Heartsong Studio

In 1492, Columbus sailed off to discover the far east, and possibly prove the earth was not flat. Columbus didn’t find what he expected to find, but it turns out that he discovered a whole new continent which founded a new culture as well. Was he a failure or a name for history to remember forever ?

If Columbus had been able to stay in service to his heart’s goal rather than that of the Queen of Spain, he might have realized the brilliance of his actual discovery. Rather than being in service to others or your mind’s expectations, what if you, as the adventuresome artist, kept in service to the needs of your inspiration ?

Does this sound familiar? It was part of an old Fresh Horses article: When the Method Overwhelms the Goal. It fits my last few posts here perfectly, but the lesson applies to us all . If you set out to discover the unknown, you can’t ever be a failure if you keep your sights on your true star. Experience is the best teacher, maybe the only one.

Much as I enjoy writing about making art, it all too easily takes the place of actually doing it. Waiting for time and inspiration to paint is like standing at the airport waiting for a train. Once recognized, it becomes clear what I must do.

I will be using more of my time to follow my true calling. Being immersed in making art, I may post Fresh Horses infrequently, sporadically, or perhaps not at all, or I may post photos of new paintings from time to time too.

I can always be reached by email: celeste@heartsongstudio.com, and you can always post a comment here if you wish.

I leave you with the closing lines from “In Blackwater Woods” by Mary Oliver, about the courageous willingness to embrace both connection and loss.

To live in this world
you must be able
to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it
against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.