Masterpiece

It is week #64 of The Writers’ Post Thursday blog hop, and I’ll be hosting this week’s topic.

This week, I am going to challenge you to create a “Masterpiece,” and share it for this week’s blog hop.

That challenge sure does seem daunting doesn’t it? How in the world can we create a Masterpiece in such a short time? Perhaps the words of Virginia Wolff will clarify a bit more that, “A masterpiece is something said once and for all, stated, finished, so that it’s there complete, if only in the back of the mind.”

While certainly a masterpiece may take a lifetime to achieve—we can not create a masterpiece if we do not first envision it in our mind and somehow gather the courage to pull out that piece of clay, that set of pencils, or the keyboard upon which we type, and start creating. I don’t think any of us ever actually sit down and from start to finish create something that is perfect without some sort of retooling in the form of reshaping, erasing, editing, or even sometimes scrapping the whole idea and starting again.

But for the point of this blog hop—I want you to share what you may one day envision becoming your masterpiece, if only in its raw and unedited stages. If you have something you’ve already started—by all means share it. If you haven’t ever thought of creating a masterpiece—then think about what you would like to create—and just do it—and then of course, share it with us. I think this could be a fun experiment in pushing our creativity to the next level, even if the next level is “just getting started.”

At the beginning of 2013, I was issued a challenge by one of my dearest friends, to find something new to do each day throughout the New Year. That became a bit of a challenge—so I am trying to do something new each week. even if that something new is small. This has been fun for me to find things I haven’t done and try them.

For whatever reason, 2013 has spoken to the artistic side of me. While I enjoy blogging, writing (with real pen and paper), and taking photos—I have not pushed myself much into the arts. Personally, I have never had the skill set for such things as molding clay, painting, or even drawing. And I am not sure why, because I truly admire art works of all kinds. And part of me wants to be able to create in these other areas, however short of having the talent to do so—how does one go about it?

Maybe it is the over achiever in me, but it bothered me that I could not create something artsy because I had no skill sets to do it. Then one night, sitting in front of my computer, praying for work to pick up because the boredom was killing me, I looked down at my “doodling”. I waste more ink than anyone just doodling on paper. I hadn’t created anything that didn’t hit the recycle bin the next morning…but I thought—if I can doodle…I might be able to draw. Maybe what I suffered from wasn’t a lack of talent or know how, but a lack of faith or belief that I could create in these other areas—I just needed more “heart” than talent to get started.

So off to the art store I went. I bought a sketch book, and some graphite pencils. And I took my love of animals (particularly my fur babies) and I started drawing. Honestly, these sketches aren’t that great, but I can never create a masterpiece if I don’t at least try. I’m learning what all these pencil numbers mean and how to create shading and play with light and white space. I’ll admit, never having taken a formal art class, it is a bit daunting and frustrating at times, but I just want to be able to put my mind to doing that which I desire. I want more than anything else to be able to create…

“Heidi”

“Sammy”

Admittedly, I have a lot to learn, but you know what? I am having fun. I think if I can keep “creating” and learning this skill, then one day I’ll be able to create a Masterpiece, something that I know I can call my very own “Masterpiece.”

So now it is your turn…to get busy!! Start to create your own masterpiece and share it with us. Perhaps you have something you’ve started a number of years ago and have set it aside and this could be your reason to dig it up and share it with us. Maybe you already have created your masterpiece and you’ll share an excerpt, or perhaps scan in your drawings or photos of your work. It can be anything—sculpture, poetry, work of fiction, drawings, photography, even food is considered art!! Art comes in many forms, and the possibilities for creating your own masterpiece are endless.

However you chose to reveal your Masterpiece or as in my case, your “Masterpiece in the Works,” I do hope it encourages you to share your creative side and have fun in the process.

Cheers,