An allegory for artmaking

Nomura Toshiro in Haiku edited by David Cobb, Overlook Press, 2013

Studio work is coming on in productive bursts of activity, many try-outs and spontaneous decisions, many beginnings.  It's been a case of doing first and then trying to understand afterwards.  This is a familiar pattern to me and a useful one when away in unfamiliar environments.  I’m beginning to realise that the really strange detours in the making process are few and far between, and one should trust the instincts that arise.  Alex calls it following his nose, and he’s right.

Last week on a flying visit to Newcastle I picked up a book of Haiku and was distractedly flicking through when I found this.  In the last few days this 'modern' haiku has come to mind several times as I walked the 4 mile round trip to and from the studio.  Both in its activity and its introspection it comes close to the sense of making things before you know. You throw, then you walk.

alone in the spring -
hurling a javelin, and then
walking after it