I wasn’t thinking about the morning, wandering in the forest shadows weeks ago.
My breath hanging in misty clouds before me.
Or about how the frosty dew glinted in the sun. The essence of autumn in the air, bringing it’s fresh earthly scent was far from my mind.
I wasn’t thinking about how I would tackle this on canvas, what brush I would use, what colours I would mix to recreate just this moment.

The truth is, I wasn’t thinking at all.

I was too busy being immersed.

“Tell stories of THE moment of inspiration. What were you doing in this spot,what were you thinking?’ a customer asked.
A wordsmith, her inquiry peppered with dramatic descriptions of what might be going thru my mind.
Listening to her poetic monologue, I thought what a crushing disappointment I am going to be when I tell her I don’t think.

Research claims may save me from further explanation.

According to Dr. Rossman, author of ‘the Worry Solution’ the conscious logic of our thinking brain works differently than the wisdom of our unconscious emotional intuitive mind.

‘When you are actively solving problems’ he writes,’ the electrical firing of your brain operates at a baseline of 24-42 cycles per second. When you breathe deeply and shift into relaxation mode, the brain slows to 10-12 cycles per second, as it slows further, information from it’s non verbal parts appear as images, feelings, intuition.” Inner wisdom resides here.

This is where the creative juices flow.

I might not be thinking about the sun streaming on maples or about the chill in the morning air,

but I am AWARE,my senses,saturated.
I bring this to the canvas.

Thinking happens during the in-between moments, after the experience, before I start to paint.Composition and colour swirling in my mind for days or weeks.
My mind sparking ideas, working thru the puzzle.

Relaxed at the easel, a shift occurs, thoughts disappear.
I am standing in the shadows, awash in the sun, breathing the scent of autumn once again.