February 3, 2005 |
Volume 1 - Number 36
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LAST ISSUE'S IMAGE (ISSUE
#35)-
An unidentified tropical flower.
LAST ISSUE'S IMAGERY -
A longer "story" than usual follows. I had an insight
that some others of you may find of value also, so I am sharing
it here.
I received quite a few e-mails of powerfully favorable reactions
to this image. Comments ranged from the overall looking like
a "Las Vegas Girl's Headdress" and "Mummers headdress"
to comments on the colors, textures, movement and flow.
Ironically for me, I had few of those reactions for this
cropped view.
Looking at the photo from this perspective, I see a woman with
her head at a 3/4 angle toward the right cradled and protected
by the petals, one of which caps her head. There is also a bulging-eyed,
pink frog on the left protecting her, where her knees would
be. I could continue with the some of the other petals and didn't.
I suspect that some of you will now probably start seeing images
also.
THE INSIGHT:
Originally I had the full
flower set in this issue to send out in the morning. My
computer was shut down for the night when I read something that
had me reboot the computer, pull up the photo and crop it to
what you saw (link above).
As I prepare the curriculum for upcoming teleclasses, I've started
reading THE CREATIVE HABIT: LEARN IT AND USE IT FOR LIFE by
Twyla Tharp, dancer/choreographer. In it she speaks of "Creative
DNA" which we may think of as our "creative hard-wiring
or personality."
She goes on to say, "When I apply a critic's temperament
to myself, to see if I'm being true to my DNA, I often think
in terms of focal length, like that of a camera lens. All of
us find comfort in seeing the world either from a great distance,
at arm's length, or in close-up. We don't consciously make that
choice. Our DNA does, and we generally don't waver from it.
Rare is the painter who is equally adept at miniatures and epic
series, or the writer who is at home in both historical sagas
and finely observed short stories."
After reading this I had a "flash." People have been
asking me how I see and take photos the way I do. In attempting
to find answers, I'm noticing that the pictures subscribers
seem to be most responsive to are those where I've zoomed in
and on some where I've gotten even closer by cropping.
My creative DNA IS that close-up focus. So I became "true
to my DNA", pulled up the picture and cropped it. I'm thinking
when I am being "truest" is when you get strong feelings
yourself and are most responsive.
On the flip side, once I did the cropping, my personal response,
based on my DNA, was to start looking in even closer, thus the
images I described above.
Years ago, when walking in Manhattan with my mother, she started
describing the spaces between the trees and the overall of a
scene we were enjoying. All I saw were the branches. It was
then that I realized that I was seeing, what in art is termed,
the positive spaces. She was seeing, what are called, the negative
spaces. Evidently, I was being consistent with my DNA.
I invite you to become aware of your creative DNA. As a pattern,
are you looking at the world, people, situations, "from
a great distance, at arm's length, or in close-up?" If
you find yourself in challenging situations, are you in the
true mode for you? If not, would shifting it make a difference
to you and to the people with whom you are interacting?
Lastly, if you've read all of the above, are pondering it and
then find that what I've related has some impact for you, I'd
appreciate your sharing that with me. It doesn't have to be
the "what" or the "why." Simply knowing
a difference has been made would be helpful and sufficient for
me. Thank you.
TODAY'S IMAGE -
on the grounds of our community.
UPDATE from 2 issues ago-
Issue 34's
concrete structure with the "forlorn", as one subscriber
called it, snowy egret is a Weir. It manually controls the water
flow from one section to another.
Inspirationally,
Sheila
sheila@eteletours.com
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© 2005 Sheila Finkelstein
http://www.eteletours.com
BUY
gifts with Picture to Ponder images
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2005 Teleclasses for
Expanding Creativity - Transforming Perceptions
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