Skip to main content

Orange Crush

I've always loved this painting -- Flaming June by Frederic Leighton -- which also has an interesting origin story behind it. Allegedly it was found hidden in a chimney by a construction worker in 1962, who sold it to a junk shop for about fifty bucks. Sixty years later it's widely considered a masterpiece of Victorian art. The museum that currently owns it turned down an offer of six million pounds to purchase it from one of its famous admirers, Andrew Lloyd Webber.

I think I'm drawn to this painting because the gown worn by the lady is orange, a color that not a lot of people really love but I happen to adore, and it reminds me of hibiscus like this one that grew around my house when I was a kid. I also think it's simply beautiful.

Those type of connections are what I think about when I'm world-building or creating a character or even choreographing a scene. Am I offering something new and different, will I connect with the reader on some emotional level, and what their reaction will be as they read? I don't keep revisiting these questions as I'm writing -- that's overthinking the story, which can derail a writer -- but they're always in the back of my mind when I create. Then, when I edit, I look for the answers to those questions.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wishing

I submitted book one of my NA series for professional review and consideration, and in return I was praised for the work and provided with excellent feedback. Now I have some changes to contemplate, and decisions to make about the future. I have a couple of different directions to take, which makes the deciding part a challenge. At times like these I wish I had a crystal ball so I could see the outcome of every choice. Wouldn't life be easier if we could do that? Image by Matthias Böckel from Pixabay
Post a Comment
Read more

Downtown Discovery

My guy and I are taking time each week to walk around the downtown areas of places we've never had time before to visit, which is how I came across a lovely fiber art supplies shop wth amazing handspun art yarns and hand-dyed embroidery threads from local artists. Fine silk embroidery thread is literally impossible to find in my part of the country, but not anymore. I also loved the amazing selection of hand-dyed flosses. I even found some tiny seed beads for my current project, and a gift for a quilter friend. While I try to thrift as much as I can for my art quilting and embroidery these days, I love the chance to support our my local weavers and dexters.
Post a Comment
Read more

Of Kork

On the second day of March I overslept. I spent ten hours sleeping, which is very unusual for me. This is because I've suffered from insomnia most of my life, but since making significant changes (like acquiring my current day job, which allowed me to escape all the toxic people I had to deal with in my old job) I sleep much better. These days I usual manage six or seven hours sleep, and if I'm very lucky eight. But ten? I sleep that much only a couple times a year, and generally only when I'm sick. Dreams might be to blame. I remember the night was filled with them, all lovely. I traveled across Europe, I walked the streets of old cities and met lots of interesting people. In one city I stopped by an engagement party where a very attractive couple were exchanging signed contracts. The groom showed me his, and I read these words: "Course shall become Kork." I understood then that they meant to be together forever, and that it was a reincarnation co...
Post a Comment
Read more