My Creative Process (Part 1)

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My process starts with the belief that our connection to what we call “nature” is the source of inspiration for what we think of as “art.” Our true humanity is discovered only in the context in which humanity was created or evolved or both. It is my family, teacher, friend and sanctuary where I find true self and place in this world. As Saint Francis before me, I see what we have called “god” everywhere and the “spirit” part of “inspiration” usally starts with a walk. I pass this tree several times a week and thought of it when I composed this short (haiku inspired) poem a few weeks ago:

hate is no way

love is the only way

tree of life

More often the painting inspires a poem but this time it worked the other way.

Next is to decide the panel to use and prepare it. In this series, following the “literati” custom of combing poetry and paintings, I am doing some abstaction with black gesso and leaving natural wood as a philosophical foundation (you have to decide what that might be)….

I then combine the two in Procreate and start the process of composition! What you see here is the way I start, but as the actual painting progresses, it starts to tell me its’ own story… that is what is next!