Posted on by Donna

Passionately Creative

“You can only feel creative when there is joy. When there is a sense of passion.”

~Andreas Moritz

 

Passion is an essential part of our life.  Without passion what do we have.  Our passion can extend to family, friends, hobbies, work and a multitude of things.  But I think passion reaches deeper inside, and is more about a happiness for life…for being alive.

When I started my garden, I was creating an oasis…in the style of an English country garden.  Then I wanted to start a vegetable garden, and slowly we added one raised bed after another moving some flowers out.  And as the passion of creating our own organic produce took hold…. we also added lots of containers and grow bags littering our patio to give us even more space for produce production.  And every year we devote lots of time and love to this passion, these plants, all grown from seed as they give back as delicious food that nourishes our bodies.

 

 

Nature Is My Muse

Whenever I want to connect to my passion, I find myself in nature….planting a garden, cutting flowers for a vase, taking pictures, observing wildlife and plants, writing poetry.  Nature has always been my muse.  It connects me to my true self, where my creativity and inspiration resides….unabashed and free of doubt (most times).

Passion can take us in so many directions.  For me, it is less about loving things passionately, but more about tapping into the flow of passionate love, passionate creativity.  And once you feel that passionate flow of creativity, it seems to transform you….opening you up to more imagination, more play, more abundance, more connections.

 

 

Creating Art

Recently I have been playing with what some call ‘artsy photos’.  Using phone apps to change photos to add overlays, colors and styles.  At first, I thought oh no, many will not accept these new photos as they look more like paintings and less like photos.  But then I remembered I am making these photos to share my passion….what I love to create. 

And you know, I have so many people who tell me they love these photos….the artsy aspect of the photos touches them passionately too.  I will warn you it is addictive as most passions are.  And I really think creating these photos, has had a wonderful side benefit.  It has improved my photography skills.  I am better at using my iPod Touch camera, and better yet with staging and perspective.  The photos on this post are the same mailbox clematis taken from different perspectives….and then edited in different ways.  They are related, but each stands on its own….each showing a different view of passionate creativity.

 

 

 

What is your creative muse?  What do you love to passionately create?

 

 

Creating Vases

Another creative passion that continues for me is creating vases.  Even when I couldn’t blog or garden, I still made vases.  Each unique and different….finding flowers that call to me to fill a vase….finding just the right vase or container and then staging them against a complementary backdrop.

I made 1 a day in May, and it was a labor of love….a calling to celebrate the garden that was abundantly and slowly blooming.  I shared the vases on Facebook.  Now I share a picture a day on Instagram too.

 

 

This simple early summer vase, from late June, speaks of the colors and smells of summer….orangey California poppy, pink Echinacea and incredible lavender.

 

 

And this vase is simply fresh oregano picked before it flowered to use in my daily scrambled eggs.  I love topping them with fresh oregano and other herbs from my garden like chives or thyme.  Herbs make such a sweet smelling, simple vase.

I am joining Cathy@Rambling in the Garden for her wonderful In A Vase on Monday meme. The pictures shared here were created with my iPod Touch camera and two free apps, Pixlr and Prisma. 

I am posting poetry, almost weekly on Sundays, on my other blog, Living From Happiness.  You can read my latest poem here.

 

All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2017.  Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.

26 Replies to “Passionately Creative”

  1. Thanks for warning me about how addictive these apps are, Donna, as I am looking forward to giving them a go! The end result, as all your pictures show, are wonderful – photo or art, it makes no difference to me when the end result is a s good as this

    1. Oh thanks so much Cathy! I look forward to seeing how yours turn out….it is like any artist…we all have our own style that shows through!

  2. They do look like art pieces, Donna. Have you framed any of these? The oregano shot is particularly intriguing in my view.

    1. No I have not framed any Kris but toying with the idea to print some and mat them for sale along with making some blank cards….

  3. It’s interesting to explore these apps and filters Donna. Remember photography itself was eschewed in the early days as not being art.

  5. Wonderful passions Donna! Well, my newfound (old) passion is painting which I’ve rekindled. Gardening is also a passion but I’ve found it’s the blank slate of grass of a patch of dirt that drives it. It wanes a bit once everything is planted and transformed. One might also say my passion is discovering new relationships between plants and wildlife. Lately, I also love to create delicious plant based food recipes! At any rate, I think it’s wonderful when a person finds his or her passion(s). Love the creative photos!

    1. Thanks Kathy! I agree having so many passions keeps our creativity going…and discovering or rediscovering them is half the fun. I love seeing your paintings. So glad you have rekindled your painting passion!

  6. Very interesting pictures but I daren’t start a new hobby. The patterns on the leaves so look as though they have been coloured. I also didn’t know that oregano improved eggs!

    1. Yes the apps can create all types of effects Alison. That’s the fun…and yes some leaves of fresh oregano sprinkled on the eggs after you plate them gives them a wonderful zing. I also use fresh thyme, dill and/or Italian parsley.

  7. I really appreciate your photos, but I am a technophobe and in no danger of getting addicted to the apps you’ve been using. But please keep exploring, I like the results!

    1. Thanks Jason. That is the beauty of creativity. There are so many forms and styles that we can appreciate and be part of.

  8. Hello, dear Donna!
    On Instagram, I wanted to write in a comment that your images are pieces of art, but didn’t because with my bad English I wasn’t sure if it’s seen as a compliment. Which it definitely is.
    You take photos, of a mailbox for example, and turn them into something that has more meaning and something I would like to have on my wall. 🙂 Yes, I could see these on the wall of a gallery.
    I enjoy taking photos of many things, but the green plants and flowers and snow and clouds… are something special. Those moments of feeling one with the universe come most often when you are doing something with earth and plants.
    Thank you for sharing! Have a lovely weekend and a sweet September!

    1. Oh my dear Sara your English is perfect, and yes saying these are pieces of art is one of the loveliest compliments I could receive. And to say they could be on the wall of a gallery takes my breath away…wow that means so much to me. I have thought about selling them as prints and cards and maybe I will. I agree that when I am in nature I feel at one with the Universe too….and when I see your beautiful pictures I feel that oneness too! It is my pleasure to share my photos and I look forward to seeing yours on your blog and on Instagram. Happy September!

  9. Seriously artistic Donna. As you know, we are passionate about gardening. Never been capable of rubbing this passion on to others, thinking of neighbours in particular.

    1. Thanks so much Alistair. I have tried to get my neighbors to enjoy the creativity and passion of gardening too, but they like lawns and a few shrubs.

  10. Lovely! I think the passion for nature is one thing that connects us in the garden blogging community. Trying to capture the amazingness of things in nature is a challenging task, and it is lovely to see all the creative ways to present the beauty of our muse.

    1. I agree Indie…nature is definitely our bond. And I am pleased you enjoyed the creative ways I captured nature around me!

  11. I really enjoyed this, Donna. i find the connections you’ve made between passion, joy, creativity and happiness intriguing. (Partly because i think of myself as joyful and happy, but not particularly passionate or creative.) I think my definitions of passion and creativity have been much too narrow, and gardening has helped me to get in touch with my creative side. The idea of nature as muse definitely resonates.

    1. I am pleased you enjoyed this Jean. With all your hobbies and pursuits, I think of you as a very diverse creative. I believe we all can narrow our view, at times, about our creativeness. I know I have for many years, and I still catch myself. But nature/garden help me to expand my creativeness continually.

  12. I enjoyed the stained glass windows your house acquired in the top photo.

    I still have two cherished pictures of our cats from years back when I enjoyed playing with an app. And yes oh so addictive, this, or this ….

      1. I look forward to seeing what your creative muscles create Diana…..I am looking to start a Camera 101 myself one of these days.

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