Showing posts with label creative living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creative living. Show all posts
5/14/12
5/10/12
The Sun Rises
Bringing a new day to paint our own way...
Life is more art than science although knowing facts in life are part of the science of living. These facts are realities that help us understand how to interpret what is happening around us. If we have spent time building firm foundations to structure strong qualities in our character we are able to create a world we call our own rather than the world owning us. This gives us control over our sense of self so when a tough day comes along we have the sensibility to call things as they are to move beyond them and look forward. Rather than dwell on where we are now we make an assessment of what we would like to happen next. The choice is to recognize what is destructive and turn it into something finer and superior with an act of behavior. For many of us that action is bringing into existence a change in our outlook through some form of artistry of our choosing.
We allow ourselves the freedom to create art that expresses what we have thought and felt, what we are thinking and feeling and further what we would like to think and feel. The parallel to life with art and science is we learn some techniques that are factual and scientific, for example the technicalities of photography and post processing, using those as a basis for our art. If we construct art that articulates our interpretation of life we have an opportunity to compose artwork that speaks to both the tough moments of life and the great ones. For me it is writing and visual art that documents and expresses the stark moments of life alongside crafting works of elegance and symmetry to make things right in my world. It is an act of healing that is beautiful and meaningful not only to me but also to those who view and appreciate it.
With a nod to Mike the writer, artist, blogger Rock and Confusion.
Life is more art than science although knowing facts in life are part of the science of living. These facts are realities that help us understand how to interpret what is happening around us. If we have spent time building firm foundations to structure strong qualities in our character we are able to create a world we call our own rather than the world owning us. This gives us control over our sense of self so when a tough day comes along we have the sensibility to call things as they are to move beyond them and look forward. Rather than dwell on where we are now we make an assessment of what we would like to happen next. The choice is to recognize what is destructive and turn it into something finer and superior with an act of behavior. For many of us that action is bringing into existence a change in our outlook through some form of artistry of our choosing.
We allow ourselves the freedom to create art that expresses what we have thought and felt, what we are thinking and feeling and further what we would like to think and feel. The parallel to life with art and science is we learn some techniques that are factual and scientific, for example the technicalities of photography and post processing, using those as a basis for our art. If we construct art that articulates our interpretation of life we have an opportunity to compose artwork that speaks to both the tough moments of life and the great ones. For me it is writing and visual art that documents and expresses the stark moments of life alongside crafting works of elegance and symmetry to make things right in my world. It is an act of healing that is beautiful and meaningful not only to me but also to those who view and appreciate it.
With a nod to Mike the writer, artist, blogger Rock and Confusion.
3/31/12
Wild Brush
Settling for nothing less...
A child of spring, perennial boy of summer
he grows like Jesus' mustard seed
sown in earth with tiny beginnings,
untended soil in open lands,
Nonetheless...
Unschooled and undisciplined
in the refined sense, growing still
a wildfire of wild brush,
creatively propagating by instinct,
Never the less...
Uncultivated representation of mankind
growth of ranchland range in the rough
tilled and fallowed only by nature,
bearing small flowers among abundant growth
Settling for nothing less...
He creates his own unconfined handsomeness
resplendently interesting of its own accord,
blooming and dying to bloom again
agelessly with each growing season,
Each time to display more than less...
A child of spring, perennial boy of summer
he grows like Jesus' mustard seed
sown in earth with tiny beginnings,
untended soil in open lands,
Nonetheless...
Unschooled and undisciplined
in the refined sense, growing still
a wildfire of wild brush,
creatively propagating by instinct,
Never the less...
Uncultivated representation of mankind
growth of ranchland range in the rough
tilled and fallowed only by nature,
bearing small flowers among abundant growth
Settling for nothing less...
He creates his own unconfined handsomeness
resplendently interesting of its own accord,
blooming and dying to bloom again
agelessly with each growing season,
Each time to display more than less...
1/16/12
Black and White Make Gray
Not necessarily a blue mood...
Admittedly I would not like to live in a place that rains a lot, gray clouds are the norm and the landscape seemingly bleak. We've experienced gray clouds and rather stark skies this past weekend for desert country that is usually bright and clear. Some would say that the desert is austere and monochromatic but since I know where and how to look for the beauty and color I think not.
Therefore I tend to view a gray and bare day as a rare opportunity to explore how to make it have a life of its own and discover the hidden beauty in it. I'm supposing that people who live in that type of climate all the time and like it do the same thing as those of us who enjoy the desert do. As a matter of fact I've come to think that the real art in living and creative endeavors is not what strikes you right away. It is that which is subtle and the allure takes time to absorb its values that make it attractive.
In reality whether urban or rural the aesthetic must be sought since it rarely makes itself obvious immediately. Taking photographs in color is wonderful because color bursts out at you and makes itself known right away to be worked with. Working in black and white or with sepia and other forms of monochromatic pictures is another application of art of itself. Both are satisfying but the challenge is enhancing the beauty that is not quite so evident. The education is that this is a case of art imitating how to live life.
Admittedly I would not like to live in a place that rains a lot, gray clouds are the norm and the landscape seemingly bleak. We've experienced gray clouds and rather stark skies this past weekend for desert country that is usually bright and clear. Some would say that the desert is austere and monochromatic but since I know where and how to look for the beauty and color I think not.
In reality whether urban or rural the aesthetic must be sought since it rarely makes itself obvious immediately. Taking photographs in color is wonderful because color bursts out at you and makes itself known right away to be worked with. Working in black and white or with sepia and other forms of monochromatic pictures is another application of art of itself. Both are satisfying but the challenge is enhancing the beauty that is not quite so evident. The education is that this is a case of art imitating how to live life.
12/30/11
Under Construction
Taking stock and continuous learning...
New Years has never been a time for resolutions for me. Somewhere around the end of September or beginning of October when the weather turns from blistering hot to a cooler warm my mind automatically starts taking stock thinking how I'd like to proceed the next year. It's a work in progress since for me life is a series of steps forward through continuous learning and being under construction. In December I start house cleaning thoroughly since it has been shut tight during the summer. While going through my entire home I am also clearing out the unnecessary stuff accumulated throughout the year. I shred what little paperwork I still keep, toss or give away things, organize my digital life, getting things in order for the New Year. No resolutions for the upcoming year except a list of things I want to do or get better at doing, clearing the cache in my brain and starting anew.
It's curious to me why so many people fight aging and dislike getting older. My life has gotten steadily better and easier to understand myself and others as life's milestones go by. I no longer worry about things that I once did and I'm not striving to stay young since I've already been young once. Why repeat it? It was fun, I had a pretty good time but it was also stressful because I was unsure of myself lacking maturity and wisdom of age. As I get older the pieces of the puzzle collected through years of living start coming together and I can see the bigger picture. I've lived a full life and if I died tomorrow, although I'd like to live until I'm a hundred, I'd be alright with that. Whenever it happens I want people to say "he died from having lived."
Life does get better as you put the miles on if you travel with the right attitude. Resolutions are declarations of intent with a deadline whereas goals are destinations to arrive at in order to move on to the next one. Each New Year is an opportunity to keep growing and learning through discovery. Cleaning the physical house you live in is also a way of renewing your energy and your physical being that is the house where your spirit lives. Taking stock of where your mind and soul are also is a way of refreshing and renewing your sense of purpose and direction. Resolutions somehow never seem to be met and to me far better to list out items that keep you moving forward and always learning alongside a renewed commitment of gracefully moving from one passage to another.
New Years has never been a time for resolutions for me. Somewhere around the end of September or beginning of October when the weather turns from blistering hot to a cooler warm my mind automatically starts taking stock thinking how I'd like to proceed the next year. It's a work in progress since for me life is a series of steps forward through continuous learning and being under construction. In December I start house cleaning thoroughly since it has been shut tight during the summer. While going through my entire home I am also clearing out the unnecessary stuff accumulated throughout the year. I shred what little paperwork I still keep, toss or give away things, organize my digital life, getting things in order for the New Year. No resolutions for the upcoming year except a list of things I want to do or get better at doing, clearing the cache in my brain and starting anew.
It's curious to me why so many people fight aging and dislike getting older. My life has gotten steadily better and easier to understand myself and others as life's milestones go by. I no longer worry about things that I once did and I'm not striving to stay young since I've already been young once. Why repeat it? It was fun, I had a pretty good time but it was also stressful because I was unsure of myself lacking maturity and wisdom of age. As I get older the pieces of the puzzle collected through years of living start coming together and I can see the bigger picture. I've lived a full life and if I died tomorrow, although I'd like to live until I'm a hundred, I'd be alright with that. Whenever it happens I want people to say "he died from having lived."
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