Redtree Times

If a little day-dreaming is dangerous, the cure for it is not to dream less but to dream more, to dream all the time.

–Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past

I don’t mind Daylight Savings Time as a rule. In the fall, when we move the clocks back an hour, it almost feel like a gift. But in the spring, when we jump ahead by an hour, it feels like a gut punch. It’s not so much for the loss of an hour of sleep but more so for the loss of an hour of my morning time in the studio. It’s what I consider my most productive time of the day.

The productive part is not necessarily about time spent painting. The productive part comes more in the time spent reading, researching things, writing this blog, listening to music, catching up on correspondence (well, sometimes I do that) and planning my day of painting.

And while it does include some painting in these early morning hours, it’s really what I would call my in-the-head time. My mind is as clear and sharp as it gets at any point during the day making it the prime time to think.

And day-dream.

This might not sound all that productive to those concerned only with the amount of work produced. I would like to say that studies have proved that this in-the-head time is a big part of the creative process. It seems like I have read this but I don’t feel like looking it up right now.

Hey, I’m running an hour behind here, people! So, let’s pretend it’s correct about the studies, okay?

For my part, I couldn’t do what I do without this time. Actually, I probably could but I wouldn’t enjoy it as much and that would be reflected in my work. People would then stop collecting my work and I would be forced to get a job, most likely as a greeter in a blue vest at Walmart.

You can see how important this time is for me, both for my work and my well-being. That being said, let’s end this now so I can recoup at least a smidgen of that lost time this morning. Here’s this week’s Sunday Morning Music, the classic A Hazy Shade of Winter, from Simon and Garfunkel. Sounds right at the moment. Actually, it’s such a great tune that it works for most times.

“Time, time, time
See what’s become of me
While I looked around for my possibilities”

Time for you to leave. Get out– I still have some to day-dream.