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.

Looking back

Years ago, I painted this from a photograph. It is the farmhouse at Charleston, although you would be forgiven for not recognising it.

Next year, I intend to be more creative and try to adapt rather than copy. Exercising the imagination should be entirely pleasurable, absolutely crazy and free of rules. For someone like me, whose dreams are elaborate, vivid and often completely barmy, this should be easy. I used to think there was not an original thought in my head; now I'm beginning to wonder.

The transformation has been mostly as a result of attempting creative writing for the first time since school. I find it immensely pleasurable to do something entirely for its own sake, not to make money or reputation. How many authors have the freedom to work this way? Great pressure would be imposed by the need to earn, and while earning would be a bonus I neither want or expect that by painting or writing. Maybe all authors should try to work within the framework of a selfish enterpise, somehow forgetting their efforts are necessary to put food on the table. Maybe a lot do that already.

Meanwhile, I shall return to the OU coursework and paints, inks, brushes and glue (don't forget the glue) for the sheer pleasure of escaping into the world of my imagination, with my eyes open.