Sometimes, when you think you’re done with something, it’s more of a reflection on your state of mind than what went into that work. For artist Paul McComas, that state of mind is all about age. More than just a number, how old you are can give you a different perspective on the work you’ve done in the past.
That’s why he’s organizing a workshop to teach artists how to revisit and self-collaborate with their younger selves on a particular piece.
Friday night, McComas will give a virtual presentation of a short film called The Collection, which he made in 1983 and revised in 2019. This was originally supposed to be done in person at the Woodland Pattern book center, but, like a lot of its programming, the screening has moved online.
"It's a long, long, long-term editing and post-production process. You start a movie at 13 and have a version of it that you think is done and then you come back at 50 and say, 'You know, I can make it better'," says McComas.
The workshop is open to all kinds of art. McComas suggests bringing old poetry, music, paintings, or even an old journal. "People can bring in whatever they've made," says McComas. "Collaborate with the old version of yourself and make it something new."
The workshop begins on Sunday at 1 p.m. You can register through Woodland Pattern book center.
