Rhythm of Moment – Sagacity

Oil on Canvas

“I do not need a lifetime— I just need an hour of innocence from my childhood to create a work of art.” – Rod Jones Artist 

Most wise; but immature memories, expectations and emotions equal a joyful curse.

Wise in maturity; equals surviving in a world that serves up distrust but honors self-reliance. 

When staring at a gargantuan blank canvas ( and yes they can be just that in the mind’s eye)  expect these reactions. The mature mind starts in with redundantly ample amounts of doubt. The “what if”  tug-of-war game begins. I know of only one shelter from this war-like assault; the child’s mind. 

Oodles of immaturity— a natural innocent tendency to embrace joyful play, maybe the only true state of mind, where you can enter into the elusive creative zone.

Picasso clearly understood this. He made numerous references to Child like painting or creativity.

“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child”. Pablo Picasso.

What about me; I’m certainly no Picasso, and I have myself convinced that I would not want to be. This is what I do know— there is a child in all of us, if we are a little bit immature all the better, just means the channels our open. 

When I was growing up my favorite uncle “God bless him” was George. George’s wife, my Aunt Jenny, invariably referred to him “you’re just one big kid”. How lucky he was; he managed to be that “just one big kid” his entire life. Yes he was a responsible man, made a good living and provided well for his family and others. But that childlike wonder and Innocence that he never lost; left a profound impression on me. 

Back to that big white canvas, most specifically, my big white canvas. Staring me down, waiting for me to shift from the stodgy adult to the blessings of childhood wonder. 

Hallelujah— I do not need a lifetime— I just need an hour of innocence from my childhood to create a work of art.