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April 10, 2025

get back in the pool

The David Hockney painting Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), which shows part of a swimming pool that looks out over the surrounding Californian or maybe Mediterranean landscape. There's a person in the pool wearing trunks swimming toward the edge and then standing above him at the side of the pool is a guy dressed in a pink blazer and white slacks. My initial take is that this about the duality of being an artist and that the figure in the pool represents the immediate sensual experience of making art while the figure standing over him is the critical mind that has to assess everything and make judgments on it. Or maybe I'm just projecting my own issues onto someone else's art; it wouldn't be the first time.
Would you rather be the swimmer or the person watching someone else swim? This is a metaphor about taking improv classes.

If you’ve already taken a Mercury Improv class and miss doing improv, here’s your chance to rekindle that singular joy. The next Mercury Monthly class meets Tuesday April 15th (not April 14th like I said last time) and it’s gonna be fun, but it’d be even more fun if you were there.

If you haven’t taken any Mercury Improv classes yet, let’s fix that:

  • There’s a totally free introductory class this Wednesday (April 16th) so you can see what our classes are like before you commit.

  • There are two new sessions of Improv for Introverts gearing up, one on Thursdays starting April 24th and one on Wednesdays starting May 14th. These are all about learning the fundamentals in a super-supportive, low-pressure environment where you can relax and have fun (which is actually the best way to learn improv).

In other words, if you’re reading this, there’s a Mercury Improv class with your name on it. I leave it in your capable hands and hope to see you soon.

Till then,
John

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