On staring
Most of the time that I am painting, I’m not actually painting. I’m staring. But sitting there and looking at my work is a lot more productive than it might seem at first glance.
It reminds me of the universe: it may be mostly empty space, but that space is active. The void is always expanding and it’s likely full of dark matter. In much the same way, I may seem to be just quietly watching my paintings, but that part is every bit as important—and active—as the time I spend putting brush to canvas.
Sean Scott’s Portrait of Gwenn Seemel 2010
For one thing, there are lots of different kinds of staring. There’s casually glancing as I walk through my studio, spacing out while the painting is in my field of vision, and reading while sometimes looking up at a painting thoughtfully. There’s also a careful kind of looking that’s more prolonged and purposeful.
All of which is to say that I wouldn’t get much work done if my studio wasn’t also my home.
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