Category: Process

Serious Play, Solemn Play

Abstract pen and ink drawing inspired by serious play vs solemn play, with flowing maze-like lines and a central vertical form exploring movement, balance, and the space between.
Pen and Ink | The Space Between — 5 × 5 in

Walking Reflection — April 17, 2026 Serious Play, Solemn Play

Years ago, I showed my students at Minneapolis College (MCTC) a video by Paula Scher on serious play vs. solemn play, and I find myself returning to that idea again.

“Serious play is about letting go and allowing things to happen. Solemn play is about controlling the outcome.” — Paula Scher

Years ago, I showed my students at Minneapolis College (MCTC) a video by Paula Scher on serious play vs. solemn play, and I find myself returning to that idea again.

At the time, I understood it pretty simply. Serious play felt open and exploratory, a place where not knowing was part of the process. Solemn play felt heavier, more controlled—something that closed things down.

But now I see it differently.

I think solemn play comes after serious play. Serious play is where things begin—where something opens, and I don’t quite know what I’m doing yet. But then something starts to form. A shape, a direction, a presence begins to emerge.

That’s where solemn play enters. It feels more like a kind of holding. A kind of listening. A willingness to stay with what’s emerging without trying to resolve it. It requires attention.

It’s almost like the kernel forms in serious play, but it begins to take root in solemn play.

Maybe the movement isn’t one or the other. It feels more like a quiet rhythm back and forth—between letting go and staying present, between discovery and care.

Where I am now isn’t about trying to get back to serious play.

It’s about learning how to remain in that space where something begins to take shape,

and then… the conversation begins.

When Is a Work of Art Finished

Walking Reflection — April 14, 2026
When is The Work Finished?

Door05192024, Mixed Media, Pen and Digital, when is a work of art finished doorway artwork
Door-05192024, Mixed Media, Pen and Digital, Hendricks 2024

“The work is done when it has nothing more to say to you.”
— Robert Rauschenberg

I made an appointment to have ten pieces framed — thinking about when a work of art is finished.

And then I canceled it.

At first, I thought I had chickened out.
That I didn’t have the courage to follow through and see how they are received.

But the more I sat with it, the more I realized — that wasn’t quite it.

I’m not ready to separate myself from the work.

Not because I’m afraid of losing it,
but because it doesn’t feel concluded in the way framing suggests.

When I imagine putting the pieces behind glass, something in me tightens.

And right now, they don’t feel done.

They still feel open and accessible.

They’re still in conversation with me —
and I haven’t figured out their path. Maybe there isn’t.

If they’re framed and set aside, even carefully, they become removed.
Not just physically, but creatively.

And maybe that’s what I was really responding to.

Not fear of letting go —
but resistance to closing something that’s still open.

There’s a kind of pressure in making art to declare things finished.
To move them forward.
To let them go.

But sometimes the more honest thing
is to stay with the work a little longer.

<nbsp;>

See more in Walking Reflections.

Cogs / The Living Machine — Process & Reflections

The 80/20 Principle

A vibrant abstract illustration depicting interconnected pipes, gears, and curved forms in vivid hues of orange, teal, and gold. The composition suggests a mechanical system that feels alive — forms overlap and flow with depth and rhythm, evoking the idea of consciousness and structure emerging from chaos.
Cogs / The Living Machine

While refining the work, I recalled a lesson I often shared with my students: the 80/20 principle. You can always keep working and perfecting, but there’s a point where the essence is present — where the piece is alive and coherent. This artwork marks that balance: form and meaning are clear without endless revision.

transformation and renewal — how structure and energy evolve through process.

Putting it out there… That is what an artist does.

Every artist writes his own autobiography.
                                             ~ Havelock Ellis

Putting it out there… That is what an artist does. I am realizing that more and more, I am writing my autobiography. An artist does put it all out there.

Quakers (the Religious Society of Friends) has been taking more of my time lately. I just finished the Northern Yearly Meeting eNews for July. For the past few years, I edited and produced the eNews for the yearly meeting.

For most of my writing now, I am using Grammarly. Yes, it is AI, and since I am dyslexic, it is very helpful. However, there are still mistakes, mostly because of reading errors. I get impatient and skim. I found that it is not good for proofreading. I am considering writing more about my life, but I don’t know how open I want to be. 

Derwent Inktense pencils and blocks have captured my attention as a new medium, and I am playing with them in combination with other materials that I am comfortable using. Applying the Inktense color with a brush was a concern because it has been quite a while since I last used watercolor or a brush. After playing with them, have a handle on the ink, but not a tight grip. : ) My pen work over the last couple of years has been beneficial.

I think of my friends Joe Sinness and Andrea Carlson, artists who are adept with wet media and can create sharp lines and crisp edges. 

I am drawing more and finding it rewarding—it allows me to center, and it is a meditative practice for me. Over the last few months, I have created three or four new pieces.

Below is a fun and quirky piece I created by playing and experimenting with Derwent Inktense pencils and my pens.

IMG_4582-Color Study 06202024
IMG_4582-Color Study 06202024

New Work in Progress or A Continuation of my Autobiography?

“Every artist writes his own autobiography” ~ Havelock Ellis

Havelock Ellis (1859-1939) was a pioneer in the study of non-normative sexual practices. He is known for his objective study of homosexuality, which did not characterize it as a disease, immoral, or a crime. Ellis believed that “abnormal” expressions of sexuality were congenital and harmless. He advocated for the reform of laws that criminalized homosexual acts. (Source)

This drawing is in progress and titled Ribbons. It is mixed media... drawn chiefly with Pigma Sukura Pens
Ribbons, Mixed Media, Sakura Pigma Micron Pens, Hendricks©2024

I’m back in Minnesota, settling in, and back in my studio. The last few days have mostly been spent reorganizing and participating in a few meetings. I started a new drawing, pictured above, and am learning Armorpaint. It is a free, non-subscription piece of software to texture 3D models that competes with Substance Painter, another software purchased by Adobe and now available by subscription only. Don’t get me wrong, I think Adobe products are great, but the subscription model and their dominance within the design community are unhealthy for visual artists and designers.

A blimp created and the materials assigned in Blender
Created and the Materials Assigned in Blender