by Kent Taylor
“I was trying to think out loud about the concentration essential for all artists, and in the very little child I found the perfect example. The concentration of a small child at play is analogous to the concentration of the artist of any discipline. In real play, which is real concentration, the child is not only outside time, he or she is outside of themselves. They have thrown themselves completely into whatever they are doing…this throwing away is the act of creativity.”
~ Madeleine L’Engle, A Circle of Quiet
This picture of the abandoned car came from the Ouray conference back in 2015. To reference L’Engle’s quote, it was one of those moments when having seen a marmot-on-a-rock-lined-up-just-right-with-gorgeous-foliage-in-the-background, we spilled out of the car and perhaps out of ourselves a bit as well, lost in pursuit and concentration. This invitation to get out of ourselves, to get outside of time, to throw ourselves completely into whatever we are doing as writers and photographers is, to me, one of the great joys of RMOWP.
As we turn toward year’s end, I wish you a blessed holiday season. Hope to see you at the Great Sand Dunes in Alamosa.