NEW MOON MORNING
Just minutes before the sun appeared over the horizon,
the new moon was rising in the eastern sky.
Just above the silhouette landscape,
the brilliant white crescent hung suspended against the silvery steel blue sky.
The pond below mirrored a perfect reflection In the morning stillness
Breathtaking! Indescribable simple beauty. Nature at its finest.
After a hectic winter and spring schedule, it has been a season of the three “R’s” – Rest, Re-evaluate and Re-group. I have a tendency to get so caught up in the world of art…pushing to keep up with other artists and trying to sell and promote my art...that I lose sight of who I am and where I desire to go. Art becomes a “job” instead of a “joy.” While attempting to meet deadlines and produce enough artwork to be in various galleries and shows, I lose my creative edge and originality resulting in what I feel is sub-standard art. I know I have been quiet for awhile but it has been a necessary quiet to embrace the Three "R's".
While returning from a visit to an art gallery in a nearby town last week with an artist friend, we were pondering which way to turn in order to find our way back to the highway. As she reached for “Maggie”, her faithful GPS, I reflected on the days before GPS and cell phones. Growing up, I had some friends who would panic over the fear of getting lost. Fortunately, that was one fear I never struggled with because I believed it was impossible to get lost. As long as the car was moving and there were roads, I knew one would take me where I needed to go. I viewed a wrong turn as a detour which although it may take me out of the way and delay the arrival at my destination, it would get me there eventually. To me, a detour was more of an adventure that provided new scenery and experiences along the way.
Therefore, to me, a detour is nothing more than an opportunity to make new discoveries… to experience and see things you would have otherwise missed.
Although I don’t always succeed, I try to apply that philosophy to life as well. When I encounter unforeseen circumstances in life, I have the choice to view them as a "detours" or "derailments". I prefer "detour" along with the surprise, joy and lessons it can unexpectedly produce.
Three paintings in progress and waiting for paint to dry. Contemplating what each will be named and where they will take me next. Sometimes the name comes first, then the painting….but mostly the painting and then the name. Often I have to see the final product before I fully understand the buried thoughts and emotions that were being expressed during in the process. Awwww….the joy of creating a new piece.
It’s always amazing experiencing the twists and turns the journey of an individual painting can take. I love the process…even though sometimes it can be a little trying when the next phase takes days or weeks to become clear. I try one color or technique and it just doesn’t seem to fit…so I backtrack and paint over or add to…then suddenly the pieces of the puzzle start falling into place…that’s when the fun really begins. One canvas has already reached the fun stage and is taking shape….the other two??? Well, they are still in the experimental stage.
I believe there is a place of solitude an artist must attain—a place where one discovers who they are and what they are about—their deep beliefs and inner convictions. It is out of that place of understanding and being at peace with oneself that individuality begins to be birthed and is expressed through the creative process. As the real artist in you becomes evident, your art evolves and you are better able to develop your own individual technique and style. There is no longer the need to attempt copying the works of others. For me, technique and style are the elements that make some artists stand out above others.
2010…the start of a new year. May it be filled with the presence and blessings of the Lord. May we all achieve the destiny to which we are called and may we live in peace with all those around us. May we live a life fulfilled and overflowing with an abundance of love. May our lives be living proof that there is a God who loves us.
Happy New Year!
“One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.” Helen Keller 1880-1968
The outer bands of tropical storm Ida raged through mid week bringing cloudy days and dumping buckets of rain….. But after the storm, the beauty of November at Hilton Head returned.
Saturday brought a glorious 75 degree day spent on the beach with the warm sand beneath my feet as I listened to the calming sound of waves crashing on the shore and the songs of gulls drifting on the wind. The rays of sun dancing like diamonds on the ocean surface brought back memories of childhood summer days at Oak Island while the laughter of children jumping waves drifted across the sandy beach bringing a smile to the faces of on-lookers. Numerous beloved pets romped in the sand and waves enjoying the freedom of the sunny day, delightfully welcoming the attention of passers-by. Everyone was enjoying being outside after the storm.
John and I rode bikes for awhile along the beach as a refreshing breeze gently kissed our backs. Trying to get a week’s worth of beach time and bike riding into one day drove us to the hot tub to soak our tired feet and legs before retiring for the evening. But it was worth it….It was a good way to end our week at Hilton Head before returning home.
September ended with the smell of Fall permeating the air as fire blazed in the back pasture consuming a pile of discarded debris from recently cleared land. A single wisp of blue smoke can still be seen spiraling upward from the remaining embers of yesterday’s bonfire. As the sun peeps over a bank of clouds on the eastern horizon, it catches a glimpse of its reflection in the silvery lake nestled at the foot of the hill. Meanwhile, the warmth of the first rays of sunlight gently nudge nature awake heralding a new day. Welcome, October!
As the sun peeps over the distant eastern hill and nature begins to awaken, the warmth of the sun kisses the cool morning dew on the rolling hills and creates a low dense fog hugging the ground like a fuzzy comfortable blanket. The cows begin to stir and the birds begin to sing….ahhhh….the beginning of yet another beautiful September morning.
“When I am in my painting, I’m not aware of what I’m doing. It is only after a sort of get-acquainted period that I see what I have been about. I have no fears of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise, there is pure harmony, and easy give and take, and the painting comes out well.” Artist Jackson Pollock
“Chekhov advises, ‘If you want to work on your art, work on your life.’ That’s another way of saying that in order to have self-expression, we must first have a self to express.” (“The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron)
“Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music—-the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.” Henry Miller