A task, duty, pleasure or chore?

 I wonder why some people feel the need to add structure ti their lives, to do one specific creative thing a day? Once during every 24 hours, there are painters who post their daily work on the internet to sell or auction. If you Google 'painting a day', thousands of hits will come up, including Duane Keiser in USA who seems to be one of the Daddies of the movement. Then there are writers who write a Small Stone a day,and photographers who post an image a day via Blipfoto.

Not a painting a day, just one of several in a few hours!

I've tried the last two, which became somewhat forced and lacked spontaneity. My fault, I am sure. Here is my small stones blog and being me, I had to give it an image plus words. I like the simplicity of it and the freedom; looking back, I am pleased that I did it, but for now don't want the obligation, self-imposed, of adding this to the many other things that should be done every day.

Taking a photo every day is easy for me, as I nearly always have my camera with me. But it can become an unwanted intervention between the eye and the scene. Nonetheless, the compulsion to record everything, anything, is strong and gives me great joy.

The reason for the painting a day phenomenon is that it sells paintings, for relatively small amounts, almost guaranteeing a steady income. The quality of these paintings can be exceptional, probably because they are done quickly, intuitively and uninhibitedly.

What about NaPoWriMo? This hideously named, but well-intentioned movement that sets aside one month when poets sign up to 'National Poetry Writing Month'. This idea came out of NaNoWriMo - yes, you guessed - 'National Novel Writing Month'. It remains to be seen whether a best selling prize winner develops from these practices.

It's been a while

For the past month I seem to have had no inspiration to blog. Because I hate the idea of feeling obliged, I''ve just let the water flow gently on. Today I feel like writing.

This week I had my best day for ages. Life has got no easier, the stresses are greater if anything. So what was different? Firstly, a long online meditation with Jon Kabat-Zinn. Secondly, I was on a creative high. These are some of my efforts on that day.

What interests me is that they are so varied. All were done in a rush of enthusiasm and energy. I've noted what a physical painter I am, moving about all the time, quite impulsive and spontaneous. Some might call this slapdash, and I would agree but out of this approach accidents happen and things emerge. This seems to me to be a reasonable metaphor for life. Take risks, grab opportunities, make the best of difficult situations, and keep smiling even when that is the last thing you feel like doing.

Speaking of which, today I tried posting on Black Dog Tribe, Ruby Wax's excellent initiative. Now that was the opposite of a good experience - sorry, Ruby. Partly because I couldn't insert an image, which was the point of the post and partly because even a breath near the advert on the right launched into a ghastly eulogy for winged false eyelashes. I know that age is no barrier to making the best of yourself, but I am now so sick of them that I feel like finding them in shops and shrieking out loud. I suppose ads help keep the site going but it needs a lot of fine tuning before it offers the support that is intended.  

Dabbling day

Today, at last, out came the paintbrushes and off I went to a class with a brilliant teacher, Caroline Chappell. I knew it would be good, because I love her work. No, this is not hers, but my playtime effort with inks, quills, sticks, brushes and bleach. Oh, and Quink!

The smell of Quink brought back vivid memories of schooldays, and the doubtful privilege of being the ink monitor, filling those little ceramic pots inserted into desks. My, how things have changed.

Back to the painting. Lovely colours, a dish of bleach, Christmas baubles and these beads. It felt like a liberated episode of Blue Peter meets what-his-name Hart without the sticky-back plastic and empty washing up liquid bottles.

Brushes were rough from tiny, worn ones to big bristly decorating ones. Everthing was acceptable whether it was sticking glitter or using oil pastels as resist.

And to crown it all, I signed up for the coach trip to Kettle's Yard and Vermeer in Cambridge. So, an absorbing, fun creative time with lots to look forward to. Next week, landscapes with trees.

Great day out in London

Corot to Monet - at the National Gallery on Sunday 20 July 2009Welcome Home The National Gallery, London
Fascinating exhibition from the NT's collection, tracing the development of landscape painting in France. Many treasures, for example this Theodore Rousseau

Resolved to read and learn more about Corot and the Barbizon School

Phedre at the National Theatre with Helen Mirren
Tour de force - didn't breathe for two hours. Highly recommended
http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/phedre

Resolved to mug up on Greek mythology and to read the text with Ted Hughes verse