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: Big Bold Luscious COLOR

Prologue:

I was jonesin’ for a Cara Cara. In fact, at that point in time there was NO ONE on the entire planet who wanted a Cara Cara more than me.

I’ll stake this post on that.

Part 1: The Setup

Maggie and I were on our daily hike (which sounds more impressive than walk). We’d made it past third driveway (easy peasy) down into the hollow where The Stream feeds the blueberries in the summer. Past Big Hairy Rock and beyond Road Eating Puddle– picking our way along the muddy edge, taking care not tumble down into the ravine.

We were at the Pump House, almost to Miller’s Pond, a decent turn around spot for a Fitbit worthy walk hike when I looked down the long hill leading to the pond and thought about the equally long climb up on the return.

On that particular day, the day after I did thirty squats and was wearing freshly laundered jeans (note to self: Never wear jeans you gotta break in again after leg day. Just don’t), it was one hill too many, especially since the walk hike back home was all uphill anyway.

Somewhere between the Pump House and Road Eating Puddle I began to think about the bag of Cara Caras waiting for me at home, thinking how an orange would be a nice snack after the walk. But farther on, past Big Hairy and alongside The Stream, the sound of cool water bubbling over rock ledges splashing into pools below kicked out the casual thought ‘Gee, sure would be nice to have an orange when I get home’ into the primal mental scream I NEED A SWEET JUICY ORANGE AND I WANT IT RIGHT NOWWWWWWW!

To paraphase Robert Frost, I had miles to go before I eat. And they were all up hill. I know, I said that already but I want to impress you with my effort to A. stay in shape. B. Entertain the dog. C. Work those legs.

By the time we got home I was positively bouncing out of my tight jeans with anticipation. I grabbed a Cara Cara from the fridge, eager to peel and pop that sucker in my mouth and then–

WHOA! SLOW DOWN!!!

Cue the Muse…She pops up outta nowhere like a party poopin’ bitch, putting the brakes on my orange lust.

That’s not an orange–that’s pure gold, she says. Take time to see what I’m seein’ here.

So I did.

Part 2: The Inspiration

Which came first–the color orange or the fruit? I wrote that question and then thought, well, d’oh–look it up. So I did. You can read the answer here. But if you don’t want to click, I’ll give you a hint: the first orange was (and still is) edible.

As much as I wanted to edible that sweet juicy Cara Cara in the palm of my hand I decided it was best to heed the Muse. Here are some things I noticed:

• It was round
• It was orange
• The skin was dimpley
• I wanted to eat it

Then I put it on a plate and cut it the way I usually cut an orange: half/quarters/eighths/sixteenths. Don’t ask why, I just do. Here’s what I observed:

• The outer skin was bright orange
• The juicy flesh had a ruby hue
• The pith was pale yellow, almost white
• The plate was a different shade of orange
• All those orange hues worked beautifully together
• When I put the plate next to my laptop with the translucent pink cover it was swoon time!
• I still wanted to eat it.

Looking at the photo now I’m wondering how it would be with a green plate. I have green plates but they’re in the dishwasher. Yes, I could wash one. Or I could just add a dash of green to whatever art I come up with from this.

Part 3: The Painting: Confession

Despite lying awake at night buzzing about these colors, I had a hard time with this one simply because life gave me a full plate this week and finding time to paint was not on it. But that happens sometimes and it’s okay, you’ve just gotta roll with it.

So I stretched out of the sofa tonight with Little Dog and my iPad and made this:

Orange. Digital Study by Susan Lobb Porter

It may become a painting some day. Or it may become the first of a digital series. The art I make on my iPad is similar to what I create in the real world. I work in layers no matter the medium, including digital. In fact, there are 16 layers in this piece.

Your Turn

Color is everywhere, just waiting for us to notice. A simple orange—something I was this close to devouring without a second thought—ended up stopping me in my tracks, making me see, really see, the magic in its hues.

That’s the thing about inspiration—it sneaks up when you least expect it.

What about you? Have you ever been caught off guard by a color, a light shift, or a combination so perfect it made you want to grab a brush or put it in a poem? Drop a comment and tell me—what colors are calling to you lately?