The Space Matters
Place + Mise + Purpose = ???
The place matters. The space matters. If you notice, I haven’t shown you many new artworks since we embarked on this journey. Most of the reason for this ineptitude is because I am currently uncomfortable with my surroundings. I simply cannot produce good work without a certain comfort. I’m not talking creature comfort or ‘nice things’.
I did not say: “a pretty place matters”. I don’t require inspiration hanging about me. I don’t need nice carpet or pretty painted walls. I promise to ruin any nice object within earshot of my work. Splatter it with paint…drag paint on my shoes over the carpet…clothes ruined…tools bent and used for scraping…a splattered wall formally eggshell grey. You’ll see, someday. Not today.
I require mise en place. I need a designed space where my activities, my tools and my work surfaces jive together to keep me from having to think about anything but the work. I cannot mentally tolerate any barriers to engagement-I go crazy. I still think like an Austrian Chef. I simply cannot get comfortable any other way.
“The cook has organized his time, his work-product, his goals, his physical space and by doing so, freed his mind to execute his duties. He’ll revise his mise, over and over, to larger and smaller degrees, throughout his day according to uses and changes to volume.
He set up his physical space to produce his Mise, he set up his Mise to produce his recipes, he set up each ingredient combination to produce each plate.
He essentially starts from the beginning at each step so it is clean, organized and efficient. Tight ergonomic and efficient. So what is the effect on his brain? Ballet dancing to Thrash Metal.
Mise allows you to add tasks to your ordinary workload. Mise allows you to be creative with your problem solving or art creation. Mise makes you dangerous. Mise allows you to have a bad day and still perform like yesterday when you perfect.
I’m Trying to Get You Fired:
Management Rants for People Pleasers, New Managers and My Wife
-Jason Keusch
My tools have to be handy. The worktables have to be arranged so I can move about without thinking. There cannot be any debris around that I may have to move to do my next activity. My tools are numerous. And though I said I don’t require creature comforts…I have a Television and Stereo that will wake up my mother-in-law three blocks away. Both necessary electronics are covered in paint.
In this vein, and to show you a battle plan of what must happen to erect Million Dollar Garage…what must we do first? Yes. We must make a list. Here it is: I uploaded it as a pdf because it seems silly to blast you with a list in this format).
In order to show you what I am thinking, spatially, I made this little animated drawing. It’s sort of silly and its merit can be measured as either: awesome and unprofessional; boring and unprofessional; or exactly what is needed to convey the thought (or short enough to not matter). You be the judge.
So after all that preamble, a mini-rant on Mise en Place, a quote from my unpublished book (I would say this is a shameless plug, but it is no more a shameless plug than this whole damn exercise of Million Dollar Garage), a weird video that looks like my nephew made it against his will, I’m led to this overriding sentiment. I’m good at sentiment.
None of this matters.
Talking is not doing. A house is not a home. A garage cannot be multiplied by a million if it is not filled by hopeful souls. The why is always more important than the what.
If I accomplish these to-do lists and dreams without the understanding that I am striving serve God by serving you, it will amount to naught. Go to heaven. Do simple Commerce. Show people they are not trapped.
All of this is true, but it is also true in the opposite direction. I am doing it for you, to enhance myself. It is a selfish endeavor. I am reaching out to the world because I am mad at the current state of affairs of this world. I am pushing myself beyond my comfort to find out what is out there for me. I am trying to embrace you, because I need your love. Where art thou?
If it succeeds, I deserve no credit. If I end up with the same frumpy garage but a million subscribers who feel as though they can relate to me, so be it. If I never sell another painting, God’s will. If I never know that I touched one person with the right word, the right image at the exactly right time, that’s ok too. As long as I did touch them.
This place requires no comfort. We were not built for comfort…we were built for greatness (Padre Pio). I believe that my feet are squarely in the ground, right here. And yours are planted exactly where you are today. The guardian angels who oversee our souls meet together without the restriction of time or space to connect us…all of us…they exercise their will to bring us together, and to heaven.
Mise en Place of the Soul, maybe. Be not conformed!!!
Jason
PS. Art Gallery Below…all available for sale at jasonkeusch.com
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My man. Thanks a million. I promise!!! You’re a helluva friend.
Another fantastic read my friend! Grateful for you, your art, and sharing yourself with through Million Dollar Garage. At the end of each read, I’ve always learned something new and feel inspired. Keep it coming.