Since I was very little, I have always enjoyed showing my ideas through my fingers rather than through my mouth. While I like discussion and debate, it is not something that I wake up in the morning wanting to do.
Drawing seems primeval. It is visceral for me. The sensation of transferring abstract ideas to the canvas or paper is very close to a sexual experience. I can feel the thoughts sparking across my finger tips. Recently I have moved from graphite to oil painting. This medium is transformative. Drawing with graphite, pastel or charcoal requires skills but oil painting has pushed me to a new level of focus.
Learning through the movement of my hand and fingers creates a transference that embeds the action in my brain differently than reading does. It seems to be a deeper “etching” in my brain. It also feels like it enters and courses through my body. Perhaps it is this physical feeling, coupled with the intellectual, that is so stimulating.
In any case, ever since the disastrous election of a certain man to the office of the president in the United States, my brain has been on strike in the written and verbal arenas (especially political musings.) I am actually somewhat paralyzed. While I am slowly emerging from the deep emotional nature of this experience, I am also finding that my drawing and painting is more focused and intense. This confirms for me that my processing and learning style is through my hands. We shall see what changes. Stay tuned.
