Last week I had the interesting experience of seeing myself in the rough cut of a video documentary called Invitation to the Muse, by producer/director Karen Cantor. Karen’s challenge was to find visual ways to explore inspiration and the artist’s process, and she did it very creatively. About 10 other Santa Fe artists, including writers and musicians, also participated.

The screening was at the Santa Fe Art Institute, where Karen has been an artist in residence for the last three months. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, Karen has produced and directed two other documentaries that have been shown on PBS stations: the award-winning video The Danish Solution: The Rescue of the Jews in Denmark, narrated by Garrison Keillor, and Last Rights: Facing End-of-Life Choices. 

Part of my color pile, which I use in my work (and teaching), is shown in the video

Back in April, when Karen and her videographer Matt came to my studio, I was afraid that I would be awkward and self-conscious in front of the camera. But I really enjoyed the videotaping process.

But participating in Karen’s project made me articulate my process in ways I don’t usually do, and made me realize that my muse is really color–for me, there’s no such thing as an ugly color. (Color combinations can be ugly, but that’s different.) The completed documentary should be shown in Santa Fe this autumn, and I’ll post information on screenings.