This is an excellent point, Duane: "Every place we place our feet becomes the place where hope becomes substantive. Where we give tangibility to what we can't yet see."
That placement and sense of giving tangibility is an act of creation in itself. I get this sometimes taking a photo that I may use later in my poetry.
Ahh. So true. All of this. The need to make things, the ambiguous pull forward, the trust, the hope...just all of it! Thanks for putting the journey into words.
Thank you for weaving my words into your essay and for expanding them into such a rich meditation on the creative journey. There’s something reassuring about the way you describe truth—not as a fixed point we’re all trying to reach, but as a swirling, unpredictable energy that moves through us. I love your image of the “Cloud of Unknowing.” It feels so right for the creative process, where what’s real and urgent is often just out of sight, and we’re left to reach for it by instinct and touch.
I often think about how much of what we do as artists is, as you say, a kind of trust exercise. We move forward without a map, guided by a need we can’t explain to make something out of nothing, to leave a mark or a gesture that might matter to someone, even if we never quite know how. It’s both terrifying and beautiful, that feeling of being led by something larger and older than ourselves.
Your essay reminded me that uncertainty isn’t a flaw in the process; it’s the very ground it grows from. Maybe the best we can do is keep stepping forward, letting our hands and hearts answer the world’s questions in whatever way we know how. And if we’re lucky, someone else will find a little warmth in what we make, even if we never see it.
Here’s to trusting the mystery, to finding comfort in not knowing, and to the wild hope that what we do will mean something, somewhere. Thank you for this. You’ve given me a little more courage for the journey.
Thanks so much for the inspiration and for this is wonderful reply! Again, you've said something here that struck me as so poignant and profound: "uncertainty isn’t a flaw in the process; it’s the very ground it grows from" - This is magnificent! So absolutely on point! "The darkness is the cradle of growth", John O' Donohue says, "Everything that grows has to succumb to darkness first." Ambiguity and obscurity, these are the birth places of all creativity, where it all begins, where it has always come from. This great vagueness is not something lacking clarity, but proof of the the fact that the mystery is, itself, the truth. Thanks again!
Duane, I just have to reply and could probably keep going. The way you stated it in your reply is profound. It may not feel like it is a place of creation or be comfortable but it shows we are alive - a tilling of the ground. It's initiation/a threshold and a field of possibilities. I look forward to more reflections on your writing and art. This makes me feel hopeful for humanity as we move toward more conscious and intentional living. We get to create it! Thanks. 😊
Hi Duane, I'm really loving your artwork on here through your posts. I'm so glad that as a fellow artist you are talking about the creative process (I've had a lot of readings on AI and the banishment of humanity lately). It really uplifts me to know someone is still busy creating in this landscape, and making beautiful art in it. I have made the transition (or making) to working more on my art as well, challenges abound. We live in 2 worlds always. Hope to see more and happy to chat about art always!
Thank you for reading, and for taking the time to comment! It means a lot to me! I’m so glad to your leaning more into your art and making things! It always excites me when someone tells me they’re given themselves permission to do that. It took me a long time to get there, and I wish I would have started sooner. best of luck to you. Looking forward to seeing what you create and looking forward to speaking more.
Rather like John Keats theory of 'Negative Capability' - “that is, when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.” Tolerating a state of negative capability would seem a key artistic skill.
This is an excellent point, Duane: "Every place we place our feet becomes the place where hope becomes substantive. Where we give tangibility to what we can't yet see."
That placement and sense of giving tangibility is an act of creation in itself. I get this sometimes taking a photo that I may use later in my poetry.
Such a great point! Every step is a piece in the process of creating a path! Love that! Thanks Neil!
Ahh. So true. All of this. The need to make things, the ambiguous pull forward, the trust, the hope...just all of it! Thanks for putting the journey into words.
Thanks so much Jill! I appreciate you! I knew you’d get it!
Always!!
Thank you for weaving my words into your essay and for expanding them into such a rich meditation on the creative journey. There’s something reassuring about the way you describe truth—not as a fixed point we’re all trying to reach, but as a swirling, unpredictable energy that moves through us. I love your image of the “Cloud of Unknowing.” It feels so right for the creative process, where what’s real and urgent is often just out of sight, and we’re left to reach for it by instinct and touch.
I often think about how much of what we do as artists is, as you say, a kind of trust exercise. We move forward without a map, guided by a need we can’t explain to make something out of nothing, to leave a mark or a gesture that might matter to someone, even if we never quite know how. It’s both terrifying and beautiful, that feeling of being led by something larger and older than ourselves.
Your essay reminded me that uncertainty isn’t a flaw in the process; it’s the very ground it grows from. Maybe the best we can do is keep stepping forward, letting our hands and hearts answer the world’s questions in whatever way we know how. And if we’re lucky, someone else will find a little warmth in what we make, even if we never see it.
Here’s to trusting the mystery, to finding comfort in not knowing, and to the wild hope that what we do will mean something, somewhere. Thank you for this. You’ve given me a little more courage for the journey.
Thanks so much for the inspiration and for this is wonderful reply! Again, you've said something here that struck me as so poignant and profound: "uncertainty isn’t a flaw in the process; it’s the very ground it grows from" - This is magnificent! So absolutely on point! "The darkness is the cradle of growth", John O' Donohue says, "Everything that grows has to succumb to darkness first." Ambiguity and obscurity, these are the birth places of all creativity, where it all begins, where it has always come from. This great vagueness is not something lacking clarity, but proof of the the fact that the mystery is, itself, the truth. Thanks again!
Duane, I just have to reply and could probably keep going. The way you stated it in your reply is profound. It may not feel like it is a place of creation or be comfortable but it shows we are alive - a tilling of the ground. It's initiation/a threshold and a field of possibilities. I look forward to more reflections on your writing and art. This makes me feel hopeful for humanity as we move toward more conscious and intentional living. We get to create it! Thanks. 😊
Amen to all of this
Hallelujah! Thanks Vanessa!
Your work is so inspiring. The composition, the palette, what you decide not to show, the layers. So profound. Well done!
Wow! Thank you Jose! This is incredible of you to say! Means a lot to me!
Hi Duane, I'm really loving your artwork on here through your posts. I'm so glad that as a fellow artist you are talking about the creative process (I've had a lot of readings on AI and the banishment of humanity lately). It really uplifts me to know someone is still busy creating in this landscape, and making beautiful art in it. I have made the transition (or making) to working more on my art as well, challenges abound. We live in 2 worlds always. Hope to see more and happy to chat about art always!
Thank you for reading, and for taking the time to comment! It means a lot to me! I’m so glad to your leaning more into your art and making things! It always excites me when someone tells me they’re given themselves permission to do that. It took me a long time to get there, and I wish I would have started sooner. best of luck to you. Looking forward to seeing what you create and looking forward to speaking more.
Look forwards to it!
Great point and excellent work, Duane!
Much appreciated!!
Rather like John Keats theory of 'Negative Capability' - “that is, when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.” Tolerating a state of negative capability would seem a key artistic skill.
Richard! This is marvelous! “Negative capability” that’s so poignant!! Thank you!!
Delighted it resonated with you.
i appreciate you!