It’s part of my process to sit down and write in my journal – or blog – for a few minutes every morning. Recently, I felt unable to write my thoughts so drew little sketches of the redbuds on the tree outside my window.
My thoughts led me to a gray April afternoon at the Emily Dickinson home in Amherst, MA. I’d managed to get a few minutes alone in Emily’s bedroom, so felt alone with her. It was interesting to see what was outside her window – about the same that was out mine, at home. Houses, lawns, trees, sky, faraway hills.... What inspired her to write inspires me to paint.
I loosely painted my quick impression of the trees, the buds and the sky – more water than paint. There are pine trees behind the tree branches but in this experiment, I left them out. I wish I’d left them in because the green would have provided a better balance. For the branches, I used a quill drawing brush, for the redbuds, I spattered. There were a few areas on the paper where I spattered into wet puddles, so the paint ran. I used a hair dryer to dry the paper quickly so I wouldn’t lose my ‘roll.’
I lettered the poem to Emily Dickinson using an ink pen and ink. A friend gave me 50 or so quill lettering nibs, which I highly enjoy using. I chose to letter spontaneously without first making guide lines, and do the best I could. I enjoyed making each letter, making the whole thing work. The enjoyment was the best part. I'll do it differently 'next time.'
It’s not the destination, it’s the journey....
Process is our most important Product....
No comments:
Post a Comment