A blue jay flew across the field. They amaze me against the green, the blue a shock against the trees. I was reminded of the serigraph of a self portrait of Alex Colville shaving. I often wondered why he painted that blue jay that he saw in the mirror and himself shaving.
Now I know.
When I walked down the road last week, I understood because a bluejay crossed my path. It was a moment. It took me back. I came in and asked Greg to dye me Bluejay. He googled it and told me their feathers were actually brown, that their blue was a trick of the light. Of course, if you know colour you know that all colour is a trick of the light. A blue jay remains blue, and the colour he dyed for me was perfect.
Tricks of light.
Tricks of a life.
Sudden inspiration is like the trick of a life. It takes you by surprise, unawares. You'll have a moment when you least expect it and you'll see something that opens your eyes top possibility.
The possibility of art.
The trick of a life however is to know a moment when it happens. To know inspiration when it appears, when it speaks. You never know when it is going to be the moment. You have to be ready.
Ready to see.
Ready to listen.
Ready to love the moment of an ordinary day.
It will be sudden.
You might not be ready.
It might not be what you are looking for or even what you want.
But it will catch you by surprise.
Watch out for sudden beauty. Open up your heart to it when it happens and take it in. Whatever it is. A bluejay.
You might never want to hook it but once you see it, really see it. You carry it with you. You carry blue. You carry the story. You carry the reminder. You carry the moment. And that is inspiration.
Sudden. Beauty. Catching You. Unaware.
Thank you for reading, I hope you catch a little inspiration this week, Deanne
2 comments
Mary Papaj
I just spent a month on the northern Oregon coast. I travel alone which I think can heighten your experience of sudden moments. I had so many,the beauty made me cry sometimes. Thanks for putting a names to these priceless moments. I just found you today,serendipity me thinks. I’m a punch not a hooked and I absolutely love your work. Thank youDeanne
Debbie MacIntosh
My grandchildren arevisiting.We went beachcombing. I found a beautiful oyster shell.I took it home to the room I am converting to my studio.Imagine me using a grownup word like studio.I have included all the things I love ; special rocks,bird feathers,my antique rug hooks,favourite pics,etc.I feel secure enough now to say I have a studio,I have grown into it.