hattuni putosi joelle

I keep telling you that the words and the pictures come from the same place. That is really true. The process is also the same. It’s like driving a car. Sometimes I am going to the store to buy bread. Because I’ve run out of bread, and I need more bread. Other times, a friend and I will get in the car and go for a drive. We don’t have a particular destination in mind. We just go out and see what we come across. I usually bring my camera and am often surprised at the photos that come out.

There are times when I pick up the pen because I need to complete a particular assignment. A school paper, a cover letter, a home study questionnaire, a nursing note. I pretty much know in advance what I am going to write. Other times, I pick up the pen and just start writing. When it is done, I am often surprised at what came out.

Sometimes I pick up the paint brush and say I am going to paint this tree. Or I have an idea to paint a lake scape where the clouds look like cats. I have a picture in my mind of what the painting will look like.

Other times, I just grab a color and start painting. I choose another color, and another, building up layers of paint. I just play like that for a while, with no expectation. Sometimes I am really surprised by what comes out.

That kind of exploration… That kind of play is where I discover new techniques and ideas. If I think they are successful, I incorporate them into my more deliberate painting practice.

I’m not always running errands. Sometimes I find a puddle and just splash in it for a while.