Here is an example: I just road-tripped to Austin last night to see an early screening of Iron Man 3 hosted by Ain't It Cool News. I met a group of engineers who work on luxury airplanes and an artist from England who comminserated with me about the deep truth that the process of creating art is what interest artists and not selling their art. For me, I feel excited about what I am working on right now -- I remember with fondness the incredible journey of my completed works. We nodded at each other, sharing the weirdnness of this situation.
Then I watched a nicely crafted movie written by Shane Black with Robert Downey Jr., Ben Kingsley and others, having gleeful fun. Why some of these Marvel movies don't win a few more shiny statues is a mystery to me. Fun isn't worthy I guess. At a movie like this, it is all about the spectacle. Spectacle isn't lauded as art in exalted communites. I hope I never reach such heights of snobbery. After the movie I was struck with the most creative piece of the journey -- a misty moon in the sky. I imagined witches, dragons, and monsters in that full moon wreathed in clouds. I call the moon my lagniappe of the journey. What's a lagniappe? Like the thirteenth donut in a dozen, it's that that little something extra.
I think following your curiosity is the best bet when it comes to creative exposure. I search for what challenges me. I try to read impossibly difficult books or stuff that everyone is reading, just to see what that is all about. I search out the weird and the wonderful and make sure I get a chance to revel in it. I also hunger for the divine and search for sacred spaces and holy connections. I'm a self-proclaimed geek and also try to wedge in some geekdom fun whenever I can. I'm a lover of art and good music, and tasty food and chunk out time for that too. Of course, I love writing conferences, open reads, and critique groups, but, oh, I like the opera, a good dance troupe and will stop to watch skaters at the local skate park when I have time.
Here's the deal, not everything speaks to me, but I am very aware of what does. I energize my creative self and make sure that I receive exposure. Not getting enough exposure is like not getting enough sun; your bones start to wither.
I hope that you spend some time seeking creative exposure this week. I will be back next week with a series called Blooming, all about pre-writing activities that help me produce the fruit of writing--manuscripts.
Here is my doodle: "Iron Man Chicken."
Quote for the week:
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
5 comments:
Your blog posts always make me smile. Even though I'm a huge fan of creative exposure, I don't allow myself the time nearly enough. It sounds like your evening was magical! Oh, and thanks for teaching me a new word, lagniappe. I had to look it up, of course. I dig research (a bit of creative exposure!) Did you know it's mostly used in the Gulf Coast South region and entered the English language by way of Louisiana French? Fascinating.
I love the Marvel comics ... that they are still around is a testament to their universal appeal. Awards, schmwards? Yes, they are nice to have, esp. for the small gems that tend to get lost, but to become part of the American lexicon, it's is own reward. I'm happy you had such a fun weekend.
Hi Candi! Yes, I learned the word lagniappe and it's history when I visited my aunt in New Orleans as a teen. Glad to offer you something to gnaw on.
Hi, Vijaya!
Love Marvel. I'm a fan of Brian Michael Bendis and of course Stan Lee. I absolutely believe that I should be friends with Neil Gaiman (Sandman).
I always feel some pain when for some reason art is overlooked. I'm just wholly impressed with some of these films and I saw one of the directors (JW) a while back and I could see in him that he has a hunger for honor by his peers for his art and they just don't do it.
I do absolutely agree it's a good idea to give small gems some love but to ignore the best of the best seems to send an odd message into the the universe.
Anyway, I hope your weekend is full of simple gifts and you find the place you're supposed to be... Love ya.
I'm definitely craving more creative exposure in my life right now! You've inspired me to go seek some out. :-)
Go, Anna!
Tuck this in your heart as you go:
AS kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell’s
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves—goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying Whát I do is me: for that I came.
Gerard Manley Hopkins...
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