Good Morning

September 14, 2010September 14, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 12 Comments

One time I wrote these words:

When dawn comes,
I’ll be reaching over her shoulder
plucking the 1st light…

But this morning, as I blinked into the glorious day, a different story was told. I had slept past the sun’s rising. Her arms were already reaching across the earth’s surface in an embrace of perfection.

Sprout Question: What are you going to do with this glorious gift of today?

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Buddha in the Bushes

September 13, 2010September 13, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 11 Comments

Under our trees there sits a statue of a Buddha in meditation. I visit often – sometimes with my feet and sometimes in my mind.

I won’t die.

I’m not going anywhere

I’ll be here.

But don’t ask me anything.

I won’t answer.

Death poem by Zen master Ikkyu who lived from 1394 to 1481.

As we have seen in the comments to the previous post “Beauty in Death” there is a cycle to everything. We are falling away from summer towards the resting of winter that will nurture the sprouts of spring, bringing them to the full blossom of summer again. We know this. We know this like our breath. No thought is required. Yet, like our breath it sometimes helps to focus on it just for a moment or two. Focus on the fullness of the cycle and then pause on death – as it is a necessary part of living.

You may wonder what this has to do with creativity. I propose that when we are inspired by the fullness of our living, and of our dying, our creative work benefits. There need not be a god or goddess or Buddha in the bushes of our creative work. We only need to pause. It is in the pause at the top of our breath where we pick the moment to press the shutter button; our hand knows to release the brush stroke; our keyboard finds the phrase; or our voice hits a note. These need not be perfect. It is through their ordinariness that our creativity goes beyond perfection and holiness. Somehow we know during this pause that there will come a day when we shall release that breath and it shall be our last. From this same place I believe the brilliance of our creativity is released.

With this in mind, I ask us to pause as if it were our last breath.

Sprout Question: What might your death poem be?

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Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Beauty in Death

September 10, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 13 Comments

“Spirit always stands still long enough for the photographer It has chosen.” Minor White

View and purchase full resolution image here.

The arbutus leaves have died from drought not because it is fall. Arbutus leaves stay green all year except for those that are lost from the heat of summer. These leaves remind me of words from those left behind: “She looks so beautiful now that death has released the pain of disease from her face.”

Sprout Question: Where have you witnessed beauty in death?

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Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Sea to Sky by the Salish Sea in September

September 9, 2010September 9, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 6 Comments

Traipsing along the shore by the Salish Sea in September is splendid. Yes, that is a lot of ‘s’ sounds. But never mind… shall we?

A stunning September day

Looking south is equally as inspiring.

Swhishsssssssssss…..

Gazing into the water with its layers of seaweed…

And then looking up again…

Sea to sky by the Salish Sea in September is Splendid.

Sprout Question: What is the colour you smell and hear in September?

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Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

In the Canada thistle patch

September 8, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 11 Comments

Purple blooms that turn into fluff heads.

View and purchase full resolution image here.

Thickly standing tall their prickly presence daring you to come close.

Blowing in the wind

View and purchase full resolution image here.

The Canada thistle is beautiful and it has a specific purpose in creating healthy soil by being one of the first plants to grow and creating nutrients for others to follow. Here is an article “Bye bye Canada Thistle” that tells the story.

Sprout Question: What have you creatively reclaimed, recognizing its inherent beauty and purpose?

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Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Eat the green ones last

September 7, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 10 Comments

Not Smarties – blackberries. Their season of sun-filled juiciness is over. But there are still a few left. Even though they are not as good, I still pluck a partially green one off of the brambles to chew on as I walk…

Ah, one left.

And there is another one.

Then there are these. I see a wasp has broken into the juicy ripe casing of the one on the bottom ripe. It must be ready then. Let me see….

Sprout Question: If your creativity was a berry, which one would it be?

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Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Break n Enter

September 2, 2010September 2, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 32 Comments

No it wasn’t my property, thankfully. But I’m sure these boat owners are not going to be happy when they discover these funny but smelly uninvited guests have trashed the place.

They’re caught red-pawed in the act. Handcuff those sea otter! (oops! I mean river otters. Special thanks to Ken Peterson from Monterey Bay Aquarium for the correction)

Photos were taken on the dock at Brentwood College in Mill Bay at 19 hours and 33 minutes on the 31st day of August 2010.

Sprout Question: What relationship does humour have to your creativity?

Note: My solo exhibition, Sea, Land and Time, opens tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm https://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2010/08/29/bring-your-cheque-book . And Creative Potager has a new page Artist Biography .

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Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Bring your cheque book

August 29, 2010August 29, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 26 Comments

There is something I forgot to tell you about my solo art exhibition, Sea, Land and Time, opening this coming Friday, September 3, 2010 at 7:00 pm. Bring your cheque book or cash. There are a few smaller pieces, such as cards and calendars and small photographs printed on canvas, but some of the larger oil paintings are over a thousand dollars. I personally recommend you bring your cheque book. I do not accept credit cards and I wouldn’t want you to leave disappointed.

I have heard from many of you and I am extremely excited to see your smiling face. It is a busy long weekend on Mayne Island so you will want to secure your sleeping arrangements in advance. Hum, that does sound like an interesting proposition doesn’t it?

Here are a few of links that you may find useful in your planning.

BC Ferries http://www.bcferries.com (read the ferry schedule carefully it is the most complicated schedule in the world changing with each day)

Mayne Island Accommodations http://www.mayneisland.com/accommodation/index.htm

Specific information about SEA, LAND AND TIME https://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2010/08/09/sea-land-and-time

Just to let you know, two oil paintings have already sold during the publicity for this show. Come early for the best selection.

If you are not able make it, leave a sprout anyway and wish me happy birthday. I always love to hear from you. Yes it is my birthday today or rather that would be yesterday in blogging time 🙂

Sprout Question: What sprout question are you asking yourself today?

P. S. I am away all day Tuesday. The next post will be on Thursday. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Note: Creative Potager has a new page Artist Biography .

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Falling Sun

August 26, 2010August 27, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 16 Comments

As the tiredness of the end of summer swings into the soft cloud-covered dawn, I notice a sunflower on the deck and think of a falling sun. Labour Day weekend is approaching. The days are shorter and the nights cooler. On the island, the tension between those who will stay for the winter and those that are seasonal or tourist is palatable. Smiles are slightly tight around the edges of lips between those longing for solitude and those wishing they could stay.

But these tight lipped words are seldom spoken with the tension that rests on the morning dew. If said at all, they are said in jest. Next year will bring another fresh sparkling sun-kissed summer, another brilliant sunflower.

Sprout Question: Is there a shift in your creativity come fall?

Note: Creative Potager has a new page Artist Biography and a post announcing my solo exhibition “SEA, LAND AND TIME.” Please share both as appropriate.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Sagebrush blue dawn

August 24, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 13 Comments

I wake sleepily from disturbing dreams where I walk across a border crossing into the U.S. with plans to take a bus somewhere into a city I don’t know. Then miss the bus and it is dark. The morning’s soft edges and my dream bring me back to earlier this summer and the high desert in Oroville Washington. There was a photograph I wanted to play with. Let’s have a look….

View full resolution and purchase print of painting here.

Can you hear the morning dove? Is the sagebrush perfuming your lungs with a slight hint of damp dust from the night’s thunder showers?

Sprout Question: How did you greet the dawn today?

Note one: Yesterday Sam Juilano, from Wonders in the Dark, posted an interview with me that if you haven’t already read you might want to wander over to Artist and Nature-Lover Terrill Welch: Mayne Island’s resident Creativepotager. Special thanks to all Creative Potager readers and twitter followers who have already been and commented. And an extra special thank you to Sam. Though I find it overwhelming to see my ordinary life so extraordinarily presented, it has been fun.

Note two: Creative Potager has a new page Artist Biography and a post announcing my solo exhibition “SEA, LAND AND TIME.” Please share both as appropriate.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada