And the WINNER is...

I promised I'd follow up on what possessed me to compose this piece titled "Only a Suit?"  It was great to find out that more than a couple readers did "get it" and shared perfect explanations of the meaning of the piece.  Several others sent in humorous, albeit appropriate, remarks.  It is always nice to know that when you attempt to use symbols or imagery for a different meaning that it is, indeed, decipher-able!

The suit here represents the outside of the person, much like the rock is first seen only from the outside.  In the case of a geode it could be ugly and nondescript, muddy or rough.  You really don't know what is deep inside until you crack it open and get to the heart of the stone.  The exterior of people is much the same (remember when you were told not to judge a book by the cover?).  The suit might give me one assumption but until I get to the heart of the person, or crack him open, I will not have the truth.  The geodes were a good way to remember this when dealing with the public...I soon learned that the exterior appearance had absolutely nothing to do with the situation...it was my job to slice through the exterior and learn what really lay below.  Only then could I do my job.

Hope you find a geode today.

Just a Suit?

I truely thought I was finished with stones, for a while at least.  But this idea was in my head and just begged to be executed.  So I finally gave in:

Back in my office days I kept a couple of geodes on my desk.  Not only did I love geodes but they were a visual "mantra" for me.  You see, I worked with the "public" and more often than not the angry taxpayer was either on my phone or across from my desk.  No, I never threatened to throw the stones at them!  But once when I had to give a talk on "handling" the public I took the geodes as a visual prop.  Can you figure this out now?  Send me your thoughts and I will share them as well as mine in a future post.

Oh, and about the piece: it is 12" x 9" done in graphite (pencil) on a prepared board with a 1/2" cradle, no frame or glass needed.  I have not decided whether to sell it.  And here is a closeup of the geode, in reality this detail measures about 2.5 inches square.  I love the interior crystals.

And p.s.: thanks for missing me....I heeded the call of beach time with the family: wonderful & refreshing!