Easy Does It

Middle of the night. Early morning, before dawn. Sometimes the sky is pitch black. Other times it is deepest midnight blue with a tinge of purple. Moments later dawn defines itself, emergent in slight degrees of brightening sky. Still very dark. But a hint.

Then a pinkish glow announces the coming daybreak. And orange. Such orange, barely free from magenta.

A new day has dawned. To us it is easy. To nature…well it’s natural, but one still  wonders how difficult the work to unveil a new day!

Writing is like that. Emerging thought. Sentence stumbles along then a more defined thought comes forward. And another. Soon a paragraph shapes itself and a new essay is rambling along under its own steam.

Pretty soon a posting for the blog is complete and off it goes to whomever is interested. One wonders at times who these people are! But I do not dwell on that long. I’m just grateful there are readers who are curious or care. They are there to read my words. Words that come from the ether like magic. I wonder at times who is writing them; certainly not me!

Easy does it. Yes. Easy is the key. Open up the mind. Let ideas dwell and form. Then allow them to spill out. Like a musician who scats a line of notes free form, and lyrics that spring forth on their own. In a moment or two the groove takes over and the rest of the ‘conversation’ rolls out. To be heard. To feel. To be completed by the hearer, really.

Expressions from an artist are like that. A ceramic bowl comes slowly into being. It’s shape bulges and softens, flares in another direction until its statement is complete. As it dries adornment pulses from its surfaces. The artist sculpts another layer of expression on the piece. Then it is bisque fired. The shape and surface features are set. Glazing is next and the final firing of course.

Through hours and days and maybe weeks the pot enters maturity. Finally the kiln opening begs a peek! The unveiling is near. And then! The pot is brought into light. Color wells up and shines beauty. Sculpted features leap from the surface. But the shape, oh the shape. Comfortable. Touchable. Somehow familiar of an age long ago. Others have seen this shape in eons past. Human expression repeats itself without a record. It is a fulfillment of mankind’s tongue on the passage of time.

Expression must be loosed. Like a sigh evoked by the beauty of a fresh day’s sky. Or the first view of the Grand Canyon. The sigh is voluntary. We have no control over it. It must be freed to be heard. And felt.

Art. All art. Visual and performing. Aural and movement. Begs to be experienced. To be felt.

Not noise. Not din. But quiet. Contemplation. Soothing. Heartfelt sensing.

May your holiday season be of such peace and thoughtful comfort. Perhaps your inner artist will be brought forth?

December 24, 2013