spaciousness is a prerequisite to creativity

This afternoon I went to the beach to study. The next time I'll have to study for a test my quiet landscape will be fields, cows, snow, evergreens. I'm moving to Minnesota from the SF Bay Area in a week where I will officially become 1/2 of a domestic partnership with intentions to "remain together indefinitely," (which is a verbose description of what some would simply call "engagement.")

I studied for a while, made seaweed-sand art, and then drove down the coast late in the afternoon. It was a luxurious declaration of my final days of bachelorhood - not a care in the world, no one knew where to find me, I had nowhere to be. I saw Sea Bowl - an old bowling alley that faces the ocean - in Pacifica and laughed. I saw crows in the eucalyptus trees in Montara. I got emotional; I love the ocean and I'm going to miss it terribly.

This is an image of tangled up sea kelp. So gorgeous. The kelp look like they love being wrapped up in each other, don't they? Then again, I admit to wearing rose-colored glasses these days. Someone going through a divorce might see this and feel trapped. Sigh.

It occurred to me after I made art and realized how intuitive it felt: creativity happens best for me when I'm not stressed out or worried. It happens best when I'm not trying or thinking about art at all. This is a good, good lesson to remember.