening to their verbal creations, I’m absorbing what others have learned/expelled. To be creative I need to have a quiet walk sans earbuds and let my muse of creative juices pour into me.
Yes, similar here. Podcasts have been a mixed blessing for me, because I enjoy listening while doing household chores, but sometimes I think this prevents some of the natural mind-wandering that is good for having ideas...
The only other exhibition I made it to was the Faith Ringgold retrospective at the New Museum, which I really enjoyed. Oh, and in the several years I lived in NYC I always meant to see the Walter De Maria 'Earth Room' in Soho and somehow never did, so I finally did that. Also popped into the Donald Judd loft building (101 Spring St) to see a couple of Meg Webster sculptures on display in the lobby. Otherwise I was running around getting lunch/coffee/drinks with folks—and I needed new sneakers, so I went into like a hundred shoe stores before finding a pair I liked at Paragon Sports 🙃
Always amazing what we can learn if we just take the time to observe what is going on around us as we walk and go about our daily lives. I walk every day and as a person of faith, I tend to pray during most of my walk. I love the thoughts that come to me and lessons I learn in this time. Thanks for sharing!
I get it. There is something about chain outlets that is so familiar that it frees you up somehow. Other places might have better coffee but I feel more self-conscious.
Mason, I want to thank you for inspiring me to finally launch a project I've put on the back burner for a long time. The mental image of Charles in a Burger King and his walking observations pushed me to do this man on the streets/stranger chat podcast. So thank you.
Thanks for today’s newsletter, highly enjoyable as always. A behaviour (I am English, it has to have a u in it!) is certainly something I do repeatedly, but I think of it as unexperimental, not something I improve with the doing. A practice on the other hand is repeatedly doing something in order to get better at it, to make it part of my muscle memory, or my skillset.
Yeah, I think intentionality is part of the distinction, as is the goal of improvement. It's interesting how Ray seems to reject that, or to prefer the more ad-hoc connotation of "behavior."
Good post! I did not know about David Sedaris (or Pee Wee Herman).
An unexpected benefit of the pandemic in my neighborhood has been several bars/restaurants converting their parking lots into outdoor dining; one local bar in particular has become almost like the village green, always full of dogs and babies and birthday parties—exactly the kind of third place that is so lacking in many communities. I hope they never change it back to parking!
I like this idea of behavior vs/with practice. I think of behavior as a habit. Doing one's art will become more consistent by making the doing of it into a habit. I am looking into what are my best hours to create art, scheduling that, and then showing-up to do it - i.e. making it a habit. I haven't been consistent and want to be, and perceive that part of my problem is that the habit got interrupted by life circumstance and now I need to cultivate that habit/behavior again. Yet, practice is in there too. Sometimes I deliberately choose to "practice" a new technique, method, medium, or copy a masterwork, to improve my skills. I think all these words can be used as stimulus for creating one's art, in different ways. Thank you!
Yes, I agree with you that they're all different ways of coming at the same fundamental challenge. And I'm also a big fan of using routine/habit to protect creative time from interruptions!
For me, the distinction between a practice and a behaviour is intentionality. A practice is something deliberate, repeated, to be strived for, whereas a behaviour is automatic, instinctive, just something you do as a matter of course.
I suppose the goal is to internalise a practice to the degree that it becomes a behaviour.
I think you're right about this distinction. I'd never thought about internalizing a practice so much that it becomes a behavior—interesting, you may be onto something.
"Interesting work starts with interesting thinking." This was a kickstart my brain needed this morning. thank you.
Thanks! I worried it was way too obvious a statement, but I guess most "aha" moments seem really obvious in retrospect...
Sometimes it's the simple lines and simple thoughts that just need to spark a conversation. Anthony Bourdain always said simple questions brought out the most thoughtful answers. Let people take it for how they see it and expand on it.
I read this morning's piece while sitting in a coffee stand I go to every morning, where I thoroughly enjoy people watching and chatting with strangers. So the reference to sitting in a Burger King and connecting that with it really hit home. thank you.
On the subject of walking, have you read Erling Kagge's "Walking"? He's walked to both poles and has interesting things to say about what to do with the mind while undertaking both monumental and mundane walks / what it does to the creative mind to walk.
No, I haven't! Sounds right up my alley. Just downloaded the e-book from the library, look forward to reading...
What jumped out to me is how Ray defined 'practice' as something professional, related to knowledge, expertise, while 'behaviour' is more physical, related to acting, doing. And I realized that yea, in a lot of art the physical activity is very important, and it's maybe what I have most trouble with. I have no trouble with coming up with ideas, or even executing them digitally, but to physically make the art… yes. Maybe I should start walking more.
I'm already plotting how to start walking more! Interesting how that physical activity leads to thinking, and then that thinking leads to the physical activity of making something.
I agree that maybe the reason it's not a *practice* for him is because it's not professional, predictable, linear, defined.
If you would like an appointment to walk, I make a podcast which helps people to carve out just 10 minutes a day for walking at lunchtime. Have a look at walkthepod.com. I hope it will help 🙂
Ooh, I will listen!
Wonderful, I hope you enjoy it. If you're trying to walk more, you must listen on a walk - I don't make the rules!
Yes that makes sense, making art is a behaviour. To me, that behaviour creates a practice. Though at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what you call it, it matters more that you actually do something towards your art!
P.S. I need to walk more.
Yes, I agree that the labels ultimately don't matter! I think I was just intrigued by the idea that Ray feels "almost allergic" to the idea of a practice—made think, hmm, what is so objectionable about the idea to him.
I used to always walk after an edit. It gave me a chance to reflect. Problems would solve themselves with each step. Lately I’ve been listening to podcasts and this article reminded me that when I’m listening to their verbal creations, I’m absorbing what others have learned/expelled. To be creative I need to have a quiet walk sans earbuds and let my muse of creative juices pour into me.
I'm the same. Can't listen to stuff while walking. I need to be there in the moment, in the environment
Yes, similar here. Podcasts have been a mixed blessing for me, because I enjoy listening while doing household chores, but sometimes I think this prevents some of the natural mind-wandering that is good for having ideas...
Curious what else did you see in NYC?
The only other exhibition I made it to was the Faith Ringgold retrospective at the New Museum, which I really enjoyed. Oh, and in the several years I lived in NYC I always meant to see the Walter De Maria 'Earth Room' in Soho and somehow never did, so I finally did that. Also popped into the Donald Judd loft building (101 Spring St) to see a couple of Meg Webster sculptures on display in the lobby. Otherwise I was running around getting lunch/coffee/drinks with folks—and I needed new sneakers, so I went into like a hundred shoe stores before finding a pair I liked at Paragon Sports 🙃
Always amazing what we can learn if we just take the time to observe what is going on around us as we walk and go about our daily lives. I walk every day and as a person of faith, I tend to pray during most of my walk. I love the thoughts that come to me and lessons I learn in this time. Thanks for sharing!
Yeah, people sometimes ask me what one habit they should adopt to be more creative and I always say, Take a daily walk!
I get it. There is something about chain outlets that is so familiar that it frees you up somehow. Other places might have better coffee but I feel more self-conscious.
Mason, I want to thank you for inspiring me to finally launch a project I've put on the back burner for a long time. The mental image of Charles in a Burger King and his walking observations pushed me to do this man on the streets/stranger chat podcast. So thank you.
Here's the link but if it's too much to share, I understand if you delete it. Cheers! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-a-stranger/id1624565485
Whoa, flattered to have inspired this! I will listen this week!
Thanks for today’s newsletter, highly enjoyable as always. A behaviour (I am English, it has to have a u in it!) is certainly something I do repeatedly, but I think of it as unexperimental, not something I improve with the doing. A practice on the other hand is repeatedly doing something in order to get better at it, to make it part of my muscle memory, or my skillset.
Yeah, I think intentionality is part of the distinction, as is the goal of improvement. It's interesting how Ray seems to reject that, or to prefer the more ad-hoc connotation of "behavior."
David Lynch in Big Boy. Andrew Bird at Costco. One of my favorite themes: creative people in mundane retail spaces: https://austinkleon.com/2018/03/27/community-and-creativity-in-mundane-retail-spaces/
Good post! I did not know about David Sedaris (or Pee Wee Herman).
An unexpected benefit of the pandemic in my neighborhood has been several bars/restaurants converting their parking lots into outdoor dining; one local bar in particular has become almost like the village green, always full of dogs and babies and birthday parties—exactly the kind of third place that is so lacking in many communities. I hope they never change it back to parking!
I like this idea of behavior vs/with practice. I think of behavior as a habit. Doing one's art will become more consistent by making the doing of it into a habit. I am looking into what are my best hours to create art, scheduling that, and then showing-up to do it - i.e. making it a habit. I haven't been consistent and want to be, and perceive that part of my problem is that the habit got interrupted by life circumstance and now I need to cultivate that habit/behavior again. Yet, practice is in there too. Sometimes I deliberately choose to "practice" a new technique, method, medium, or copy a masterwork, to improve my skills. I think all these words can be used as stimulus for creating one's art, in different ways. Thank you!
Yes, I agree with you that they're all different ways of coming at the same fundamental challenge. And I'm also a big fan of using routine/habit to protect creative time from interruptions!
For me, the distinction between a practice and a behaviour is intentionality. A practice is something deliberate, repeated, to be strived for, whereas a behaviour is automatic, instinctive, just something you do as a matter of course.
I suppose the goal is to internalise a practice to the degree that it becomes a behaviour.
I think you're right about this distinction. I'd never thought about internalizing a practice so much that it becomes a behavior—interesting, you may be onto something.
Loved this one. Esp the quote from Coupé Cloué, but also the insight into Ray's process. Any place to get a full copy of the lecture excerpted here?
Yes! https://issuu.com/museoreinasofia/docs/restauraci__n_media
Thanks
Your Mallorcan trip looked fab. Cultural and gastronomic!
Thanks, Aisling! "Cultural and gastronomic" — definitely the goal!