The Quest For Magic Mud

November started with a few reminders:

1. Smile more; and

2. Never underestimate your many talents.

How much of an impact does a smile have in your life? Do you remember the last time you felt the energy from a smile lighting up the room, the same smile emanating from your entire aura to motivate the creative juices inside?

I felt this last week. One day after the October-pocalypse, I saw this particular smile.  One I haven’t seen in quite some time from an adult.

It came from my husband.

Mark is a multimedia artist who has exhibited around the world. His heart belongs to clay. This man knows his “mud,” and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and push the boundaries of the medium. The end results are magnificent fine-art ceramics.  And I am not saying this because I'm married to one of the most talented artists I know (plug, plug, plug! But seriously,...).

One of his art series was sparked by happenstance in 2001 - Mark walked by a construction site and witnessed the clay being dug out to build a new tower. He referred to the clay as “liquid gold” and “magic mud.” I remember him sharing the story of the kind construction workers, the dump truckload of clay he diverted (not a joke), and the vision he had with his new goldmine. The smile on his face lasted for years as he shared his adventure with others.

As years passed, the search for natural clays continued to drive Mark’s creative juices. Road trip planning begins with Mark reviewing geological maps and highways to see if there are different types of clay he can collect while we are on the road. Any time we planned to leave the city he plotted out places for us to stop and dig, as he already envisioned what he would make with the found clay.  The quest for his magic mud eventually became a family adventure. Yet I had not seen the same creative smile from 2001.

Mark became a full-time dad when I went back to work, sacrificing his art full-time. Occasionally he dabbled in his work and taught courses at the Arts University.  As many of you know, creating a new series of work is hard to do when other life priorities are competing for time and energy.

Yet I was always fascinated by the many talents Mark had built upon. His ongoing exploration to improve his craft despite the perceptions of his “odd” gifts motivated me (in part) to revisit writing for myself.

Enter October-pocalypse 2023.  Mark was able to take my mind off of the crappy month every time he spoke of a construction site he rode by daily. He shared his ideas for the clay and a new series of works. I could hear the creative wheels turning. My fingers were crossed for weeks for a positive outcome.

After speaking to the foreman, he arranged to collect a bucket and backpack full of clay from the site on November 1st. One of the workers was happy to take a photo of Mark with his new batch of liquid gold.

When I saw the photo, I lit up.

There’s the smile! So many stories from this one photograph of Mark - wonder, creativity, satisfaction, resilience, love for his wife, and so much more…

I am excited for him as a new adventure awaits along his (mucky) creative path.

One day later, on an unrelated topic, a friend reminded me of the many talents I have. It was a great pick-me-up after such a downer of a month. I believe I mimicked a similar smile to the one I saw in the image above.

I forgot about the many talents highlighted to me. Which meant I forgot a part of who I was. Because I forgot, I struggled to create. It explains why my October had a “pocalypse!”

I write each day to improve my skills and to remind myself of where I once was with my writing and other gifts. Not everybody gets what I am doing. Many didn’t get me in the past and instead put me down. I didn’t remember what I was doing and eventually forgot why I loved writing in the first place - and I put myself down. “Different” and “odd” labels upon my talents used to hold me back from trying. JOURNALING has been an amazing tool to remind me of the journey and the talents I already have.  I still have something I want to share, and I believe there is an audience out there waiting for it.  I want to get my hands dirty like Mark and tap into my magic mud along the path, while not forgetting who I am and what I have to offer.

We all have a precious gift to share with the world.  You may be afraid it doesn’t “fit”. Share it anyway.

I strive in November to:

1. Smile more;

2. Remind me of my many talents; and

3. Enjoy the adventure as I go, no matter how muddy or mucky it gets.

Until then…

I'm smiling back at you, fellow creatives.

Naddy / Nadine