Looking, With Visuals

Conscious Creativity   Chapter 3: Looking 

"The unremarkable holds the potential for endless new ideas." Philippa Stanton

Paul and I have a row of shrubs along the side of our condo. They soften and add interest to this long stretch and have great color in the fall. But it's still just a row of shrubs.....and unless I'm actively gardening and moving between the garage and the back...I hardly ever see them.

We have two enkianthus....and like I said....rather unremarkable. You can see there are tiny blooms....but not very showy from a distance.  But when you get close....and start really looking....you see so much more.

This is my 4th spring living here....and maybe the first time I really looked at these blooms.

They hang in clusters of teeny tiny bells....with pinky tulip-like edges and sweet little stripes.....they're just precious. 

"The unremarkable holds the potential for endless new ideas."

And this unremarkable shrub lead me here....watercolor thumbnails inspired by Tansy Hargon and her recent Thumbnail Sketching Class....and Philippa's reminder to always be curious....and keep "looking."

But here's an unexpected part of this "looking" story.  Brenda gave me this beautiful glass dip pen that is generally used for ink. 

You dip it in the ink which collects in and rolls down the curves to the tip so you can write or draw with it.  I just discovered that it also works with a puddle of watercolor....which is how I drew some of the lines.  This is the first time I've used it this way....and I have fallen in love. 

But look closely at the little surprise reflection in the rounded part of the pen. I didn't see it until I put this photo in this post this evening.

Be curious and look....then always look again.

On Second Thought

This is a follow-up to my earlier post where I wished I could capture the whimsy of the magnolia bloom in a thumbnail sketch.  It will make more sense once you've read that post called It's a Wrap. 

I couldn't go to bed until I tried....I realized it didn't have to be perfect.....it just needed to capture the essence. This 10 minute effort will help me sleep better tonight.

On second thought....maybe I can pull it off....in my own clumsy way.

Dancing Magnolia