Looking at the Moon

My daughter introduced an entirely new way for me to look at the sky with one phrase. "God's Thumbnail" which more than adequately describes the crescent phase of the moon to me. Marvelous new perspective on looking at things in my mind's eye. It is pretty surprising to me that people see things so differently. Perhaps it is a cultural thing. Perhaps it is an inability to "see." Or perhaps it is just a dislike of the different. PBS and Ovation often have programs on "what is art?" My personal feeling is that the artist is driven to produce art. Creative outpourings are tough to stem. I begin to believe that the artist and the viewer create a partnership (unconsciously) between them. The artist and the viewer (or the writer and the reader) participate in making something artistic between them. The result of that union is an unexpected outcome. The difficulty of that path comes in hurt feelings and misunderstandings between the artist and the viewer. The strength comes from mutually growing in the ability to remain true to your art no matter what. Not trying to make art that everyone likes, but producing art that remains true to what you are feeling and what you are trying to say. As Lois Bujold likes to say, • "Aim high. You may still miss the target but at least you won’t shoot your foot off." – Elli Quinn . Here is the link I got this quote from because the rest of her quotes are not to be missed. Like shooting at the moon, she hits it every time! http://www.epinions.com/content_4838039684 For more on Bujold and her article on the interaction between artist and reader/viewer read her article in Dreamweaver. Here is a link to that wonderful perspective: Dreamweaver's Dilemma
Dreamweaver's Dilemma is the Boskone 33 book (1996) by Guest of Honor Lois McMaster Bujold. It contains two novellas which have never been published.