A friend sent me this meme. The same one who sends me the humorous ones, and I contemplated this for a bit, thinking about how it applies to both of us, as well as all artists.
My friend is a visual artist, primarily sculpting, while I’m a word artist, but we’ve bonded through the years over that shared sense of creativity. She has talked about how she has “listened to the clay” and I’ve realized that the times I pause a work for a while, I’m listening to the words. Not consciously of course, but in the recesses of my brain where the creative spirit lives.
Other writers have told me that it’s the same for them. They take a step back, especially when the writing is not going well, and often come back a few days or even weeks later, to have a new perspective and excitement for the story.
When I saw this meme, it stirred a memory of a Humanities class I took in college eons ago. The professor showed us photos of paintings, some well-known, others not, and had us just look at them for as long as it took to stir a story. I really enjoyed those exercises. Not only did they help with my writing, they taught me so much about art appreciation. Stop. Look. Step back. Look again. And let the beauty of the work speak to your soul.
That’s how I approach visual art now.
There are reasons why people stand in front of a work of art in a museum for what may seem like much too long to the casual observer.
Now, in the spirit of fun, here’s the latest fun meme from my friend. It made me chuckle.
Admit it, it made you chuckle, too. Okay, maybe just smile a little, but that’s a good way to start the week. Hope yours is a good one. Bee safe. Bee happy.
Enjoyed this so much, especially the bees!
That one with the bees was along with three others my friend sent the other day. It’s the one that made me chuckle. Glad you liked it, Jan.