August 19, 2010

the perfect cup of coffee

You can’t rush inspiration. For well over a year I have been sifting through ideas, impressions and desires for my next series of paintings. During the past six months I have been experimenting with oil paint and imagery. But only a week or two ago, while in the shower, did it finally all come together for me. And if art really is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration then I have a long way to go!


When I mentioned it to Greg he reminded me of an incident that happened years ago, when we were living in central Greece and teaching English at a language school. Eager to assimilate, Greg asked one of our bosses to teach us how to make the perfect cup of Greek coffee. ‘Mr. Nick’ was going through the steps and got to a point where he didn’t know the English term for what he was trying to explain.



Nick: You know … ah … that point where the water is starting to rise but not yet bubbling? What’s the word in English?

Greg: Uh … hmm. I don’t think there is a word in English.



At which point Nick threw up his hands in that typically dramatic Greek fashion and said, “Of course!” as if to say that we may have many words for one thing in English but typically don’t even have one for something as important as this. I agree. I have been in that moment before inspiration happens for a long time now. How can there be no word for it?


What happens next always pales in comparison to that triumphant feeling of solving a nagging problem. I have had several false starts since then and finally decided to quit trying to control the process so much and just paint. This is as far as I've gotten. (And I know that Paula, bless her heart, will tell me she likes it like this and I should stop here.) Now I plan to take the rest of August off and go hang out on a lake in the wilderness. Will the coffee be stale when I get back, d'you think?

16 comments:

dinahmow said...

You've sent me off to trawl through dictionaries...
We are lacking something in terminology. "Stalled" comes closest. At this moment!

andrea said...

Not 'stalled' exactly -- more like the cusp of inspiration (or overdone Greek coffee as the case may be)!

asperezas said...

Let your imagination start boiling :p
Happy holiday!

paula said...

i'm still looking at this piece..i like the tile stuff the bird is on. brick...whatever, i like it.
nice bird too ....but of course since it isn't done that means nothing to you ;)

paula said...

well of course i like it right now i love seeing the architectural drawing/line thingies you do.
but i always like it after you finish it too :)

is the word simmering? kept at or just below the boiling point of water...

i know it can't be RIGHT? no way would i know that and no one else wouldn't.

i love this post.

Hayden said...

what a lovely metaphor for inspiration! It seems that one can add twigs or tanks of propane and the heat still comes in it's own sweet time. I suppose the critical part is the stuff that seems mundane - putting the water on, watching it carefully, grinding the coffee to the right coarseness. In short, preparation.

Hope this particular cuppa' is a raging stimulant that never ruffles your nerves - and have a lovely time at the lake!

mrwriteon said...

Just walk away, darlin'. It usually works for me, not just creatively but in all aspects of life. Right now I am bogged down in a book MS and am big time into doubting my skills, and also hating the vehicle itself, so I know I have to let it go for a time. It's difficult, though. So, go and be good to you and I look forward to your return.

andrea said...

Hayden: Your comment reminds me of the old chestnut, "A watched pot never boils." So often true when it comes to creativity. You may not be able to rush the process but you have to keep adding twigs or the flame will go out.

Kim: Happy to be of service! :)

Ian: Wise words -- that "down time" is often so productive on a subconscious, behind-the-scenes level. And I get my best thinking done during my 6:30 am dogwalk!

kikipotamus said...

I don't think there's a word for that pre-boil state for coffee, but for the psyche...could we call it liminality, or a liminal point in the creative process?

Costescu said...

wow this is looking really cool already! Don't you sometimes wish you could just turn of the switch sometimes? It always takes me over an hour to get to sleep at night as I am mixing colors in my head, planning, planning argh!

LDahl said...

This is an excerpt from a newsletter I get (maybe you get the same one?)
I thought this was good advice for me:



I'm always for play and never get to do it enough...

Hayden said...

I've come back several times for that first line: "you can't rush inspiration."

Sigh. Need to stop beating my head against that wall.

Melody said...

Stop trying to control the process??? .. if only I could... unfortunately I haven't hit that degree of enlightenment yet.

valgalart said...

one word... beautiful :)

andrea said...

Kelly calls that state "liminality". It's obscure (to me, anyway!) but it works!

Obat Herbal Benjolan said...

It usually works for me, not just creatively but in all aspects of life. Right now I am bogged down in a book MS and am big time into doubting my skills, and also hating the vehicle itself, so I know I have to let it go for a time. Obat Sesak Nafas , Obat Syaraf Kejepit , Obat Polip Hidung , Obat Panas Dalam , Obat Ginjal Bocor