Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet
As I move between pondering art, life and books in my Thursday Thoughts, today I am pondering art. This quote could be pondered in quite a few directions I think but it resonated in an artistic way today.
In part because at this time of year I tend to slow and consider what the year might have in store for my artistic and making life. I stop and reflect, and then give space for all my random thoughts, dreams and desires, no matter how wild or unrealistic they might be, to be jotted down.
I have found over the years that this openness to ideas lets me spark or ignite new directions or new possibilities.
So often, I do my internal pondering; drifting this way and that in my head. In my solitude, my home and my haven.
The way that Rilke describes 'even in the midst of very strange conditions' seems so pertinent to the years we are living through as well. Previously artistic plans oftentimes involved planning to visit exhibitions, to travel here or there to attend a course; to send work overseas for shows and the like; whereas now things become far more localised and web-based.
For me however; after the solitude comes the chance to give voice to my ideas in discussion with Barry. I love sitting at the end of a day, perhaps a glass of wine and yarning about how this goes with that; how maybe trying this could lead to that and so on.
In doing so I discover all my paths, and more...
The path to the observation tower at Forsinard Flow...
Oh to return and wander the paths amongst the blanket bog once more.
it's near impossible to consider solitude without factoring in Covid during these years-long times (who ever thought it would get this far?) ... but you are fortunate (as I am) to have a partner with whom to share that solitude, better yet when both are makers
ReplyDeleteSolitude has taken on a whole new meaning in these times hasn't it Liz? So many of us spending so much more time alone. I was built for solitude I think - intersperse with forays into world of folk - but have never felt my privilege as much as I do now when I get to spend the time in 'isolation' or 'withdrawal' or 'self imposed lockdown' with the person I love and care about and with whom I can explore the world and more from home... go well.
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