Explained, "Jerry's Book"

Jerry's Book is the second book in my Books of The Art art project series. Just as the first book, David's Book, had a subtitle (The Blue Book), so too does Jerry's Book. It's also known as The Brown Book. Superficially it's so named because the cover of the Strathmore Drawing pad is brown. The first book was paired with my oldest brother... I mean to say, that specific type of sketch book was paired with my brother because it's the one I remember him using the most. Jerry though, my second oldest brother, had no real ties to one book or another. In fact, the Strathmore books were a second favorite of David's.

I gave Jerry The Brown Book because growing up it's the one color I associated him with. If only because it was a favorite of his, as far as clothing was concerned anyway. Everything about his complexion also brings the color to mind. His hair, his eyes, his skin... all brown.

Now as far as the direction for the book goes, it's very much tied to who Jerry is as a person. Jerry's Book is all concerned with rules, boundaries and mathematics. It's about defined spaces and ideas. Distinction. Discrimination. If David's Book is a counterpart to the fire principle, than Jerry's Book is of the earth. Of man. Of ego. It's not nature untamed, but controlled. It's order. It's higher thought. It's critical thinking. And it should be known that Jerry is a really sharp guy. Incredibly intelligent. Very skillful and technical. He's a mind of mathematics. He's ordered. He's very right-hand. And while Jerry never took art as seriously as David did, he still had a talent for it. But his technique, like the philosophy behind The Brown Book, was very much concerned with planned, controlled movements. It was always very technical and precise. David was impressionistic, and Jerry's realistic. I wanted to define the books as I have the people.

So every piece in Jerry's Book is planned out long ahead of time. I tend to use rulers and guides to create each symbol. I try my best to stay within the lines, within the social order of the book. Nothing about it should strike of eccentricity... or more, of the chaotic. Or in the language of social order, anarchistic. And while most of my work is already very precise and "perfect"... the pieces in The Brown Book have to be even more so. There should be no mistakes.

Now I should say that the language I've been using shouldn't be viewed as negative... or... not spiritually informed. Both books are two sides of the same coin. They personify the pair of opposites principle. Both are divine. Only clothed in different costumes. The artist or the eccentric (David) needs the community or society (Jerry) to define him, and in turn define them. There is no separating the two. They are eternally bound. And I feel, no better idea to cast upon my brothers. The are the Moon and the Sun, respectively. They are my Moon and my Sun. Heavenly bodies who forever inform my existence in this plane.

DS333, orbiting.