When Clarity Finds You
By Brenda Colwell | A Collection of Wanderings
Listen to this Essay:
I have over 100,000 images locked away on hard drives that almost no one has ever seen. For years I told myself it was because they were not good enough. The truth is simpler. I live in a logical and literal world of technology and numbers that rather suits me and to reveal an emotional side and become publicly vulnerable is quite terrifying. So, I have never taken the time to organize that emotional pull into a focused project, until now. And it calls so strongly that I must answer. And recently it called to me in a dream, and describing the feelings of the dream, helped me to align the emotion of the project with its practical execution and now there is clarity.
Dreams aren’t a business plan, and often dismissed as random fragments of memory or meaningless noise, but when we pay attention, they can reveal more. I dreamt of a field of flowers, protected by a dense and thick hedge. An endless view of sturdy and vibrant flowers as far as my eyes could see. The field never decayed, it was just growing and getting stronger. My flower-filled meadow aligned exactly with my series that is currently taking shape in my naturalist photography with My Collected Wanderings Project which is about revealing nature’s details through focused exploration. That clarity didn’t arrive through logic alone; this time it appeared quietly, in the background, exactly when I needed it. A dream gave me a grounding purpose to my project and describing it in writing helped me clarify my vision for the project. And if a dream can reinforce my path, then I will pay more attention.
Wandering in nature, observing what is there and photographing it has become a place where I feel steady and clear, and yet I have been struggling to articulate the value of the project. Now it is clearer and the feelings of fulfillment have grown. Now, I can see purpose and connected meaning between images and expeditions. I now have a method and if you stick with me, it will be revealed in real time.
I invite you to spend time with the work that is growing from my wanderings and see what it opens for you. And if you’re working through your own creative project, I’d love to know where it’s leading you. After all, as Anton Ego said in Ratatouille, “Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.” Sometimes even from a dream.
My Collection of Wanderings Project is a heartfelt endeavor taking shape and I would love for you to follow along in real time as it grows. I will be posting here every couple of weeks or so.
Warmly, Brenda
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