Thoughts and Images

I hope you are finding much joy and beauty in your world today. As promised, I've put together a collection of thoughts from the great poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, and images from my own portfolio to inspire and calm your creative spirit...

Seek those (themes) which your everyday life offers you; describe your sorrows, desires, passing thoughts and belief in some sort of beauty.

Describe all these with loving, quiet, humble sincerity and use to express yourself, the things in your environment, the images from your dreams, and the objects of your memory.

If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself. Tell yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches. For to the creator there is no poverty and no poor, indifferent place.

Perhaps it will turn out that you are called to be an artist. Then take that destiny upon yourself and bear it, its burden and its greatness, without ever asking what recompense might come from outside.

Your life will in any case find its own ways thence. That they may be good, rich and wide I wish you more than I can say.

Quotations taken from Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke, translation by M.D. Herter Norton

All images were captured in the woods that surrounds our home.

Hidden Treasures

Rainer Maria Rilke
(1875-1926)

In his writings, the German poet, Rainer Maria Rilke promoted the importance of patience and acceptance in the thought-life of an artist. He encouraged aspiring writers with the famous words, "Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to learn to love the questions themselves."
Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet is a text to which I return again and again for inspiration and encouragement. Today I began compiling a selection of quotes from the first letter in this collection. Rilke's thoughts about looking to our current environment for inspiration led me to combine his words with photos taken in the woods beyond our house. It seemed a natural combination...I will post the finished project soon.
I am grateful for the reminder to appreciate the beauty that is right outside my back door - to search for loveliness in surprising places. The woods is an obvious treasure trove for such discoveries. Big city apartment buildings and arid deserts are no less stunning. I wonder what riches are waiting to be found in your environment today...

The portrait at top (c. 1907), by Paula Modersohn-Becker is a public domain image uploaded from http://commons.wikipedia.org/ {{PD-Art}}

Far Away Friend

It’s been a busy week…wrapping up our summer and getting ready for a new school year. With my oldest entering college and my youngest entering junior high school, I am headed full-speed toward an empty nest. It seems that since my daughter began her senior year we look at every activity as the last time we’ll do this…the last time we’ll see that. The days of open houses and field trips are numbered and for a stay-at-home mom, that means a major life change is around the corner.
Saying goodbye to summer this year feels like saying goodbye to a friend who lives far away. I know I'll see my far away friend again, but she won’t be the same. I won't be the same. Life will have shifted a bit (or maybe a lot) when summer returns. It will be good, but it will definitely be different.
What a sweet privilege it is to see my kids grow and mature. Like the butterflies that flit about this time of year, my daughter is coming into her own and my son will follow all too soon. It is an achingly beautiful sight…

Clarity Through Expression

It is only through the effort of expressing that we clarify and make distinct who we are and who we are becoming.

- Jerry Fresia *

I find that blogging is freeing and intimidating at the same time. On the one hand I can say whatever I want. On the other hand, I can say whatever I want. For a mid-fourties girl who has spent a lifetime trying to please others, the opportunity to express myself honestly is a bit daunting.

To express my "self" I must first find out who she is.

It's hard to get used to having my own space...my own platform where I don't have to say the "right" thing. I don't have to blend or keep the peace. Still I find my self wondering what a reader might need to hear or what I could say that would make you want to return to this space of mine. Old habits are hard to break.

As I learn to write from my heart my true self timidly begins to emerge. It's touch and go. She still wants to hide behind the masks that have kept her safe and made her presentable. I have to say, though, it sure feels good when the masks come off and she feels the sun shining on her face. Maybe I should stock up on sunscreen...

* This quote is from an article entitled "Why We Paint"( http://painting.about.com/od/inspiration/a/JFresia_miracle.htm) Many of the ideas the author presents apply not just to painting, but to any creative expression. It's an encouraging read.

Becoming

How does one become a butterfly?" she asked pensively."You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar."~~Trina Paulus

Painting on Cardboard

I had a painting instructor once who required his students to paint on scrap pieces of cardboard. What's more, each assignment was to be painted on top of the previous one. It was a great exercise and it taught us to focus on the process instead of the product. Our professor knew that a pristine new canvas and expensive paints could be intimidating and might even cause us to "play it safe" in our creative experimentation. Afterall, we wouldn't want to waste such precious materials.

How good and, indeed imperitive, it is to set aside time and resources to play...to give ourselves permission to experiment and learn without the pressure to produce a great masterpiece. We must be willing to be less than impressive. We must be willing to have nothing tangible to show for our efforts.
This is creativity for creativity's sake and it opens our hearts and our minds to so many wonders. So go ahead and have some fun. Try something new and just enjoy the process.

Two Odd Birds

I was wondering why birds weren't coming to our birdbath...

Make an Adventure

Every production of an artist should be the expression of an adventure of his soul.

-William Somerset Maugham

My son and I were taking a walk the other day when this ominous dark cloud came up. We were quite far from our destination when it began to rain. Asked if he wanted to find a safe place to wait out the storm, he replied, "No, let's keep going and see if we can make an adventure."

Today may you find such child-like trust and abandon in your own heart. May you see in your circumstances the potential for discovery and adventure, no matter how big the challenge and may the road ahead lead to peace and great joy!

This post has nothing to do with berries,

but isn't this a lovely image? I carry my camera with me everywhere since I started blogging. Can anyone out there relate?

Blogging encourages my creativity in so many ways. I am more focused on the beauty and potential in my surroundings and sharing my discoveries brings me so much joy. I think that's the best part...the sharing. When I hit the "publish post" button, I feel like I just opened up my heart and let someone else take a peek inside. That's both freeing and scary at the same time.

I want to write from my heart more. I want to take more risks in my artwork but I have trouble letting go. e e cummings understood the artists' predicament - the freedom and the insecurity that can surface when we bare our souls - as he wrote:

Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity,

wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals

the human spirit.

Believing in myself...Why is that so hard? Why do I allow the voices of insecurity and doubt to drown out the voice of Truth?

Anniversary Roses

Look at the gorgeous roses my sweet husband blessed me with today! I love the array of colors as each one symbolizes a different aspect of love. How appropriate for an anniversary bouquet.
I always need a reminder of what each color means. Here’s a list in case you do, too:
Red – romance and passion, also courage (very necessary in love, wouldn't you say?)
Pink – admiration, appreciation and gratitude
Yellow – friendship, joy
White – purity, unity and new beginnings
Orange – passion and excitement
Lavender – enchantment, love at first sight

Hmm...This list sounds like a recipe for a great marriage to me :)