Morning light
A visual artist -- a painter, a
sculptor, a photographer can use a subject over and over again with only slight
variations. Why is it then that a writer
cannot repeat ideas and descriptions with only the smallest changes?
Today, as I looked outside I was
moved to write about the morning sun, the way the leaves fluttered in the
slight breeze creating moving shadows, and the subtle changes of light on the
blades of grass. I was enthralled by the
new day and the play of light on the walls of my home tracking the ascent of
the sun. To put it into words would be a
repetition of moments I have observed before.
Perhaps the sentences would be varied enough to be unique, but the
clever reader would recognize and know that I had dusted off old phrases and
tried to pass them off as new. I was
crippled by this limitation. It was a
self-imposed silence that was frustrating to someone yearning to write. Then, quite suddenly, I had an
inspiration. I grabbed my camera and
began snapping photos. The light behind
the trees provided the dark form in front that showed the structure of the
limbs without the confusion of detail.
Then I focused on the rest of the terrain. A
blooming butterfly bush brashly displayed its floral splendor while the woods
behind were dark , hiding the secrets of living things in its depths. Dark and light...light and dark. Artists call it Chiaroscuro -- the strong contrasts affecting the entire composition. The
natural canvas demonstrated this perfectly, creating a desire to look into the
shadows, to explore the unseen.
I reviewed
my photos quickly scrolling to see what my eyes had observed. I was deeply disappointed. I realized that my 'talent' as a photographer
was non-existent. I thought of some of
my friends who have incredible abilities to see and capture what I cannot. I called one of them to ask a favor. Would she take some photos of the early
morning contrasts to replace my words? There was no answer and I concluded that
I would have to paint a picture with words...MY words...words I may have used
before. Okay...maybe I can repeat myself! Who says I can't write what I want? Forget the rules!
There is
such beauty in the gifts nature provides.
I hope that you as readers and observers enjoy what artists capture in a
variety of ways. I encourage you to take
a moment to find the art. Look for the
chiaroscuro. Enjoy the contrasts of the
world around you as you may have enjoyed time and time again. Enjoy the repetition.
