I sit here at my drawing table in the quiet and stillness of early day. I’m furiously trying to capture the look of my neighborhood as dawn begins to rise up from behind the hill. Two lampposts glow in the hazy dark of colors that my palette does not have. I try.
Within seconds, it seems, one lamppost has already gone out as a pinkish haze creeps up into the sky, changing colors faster than I can paint.
I wish I could freeze-frame this moment. A photo would not do it justice. A little furiously-made painting does better. But still…there’s something here in this part of the day I can hardly describe in words, much less in paint.
It gets me to thinking how fleeting life is…how exquisitely, achingly, beautiful it all is. From sun-up to sun-down, if we could freeze-frame moments all along the day, we’d find our breath caught in ooohs and aaahs. The aching part of it is that I can’t catch it all, can’t see it all, can’t paint all of them.
But oh how lovely to be one who even gets to catch a few along the way. To be a Beauty seeker whose lens is pen and paints…I can think of no better way to live a life.
The wonderful thing is that tomorrow, there will be another Early part of the day. There will be more beauty moments, other opportunities to paint and draw the faces and places I come across.
Won’t you join me in catching them? Whether it’s in paint or pencil, camera or collage…i love seeing the beauty moments you see.
P.S. The above pic is a bit hazy. I decided not to re-do the photo since the Early Day is a bit hazy too!
P.P.S. If you would like encouragement and instruction for chronicling your Beauty moments in a sketchbook…check out my Drawing Your Life Mini Lessons here! It’s completely free!
those kind of mornings are the best, Jennifer!
They really are!
Love your reflections on the early morning. They are moments to be treasured!
For me – so much life to catch, so little time, so little talent.
Stew.
P.S. But I still try 🙂
Well, I take issue with that last phrase “too little talent”. But I do know about the trying part. That’s really all any of us can ever do. Your “tries” are absolutely incredible!
Gosh! Thank’s
As your latest post – it’s not really the thing your drawing. I am not sure if it is even the drawing.
You know how when you are drawing; it is like meditating.
I agree about capturing the moment, I’ve had to file away so many in my memory as I just can’t draw them all. Nice post!
the cool colors, 🙂 it’s really hard to resist these color combination I must say. You have a way to make colors flavorful ^^
What a lovely compliment. I hope you are doing well Alex!
Wonderful colours, Jennifer.
Many times I wish we could make pictures with our minds that lasted long enough to draw/paint. 🙂
your colorful way it’s always giving me something new. You are inspiring me more and more!