Moving into Age and time..Week 12

If one allows it to be.....as I work on a good few years worth of an art career all of sudden my interests are sparked but the realization that I've been doing this...what ever this is and now I'm attracted to some over here to do a moment of study on... Now this isn't happening to me yet but it leads into this section of week 12 in Walking in this World..Age and time.

Julia describes this one photographer that shot images of models and he was very good at it too. Then his interests were drawn to taking pictures of flowers and how he captured it's life cycle and the beauty that was revealed at every stage.  She goes on to say...There is a poignancy and power to beauty nearly spent. It holds the remnant of what is was, and it's fading grandeur remands us that we die to bloom again. We are "gone to seed, and according to plan."

Oh, if only we took our sense of aging from the natural world. If only we watched the mentoring and grave care and leadership and wit of the older animals mentoring the young.

Miles Davis said..."Do not fear mistakes, there are none." 
Quote: I wish that life should not be cheap, but sacred, I wish that days to be as centuries, loaded, fragrant.   Ralph Waldo Emerson

Yes, youth passes behind us, but we are blind so often to what we are gaining and to the beauty of what we become as artists. There is not a note of silvery sound or a hair turned silver that isn't perfect and beautiful. It is difficult not to rage at the passing of physical beauty and strength, the exquisite daring and dexterity we once possessed, the turn of a phrase or a hunch as perfect as a rip peach, as gleaming and golden as the hard won golden apple of course we miss these things.

But we gain in beauty. We gain in Tenderness. We gain in longing and desire and in satiation if we get the chance-not merely or only exquisitely in our sexual and our physical selves but our creative selves as well.

Julia goes on to say...At 54, I am still willing to learn. I am willing to entertain the idea that everyone who is learning something they care about -whether it is the piano, as with me or the emotional weather of someone they are newly involved with- anyone who is learning will feel this treacherous mix of vulnerability and frustration, of hope and discouragement. There is an exciting element of self-respect: You are trying. 

She continues...I think that one of the benefits of doing something "at my age" is that I have lived long enough not to think that "hard" means wrong or even un-do-able. it's may just mean hard. and too Ino longer thing my hard is worse that someone Else's hard. I think all beginners have height hopes and dash themselves against their won expectations and dreams like waves against a cliff until they get it: over and over, like a wave, yes, but perhaps, a gentler one. Water does wear away rock. Practice will make if not "perfect," then "better."

Our minds, muscles and hearts must be trained at any age.. patience, and repetition, daily...Julia shares..Ah, Yes, the sun rises and the piano waits. I simply need to tell myself, make a routine, not a special occasion, out of this. 

You have to be positive. You have to know life is good-every scrape of it...live your life as fully as you can.

Julia shares a story and the older creative friend tell her about a theatre and the community projects.." A place of promise where we all can get bigger then life...NO! As big as life allows us and that's plenty."
I really like that last statement, As big as life allows us and that's plenty...what a wonderful way to see it..

The task is to pulling sources of inspiration for passing elders.. she remarks that art making is a spiritual lineage.  as silly as is sounds asking your creative saints and one's that you admire for help..
As a culture, we are quiet primitive and arrogant in our refusal too honor and acknowledge the inflow and imprint of our ancestors.

Here is an experiment: Select one creative elder who has passed on. Ask help and input on a problem you are facing. Writing very rapidly, transcribe what you hear. Haydn may tell you to use proper files for your musical composition and organizes your workroom.  or stop by the music shop.
By asking to be inspired this person felt she was.

I guess I believe there is more to come. As of more to be express from me...and I'm not done by far. I surely don't know what it is yet but my past experiences hasn't proven me wrong...and be it a bit more ripe or silver on top there is this understanding that it's not about making it perfect but yes it's about making it better. I can't help but pull in the knowing that I do have and really put it to good use and really listen to it...as the it inside of me giving me some good orderly direction..which takes, caring for myself and my self express through my art. 

So now to get ready for a Demonstration tonight with the Nature Artist Guild..at the Morton Arboretum...kind of excited these are artist that do more of the botanical drawing and invited me in..
Not to sure what I'll be doing but it will work out the way it will.