Creative Spirit Blog December 15, 2025 The Precious Present

Dreams of Surf Watercolor

“There are moments in our lives, there are moments in a day, when we seem to see beyond the usual.  Such are the moments of our greatest happiness.  Such are the moments of our greatest wisdom.                                                            Robert Henri

Do we really see or are we just watching where we are going? So many of us go through life on automatic pilot, not really seeing what surrounds us.  Not by choice necessarily: out of force of habit, necessity to get things done, boring jobs, mundane tasks, an overload of responsibility.  It is sad, because we miss so much when we function like that.  We all do it sometimes, but many do it throughout their entire lives. We look, but we do not really see.

I am inspired by nature and look closely at the things that surround me in nature.  I am most grateful for the beauty in the natural elements. They are fascinating and inspire me to create.  

"Colors change: in the morning light, red shines out bright and clear and the blues merge into their surroundings, melting into the greens; but by the evening the reds lose their piquancy, embracing a quieter tone and shifting toward the blues in the rainbow. Yellow flowers remain bright, and white ones become luminous, shining like ghostly figures against a darkening green background."      Rosemary Verey             The Scented Garden  

I have always felt that my job as a visual artist was to make people see things in a different way, to look more closely at something and get a sense of place or being.  We are in the middle of the “season of giving”.  If I could give one gift to everyone, it would be time.  Time to see.   Time to stop and just appreciate what you are looking at.  It doesn’t matter if it is a tree, an ant hill, a building, a vista, or a single object. We all need moments in our lives when we stop remembering the past, we are not planning out the future, and we are not rushing around, but we are being present in the moment to appreciate what is right in front of us. 

When we really see something, we make it part of our visual history.  When we see more of what a thing is we feel more connected to it. We feel more, we understand more, we explore more, and we are more alive because of it.  We are also living in the “precious present.” It is where our lives are happening and we should be present.

When this holiday draws to a close and the last guest has left, or you have arrived home from visiting friends and family, give yourself the gift of time.  Take a walk and look at the things you pass and really see them. Make a practice of seeing the detail in the small space of your vision. You will never regret that time.

It's not life's job to make me happy. It's my job to find the joy in life by observing and appreciating the small wonders and everyday miracles that are all around me, everywhere, every minute of my life" Paul Cotter

I wish you all a Happy Holiday and a New Year filled with new vision, and creativity!                                                                        Carolyn

 If you are in the area of downtown Orlando on December 18th, I invite you to join us at the opening of the "The Art Journey of Three Hippy Broads" Which runs through January 16, 2026.