Tuesday, September 17, 2019

On Unfolding Light and Creative Connections

In the farmer's market
each booth creates a world of smells,
a little universe of color, root, and leaf,
a song of music or of thread,
the scent of flowers, the smell of bread.
Each center breathes out its own creation
ringing out and overlapping every other,
a world of worlds to every other world singing.


And so among the people as they stroll
and as they go, and as they work and walk
accustomed streets and subway platforms,
each creates a little world that ripples out
and fills the world, a world of worlds.
Each one chooses, as you do, their colors,
gravities, aromas and their givens..
The world you live in others do as well.
Be mindful of its song, its light, its smell.


from Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light


Regardless of which shoes we are wearing, how we present ourselves, what we see and hear (distorted or clearly, from within or without), who we love, what we hate and whose accent we most despise; in the long run, we’re all in the market together, each choosing, as we do, our colors, levities, gravities, aromas and givens. While the size of the booth, stall, post or canvas may vary and be a part of what matters, what comes in and what rolls out from us in ripples and waves is what matters most. The image below, of Corot’s small painting of the Cathedral of Chartres, is posted here as the result of mention made by ricpic in comment on another thread. When I looked the painting up, I was intrigued by all it held and conveyed, the composition and the content, along with the invitation to see, acknowledge and understand the heart of the creative process. It not only affirmed the words above which arrived just ahead of my first view of this work, it fit with the quote below read yesterday in the book, The Creative Connection, Expressive Arts as Healing by Natalie Rogers.

As I prepare to travel across the Lake by high speed ferry to attend a week long painting class in WI, I will be carrying with me the thoughts and encouragement generated by these encounters.
“Let’s look at the profile of the conscious creative person.  This individual:
  • has self awareness and self esteem
  • is self-empowered, which means taking risks to think and act independently
  • looks for new solutions to old problems, uses intuition as well as logic, playing with ideas, being inventive, and thinking holistically
  • can lead yet be co-operative
  • listens to, understands, and empathizes with differences while maintaining his/her own value system.
  • facilitates communication between individuals of differing views by helping the parties involved hear each other at a deep emotional as well as intellectual level

10 comments:

ricpic said...

That painting is MADE by the thing going on between the boy and the girl.

Have fun in that painting class.

The Dude said...

That's quite a painting there, MamaM. Corot's use of light is brilliant, but then again, that's Corot being Corot, yes?

Rodin wrote and talked about the Cathedral at Chartres, but that painting has given me a newfound appreciation for that building.

It's good to hear from you, good to know that you are continuing on your creative path, and after reading that list I realize I might be creative, but I sure ain't conscious! Hoo-wee!

MamaM said...

I saw the thing going on between sky and ground, the clouds and the clear blue yonder, one rock pile and another (three in all if you count the middle building) one stone and many (the individual and the collective), the trees and spires, and totally missed the thing going on between the boy and the girl!! Right there before my very eyes, as my mom used to say in a tone of sarcastic surprise from her, and now with rueful awe from me!

I'd have missed Corot and my enjoyment of this painting without your mention, ricpic, which could be seen as another kind of thing, the happenstance result of the emotions and thoughts stirred by a declared certitude regarding small paintings! I continue to be amazed by what is more privately held in our individual market baskets or picked up as fallen fruit to be made into a feast.

We'll be using smaller canvases at the workshop, easier to transport, focus on, and fill in the time available.

It's one stone at a time, one thing upon another Sixty G, with some leftover for the next generation to pick up, add to, finish, or admire and regard in retrospect. For what it's worth, I believe the use of power tools and Stihl requires a lot of present moment awareness at the risk of limb loss, which edges into the conscious category in my book!

ndspinelli said...

I took that high speed ferry returning to WI from Aridog's funeral in Detroit. It was worth every penny avoiding the Chicago road construction during the summer. Enjoy the class.

MamaM said...

I remembered your mention of it ND, when it came to choosing it or a 4-hour crossing on the steam-powered Badger between Ludington to Manitowoc. The time is halved with the ferry, but I'll need to find my way out of Milwaukee rather than Manitowoc. Although I've been using my car's onboard nav with more success these days, I ordered some paper maps from AAA. When SonM saw them on the table, all smooth and crisp, and unfolded one, he couldn't get over the "Big View"! I like them for that very reason and now have a big view backup, just in case. The Tour Books from AAA that I ordered along with them were a big disappointment, a thing of the past, mostly made up for the same historical info they've been publishing for years, with very few hotels or restaurants listed. They're what we used to travel with before the internet and have since joined the daily newspaper on the pile of things no longer depended on, needed or used.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Enjoy your trip MamaM.

In related to travel news, I was finally able to renew my driver's license today.

Thanks to all of you who helped make it possible. I still have the vehicle monitor, but I should be fine on that score. Although I had a scare last week. I handled a car scent gizmo and I forgot they warned me about how sensitive the monitor is. Long story short I got a false positive. Nothing I can do really, once that happens. I explained it to the reader guy I go monthly, to download the data and pay for the privilege. He told me not to worry. An isolated incident shouldn't be a problem. keeping my fingers crossed.

MamaM said...

That is good news, Lem!

More of the one stone upon another progression portrayed in the painting, leading to the more that results when vision and effort come together.

chickelit said...

For what it's worth, I believe the use of power tools and Stihl requires a lot of present moment awareness at the risk of limb loss, which edges into the conscious category in my book!

Stihlness facilitates the loss of limb from the tree's point of view.

Have a good time in Wisconsin!

I'll be back there at the end of October for a family wedding -- a much happier occasion than a funeral.

ndspinelli said...

Mama, I'm with you on maps. I use Siri all the time but I like to see where I am going and maybe make detours to see places.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

More of the one stone upon another progression portrayed in the painting, leading to the more that results when vision and effort come together.

I like that. Thanks.