Words and phrases started coming to me as inspirations
that I thought sounded like wonderful names for paintings. In the few years
before, the names of my paintings had evolved from a statement of referencing
time, place and subject to more esoteric concepts. Like Enlightenment and
Look at the Bright Side and The Sky is no Limit. Now, I also see
that the works themselves had emerged from within my own being, not
specifically referencing a particular time, place or subject. When it came time
to name a painting, I would just stand in front of it and wait for one of these
ideas to pop in my head. I never second-guessed the idea, for I was always
humored and delighted by each original idea presented. Besides, as I was such a
prolific painter, I was always so thankful to have a painting title come to me,
so it was never a chore.
One day, I was inspired to write down words and
phrases that were coming to me which sounded like excellent painting titles.
I began writing each phrase down like a list as it came to me. Then I would
click my pen closed, lay it down and turn my attention back to whatever I had
been doing. But it seemed that just the moment I set the pen down that another
great idea would pop into my head. I thought it was a fun game. I remember
saying to my husband David how I had a lot of painting to do as I already had
the names of over 800 paintings. I thought it was funny and pondered the idea
of reversing my creative process and beginning with a title and allow the image
to flow forth from that inspiration instead of the process of creating as image
and having a title inspired by such.
I never read back through them. I never saw the importance. I do remember wondering if I was repeating phrases and if I should edit the
thoughts by not writing down “a paining title” I had written before. But I soon
decided not to edit the words and just let them flow. At that time, I didn’t have
any idea how or really why these ideas were coming to me. I got my brain
involved for a while in the beginning and started looking for inspiring words
and phrases. I would underline them in magazines articles and advertising. But
that didn’t last too long for I found I didn’t have to work at this, the task
at hand was to write down whatever came to me on whatever I could find to write
it on.
It was a lot like how my art ideas have come to me. An
idea forms in my mind begging to be expressed and until it is my mind cannot
rest. So to appease my mind, I had to empty it of each idea as it came. And the
more I did it the more that came. I couldn’t think about it. I had to remove my
mind from the process. I never sat with pen in hand and stared at the paper
wondering what to write next. I just wrote what I was given as it was given. I
learned to always have a notebook within reach and kept several handy, not ever
considering that it was important when or where I jotted down each idea. It was
just a game I played with myself.
Gradually, I was inspired to write out more flowing essay
type ideas. The thoughts expressed and wisdom offered amazed me. I treasured
the wisdom which was so apropos to everything I questioned about life and never
doubted the authority behind it. It is now my understanding that the words of
wisdom that flow through and to me, are for sure Divine Inspirations. But, I
wondered, just how did I ever manage to be such a channel for such Divine Wisdom?
And then I thought back to the multitude of “painting titles,” words which I
had never assumed told any story or were any form of communication. When this
idea came to me just a few months ago I literally ran to the cabinet where I had
stuffed my painting title journals. As I read I was stunned. There was an
amazing continuity to the words and phrases, a conversation, communication,
messages, wisdom, love, all there, all the time. It was if was if Spirit was
tapping the door of my mind. “Hello, we are here, are you listening? All is
well. Keep it up. Each day is better. Look up, Love is all around you.”