With just a few lines, a wizard can cast a spell and make something appear out of nowhere; in the same way, with just a few lines, an artist can drag his magical ‘wand’ across a piece of paper and make something appear out of nowhere. In today’s episode, we consider the power of drawing—it is both a form of listening and spiritual practice.
Seth reads his poem ‘Avocation,’ and we consider the recent story about Maurice Ivor Birch, who spent the last 54 years drawing his hometown on a 100-foot-long roll of paper. We take a look at some drawings and sketches from Jack and Seth; and Jack playes his banjo. In the end, Seth has a surprise for us!
Take a look at the chapter headings to see the territory we cover.
Here is the link to the story of Maurice Ivor Birch: https://mymodernmet.com/maurice-ivor-birch-aldridge-scroll/
Oh, and send us your drawings! Email them through our Substack, direct message them on Instagram, or tag us on Instagram (@thecolorofdust).
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Prayer
01:11 Reading and Discussing the Poem "Avocation" by Seth Wieck
09:33 Personal Reflections on Drawing
14:37 Discussing a Story about a Man Drawing His Town
31:08 The Freedom and Seriousness of Drawing
32:18 Drawing as a Form of Listening and Spiritual Practice
41:07 Drawing as a Pure Record of Human Thought
56:36 The Improvisational Nature of Drawing
01:02:16 Drawing as a Discipline and Abstaining from Noise
01:04:23 Drawing as an Accessible Tool for Self-Expression and Connection
01:04:29 Drawing as Participatory Listening
01:06:48 Exploring Big Ideas through Drawing
01:09:48 Drawing as a Spiritual Activity
01:20:28 Drawings from Jack and Seth
01:23:58 The Significance of Drawing in the Digital Age
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