At first, I wondered how to make a personal connection with the game Tetris. I was excited to hear Shannon was talking of this game specifically because it is one of the few phone games that I have actually really enjoyed and spent time on in the past, I think because of the way it stimulates my brain to organize and gives me so much satisfaction to use my logistical skills like this. Shannon said how it fulfills her need to move her thumbs while watching a show and I really enjoyed how Annie took this towards a meditative perspective on that statement. It wasn’t until our conversation went toward the flow state that I understood how this object would resonate with me.


This theme of entering the flow state through activity is something that I have been intrigued with over the past year. Last spring on a hunt for books to motivate me in realm of a career in art, I read “Flow: Living at the Peak of Your Ability” by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. This book was so inspiring in the importance and abundance of everyday mindfulness and the benefits of entering a flow state. My first memory of being in a flow state was during a yoga class years ago, and I remember feeling so simultaneously energized and grounded during and afterwards. I think that single class solidified my deep love for practicing yoga and I still do it regularly to this day and often tap into this meditative state.

I fibbed when I said read, I consume my books through my ears not my eyes, using audible for audiobooks. I find it so easy to enter into a flow state while working in the middle/ending stages of a painting, especially if I have music, an audiobook or a podcast stimulating my mind at the same time. Among what I've learnt about flow, is that what is actually happening in the brain is that the area called the prefrontal cortex drastically reduces its activity, and the brain frequency enters into alpha waves. Alpha waves are 8-12hz, known as calm yet alert and integrates the body and mind in a resting meditative brain state.


In response to this object, I began developing a piece I started yesterday. Coincidentally before bed last night I started what I thought would be a quick sketch and I ended up totally enthralled and drew for a couple of hours. I began this mandala-type design inspired by an imagined color palette which originated with the intention of a Mothers Day theme. I recently discovered the symmetry features while experimenting in procreate, and found it to be extremely meditative and flow-like. I've never done a whole symmetrical piece like this, but it feels so fitting in regards to the mindstate and symbolism of flow. Today since we've finished class I've completed a piece, and gratifyingly entered a flow state, much like that of Tetris. Below I've shared what I started last night and then the finished piece today.

OBJECT RESPONSE