Imagine







When author and illustrator Eric Carle grew up in Nazi Germany, his art teacher revealed a secret trove of forbidden paintings he had stashed away for safekeeping. “Degenerate” this style of art was called, with its playful brushstrokes, whimsical colors, and exaggerated proportions. Abstract art was to be shunned and destroyed during this dark period in history. And, art teachers were only allowed to teach realistic art. But, as Carle studied one painting of an innocuous blue horse, he was awestruck by the image stretched across the canvas. It stirred his soul and later inspired the classic tale of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and more recently, his book The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse. 

Artwork and stories have a powerful way of giving us wings. Through our imagination, we can sail to the moon in a wooden shoe or dive deep into the sea to hunt for gold doubloons. We can travel to fantastical lands filled with glittery wood nymphs and fairies or discover uncharted planets inhabited by aliens. Through story, we can become a ballerina, study ancient pyramids or even throw the first pitch at the World Series. Heroes and heroines, cliffhangers and comedies, romance and dramas, with each subtle plot twist or turn, the imagery in our mind takes on a life of its own. Whether fantasy, sci-fi, fiction, or true story, as we imagine each scene in living color, a spark ignites, creativity unlocks, and dominoes of possibility fall into place. 

When creativity is unleashed, we can access solutions and explore new ideas. We can dream up witty inventions, and solve world problems. Emancipated from coloring inside the lines, we soon realize that if a blue horse is possible, then anything is possible for us too! 


Imagine that!


with love & light,Doreen