This post is part of my series, Courting the Muse. Subscribers to my email list receive a weekly prompt focusing on one aspect of creativity.

This week’s prompt: Shake things Up. Turn it around. Go at it from another angle. Do something different.

Part 1: A little backstory

You know the image I use for Courting the Muse, the lady with the fly away hair? Well, that’s part of a larger painting I sold probably 10 years ago, Forest People Finding Love Under the Full Moon

The full image is pictured below on the left along with Rita, the sweet collector who bought it. She bought the bird painting at the same time and purchased a number of other pieces from me over the years. I remember going to her house to install a commission, seeing my art on all her walls and joking that it was like going to my mom’s house.

When I was designing the graphics for Courting the Muse, considering what image to use, somewhere deep within the mystery of my brain, I made the connection-

Courting the Muse. Finding Love-Aha!

It was a no brainer. I had to use it.

Part 2: The Origin Story

In the beginning it was a winter bare forest scene. Probably had a full moon for the cliche, y’know. Full moon. Snow. Shadows. Vertical orientation, the better to show off the trees.

I grew up in the northeast. I loves me some winter bare forests. Very Andrew Wyeth of me, I know. But I never paint them, not sure why. but this particular year I did paint a few smaller ones on a hunch and they all sold the first weekend of Open Studios.

Aha! I figured I was on to something here!

So the week between first and second OS weekends I decided I’d paint another one. Only BIGGER. Bigger painting. Bigger money. I could crack the code, get rich and retire to the south of France.

Not that I’ve ever been there. But I hear it’s nice.

So I whipped out a blank 36×40 panel and proceeded to paint a winter bare forest. But as much as my head was thinking dollar signs, I was tuning out and pissing off the Muse who was screeching in my ear like an annoying gnat until I couldn’t ignore her anymore.

STOP!!!

YOU. CAN. DO. BETTER!

So I walked away. Did some thinkin’. Had a cuppa tea and a coupla cookies before coming back to the studio and switching things up.

I had no idea where this was going but vertical became horizontal. Some trees were removed, others became hair. Collage happened. Pencil happened. People happened.

A couple. With a story: They were forest people and they were courting.

A few days later, the last day of the last weekend of Open Studios, Forest People found its forever home.

And the muse laughed and laughed and said Told ya!

Part 3: Full Circle

A few days ago I got a call from Rita. The time had come for her to downsize, to move into a small apartment. She’d sold her house, the movers were there as we spoke. She was taking my smaller paintings and the commission but she had no idea what to do with Forest People. She just didn’t have room for it in the new place.

What should she do?

I ran through a couple of scenarios with her. Somewhere in there I mentioned that it was one of my favorite paintings. That’s when she said she wanted me to have it. She wanted to give it to me.

I was dumbfounded but I happily accepted her gift. I told her that I wouldn’t resell it, that Forest People would become part of my personal collection. She was happy with that. She told me she loved me and ended the call.

After we hung up I sat at the kitchen table processing my emotions. Sorrow that Rita had to part with the painting. Joy that she gave it to me. And the overwhelming knowing that this was meant to be–

Because the image that I chose to represent the public face of my business is now back home with me. Forever.

And that, my friends, is the goodest of good juju.

Now it’s your turn. I want to know if you’ve ever kick started your muse with a 180 switch. A painting. Perhaps a poem. Something you were stuck on suddenly became unstuck with a simple change of perspective. Please share in the comments below.

‘Till next week–