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     The imagination can be both wonderful and terrible.  Like a wild horse that could take you far if broken, or if it had its way, toss and break its rider.  As a child and beyond I didn't know my imagination could and should have limits.  A lot of the time imagination controlled me, mostly in painting vivid, fearful scenarios for which I was bound to produce a survival plan in the private terror of my mind. 
     While I've become very good at resourcefulness and problem solving, I much regret those years of subservience.  I was a willing hostage to the wiles of my own thoughts.  A lot of energy was wasted running mental and emotional errands for ideas that had no real authority over me, not to mention being totally void of Truth & Beauty. 
     Today I'm still waiting to hear news, anything really, from some loved ones who are in southern Africa.  The communication turn-about has been longer than usual, though still just days.  Fear knocks at the storehouse of my mind. Throws out some possibilities and asks me to check inventory for solutions.  I pause.  Consider better uses for my resources.  And firmly shut the door.

Biola ArtTalks

Here are some quotes from a couple lectures given at Biola University by Dr. John Mark Reynolds on art, truth and culture.  Hefty stuff.

"Any culture that can't explain Hamlet isn't worth surviving."

"The poets are the doctors of the soul."

..."I believe that myth ( a big term for music, poetry, art etc.) becomes the tool to shape our soul for Paradise...."

"To shape your soul is as important as building a bulldozer to shape the dirt out there."

"We need medicine for our souls in our poetry, art and music.  We do not need to sate our souls."

"An artist to be taken seriously will have to justify the goodness, truth and beauty of the art they produce, and no longer hide behind the notion that it is just saying what I have to say."

Avonlea

   In March part of my busyness was painting a backdrop for a highschool production of the Anne of Green Gables musical.  The scene here was four panels of 4 by 10 feet.  This project, in addition to another panel of a close up tree set in a grain field, took me about 15 hours. 

Still Alive?

     I could call this "Mental Health Day", but it's not as catchy.  My brother had a university aquaintance who always greeted him with "Still alive?"  Brought a smile to study-worn eyes. And yes, I'm still alive, though considerably life-worn lately.  Life has been like an "all you can do" buffet, and even though I've been selective in filling my plate, there are times when a bigger Hand adds an extra helping or two for a season.

     Now I've got that akwardness of not having blogged for a long while.  Hi, uh, I'm back at the keyboard, acting casual, just continuing from where I left off...weeks and weeks ago.  I truly did think about writing many times...really.  I haven't been writing another blog without telling you. (Though I've thought about starting a couple others)  I never forgot you. Or was it me I forgot?  

    Yes, a mental health day, and not soon enough.  Sigh.  Nearly midday, still in pajamas, sipping extremely chocolately cocoa,  drifting through the day with virtually no "to do" list. Trying to think of something meaningful (or just something) to say about my art life since we last wrote.  I don't know if a smattering of gardening counts.  Even that has been neglected.  For a while when the busyness started my creativity came out full force in emails or conversations.  Lately it's deteriorating toward cutting wit with an edge that gets sharper and sharper.  I think I'll drift outside and do some weeding or whatever I feel like.  Maybe a coherant creativity thought will meander my way.  It's good, though, to be back at the keyboard.  I feel like I could write for hours to re-set my soul like a broken bone, but this is good start.

Time Out

    My life has gone from a winter that was space-walk slow to a season that is almost supersonic.  I'm wondering what happens to my creativity with such drastic changes.   In the past I've often used "time" as an excuse to postpone or frankly just not do art.  When I was very busy with little people I didn't create much.  I told myself I didn't have time or energy. When the little people went to school I had too much time on my hands. Not enough pressure.  It turns out that time has very little, if anything, to do with my creativity.  (Rats, another excuse gone.)

   So, lately my days and many evenings are pretty full, even with my vigilent, busy-ness self-protection.  Not running ragged, but watching those edges carefully.  Meanwhile I've had a new art project idea stewing in my head.  With fabric this time.  Instead of doing the whole thing in one or two sittings I've been doing these 2 minute  air raid "fly-bys" with glue and scissors before I launch off to other tasks.  And behold, art is happening, slowly in tiny snippets but happening.   

Self-management

    At a wellness show with a couple hundred displays I walked past one offering "Self-management" courses and did a double take.  Really?  Instantly I pictured a dog trainer teaching himself to heel or a human resources person with no staff.  Mocking aside, however, I could probably use a course like this.  For me it's much easier to organise someone else's life than my own.  Actually it's certain parts of my life that are hard for me to map out sensible and stick to.  I think these areas are very different for every creative person.
      For me money is fairly easy to keep orderly.  I also have a good sense of alloted time needed for commuting/travel and usually do ok managing adequate sleep, nutrition, exercise and keeping certain stresses low.  Borg efficiency, you know. (See "We are Borg" if you don't know what I'm talking about) What I'm terrible at is charting out and following a plan for making art, keeping all manner of paper under control, being self-directed in reviewing materials from healthcare courses and doing regular house-work (extremely low if not negative on the inspiration charts for me). 

                    Creative dream coach might ask you and me:
1.  Which of your life areas do you find easiest to self-manage? Why?
2.  Where do you struggle the most with self-management? Ideas why?
3.  In which difficult areas of self-managment have you made encouraging progress?
4.  What resources, including people you know, could help you with the struggling areas?
5.  What self-management skills do you have that could help someone else?

Triptych

     My old Webster's dictionary defines a triptych as: a picture or carving in three panels side by side; especially an altarpiece with a central panel and two flanking panels half its size that fold over it.  It's a design that always appeals to me.  This is the first one I've made myself.  Cardboard and acrylic paint.