Words do Influence

This piece was done during the improv session with Michael Arnowitt on piano. He said he would make a piece to the theme of January Thaw, but just before he played Janet spoke of the show she had curated at SPA called Circus. I knew about this exhibit and didn't think I was paying much attention, but instead was preparing for the next piece of music. I positioned the album of Ray Charles Singers called Memories of Romance on my easel. I had previously adhered wall paper onto the album cover image. The music began, the audience went away, and I painted, burning away the snow with the brightness of the thaw, but now looking at it I see "Circus!" When Michael finished his improvised piece, he admitted that circus had kept popping up in his mind also. How is it that our intentions were so transformed by the mention of Circus? How powerful is Circus? Or is it perhaps more easily visioned than January Thaw? So many questions can occupy the mind. All this came up again to me today because I shared this piece with my art group and the story unfolded itself, so I make this writing as part of my documentation of the improv session and the curious mind.