The importance of noticing

Recently I heard Helen Garner talk about her life and writing. She reflected that writers probably have an overdeveloped sense of noticing. Not just writers! I reckon most artists do. When I'm in Nepal or on my walks in the bush, I feel like my noticing skills are more finely tuned. It may be because the situation is novel, and I am so grateful to be there. But I also suspect in these contexts, I'm more curious and open. I'm actively looking with an intention to notice, rather than just blindly moving through my environment.The author Verlyn Klinkenberg is big on noticing! He writes:...everything you notice is important. Let me say that a different way: If you notice something, it’s because it’s important. But what you notice depends on what you allow yourself to notice......start by learning to recognise what interests you...what you notice is important and it’s important because you noticed it. What if you pay attention to the pattern of the way you notice the world around you? What if you pay attention to the perceptions that you have and the character of them, and trust their validity?I suspect that part of discovering your voice as an artist is to  notice what you notice. When I do this, I create with more intention. Or more congruent intention. Intention that goes beyond making stuff to sell. (And for a fascinating discussion on intention tune in to Sage Bray's not surprisingly terrific podcast here!) For example, when I am making something and am surrounded by a pile of pods and seed heads, or fabulously textured Nepali cloth, I am more likely to get into that state of flow and the products feel very congruent. Writing and teaching classes that go beyond teaching techniques but explore the connection between creativity and life always feel more fun and authentic. The photos I have used for this post show just a few of the pieces that I have made over the years that have felt like that. Different from one another, perhaps not all recognisably from the one maker, but all united in that they arose from deep noticing!And Genevieve....wow did your thoughts about margins and exhaling prompt some thinking and lots of discussion! More on that soon!!