Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Creativity as Labyrinth

"Over There"
ink on wood, 3" x 2"
Judith, March '10


I've been thinking of labyrinth's lately, how after you start out, they somehow circle back on themselves at several spots before reaching the center. I find that my art and writing do that. It's nearly like a deja vu of being at this point before: do I dare to paint differently this time, or the same? Do I dare to make my characters seem a little crazy, have big flaws, step into their unknown, make huge mistakes, or do they play it safe like so many of us try to do? This weekend I moved my studio back into its own room from a table in the living room where it is much warmer in the winter. Sitting at my "real" art table, I looked at this painting above that I mentioned last time where I dared to make the ground red. Oh, I was so tempted to use the accepted colors in my new painting, you know green grass & blue sky in back of a yellow daffodil. Ah, I've been there before! Yep, it was scary, but I decided to make a fuchsia, orange-y background instead. When I paint the daffodil will it be yellow, red, turquoise, or ...? I'll let you know. At least I past this point of the creative labyrinth & am closer to center. Now to make the main characters in my book both a little more crazed and bold! Where are you on your labyrinth of creativity and life?

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