In the vain of lessons learned I recalled this project I began briefly around 2 years ago photographing Senior’s. It was a heartfelt project, but after only two days of shooting a bowling league I realized my futility with the subject I’d raised. Mostly, I just couldn’t not make it garish and blithe, despite my different attempts (in retrospect, I imagine the bowling alley probably didn’t help much on this front). I’d the sympathies necessary, but lacked the maturity aesthetically. So now, after only two years, I look back at these images and the word fumbling comes to mind.

photo: © Graeme Mitchell 2004

photo: © Graeme Mitchell 2004

photo: © Graeme Mitchell 2004

This is a minor insight, but I bring it up b/c it lends example to the creative process, which is fascinating b/c it’s so unique for everyone. Usually, personally, I have a theme stuck in my head. Then it becomes correlated to very specific imagery imagined. There is much mulling over these, digestion if you will, often while walking. Then there is the will to begin to make the ideas tangible, or the waiting for a good opportunity to do so. Then a series of compromises as the idea is born to reality. Then, as per the example, there is the failure, success, reconsideration, or dismissal of the project. All of it is, for me, private and internalized – I’ve only know two people in my life I can freely deliberate over projects with.

photo: © Graeme Mitchell 2004

photo: © Graeme Mitchell 2004

This is a much different process than many other people I know, which doesn’t lend anything to understanding the work, but is just entertaining to think about. Now, personally, I envy the artists I know who are prolific and produce work with no apologies and no explanations, where every piece is successful just in it’s realization, intended or not. But, more the school I belong to, there are more common those that know very much what they want, but don’t know what they don’t want, making their creative process a series of rejections – albeit usually private rejections. This is fine, more than fine in fact, since as I pointed out, none of it beyond the ideas and works have any merit when the day is done.

photo: © Graeme Mitchell 2004

photo: © Graeme Mitchell 2004

In all, maybe there are a handful of lines of thought I’ve ever been interested in, and maybe I’ll come against a few more with time. It’s weird how natural it seems that all of this effort and strife is an attempt to explore, explain, elucidate, and share one of these simple themes. It makes me think of Joyce’s Ulysses, a massive difficulty that in the end, really, boils down to one word, “that word known to all men.” I hope someday I can muster the courage to attempt to take on that word to such effect. Attempt, mind you.  Attempt.

photo: © Graeme Mitchell 2004

photo: © Graeme Mitchell 2004