Act’s of Devotion – Alex Pullen
A friend reminded me the other day about a self portrait I did a few years ago… He was asking for advice about how to make his self portraits less “cheesy“… I said, “I don’t know man, I’ve always done dreamy one’s…” The day I took the self portrait above, I wrote a poem along with it. Recently after creating this image and the poem I knew that I would be working there no longer. I slept on it and decided to put in my two weeks notice that next morning. Looking back I’m really glad I made the jump. It’s not easy being self employed, or an artist… and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Here is the original poem that went with the image:
“Patience is the science of peace.
I stand here writing a love poem to the world,
on the street corner of a grocery store.
Watching the cars drive by, sweeping leaves away from the sliding glass door.
Inside I feel the lights, the hours, the familiar faces…
I feel my genuine smile, wishing and knowing it can do more…
The slow movements…the breathing… the chopped conversations.
The bits of stories…
The bits of lives I get to know.
The lives of customers, co-workers and my own…
The grey clutter…
…at times, chaotic emotional-noise in the background…
The evening moves on.
Just two of us left,
keeping the dream alive.
Providing our service and smile to all whom come.
Those loyal fans manifesting an afterthought of ice cream…
or a premeditated cold-dinner after a long day.
Closing, we shut the door and turn off the lights…
almost there…
Filling the yellow bucket, roll-squeaking onto the floor,
I catch my self knowing there is more…
Feeling as if I’m mopping the floor with my dreams,
I realize…
Why would I mop the floor with my dreams…
when I can mop the floor with devotion to them?”
Enjoy,
Alex