Inner Artist

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

On a gloomy morning, this casual capture provided a photo that I enjoy. The snap both recreates memories of that real-time sighting, not intended to become much of anything. This picture represents one of photography’s most lovely elements, it’s the surprise of falling “in like” with an intended throw-away.

It’s been an inspirational image, something to do with how its lines interact–with one another and earth below, foliage and sky above. In fact, it offers so much that I’ve tried to draw it. I’ve been only partially successful, seem able to capture the idea. But as my friend, critic, and mentor, Janet, points out, some of my trees are sitting atop the fence and forcing me back to the drawing board.

Posting my drawing requires incredible chutzpah, most likely driven by thrills on seeing my image, that it at least resembles the original. After many years of not touching an artist’s tool, I’ve begun to revisit the activity of creating drawings. Who knows why all of a sudden? Perhaps it’s because some of Janet’s admirable artistic intelligence and skills have helped to reinvigorate my imagination.

At the very least, during many sleepless midnight hours, an alert mind (and a good photo) can force the eye to focus on all it should be able to see. This can create a vision that inspires the hand to start moving.

Dear Friends: Creating art costs little (at least in the beginning), and it’s a heady pastime. Diana