The Creative Process Unmasked

The creative process has a lot to do with perspective. I was reminded of this a couple of years ago when I went to a painting party. Over a few hours, an artist showed a group of us how to create a simple painting of a sailboat at night. No two pieces of art, even though they represented the same subject, were the same. Each nascent artist brought a specific perspective when creating their painting.

Of course, an artist’s skill level also plays a role in the resulting piece. Do you know the most important skill any artist needs to hone? Observation.

Think about it. Even in the context of the painting party, each person’s ability to observe – the interrelation of the boat’s parts, how parallel lines converging give the illusion of depth and distance – in large part determined the success of the final product.

Observation + Perspective = Art

Poet and author Molly Peacock goes so far as to say that a poet’s skills are “noticing and comparing one thing to another.” She says a poet must become “an expert in observing.” I think this goes for all artists, whether their medium is poetry or dance, painting or song.

What an artist notices and what they think about that is the heart of any piece of artwork. If an artist is very skilled at observing and then expressing from their observations – well, they’ll have endless creative output! Plus, a skilled artist often brings to us new insight via their work.

If you want to read a delightful example of observation and perspective, look for American poet Alicia Suskin Ostriker’s book, The Old Woman, the Tulip and the Dog (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2014). It’s a collection of over 30 different poems, each written from three perspectives: that of an old woman, a tulip, and a dog.

Meanwhile, why not try practicing keen observation of what is in your world? Notice what you notice! Then express it somehow, even in a post-it note that you stick on your monitor. You just might begin to awaken your inner artist!

Until next time, here is my tribute to Ostriker: “Aging from Three Perspectives”.

Lee Ann

I’ve been thinking lately that I have nothing to write about. This winter I’ve been sick. I injured my back from coughing so hard when I was sick. I’ve been taking a horticulture course at U Guelph, and I’ve been writing for other people. In other words, no artistic inspiration in my real life!

Luckily a friend alerted me to an online poetry course given by Governor General Award-winning poet Lorna Crozier (thanks, M2!) And the very first lesson in that course reminded me that real life – in all its pain and all its glory – inspires any artist who takes the time to observe.

Observing is a skill, and it’s a critical part of the creative process. Turns out, I did not have to look beyond what has been happening in my real life to be inspired. We received two prompts in this lesson. One was to write from a line in a poem called “Peaches” by Peter Davison:

a mouthful of language to swallow

What a great line, I wish I had written it! But I did write from it, which is just as great. The second prompt was to write what’s called an “apostrophe” poem. That’s a poem addressed to an animal, an inanimate object, an idea, or a person who is absent. I did not have to look far to find what I wanted to address.

So there you have it. Often real life does provide the source for inspiration. It’s right there if only we look closely.

Why not try it yourself? Observing, I mean. What do you see/hear/feel when you take the time to observe what is happening in your own real life? You may not arrive at a new poem, but I’m betting you will benefit. May you gain some insight, recognize the gifts of this current life phase, or at the very least, enjoy immersing yourself in the beauty that is unique to the winter season.

Meanwhile, please enjoy the two poems I created directly from my real life. “A Mouthful of Language to Swallow” and “To the Muscles Surrounding my L2 to L5 Vertebrae.”

Lee Ann

Have you ever wanted to ask an artist, “Where do you get your ideas?” I’m here to help! As many of you know, I’m endlessly fascinated by the creative process and have written quite a bit about it here on the site. Turns out, inspiration is lurking in many surprising places.

Local Beauty

For me, inspiration often lies in the beauty I’ve photographed in my everyday world. Here are some examples of photos I’m currently writing from:

How do I decide which of my hundreds of photos inspire me? When I look at one and think, “now that’s a poem!” Then I’ll start to jot down thoughts about what’s in the picture, what ideas it sparks, what feelings it invokes. The photo is a jumping off point. The resulting poem is rarely a description of what’s in the scene.

Themes and Structures

Another trigger can come from a “call for submission”, where a journal or website announces they are looking for writers to send in new work. Often these calls are for a certain theme to be written about, or certain style of poem to be created. For example, Frontier Poetry recently requested submissions for their “Not in Love Tanka Challenge.” Oh yeah, this is inspiring: to try to stuff such a huge theme into the five-line/31 syllable structure that is the Tanka poem!

I can’t show you that one, as I did submit and can’t publish anywhere else, including here, before hearing back from Frontier Poetry. However, I can show you “White Quill Pen”. This poem was one of three I submitted, answering a call by the League of Canadian Poets. It was selected for Fresh Voices #30. This scene, taken in Canmore, Alberta, inspired the poem. You can see the poem with its photo in my Photo Art Gallery.

Magical Thinking

And yes, sometimes it’s all very “woo-woo” and I’ll wake up with some lines that seem to insist on being written. Recently I got: “Meegwich/thank you, I hope my people were kind.” This led to a poem that is a type of land acknowledgement to the native people of the Niagara Region. My ancestors were some of the very first white settlers there, and the poem includes details from my years of genealogical research.

Your Turn!

So there you go! I hope I’ve answered your question about where inspiration comes from, at least partly. Follow-up questions are most welcome!

Meanwhile, even if you’re not a practicing artist, why not challenge yourself to notice what ignites some excitement, some curiosity, or maybe even an “ah-ha!” moment? You may be surprised by where inspiration comes from. Who knows what may galvanize you… and what that might lead to!

Lee Ann

What Else is New?

Looking for gardening inspiration? Find Seedy Saturday events across Canada in February and March. Shop for low-priced seeds from local sources, talk to local vendors, attend fun and informative workshops. For my Ottawa readers: Look for the Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton’s advice table at the Ottawa event, March 2, 691 Smyth Road, and at the Carp event, March 9, 3790 Carp Road.