Winds of Change

Flying Girl and the Winds of Change, or Spring
1/20/09
Prismacolor watercolor pencils, Golden fluid acrylics on water 5x8"

I don't know what I have to say about this picture. I was inspired by a glimpse from my window of the neighbor's outdoor canopy. And a photo from Secret Notebooks of the wintry woods behind a barn. And Misty Mawn's color challenge. I am still working on white while she went through the entire rainbow. I don't know if this counts as white, even. And by the inauguration and the hope that I feel. And by the cold snap that is barreling through Florida. Fine, I don't have any snow, but this old house just isn't as weatherproofed as it would be if it were up north.

I'm thinking about where our creativity goes when we are in the silent phases. I really liked Leah's roots under the snow. Now, I love trees and roots, and keys, and snow, and dreamy ladies, so it's not too far to go to see my inspiration.

I'm thinking about natural cycles and how many people seem to be stumped now, when they were working so hard for their goals. Is it part of the process to leap forward and then stall out and then start creeping ahead again? I think it probably is, although it may not always be the way it goes.

I'm thinking about the box I got in the mail yesterday, full of packaging supplies, which should take me one step closer to being a professional. And is still sitting on a table, unopened.

I'm thinking about how my schedule and routines are shifting around, as the kids' nap is shifting, as my own energy is shifting. I'm finding that I am working on two or so paintings at a time, and not finishing one before I start the next, not start to finish the way I was back in October and November. I'm thinking giving the paintings a little space to breathe is making them a little more complicated as I add another day or night of consideration to their creation. I'm seeing that my novel rewriting is going slower than I wished it would.

I'm thinking about the coming months, and the changes that are about to happen. There are a few of them and probably big ones, but I don't know what changes exactly will happen and what their effects will be. I'm wondering if I can create my life to be closer to what I want, closer to what I need.

I'm wishing I had three hours a day to sit and write my novel... on top of the time I take for blogging and the time I take for painting.

I'm thinking I'm ready for Spring.

What are you thinking? Are you in a winter cycle of fallow? What cycles are you seeing? How are you hoping Spring will shape up for you?