#art #dharma #tarot #internet

Speaking of post-internet art and post-internet dharma [Buddhist teachings] in my last post, I tried to get on Zoom with a meditation group this morning, but the new link didn’t give me access. So I meditated on my own this morning. The group meditation only happens once a week, anyway. Most of the time I’m on my own.

The dog across the alley mourns loudly whenever its humans leave it in the apartment (I’m assuming), so it was in full mournful voice all during my meditation. I felt both irritation and compassion for the poor canine. But hey, that’s meditation for you. Soon enough, the yowling/yelping, bird song, seagull cries, car engines, people talking next door, and my itchy eyes and sore knees all melted into one.

Now I’m sipping tea and getting started with the day, which looks quite grey.

I look at the WordPress dashboard and see all these “optimization” choices, which reek of “productivity.” Boy, I’m in a mood this morning . . . but I put a few hastags up anyway.

How’s your day going? I hope it goes well . . .

A couple pieces from my Dailies are below. Inspired by the Hilma’s Ghost group, I’ve been trying out abstract interpretations of daily tarot card draws. Curiously, I drew Queen of Wands twice, and came up with two different interpretations. Both include asemics.

The one below (which has nothing to do with tarot) is a random collage using recycled art paper, a Kleenex box, and words from an ad:

#post-internet #art

Not having attended art school, I’m so behind on all this. Watching a video on post-internet art, which is described as “internet-aware.” You don’t have to make art on the internet for it to be post-internet art. The internet culture has become so all-encompassing that all you have to be is internet-aware of how its contexts–how the internet influences so much of what you do.

Take, for example, how a particular kind of “productivity” dogs every artist who puts up a website featuring their art work.

But because of my interest in Buddhism, now I can’t help but think of post-internet dharma. How the internet impinges on my thoughts about the Buddhist teachings and about meditation.

That’s all for the moment. Maybe I’ll expand upon this . . .

(from “accelerated disposal”)

I’ve got a post up on Substack about attempts to save the Wilbur G. Cohen building in Washington, DC–constructed to memorialize Social Security and New Deal-era #art (funded by the National Recovery Administration) from potential “accelerated disposal” by the current Administration (you-know-who): Help Save New Deal Art.

#newdeal #SocialSecurity #NewDealArt

And here’s some recent art from my Daily Art Cycle:

Ah, life is so strange and confusing and scary lately. And busy. But I’m glad to have a daily art practice, something to focus on besides my phone and the news.

Somehow, daily art practice seems to be infiltrating into daily life practice. A feeling where–with a life full of distractions–I’m learning to say, OK, just do this. Right now. Just this.

Anybody else out there have a daily art practice? Does it affect other aspects of your life? Here are several small works from my Daily Art Cycle. All three actually have a white border around them, but they are not visible if you are viewing this on a white background:

No. 9 in the Daily Art cycle. Finally used some collage material sent to me via Mail Artist “Nonlocal Variable“ (Oregon) for this asemic. It’s very common in #mailart exchanges to receive a packet of #collage items — and fun!

Why did I pick this particular item from the collage packet? I guess I resonated with the “discontinuity.” I’m experiencing what’s happening here in the US and the world (violent rifts, changing loyalties), but at the same time I feel that we are entering a great shift in consciousness, a change from what we’ve known previously; we don’t know for sure what’s coming next. It’s not only philosophical, spiritual, or emotional–it’s material (physiological, biological); maybe even linguitstic, too. We don’t have the language to explain it all (thus, the asemic writing).

We live in “interesting” times, as the curse goes…

#dailyart #asemic

Acrylics, paper, and watercolor.

I’m doing my “daily-drawing-practice-until-I-die” project. Up to No. 16 (my 16th day). I’ve decided that every time I get to 100, I will reward Self with an extremely yummy cookie. I know my friend Joan (who passed on recently and inspired this project) would approve. One nice perk is that these little drawings are providing me with ideas for larger works.

Here are the last three drawings, two #asemic paintings and one #pencil drawing:

No. 14. India ink, graphite ink, and graphite pencil on watercolor paper. 2/1/2026.

No. 15, india ink, graphite, and acrylics on watercolor paper 2/2/2026.

No. 16, #graphite on watercolor paper, 2/3/2026.

Asemic drawing or painting feels much more spontaneous than drawing semi-figuratively with a pencil (as in No. 16).

I did No. 16 as a drawing meditation. The process involved simply noting whatever came up, physically, mentally, and emotionally as I drew. So there was the physical act (drawing a line, pressing harder, feeling pain in my fingers, pressing lighter, etc.); thinking (planning the line or shading, thinking about style, thinking about dinner, judging, etc.); and emotions (enjoyment, desiring, aversion, etc.).

I found this meditative process more complicated than, say, focusing on the breath while meditating; thinking and decision-making happens quickly while drawing, and I’m not used to being aware of my own interior process while creating. I hope that with time, I’ll be able to refine and develop my focus.

See also John F. Simon Jr.’s Drawing Your Own Path. I want to write a bit about Simon’s idea of drawing as divination, but will address that perhaps in the next post. I have to get ready for physical therapy today. Despite it being winter here in California, it’s going to be unusually warm today, and I’ll be taking the bus.