Geometry, eyeballs, and an explosive brain
Field notes from the creative struggle
I have been fascinated with creativity for as long as I can remember. Artistic expression, in its many forms, is essential to the human experience. I’d even argue that it is the most important part of our experience.
In my creative adventures, the muse manifests as design or music. Sometimes it takes the form of audiovisual art, and other times I become obsessed with circuits and end up building or circuit-bending instruments.
The creative process is a subject I love to explore and discuss; it feels like equal parts science and magic. It’s something we can never force but can learn to invoke, even if only for a short time. There is an interesting duality in being a creative person—it’s both a blessing and a curse.
So, that will be the general theme of this Substack: field notes from the creative struggle.
I currently have two main musical projects. The first is my own experimental ambient project called Void State. This is my artistic playground, where there are no rules unless I impose them on myself. I am currently finishing a new EP titled From Memory to Dust, which I hope to release in the next couple of months.
I am starting to plan the next Void State project and hope to document the process of its creation here on Substack. I would love for you to come along for the ride if ambient sounds and field recordings resonate with you.
The other project I’m involved with couldn’t be more different! I am the creative director for a band called Eyes of Your Eyes, with an old friend of mine based in the U.S. and a guitarist based in Romania—a true global experiment. While I don’t contribute musically to this project, I am still very much a part of the band. Think of it like Rob Sheridan’s role with Nine Inch Nails: a visual antagonist where the lines of influence blur. We have some big ideas for this project, and it’s starting to pick up momentum—more on that soon.
I recently realized that I had fallen into the “doom-scrolling” trap and was wasting a lot of time on my phone that could have been spent pursuing the many ideas and projects I keep noting down. I had convinced myself I was in some kind of creative block and let the algorithm entertain me with the same mindless content on loop, night after night, riding the dopamine wave.
I decided it would be good to take a break from social media and maybe leave my phone out of reach to avoid the urge to constantly pick it up for a quick fix. Within days, it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders—as cheesy as that sounds. I was no longer consumed by all the stories flashing before my eyes, and it gave me back a kind of freedom I had subconsciously lost.
With the distraction removed, my brain quickly went back into “let’s make something” mode. Since then, I’ve been working on new music and rediscovering my love for graphic design. I’ve also read some fascinating articles on Substack about the psychological trap of social media, and now I see it for what it is.
I’ve enjoyed discovering the Substack community as well. It really is where all the great underground journalists and writers are emerging. Counter-culture still exists, and it’s right here!
This week, I’m sharing some recent designs (and a photo). A couple of these are still works in progress, but I thought it might be fun to share them. Actually, the idea of sharing unfinished work is panic-inducing, but I’m sure there’s some valuable self-growth b@llsh!t in this somewhere.
From Memory to Dust
Concept artwork for my upcoming ambient release From Memory to Dust. This cover won’t be used, but I enjoyed exploring some geometric shapes and color schemes outside my usual style. Elements from this will make it into the final design in some way.
Street Photography
I was walking to work one day and noticed a wall covered with several posters for various events, plastered one on top of the other. Some had been torn, revealing the layers beneath. An interesting composition had formed, and I took a moment to capture a quick photo. Art is all around us—you just have to tune in.
Landmind
Album artwork for the latest Eyes of Your Eyes release, Landmind. The singer and founder of the group, Abel Autopsy, had the idea of a brain with an explosive timer grafted to it. I’ll talk more about my work with Eyes of Your Eyes in upcoming Substacks. In fact, part of the reason I wanted to start this Substack was to document some of the thinking and approach behind this work specifically.
Void State concept
Another concept piece for my upcoming ambient release. I decided to create a piece of artwork for each track. You can see some of the original design elements repurposed here as I try to hit on an overarching theme.
That’s all for this week! I hope you enjoyed a brief look into my world.