Field Notes Fridays: Renewing My Storytelling Passions
Writing stories was my natural inclination when I was young.
Reading Tolkien, Lewis and others further developed my love for and desire to create stories.
I see them everywhere I look. Even while painting I’m thinking about the stories behind the places and animals I capture.
When our kids were little we very often told them stories at bedtime that were made up either on the spot or at least in our heads during the day. Usually our children were the heros and protagonists of these stories. Sometimes the stories were comical and full of funny, unusual characters yet the stories conveyed simple truths.
How silly of me not to record them!
Although I will attempt to recall and record some of them now, I think this story telling adventure can also continue from here on out.
What I am realizing is that I am still a Storyteller and sometimes my media for conveying the story changes from words to paint, to sculpture, to jewellery and back again to words. This realization feels like a renewal of energy and purpose.
For too long now I’ve been a bit stuck in my art creation process. I’ve felt disconnected from purpose. While conveying beauty is wonderful I couldn’t clearly see the connection between the beauty and my purpose.
Seems odd to acknowledge that now - like, how blind could I be? But now my creative expression feels cohesive potential, feels like energy being poured in rather than just energy poured out.
I’m going to take this journey slowly and explore the stories I feel called to tell and see how I can express them in a wonder-full variety of ways.
If you're interested in joining my story telling journey please join my Studio Friends list to know when a story or chapter is released in my Studio Stories blog.
Bear & Wolf stories abound throughout human history. In my family we often ascribe characteristics or nicknames to each other. Stories grew from some of these and from some of the stories we extemporaneously told at bed time, some characters became part of each of our stories.
Stories of the wild and tamed areas that surround the town in which I live present themselves when sitting in a folding chair and observing the breeze playing with the autumn leaves or ripples on the lake. Settling in as an observer is an important part of my process and my joy as an artist. Hearing the calls of an owl in the night drenched forest becomes part of the painting even if the owl isn’t visible. Those who live near these places understand this.
