Me Musing . . . November 19, 2006. . .

Today was an interesting day in that a new 'spark' seemed to take hold. As I sit here writing, I am not even sure I can remember the sequence of how this spark suddenly became a 'creative flame' in me!

People often ask me how/where I get some of the ideas that I work from. Somehow they just seem to 'visit' me. I had been thinking that this year seemed to be a year of travel, with no real pizazzzzz in my creativeness.

I haven't done watercolours for almost a year; other than emails, no writing; no new large-size (11 x 17) painted stationery; no new creative wall colourings; no clay orbs . . . geeeeeeeez . . . this is getting real boring!

Last year I decided that I would venture back into sewing. Having been raised by a mother who had graduated from a New York Costume Design School and who sewed everything she ever wore, you can imagine that one thing I learned at an early age was how to sew.

Back then the mantra was: "If you want more clothes, learn to sew!" (Along with: "You can always get a job as a school-teacher" . . . which later turned out to be a myth!)

I made all my own clothes until about the age of 33, when suddenly it seemed that everything I made was less than stylish, so I began filling my wardrobe with purchased items. (Probably working part-time for a Fashion Consultant at the time had a lot to do with it!)

About 8 years ago I even donated my sewing machine to the school as it hadn't been used except to make napkins and tablecloths!

I decided that since I wasn't sure how serious I was about this sewing thing, that I would buy a cheapo machine. I stumbled around trying to remember 'how to' and after a few meager attempts of ill-fitting garments (if you could even call them garments!), I returned to my 'safety zone' of napkins and tablecloths!

Somewhere, though, around the edges of my thoughts were vague ideas about using some of my artwork or creative ideas in my clothing; however, they just never materialized.

I decided what I really needed was a dress form as the 'fit' seemed to be an even bigger dilemma than the 'how to'.

That's when 'Big Red'came into my life!

What a hoot that was . . . getting her dimensions to somewhat match mine! It was the first time I was able to place the tissue pattern on 'a double' and find out that some needed to be added here, taken away there, on and on. AND I came to the realization of why I was having so much trouble with patterns . . . age had crept in and my body no longer had any semblance to the way they figured the patterns!

At last I could make a top that fit!

And success was very stimulating . . . it spurred me on to take a class from my friend, Marcy, an extremely creative seamstress/artist.

After seeing the creative wardrobe she has constructed, I decided that I really did need a good sewing machine. So I searched ebay for an older model Bernina (which seemed to be the 'machine of choice' of expert sewers) and found one perfect for me.

I also found a 'sewing teacher' within an hour and a half drive from here and we began by making a pattern off a ready-made top that I bought about 15 years ago and have always loved. Next we began to 'fine tune' Big Red. (Stay tuned for that one!)

Last week I got an email from Marcy saying she was taking women to Paris in early December and again in early January. And, that she was reading the book, 'A Writer's Paris' (a guided journey for the creative soul) by Eric Maisel and had decided to take his advice and had rented a 'pied a terre' in the Latin Quarter of Paris to spend the 'in between time' there, rather than traveling back and forth between trips.

Made sense to me!

I have always been attentive to Marcy's selection of books, so ordered a used copy and it arrived a few days ago. It is sized just right to fit comfortably in the hand and the cover is of fabric, which adds a good feel while reading.

The minute I began to read, I was right back there in Paris with him. In the late 70's (when I worked for the Fashion Consultant), one of my duties was to help in the set-up and travel of taking women shopping in Paris. (A tough job, but somebody has to do it!)

It was amazing to me after having been in Paris the first time, that on the second trip, it was as if I had never left! I felt very comfortable in the 'City of Light'.

Soooooooooo, this little book was a joy to begin.

His main premise is that one of the main challenges a writer faces is writing regularly . . . AND, that going to Paris for a week, month, 3 months, 6 months, a year, is one way to meet this challenge . . . going for the express purpose of taking time to write, rather than just going there on a vacation.

That idea got me to pondering: "OK, I'm not a 'writer'; however, as a 'creative' wanting to saturate myself in 'creative clothing', where would one go to do that???

Paris, obviously is one choice, but there must be someplace a little closer to home where I could begin.

I know about this time you are asking yourself, 'so what does this have to do with 'The Orange Wheelbarrow' on this page???

Well, in his book, he talks often about a wonderful 'Anglophone' bookstore called 'The Red Wheelbarrow' in the 'Marais district.

And that brought to mind my 'Orange Wheelbarrow'
(That's a whole story of how she came into my life!),
acquired about 9 years ago when I had first moved here
and began the remodel on my Studio/Sanctuary.

(For fun . . .See photos and descripton of my little Studio/Sanctuary
which I re-modeled in 1998 . . . and sold in 2002!)

As I read (until late into the night), I began making some notes, which seems to be a habit of mine while reading, and I could begin to feel the 'creative impulse' stirring within me. His words began to 'spark':

~ 'The Practice of Flanerie: the French invention of strolling as an art form'!

~ 'The walking meditation known as flanerie is a key that unlocks your creativity'

That line came back to me this afternoon as I was outside raking leaves . . . which was not a 'walking' meditation, but a 'quiet' one which somehow opened up spaces so the 'spark' could begin to ignite.

~ 'Readers remain uninvolved until they begin to smell, see, hear, taste, feel'

~ 'Simply begin writing where you are'. (Paris or some other place may later call you, but the main thing is to just begin!)

~ 'No writer should refuse the siren's call. 'Run off', but do not 'run away'. (Running off on an adventure is one thing, running away is a totally different thing.)

~ 'Even magical places lose their allure when you have abandoned your art'

~ ~ In speaking of Picasso: his message was: 'champion meaning, not beauty.' (Write beautiful sentences if you like, but make sure to say what you mean.')

This statement really struck a chord. Just yesterday a friend asked me what creative 'thread' I saw throughout my life and I said, "Creating beauty".

However, last night after reading the Picasso message, I realized that it was not just 'beauty' that I had to always create in my surroundings (so I felt 'at home' wherever I chose to live), but it was 'meaning' that I was creating . . . which just happened to take form as a kind of beauty.

This afternoon, while outside raking leaves onto a tarp so I could pull them to the burn pile, I thought of my 'Orange Wheelbarrow'and went to look for it. As I wheeled it up to a place where I could later view it from the window, I smiled,

as I felt it somehow held a 'secret metaphor' for the creative impulse which had seemed so lacking in my life for months on end and NOW had once again paid a visit.

I took some photos of it so I could do a sketch and watercolour and began to see a whole 'creative life' for it beginning to surface . . . perhaps notecards to use, BIG painted stationery that I love to use
for 'real' writing of letters, a 'logo' for a Musing webpage.

And . . . I began to realize how much I have really missed writing 'My Musings'(which originally began in 1998 on my signature BIG stationery and later found a home on my first website) . . .

Believe it or not, this page has finally come full circle, and it is midnight and I need to get to bed as tomorrow is a BIG day . . .

I drive the one and one-half hours for my next instruction on the 'final fitting' of 'Big Red'.

Until soon,

Che'usa

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