Creative Gear

Cabins in the Woods, Minnesota      Oil on Canvas                                                                    Hazel Price

When I drop my granddaughter and my two adorable great grand children off at their home,(redundant adjective.  All great grandchildren are adorable)

 I have developed the habit of driving straight on to the forecourt,

 and then twiddling the car around by means of the forward and reverse gears,

 (at least that's what they called it when I passed my test some fifty years ago),

 to enable me to drive straight out again.

The other evening, Zach, at seven the oldest of the two adorable great grand children asked, 

 "Nan.  Why do you always do this funny turn on the drive?" 

As I don't do it anywhere else, and would normally simply reverse in

 I was stumped for an answer.

 ( I have since wondered if it isn't so that I prolong our time together by a few minutes.)

But before I could come up with an answer he continued,

 " Oh!  I know!  It's because you are an artist and creative people always try different ways.

  There is no such thing as the wrong way to an artist is there Nan?"


To which I did answer,
"You are right!
 How would we ever find new things if we kept doing them the old ways?"

The point is, I don't know where he had heard that,

 or who had taught it to him,

but what a wonderful gift of knowledge to have; 

 not just at seven years of age but at any age.

It came as a gift to me I can tell  you.

Even after all these years the critical voice of "reason" still nags.

  It's the cold voice that breathes an icy blast on our creativity,

 whichever way we express it.

So, I hand the gift on.

You don't need an audience, (though one is nice).
It need not be a masterpiece.
It may only be a beginning,( because every minute of creating is just that).
But do it anyway!

May you be free to follow the sweet voice of intuition today;

(baking a cake, walking the dog, visiting a friend, giving that talk...)

free to strike out in the way that gives you joy,

to dance your dance, and sing your song,

so your spirit may grow in freedom,

and the voice of creation be heard through you today.

Be Blessed

P.S.    Can't remember if I've posted this painting before.  Memories of my time in the hermitage.