Waitete Night ©2010 Kadira Jennings
Waitete Bay is a beautiful, secluded beach on the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. One night I awoke to the moon shining brightly through the large windows and as I lay awake listening to the gentle sound of the waves lapping on the shore this poem came into my heart and insisted on being expressed.
I won a Highly Commended for this image at the photography club digital competiton on Tuesday night.
Delight ©2010 Kadira Jennings
As I was walking along the beach recently it occurred to me what an important part creativity plays in our self development.
Why is this? Because if we follow our true creative path and many of us don’t, we will be required to deal with our fears.
In February – I went to see Jan Campion’s movie – Bright Star. The movie is an interesting look at someone who despite all, lived into his creative potential. It is based on the three-year romance between 19th century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, which was cut short by Keats’ untimely death at age 25. However like so many creatives, he died thinking himself a failure and yet he is now considered to be one of, if not the greatest of the Romantic poets. He lived and breathed his gift and along that path, faced destitution (the starving artist) and that eternal conflict between love and art that so many creatives experience.
‘BUT’ – some of you may say ‘ I’m too old, too busy, too weak, too committed to other things etc. etc. to begin now’. And to each and every one of you who would use such an excuse to deprive the world of your magnificence, I would say(as does Abraham)” that no matter where you are – put your boat into the stream now and let it carry you down stream. Don’t struggle against the current of what if’s and I’m no good – just begin and go with the flow.”
It is never to late to begin unfolding your own creativity. Start Today!
Here is a beautiful image by Greig Fraser from his gallery in the Bright Star Production scrapbook. This movie was not only about the artists’ struggle but like all creative endeavors I’m sure contained fears to be overcome for all the different individuals involved in it. If they hadn’t individually over come these challenges the world would have been deprived of this insightful, wonderful movie.
This quote from Seth Godin-Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?
Stony Bay oil on canvas 28x40” ©2010 Kadira Jennings
