Inspired by a goldfinch, Fabritius & Tartt

Its been a long time since I sat down in my favorite chair and got cozy with a 771 page book!  I meet  with some  lovely ladies who have lively discussions about a chosen book. This   month it was "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt. I decided to see if I still enjoyed being totally ensconced in a long story, but was concerned that it would take time away from painting. Little did i know that it would prove to astonish and inspire me to paint MORE!Yes, it did take a week of reading 1-2 hours a day. I turned the pages without conscious noticing .The story, descriptions, characters and philosophy carried me along so that I continued  the daily habit of setting reading time aside.

This book is a story about a painting, a boy with a tragic event, and  the synchronicity of life.

I was reintroduced to the impact of a painting...about how it tells  a story. , The author herself  states:

 “I wrote books in this way, around images,” Ms. Tartt said, something that didn’t occur to her until “The Goldfinch” — a book that surrounds an image of a luminous yellow-tinged bird — was complete."

Reading little jewels like....

" There's a doubleness. You see the mark, you see the paint for the paint, and also the living bird." p. 579

"...connections missed, things lost and never found, and my painting swept away on that powerful current and drifting out there somewhere: a tiny fragment of spirit , faint spark bobbing on a dark sea."p.603

Reminded me of the how complex and full of grays life is.

Maybe sometimes-the wrong way is the right way? You can take the wrong path and it still comes out where you want it to be?"p. 745

A reminder that living a good and loving life does not guarantee that no bad things ever happen. And bad things can also be transformative , bringing us to  a good place. Keep on striving.

"And isn't that the whole  point of things--beautiful things--that they connect you to some larger beauty? p. 757

On the  question of why it is so important to make art.

"--if a painting really works down in your heart and changes the way you see and think and feel, you don't think . 'oh I love this picture because its universal.  ...."

You feel that way because it speaks directly to you and where you are.

And that is why I, myself... choose to paint.

If this resonates with you, be sure to explore other posts here and read this book. It is well worth your time..... Why do you create? How important is creating to your life?  Have you seen a painting that has changed your life? 

Read the NY Times interview with Donna Tartt here.