". . . a brush with nature"

Awhile back, as my husband and I sat chatting on the patio, a tiny visitor dropped by to join us. We both thought he must have been new to the neighborhood (our surrounding woodlands) because, even though we both spend countless hours watching our neighbors (the furry and feathery kind only) we had never spotted one like him before. He was quite a handsome one and seemed to be a friendly sort, too. You see, he spent quite a while sitting on my lap allowing my husband to take many photos of him as the three of us got acquainted. This chance encounter between the three of us became an unexpected experience for my husband and me, as well as a treasured memory we will never forget. The photos taken of our little friend that day, became the inspiration for my pastel painting, “Visiting Trio”. 

In this blog I would like to share the visual journey with you on the creation of that painting. Since we were fortunate enough to get so many wonderful photos I decided to take “artistic license” and turn one bird into three. I also chose to place my birds on a branch of blossoms (not found in our own forest) in a horizontal format. I like the horizontal decision and think it works particularly well here. When placed against a minimalist background, there is an oriental “feel” to the piece. The use of so many blooms and a minimal background are both unusual choices for me, but ones I felt were right for what I was trying to achieve. 

I am quite pleased with the way this painting turned out in the end. 

I first read the term, “inspired curiosity” in an article by Clint Watson and I was immediately taken with the phrase. As a creative sort of person, it really speaks to me because I feel like I am always curious about things and very often inspired by the new discoveries I make when following my natural curiosity. 

Being curious about things keeps you from becoming stagnant no matter what part of life we are thinking or talking about. It doesn’t just pertain to artistic endeavors. The desire to explore new avenues and learn new things is important for each of us, no matter what our age or stage in life. In fact, it has long been a personal goal of mine to do just that . . . to try and learn something new every day. Very often these are just the “I can’t believe I didn’t already know that” type of discoveries, but once in a while these “aha moments” are truly mind blowing.

For creative people, whether artists, musicians, authors or whoever, following their natural curiosity has often led them to continued growth, and quite possibly continued greatness, along a surprisingly different path. The Beatles are a wonderful example of this. During their career as a group, and later as solo artists, they explored many different styles, sounds and genres of music. They were curious and certainly not afraid to follow that curiosity wherever it might lead them. And it led them to the unmatched greatness that only they had the ability to create by being curious, creative and unafraid to explore.

Authors often explore many different genres, too. One contemporary and very well-known example of this is J.K. Rowling. Rowling, known for her Harry Potter series, also writes crime fiction under the name of Robert Grailbraith. I absolutely love the quirky, but oh so human characters, of Cormoran Strike and his partner, Robin Ellacott, that are the main characters in her crime fiction series. I am so thankful that J.K. Rowling allowed herself to be curious enough to explore different avenues of writing. If she hadn’t, we’d certainly be missing out on something very special.

The gist of this is to allow yourself to be curious and stay that way throughout your lifetime. Don’t be afraid to follow your curiosity wherever it might lead you. Let your own “inspired curiosity” be your guide. It will be what keeps you young.

“Gather up 

All the lost souls 

That wander this earth 

All the ones that are alone 

All the ones that are broken 

All the ones that never really fitted in 

I shall gather them all up 

And together we shall find our home” 

Whenever I read this poem written by Athey Thompson I think about my painting, “Long Forgotten”.  I have always loved this painting and the way it turned out. I am proud of the way I painted the reflection and of the way I was able to successfully convey an emotion on an inanimate object. I am also happy that this particular painting sparked a series of vintage toy paintings of which I am very proud. 

But the tiny toy elephant that was my reference for this piece, sitting alone and long forgotten in the corner of a room, has always made me feel sad. I know it might sound silly, but I have always felt that forgotten toys have “feelings” of sadness once they are abandoned and no longer played with. That’s why I wrote the following description when I completed this painting.

“The reference photo for this piece was one of our grandson's pull toys. He had long outgrown it, so the poor little elephant sat forgotten in a corner . . . abandoned for other big boy toys.  I turned his little elephant smile upside down because he has now been outgrown and left behind.”

Maybe that is why I feel like this poem could very well speak to all the little toys that are now broken, abandoned and all alone . . . no longer “fitting in”. 

“I shall gather them all up 

And together we shall find our home”  

Even if it is only in a series of vintage toy paintings.

“I do not go to the forest to be alone, she said, I go to be with the ones who speak without human words.” 

My husband sent this to me recently and said that he thought, “that’s my baby.”

He was right. It fits me perfectly. It doesn’t just “fit” me, it IS me. I do go to the forest to be “with” the creatures of the woods. They are my family . . . I feel very comfortable there, surrounded by the animals and birds, big or small, seen or unseen.

We live in the woods. We have for decades. It is where we both feel most comfortable now, I believe. We are in awe of the wildlife and what we have been able to witness during our time spent here, sharing their experiences with them. We treat the wild creatures with respect. After all, we moved into their space and they have accepted us here . . . have accepted our offers of friendship, and I believe they know we mean them no harm. 

And here I paint. 

My studio sits in this beautiful forest, too. It is visited daily by the “ones who speak without human words.”  I treasure each and every visit like the great honor that it is. For how many people are really so fortunate as I, to have visitors such as these . . . the beautiful feathered and furry creatures of the wild?