in doing so, i had to sign my name to a lot of papers. i joked with those whom i was signing for that my signature certainly didn't get better as i kept signing. but when you're buying a car, your signature is nothing more than saying that you are responsible for what is being signed.
i legally agree to specific terms and conditions. i agree to the consequences laid out if i fail to meet those terms and conditions.
it doesn't really matter what it looks like.
***
a little later last night, i had the opportunity to go to my college alma mater and saw a painting of mine hung in the gallery there, amidst other paintings from my friends and heroes.
it was interesting -- in that context an artist's signature is clout; if i were a famous artist, my signature would be worth a lot. here, aesthetics matter and signatures are more than agreeing to binding terms.
but then i started thinking -- the signature hasn't changed; the context has. but don't they essentially mean similar things?
i painted this. therefore i claim it to be mine. i will agree to the consequences of whatever comes from creating this piece and putting it into the world because it is mine.
***
as scary as it was to sign for that car and its accompanying responsibilities, sometimes it's more daunting to sign a painting and claim it as my creation.
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