Saturday, March 31, 2012

Ease & Dis-Ease of the Mind

On the easel, like it, afraid to ruin it!

I am feeling the sense of being able to hold a multitude of things this morning, not like pots and pans or laundry or anything but all the thoughts that float into the mind, unbidden. There is a lyrical feeling to it, one of touch and let go.  I can hold the poem I wrote yesterday, the possibility of what I might write here, the etsy order I need to get ready for mail, the question of what I will make for a potluck and on and on until the thoughts trail off into the ether. They form and linger briefly, a small cluster of grape like thoughts, a lovely rich little vine of possibilities. Usually I line these thoughts up in a row like urgent soldiers and they chase me around. Perhaps it is Spring, perhaps it is the homeopathic remedy I took last night. Who knows? Wanting to know the answer to everything is one of the dis-eases of the mind. How nice to just let it all just be.

So in honour of the feeling du jour I will wander around a bit with a tray of hors d'oeurves, holding out some tidbits in your general direction. Some may not be to your taste. That's fine. You are allowed to crumple them in your napkin and toss them into the compost bucket where they might feed new life.

not yet ruined!
Over at Layers blog, Donna gathered a basket of mindfulness to share. She asked a number of artists to contribute a little something on the subject. It's a lovely post about how people start their day or simply a few thoughts on mindfulness.  A few of my words and a photo of my painting spot are included there. Instead of playing it safe and using someone else's words (which I seriously contemplated, ah how we like to hide behind words of the wise!)  I wrote a few of my own.  In researching "mindfulness" I found this lovely page of poems. You can read them here. And then there is the lovely Mary Oliver poem called "Mindful" which you can read here.
finished and reasonably happy with!!

If you stop by here once in a while you have undoubtedly heard me sing my little song about  frustration as it relates to creating art. I am always so envious of artists who say they don't go to this place. But it is part of the process for a lot of us and I was totally heartened in a strange way to hear Rebecca Crowell's words on process as she followed her heart and moved from painting landscapes into creating the wonderful abstracts that she is known for now. You can read that post here.  And in Miriam Louisa's Simons generously offered, free ebook on creativity she gives "frustration" a place in the process. Can you hear my little self searching for reassurance that she's on the right track, wanting to know it's okay to meet frustration in the studio. She is one of the small creatures of the forest.  I think I saw her scurrying across the road in the dark last night. She will find her way.

And here's the little poem that wrote itself onto a painting yesterday:


do not measure the progress of your journey 
by the miles you have covered
it will tell you nothing 
except how many shoes have been worn thin
you must peer into the vast universe of inner space
for your travels have been transcribed
into the journal of your heart
etched and illustrated in great detail
while your heart
has been carefully sipping
cups of joy
and buckets of sorrow
with the same gusto


How's your creative process going?

26 comments:

  1. Wow . . can I ever relate to the "like-it-afraid-to-ruin-it" feeling.

    There is the word "dance" that I try to replace with struggle, but it still feels like struggle.

    So glad you shared this. With your sharing, my struggle somehow feels softer. More confirmation that it's part of the creative process. I don't know why I expect creating art to be different than life.

    Your paintings are lovely, and I enjoyed your contribution to Donna's blog.

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    1. hi Jann - it's funny isn't it how we feel that it's only us that struggles and we are so sure that there's something wrong with that. And it feels comforting, reassuring somehow to know that's just how it is, that we all go through it.

      And thanks for your kind words!

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  2. I love your poem! "...you must peer into the vast universe of inner space / for your travels have been transcribed into the journal of your heart..." So profound! And I love that it "wrote itself" from listening to those etched pages of your heart! Yes, "she will find her way!" :)

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    1. Thanks Christine. You know of these travels! Nice to be traveling parallel paths!

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  3. okay, wow... these paintings, carole!! really really love them all...

    my creative process is zooming along. throwing some pieces away, keeping others; made a new muslin book and drawing in more than one big paper journal. it feels abundant...

    xoxo

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    1. thanks for the vote of confidence, it means alot.

      I love the sound of your process, how throwing away and zooming along all fit into the same picture!

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  4. You amaze me with your writing. i think you go to a secret well each morning and drink a subtle blend of pure refreshment...i will seek to join you more often....<3

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  5. aw, Bernard you are to sweet! yes join me at the well! we can juggle the alphabet and gulp down consonants! Thirst quenching and energizing.

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  6. If you're afraid to ruin that piece, then I think you're finished with it! I certainly love it!

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  7. that's an interesting comment, especially in light of the fact I do often "ruin" things. Someone made a joke at an artist's talk the other night something like "my paintings are usually finished 15 minutes ago" after talking about work getting "muddy".

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  8. Carole, you are such a wonderful writer! Another fully loaded post, so much to take in - the work here looks so thoughtful and sends a feeling of tranquility - your words inspire, nothing wasted here, thank you xo

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  9. Thanks Jeane for your encouraging words! Now if I could just paint like you :-) I mean like me!

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  10. Thanks for what you have written and for your inspiring images.

    This is my new favorite poem about creativity "Whittling, the last class". I especially love the admonition "For God's sake/ and your own/ know when to stop." If only!

    http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/forum/f38/whittling-poem-41582/

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  11. ha, ha, love that! I so get this! "know when to stop." and honestly I think the "If only" should be part of it, it totally makes me laugh out loud!

    Going to check out the link!

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  12. wonderful poem and love how it made its way onto your painting. thanks fo all the links, which I will follow.

    take it easel, LOL. Yes, wouldnt it be nice if we had an easel for our monkey minds.

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  13. "take it easel" I like that! note to self, get one of Suki's new inventions: "ease-l for monkey mind" I'm ordering at least a dozen of these when they go on the market!

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  14. I meandered here via my friend, Suki.
    What a soul-nourishing place. Thank you!

    I love your art and your words. I do believe I'll be back often.

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  15. So nice to meet you. And Suki's is such a wonderful place to come from! And now for my visit to you, exit stage left (what cartoon character used to say tha??)

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  16. "...just let it all just be..." I love those words, Carole, and I would say that's where I'm at right now. I'm slowly learning to drop doing it all, being it all, knowing it all now, get-it-done-yesterday mentality. Just one day at a time is the policy now. The same goes for creativity. I have some new goals to pursue, but I am leaving a door open for possibilities to arise at the come. It's very freeing. Your poem speaks very much to me. :o)((HUGS))

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  17. sounds like you've arrived at a very lovely spot! yes, this is the aim as much as possible, isn't it? Freedom is the aim, I think. have a great week. hugs to you Tracy!

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  18. At the moment, I'm having trouble with my thyroid, which once again needs to be adjusted, but until we figure out the correct dosage of med, my mind is in a constant fog and I grasp for words and numbers. Things fly into and straight out of my head before I can pay attention. It's all very frustrating usually, but at the moment, I can't let it bother me...also a part of the fog...the inability to grab onto and hold onto ideas and thoughts like a terrier with a toy. I suppose there is always a bright spot in any situation! cheers to you this day!

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  19. wishing you success with that troublesome thyroid! It is not fun to feel unwell and in a fog. And you are right, there are the bright spots in the day if we look for them, even in difficult situations. And just to be present with what is, rather than push it a way, I know this is a helpful one for me, to feel I'm not "fighting" with "what is". cheers to you, Holly.

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  20. Beauteous.
    Beauteous.
    I love the nibblies that you served up and my napkin is still fresh and clean...I yum yummed every morsel.
    And I agree with many here...your paintings, with both color and words, are most wonderful nourishment.

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  21. hello wondrous moon woman! thanks for the kind comments and glad you enjoyed the repast. Check out the video by Squeak Carnwarth over at Lynne Hoppe's blog (if you haven't already) I think you might like it.

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  22. She will find her way. With beautiful poems like that writing themselves on paintings, I would say she has found her way.

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  23. Thanks David! Always finding, losing, repeating.

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