Decades ago I had an aha moment while on vacation at Takodah, realizing with sudden clarity that a vacation means to vacate—to leave, to depart from, to move away from—everything! All the things I'm happy to quit and all the things I love fiercely. So it is that I always try on the idea of leaving my paints at home.
But I never regret packing them, because each piece of art I create and bring back home—whether a sweet success or frazzled frustration—is a fully embodied memento.
For me to pick up one of those paintings is to return to the lived physical experience of creating it in my vacation setting—to the soft worn wooden cottage floor under my bare feet, to the bell buoy clanging north of the island, to the tang of late summer blueberries in my mouth, to the dry smell of late-August dust coming in the window from the lane, to the surprise of blue when I thought I'd loaded my brush with deep purple.
I can feel the brush in my hand, feel the granite gem of island that stands under me, feel the salt water that washes the island's every edge.
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| Sand and Shallows, Salt and Sawgrass 5x5"; watercolor and collage on canvas paper abstract 2018 |
8 comments:
On the taste of wild blueberries! The only ones I see are frozen in a plastic bag! Expensive! One day I will probably give in! I can almost smell the salt ocean air!
Nothing beats wild blueberries picked right off the bush.
I'm actively grateful to live near the ocean : )
The colors! The restraint! The title!!!! Love. I also wrestle with defining exactly what a vacation is. I did not take paints to Italy - the tours were so packed together there would have been no time anyway. But I found myself wishing for both paints and time, so that I could do just as you did and infuse the memory of how it felt to be there into the painting.
Jen, love what you noticed here—especially restraint, as that is not my strong suit! Appreciate your continuing the convo re exactly what a vacation is. If I took a trip the likes of yours to Italy, I would not have been painting! In fact, when we visit our kids or have them visiting, even for a short time, I don't paint. It's when Dave and I travel that the situations are conducive to painting—we go somewhere, rent a cottage/cabin/house for a week, and do no more than read, hike, prepare simple meals together, and live in a very down-scaled way.
Oh Dotty! This is my favourite - I love the colours, but all that white space is just amazing - you have taken your experience and shared it with me so perfectly - ahhh I can smell, feel and see everything you describe - in this little gem. Thank you oxo
Oh Janet! I am becoming more and more glad that I imposed my watercolors experiment on myself! I felt lost and awkward and not particularly satisfied in the moments of making, but I have learned a tremendous amount and come to see beauty after the fact for which I am so grateful, in great measure from feedback from my mentors. Thank you for reflecting back the power of the white space in this piece!
Oh Dotty, your precise post is treasure enough. Much like reading a wonderful book, you have transported me, and I am there. With bare feet, and the scent of salt water filling the air.
Add to that your wonderful, simple creation. Simple, meant as the highest compliment. A few strokes, quick splatters, and torn edges. I can see the island, and sample the quiet pleasures to be found.
Treasures here ;)
The simplicity—and I thank you for the compliment, Sheila—came from humble surrender. I would do well to practice humble surrender across the board! I'm delighted that my post brought you to your bare feet and breaths of that salt-water infused air.
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