The hotel windows face in a south south-easterly direction, so this morning I took a beautiful photo of the sun rising up out of the sea. Unfortunately I didn't pack the lead which lets me transfer photos from phone to laptop, so I'll put it on here when I'm back on the other side of the Pennines in the land of the setting sun. In the meantime, I found this stock photo of the Humber Bridge which is just a couple of miles away.
Left to my own devices I can happily while away hours on the internet. I give myself a hard time for this, saying I should be making the most of peaceful writing time. So how am I squaring that with myself today?
Well, in her book The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron writes about two practices which facilitate the creative process. The first of these is Morning Pages, the second, the Artist's Date.
Well, in her book The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron writes about two practices which facilitate the creative process. The first of these is Morning Pages, the second, the Artist's Date.
Morning Pages involves getting up a bit earlier and writing three sides in an uncensored, 'free expression' way to get the creative juices flowing, to air gripes and grumbles, to see what the still-sleepy brain throws up before the watchful, organised side of the brain gets going. I'm coming round to doing this, but I'm still in hibernation mode, so can't quite take the plunge and get on with it yet.
The Artist's Date involves taking a weekly trip to some place or other which nurtures the inner artist, stimulates the Muse, generates ideas. So I'm treating today as a virtual Artist's Date.
I'm looking down at the river and reading what a dangerous stretch of water this is. This took me back to the Spurn Lightship which I mentioned yesterday.
In turn, this led me to this website about other lightships.
I'm always drawn to watery phenomena. A while back I was investigating bell buoys
I'm looking down at the river and reading what a dangerous stretch of water this is. This took me back to the Spurn Lightship which I mentioned yesterday.
In turn, this led me to this website about other lightships.
I'm always drawn to watery phenomena. A while back I was investigating bell buoys
and found this incredible film on youtube. I find it hypnotic, irresistible, scary. I come back to it on a regular basis. I know all this nautical stuff is fermenting a poem but it hasn't chosen to reveal itself yet.
Bridlington, another place I've never visited, is only 16 miles from Hull. Next time I'm here I'd like to drive across there and get to know that stretch of Yorkshire coastline.
As part of my wanderings on my virtual Artist's Date, I've found this beautiful poem - The Seashells of Bridlington North Beach by Jack Mapanje - read by the poet on the Poetry Archive. Truly inspirational.
Coo, thanks for that! Whilst I can see something coming of the 3 pages in the morning thing, that seems at present so attainable I shall put it in the grey mental filing-cabinet right at the back. But the Artist's Date! Wow! I could do that, possibly not weekly but surely fortnightly! Love the idea, and it's the taking yourself out of your usual environment that could lead to new thoughts/ways of seeing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your virtual one.
In the above, place an 'un' in front of attainable for it to make any sense. Obviously I was too excited by the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteI thought that was what you meant!
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the date idea, I've had a couple now and it makes things like a trip to town or round a gallery more purposeful - and somehow more fun - exactly what a date should be!!