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| "Antelope Island -- Buffalo" West of the Great Salt Lake |
An artist suggested that all paintings begin as puzzles. You have an idea of
what you want to do on canvas, but once you start to fill in the shapes and the
shadows, the painting takes on a life of its own. The shapes sometimes change,
new colors are added, the canvas, the puzzle, is not resolved until the final
brush stroke.
I, on the other hand, must do a little more planning or my paintings
may end up as muddy globs. I do think there is magic involved when an artist
intuitively follows his or her muse to solve the puzzle and is willing to make
gut-inspired changes and additions. As an artist matures and becomes more
skilled, this “magic” happens more and more.
Our lives are somewhat like a giant painting. We start out with a
blank canvas, and we tentatively explore our options as we go along. Our
footsteps leave a trail, a pattern of personality and choices; a splash here, a
drop there, a wide sweep of self-gratification, timid accents of color as we
test the waters of independence and freedom of choice.
Along the way, dark shadows and jagged lines form regrets and
pitfalls. Circles of inspiration and poignant highlights show us the way
forward and guide our paths into the higher realms of confidence and success.
The finished painting is waiting for us out there in the ethereal
chambers of consciousness. We mix and dab continually, trying to make sense of
our composition. Life, indeed, is a puzzle. Knowledge and practice sharpen our
focus and reveal the things we truly believe and hope for. The final stroke,
when it comes, may be a complete surprise or it may be a fulfillment of everything
leading up to this point.
As with life, when a painting is finished we will know it. Every
act, every thought, every choice will signify its completion. When there is
nothing else to change or add to, we lay down our brush. So it is with life.
When we have completed what we were born to do, we will slumber.
Featured
Artist Robert Hagen from Australia. The images are blurred for copyright protection. View his YouTube video and then visit his web site. Fantastic!
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