Paintings of Imagination

In the Meadow by McCloskey

Every morning when I wake, the first thing I see are two paintings I created about a year ago. The one to the left is a meadow of spring color with a mountain range in the background. I’ve never seen this place, but one day I was inspired to plop color on a canvas and this is what materialized.

 

 

 

 

 

Alaska by McCloskey

The second painting is a scene from Alaska. My friend Jackie had the opportunity to travel to our 49th State and came back with some amazing pictures. Traveling there is still on my “bucket list” but I know that even if I have to go someday with cane in hand, my eyeballs will see the glaciers before they all melt.

 

 

 

 

 

Neither one of these paintings will win awards. I don’t even know if they’re any good. These places only exist in my mind, and I love staring at them.

Do you see how wonderful our imaginations are? I can love a place that exists only in my mind! WOW!

I’m so grateful we have this ability, especially now since my world has shrunk to my home’s four walls because of my husband’s MS.  When I want to travel, all I have to do it close my eyes and dream. I can zero in on a scene and think about what I would do there, what I’d be thinking about as I took in the natural beauty, who would I be with, and how would I feel in such a different place.

Being able to imagine things like this is what makes fiction possible. The best writing is always based on what the author knows and how well he or she can tell a story, but this ability to dream about places we find in our minds enables new stories set in other-worldly place. The result is new genres and stories that can challenge our imaginations.

Ain’t writing grand?

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