Wednesday 14 September 2011

Creative block...New beginnings...

Away from the madding crowd











This morning my car wanted to stall. 
This middle aged slightly rusting automobile has always chosen to follow my artistic personality, preferring cool overcast drizzly days to the high blue ultramarine canopy of summer. In the elevated heat my metal steed chokes on this or that and then decides it would rather have stayed the day in bed. Coddled along it reluctantly gets up and trots out.
With autumn’s cool arrival...everything changes...
Like a straining thoroughbred...
Prancing anticipation...exploration...gallops...
New trails await...
This reminds me of my creative conundrum...to wait or not to wait...
That perfect circumstance...
Perfect temperature...perfect timing...
Everything tickin on all cylinders...
Never happens...
Hot, hazy days bring writers or painters cramp...
Stalling...sputtering...hesitating... 
Maybe...just another long cool drink...
Aim low...horizontal will do...a target you say?
Then again...
Today...yes the first day, maybe last of...
Life’s remaining journey...
Tomorrow never comes you know...
Better get at it!
Some say I’m driven...
Analysis...
Letter-perfect!
Easily aligned with thrashing thoroughbreds I’m...
High strung...Emotional...
Fidgety...Twitching...
Easily bored...Bucking trends...
Get off my back....Give me space...let me...
Run...wild and free...well, maybe at sixty one...canter...
I’ve been learning...for too many years that...
Intensity...24/7...just won’t cut it...
Time to simply...be...
Still...at peace in soft green pastures...chillin...
Solitude...no distraction...
Hoopla’s madding crowd...
Replaced by slowly...chewing on possibility...
Mile and a quarter pole – worlds apart. 
Constantly harnessed...
Bit tightly clenched...
Flat out...always...equals...at least for me...
Breakdown!
Been there...done that...
No thanks...no repeat performance here!
Creativity requires ebb and flow...
Time to run...intense engagement and....
Time apart....rest...recovery
The author of ‘A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm,’ W. Philip Keller in writing a personal letter to me said, “Doug, few people realize the enormous energy demanded by concentrated artistic endeavor. So to maintain physical and emotional well being, one must have quiet interludes outdoors, walking etc. in which there is time for refreshment. Even our Lord found need of this...otherwise one goes flat and stale, which explains why so many artistic people turn to alcohol and drugs to try to inject a lift into life.”
So it begins...this little bi-weekly narrative blog.
Pondering...profundity...ideas...later developed...or maybe not. 
Slow rumination through pen and keystroke...
My lifelong artistic journey...explored...
Something about how this canvas called JDT has been...
Stretched...stapled...
Painted...splashed...
Scraped...Reworked...
Layered...Exposed...
Colour added...colour deleted...
Grays...found foundational...
Chiseled...scored...
A dust collector...
Picked up...admired...discarded...encouraged...
Useable?
Available...
Accepted...rejected?
No, never rejected...put aside...dark corners...asked to wait...years...
For the record, I’m an artist who approaches life and the making of art through the prism of my Christian faith, which will bring a certain bent to the thinking...
Far from sweetness and light...
Transparently honesty...vulnerable...could care-less...
Planting encouragement...
Possible challenge...and yes, 
Probable turn offs...
So be it...
This palette defines my very foundation. 
I have lived a life of privilege. Not that I come from wealth but rather that I have been overtly blessed to have the soul of a wanderer. 
If ever a box is presented, I’m more inclined to wander outside its edges...
Now that’s a priceless gift...
I’ve followed my soul down myriad trails traversing this hurtling blue dot into sixty-five plus countries, many of them numerous times...
Amazonian depths...several junkets...full out risk... 
Andean heights...long lessons on humility and frailness...
Far reaches called Galapagos...joy describing immense diversity...
Finest foods...red wined harbors...Mediterranean offerings...Naples yellow deep...
Austral Asian east and south...
Sea slugs...sliding down...sliding up...
Norway’s ledges...no sliding there...
Scottish highlands...wild blowing vast horizons...
Islands of the ancients...cultures lost...wisdom found...
Coast to coast...home, here...
Oh Canada...
Sketchbooks...camera...
Wandering...salivating...ruminating...
Worshipping...Him...not it...
The calling of any artist is ‘to bring awareness’...to point toward.
So, as I wander through these myriad adventures, my attempt will be to paint simple word pictures relating to intense joys, deep wounds, disappointments, sorrows, challenges and constellations of celebration...
A life simply attempting to have had ‘a long obedience in the same direction.’ 
Anyway, before I hesitate and stall out...I best start throwing some paint around...see you in a couple of weeks.
Soli Deo Gloria
J. Douglas Thompson...SDG
Copyright 2011

3 comments:

  1. Doug, or shall I say Mr Thompson? I'm so thrilled to read this. Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability. Your quote from Philip Keller really touched me. At this stage in life, it takes much effort to have 'quiet interludes'.

    I look forward to receiving the next post.
    Blessings!
    ~ Rachelle :)

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  2. Hey Rachelle...Thanks so much...Doug Please!...I posted this once already but it disappeared...getting the hang of things...

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  3. So glad to see you starting a blog Doug. I look forward to your entries in the days ahead.

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