zen pothole

digital photo

variable size

I'm not a big fan of potholes. They make me angry when my car takes a hard bump and I think about the inevitability of car repair. I thought it would be a good idea to overcome my annoyance with potholes by making them a vehicle for my art. I relaxed, took a deep breath, and looked both ways before filling these potholes with colored sand. I thought about Zen gardens, Tibetan mandala paintings, and ways to signal and avoid oncoming traffic. I don't mind potholes so much anymore. When I hit one I think, “what a great place for art."

An unintended consequence: it took about an hour before the neighborhood kids started playing with the sand. I became a little nervous, hoping that no one would get hurt - so much for all the relaxation and deep breathing.