The Spark of an Idea

The Spark of an Idea

Sometimes when we least expect it comes a flash of an idea a moment of intense knowledge. Sometimes those are life changing moments at other times they are just the answer to a crossword. Let me explain my thinking. There have been times in my life when I was so intent on what I was doing, and what I was doing was not always so productive, but in that moment there came an awareness that I should be doing something else. Like the time I was playing in a band and we were passing round a bottle of fairly strong alcohol as we played. The music was good but as I reached for my turn with the bottle there came a moment that I realised that if I did not change my life this was going to lead to nothing but disaster.


Then there are those less momentous flashes when you have struggled with a crossword clue for ages and give up on it. Then later when you are deep in thought on something else the clue answer flashes into your mind. Not exactly Damascus road experiences but you know what I mean.

This happens to me often while I paint. I have a canvas before me and I have started on the idea in my head when for no reason at all I see on the canvas something else. If I go with the flow it sometimes works at other times it does not. So the painting at the top of this article is a seascape. Well that was what it started out as but as you can see not what it ended as.

On this occasion I was not sure but I kept it. Somebody suggested it would be a good Christmas Card and so it was that year. The person who suggested it is now the owner of it and tells me it hangs in his living room and gives him much pleasure.

Acrylic on a box canvas painted in about twenty minutes of frenzied activity. But it does remind me of those moments of wisdom that deserves to be listened to.

This blog is linked to my other where I use this artwork:-Learning and Teaching