Wednesday, August 8, 2001

More nasturtiums...

...along with some reflections about the creating process.

I've been tackling more nasturtium images and think I've created another winner, maybe two, but I wasn't sure until I had a chance to look at them again. The second look after a period of waiting is often the confirmation of my original impressions. But sometimes it gives a new idea of how to approach the image in process, often leading to the decision of what to include or what to leave out. Other times it is just the confirmation that the muse had been with me during of the birthing struggle. While not quite like the writing process that Madeliene L'Engle comments on in _The Circle of Quiet_, sometimes it seems like the images do develop a life of their own. That's when you know it will be worth it.

Using the term "muse" to identify the essence of what happens in the creating process doesn't seem adequate. Perhaps a better word would be "inspiration" although that is a loaded word, especially to persons coming from a religious background. Maybe in awe I need only to step back from analyzing and become comfortable with the mystery of creating something new and beautiful.

It seems that I have connected with last summer's nasturtium composite, the one with the dewdrops on the leaves. I received many favorable comments from those viewing it at the Nashville show. Now that kind of success makes one think twice or three times before tackling another work of the same subject matter. But the nasturtiums are such an interesting plant given the pattern on the leaves and the unusual shape of the flowers, that I just had to try again.

See what you think! I know what I thought...delivered it to the framing shop yesterday.

jim