November 5, 2021 Weekly Musings

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Listening Point

Featured image: I Come to the Garden Alone

I named this place Listening Point because only when one comes to listen, only when one is aware and still, can things be seen and heard. Everyone has a listening point somewhere. It does not have to be in the north or close to the wilderness, but someplace of quiet where the universe can be contemplated with awe. Sigurd F. Olson

A friend of mine shared this quote with me and now I am sharing it with you. My listening point is in the early morning drinking coffee in my Adirondack chair. Where is yours?

Let It Be

Featured image: Wisdom

Let it Be.

Lyrics

When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be
For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be, be

And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me
Shinin' until tomorrow, let it be
I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

And let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Paul Mccartney / John Lennon

 I Allowed the Paint to Move Me

Featured image: She Is Called Peace

I allowed the paint to direct me as I was working on this piece. I loved how the mystical white allowed the figure to emerge from it, she became ethereal, drifting into becoming. As I continued to work on the piece with the mystical white guiding me, I added a dove to enhance the ambiance of the work and the peaceful feeling that the mystical white created. The title of this work became Give Peace a Chance.

It makes sense as I grew up in the 60’s and we were flower children. There are so many songs on peace. Two of my favorites are: Give Peace A Chance and Peaceful Easy Feeling.

Peace: I wish you peace.

Lyrics

I like the way your sparkling earrings lay
Against your skin so brown
And I want to sleep with you in the desert night
With a billion stars all around

'Cause I got a peaceful easy feelin'
And I know you won't let me down
'Cause I'm already standin'
On the ground

And I found out a long time ago
What a woman can do to your soul
Aw but she can't take you any way
You don't already know how to go

And I got a peaceful easy feelin'
And I know you won't let me down
'Cause I'm already standin'
On the ground

I get this feelin' I may know you
As a lover and a friend
This voice keeps whisperin' in my other ear
Tells me I may never see you again

'Cause I get a peaceful easy feelin'
And I know you won't let me down
'Cause I'm already standin'
I'm already standin'
Yes, I'm already standin'
On the ground

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Jack Tempchin

Peaceful Easy Feeling lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc

 Over and Over Again

Creativity is the opposite of doing the same thing over and over again. Doing the same thing over and over hampers creativity, exploration, invention and most importantly, independence. Doing the same thing over and over is an easy path to take but boring. Repetition encourages conformity. Conformity leads to taste and how we can see things. This in turn, leads to pillows matching your “wall décor.”

Repetition is the enemy of art. While it is a good tool when it comes to design elements and principles, it definitely stifles uniqueness. I always begin a work by searching for something different. I search and explore, trying to find a way to do things differently. I don’t always succeed, but when I do I call the work a glorious success, well for me anyway. It becomes a work that I treasure and every time I look at it I ask, "How did I do that?" I know it can never be repeated.

For example, last year about this time I painted a work called "Milkweed Pods." It was very fall-ish. I remembered doing another piece I called milkweed pods in the the early 2000’s. No repetition here. Growth and change.

Art and Flowers

Featured image: Blue Bells

Art is like a flower. It is here to be enjoyed