Taos Autumn, Judith
5"x3", 11/08
The first leaves are turning brown & the nights are cooler. It's transition time in the Northern Hemisphere. Symbolically it's a time for us to take stock and gather our resources for winter, both physical and in spirit. Last night I watched the movie about Georgia O'Keeffe. I won't go into the merits of the film, but rather was struck by the courage it took Georgia to maintain her artistic integrity, leave her abusive husband, and strike out for the land of enchantment here in Taos. I hadn't known before why she came here. Of course all of us who come fall in love with the stark beauty and artistic possibilities. Perhaps we too come, like Georgia, to let the mountains and desert heal our artistic souls, to make that greater transition into who we truly are as creatives.
Happy, Creative, First Day of Autumn to you!
Hollyhock photo by Judith
As I looked out my studio window the hollyhocks have their last blossoms of the season on them. I love hollyhocks, and in my wildflower garden I'm letting them grow where they want. So lovely & so nice to have a patch that can grow itself, kind of like us humans saying we'll go with the flow. It must be close to autumn as this morning I picked the last onion and then came in and cleaned my mud room cum larder/pantry! And, yes, the countdown to the Taos Arts Festival Open is looming, so working madly on my large canvas. I groan at every "mistake," then fall into the challenge of "how can I fix this?!" Yes, I am content today with my painting, deep-cleaning a room, and gazing on my last hollyhocks! I hope your countdown to autumn is as lovely for you.
"On A Telephone Pole," Acrylic on canvas
4" x 6 " Judith August 2009
I won't have a long weekend, so yesterday I acted as if it were Labor Day and moodled around my house and garden, getting out sewing projects for Christmas presents, reading a mystery, and puttering in the kitchen. Oh, yes, I did paint on my latest painting. Just try to keep me out of the studio! About this time every year, I get into my "what do I make for the holidays & create over the winter mode?" The good thing is by this thinking ahead I minimize the "holiday mad rush." But, more importantly I re-remember that by "goofing off" it opens that creative door even wider, so that more ideas can rush in. For instance my studio gets down to freezing in the winter & takes 2 - 3 hours to warm up, so the idea that dashed in was to do my smaller works and my anticipated encaustic experiments in the kitchen this winter! Brilliant!
Before I discovered that I am an artist and writer, my creative outlets were cooking, sewing, and woodworking. So, it sometimes helps to fall back into these in order to dash ahead into my higher creative work.
What is it that you can fall into in order to bring up that deep well of wondrous creativity? Hope you can have time to do that this week. Happy Labor Day!
