I’d like to talk about art, and creativity and missing people when they’ve died, and how their makings – and our makings – make it different …
David Bowie
This musing has been triggered by strong sad-yet-appreciative feelings swelling up recently when I randomly hear David Bowie songs playing. Or “Faith” by George Michael… that transports me back to a very specific time and a new dress. So grateful Bowie made music. Does particular music take you back, too?
Ursula K Le Guin
I’m so grateful she lived and thought about stuff and wrote … I found Ms Le Guin’s books by way of some quotes floating around when she died early in 2018. I’ve started to read her Earthsea books and have just finished and loved the first one. I ‘specially enjoyed the behind the scenes notes from the author (in the form of the books forward and afterward), including the deliberate choosing not to write about military style solutions and ‘goodies’ versus ‘baddies’. Most intriguing. I’ll work through the books one by one … can’t wait to see what she writes after the 20-year gap! Have you read Ursula Le Guin?
Carrie Fisher
[Warning: if you click her name above you might get a few tears from the 1 minute and 18 seconds of clips! I did.] I watched episode 8 of Star Wars last week, the last one Carrie Fisher was in, though who knows what will happen next with such great computer generated work being done now. And that sad-yet-happiness welled up in me again! So sad she died quite young (60). So so grateful she made all the things she did, said what she said. She had a bunch of sexism in her industry to deal with, and had (thankfully) addressed and commented upon it. Here’s a written ‘remembering’ article. [Damn, I’ve made myself cry.]
Margaret Olley
Legendary Australian still life painter, Margaret Olley, made and made and made. She modelled “art before housework”, which you can see in the recreations of her studio at the Tweed River Gallery. She was painting right up until she died. So much appreciation for someone who “… held over 90 solo exhibitions during her life time”! That’s a lot! Here’s a briefer life summary.
Do you think the happy + grief thing is heightened partly because they were alive and making in our times?
Transformative
Read this article by artist Jessica Swift to hear how painting transformed her grief after her husband’s sudden passing … from bleak grief into an experience that had rich positive aspects too … so fascinating to read how art transformed. [Perhaps I’ve said the word ‘transform’ enough now.]
Whenever I feel like things are pointless I do a bit of drawing and readily feel more centred and purposeful.
Getting older
Remember I wrote this post about The Old People Lesson on Kind Over Matter? [If you click through, something’s happened to the pictures – don’t worry it’s not you!]
I feel lucky that ageing-as-it’s-portrayed-now has had the sting taken out of it’s tail by the observations and comments that were gifted me as a child.
Why do we even say “ageing”? It’s just living. Do you think marketers decided to popularise that term to sell us stuff? It wouldn’t surprise me!
Letting her hair go grey was just the first step as Louise Pendry writes in the article that this quote is pulled from:
“Going grey was, for me, the conduit to a more spirited enjoyment of life after 50. I have grown bolder in word and deed, less afraid to stray outside my comfort zone. I’ve taken on new projects that challenge the notion that older women become invisible or matter less…”
~ Louise Pendry
Where are you at?
Who are you glad created things? Has their life and legacy helped you? What do you create? Experiments? Outfits? Poems? A kind culture in your home? Do you have thoughts about creativity and missing people? Getting older? I’d love to hear below in the comments or on my Facebook page.
Feed the good wolf today, you beautiful, quirkalicious marvel :)
Love Meg x o
PS Here are a few ways to join the (good) tangerine Tribe:
- Art lessons – message me if you have any queries that aren’t addressed in the information page
- The eNewsletter and All Welcome Here downloads, and of course you can
- buy my art for your home, or
- stock up on cards to send your love to favourite people.
- If you like the header lettering above, did you know I create Word of the Year illustrations at any time of year?