Artistic Inspiration -- The value of the search.

I have been woefully absent from this space due to the lack of camera, which I have blogged about ad naseum.  However, this absence does not mean that I have been putting those energies into cleaning the house or becoming more organized or catching up on correspondence, filing and garage-cleaning.  Oh no.  That's not me (with apologies to my patient husband).  Instead, I've been painting.  Pictures to come, camera is due to be ready today!

I just wanted to share a bit from the book, Hawthorne on Painting, a collection of lessons from painter Charles Hawthorne (1872-1930) collected by his wife, credited as Mrs. Charles W. Hawthorne.  It's an inspiring little book, loaded with jewels.  Here's a passage which appeals to my minah-bird nature:

"Don't try to be an artist all at once, be very much of a student.  Be always searching, never settle to do something you've done before.  Always be looking for the unexpected in nature-- you can have no formulas for anything;  search constantly.  Don't learn how to do things, keep on inquiring how.  You must keep up an attitude of continuous study and so develop yourself.  I don't know a better definition of an artist than one who is eternally curious."

Oh, just my life.

My poor, broken camera was supposed to be coming home from the camera hospital yesterday.  And yesterday was seven days after the hopeful discharge date.  "The 14th at the latest," said the message on my machine.  Like a little girl seeing her pony again, I showed up at the camera shop bright and early at the Camera Shop, eager for our reunion.  Sorry, they told me.  It's not here.  The parts haven't been shipped from Nikon and we don't know when they will be.

Sigh. Shoulders slump.

Well, offered the lady, it's nothing fancy, but you can borrow my camera if you have an event or something.  Do you have an event?

Oh, I thought.  Only my life.