Final Journey Begins

This drawing was first introduced along with a voluntary question
which I asked people to consider.  Rather than make my title known,
I was curious what others might see. I encouraged people to take
their time and to support their choice with further details.

The text which follows is a summary of that exercise.  You now DO
know it's title but as this narrative explains, it was influenced
very much so by one person's "poetic" answer as well as another
person's literal or visually "conceptual" answer.  Both were
excellent titles.  Mine is the third and "final" title, again very
much influenced by other's ideas.


         "A Title for My Drawing"

					      					   
I want to first thank my friend Linda and my brother Lee for taking
the time to think of a title for my latest drawing.  As I reflect on
both selections and as I think of my own, I began to realize
something about titles [for works of art] alone.

We ourselves are a reflection of the source for the titles we give
to things.

Linda's title was: "Upward and onward...always..."

Lee's title was: "Conception."

I say "source" because we ourselves are infinitely complex and
influenced in so many ways.  And those ways themselves influence
our thinking much like the changing temperature in weather
influences the design of the next snowflake.

I love both titles with virtually equal appreciation.  Really. I
will have to say: (and I dislike this expression about my interest
in them simply because it seems so cold to "weigh" which one is
best) "It is a draw." "We have a tie" would be another way of
describing this little challenge.  And for this reason, I have added
a third title in which it is my hope others will begin to see
something "beyond" titles, which speaks also to the depth of the
"beholder" of the beauty they see in things.

I will get to this shortly.

Lee's title is perfect in the sense that it captures the "event" in
(literally) a conceptual way.  Not only does he gives IT a name but
he also sees physical details each of which point to a complexity of
"information" being transferred.  He points to each of those "areas"
seeing how each relates to others -- seeing actual things happening
-- which point to a greater concept.  I use the word "concept" in
light of his definition for what is going on -- which Lee sees well.

Linda's title I appreciate also.  It also is "perfect" as it rather
poetically points to something she sees about me.  Her "concept" is
a more abstract one as it points to a message which (like the birth
of something) shines a light of appreciation for what she sees in
the growth of my own art.  Sometimes I question the accuracy of my
thoughts (and interpretations) about things (like titles or "areas"
we take out of context) but I think Linda's title has a hidden
analogy in it -- which speaks to a less important "quest" for life
to replicate itself. I say 'less important' because there is a
"higher" message which she very kindly takes out of context.  The
quest itself is not a quest.  I see it more as an "original and
free" expression of creative evolution (in her hope for me) as an
artist of these "snowflakes."

How beautiful is that?

Like my father, and my brother, I see things for what they are.  A
large tree is beautiful in autumn.  It may have oranges and greens
and yellows.  It may provide cool shade on soft, green grass.  We
can look at the tree and see it as (simply) "a beautiful tree!" That
experience itself might be one of pure awe or "Wow, look at that
wonderful color!"

But, when we define it, or label it as -- "A Sugar Maple" this
changes something." The "tree-ness" of the Sugar Maple is entirely
lost and it becomes a label -- replacing what it actually is in
reality: "a beautiful tree." We can even go one step further!  We
could see our label of "tree" as something which itself replaces the
essence of the experience we have of, in this case -- a tree -- in
nature!

My title is:  "Final Journey Begins."

Since I have taken some time to interpret Linda's and Lee's titles,
I will also say something about mine.  It actually evolved out of
the above thoughts!  There is a hint of "ongoing-ness" in it.  There
is also a literal reference to the Conception of Life. 
Interestingly, there is also a paradox within it -- about "the end"
of something as well as its being "a beginning" of (yes) the same
thing.  But is it the same?  Yes and no!  Life, like snowflakes is
never the same.  It evolves in ever-changing ways.  Possibly SIX
ways.  At one point I considered the literal "success" of what we
see going on here.  But a title of "Sextuplets" would have been far
too distracting, defined and scientific.  When I think of sextuplets
I think of things like Octo-Mom or someone's being plagued with the
responsibility of raising many children -- something which I suppose
COULD be considered an art itself!

So in summary, I thank you again for taking the time to read this
"title-exercise" summary -- and for participating, Lee and Linda! 
Again, your titles were each very good and they helped me to see
that the "beholder" reveals much -- not only in what they see, but
in how they see it.  My title is a mirror of your thoughts with a
little of my own as well.  This was a combined "effort." I would
like to think of it more like what we see in "Final Journey Begins"
itself -- a union of ideas -- coming to an end here in this little
story -- but in no way ending in this artistically captured moment. 
This is just the beginning of a new moment in life ongoing!

Thank you.

-- written 1/22/17 - ceb



Lower-right view:



Lower-left view:



Upper-right view:



Upper-left view (rotated):



Closeup of center detail:



Closeup of informational (DNA) transfer:



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