The Muse

Andrew said to me the other day, (not a direct quote I hasten to add),

'so, I am basically your muse?'

This got me thinking. And then I couldn't really argue that, yes, he was my muse. And what is a muse? And why does it feel strange that as a female artist, I am saying that I have a male muse?

Fadir the Woodsmand (from left): Finding a Sapling; Cutting Firewood; Tea Break

To set the scene, I really dislike having any of the work I create on the walls of our house. I find it like perpetually looking on the very scuffed inner lining of my head, and although I can say I like some of the work, I do not wish to look at it whilst having a cup of coffee. However, we have three works of mine that are on the wall of our lounge. They are three prints created two years ago in a series entitled 'Fadir the Woodsman.' The prints, which are an amalgamation of lithographs, lino cuts and dry-points, depict Andrew at three crucial moments in the woodland: Finding a Sapling; Sawing Firewood; Having a Tea Break. These works are that of many that are created through the inspiration of Andrew and his amazing exploits. To me, it is endless fascination, since his exploits do not just reflect those of a conservation forester, but those of a human. A few days ago, a wonderful bi-product from the conservation forestry came back in the Land Rover - the skeleton of a tree from the pine woods. This 'skeleton' was in fact the very inner core of a fallen tree, having been left on the ground after the outer had rotten away. The inner trunk core had various branch cores spanning out from it like an exploding star. It is the beautiful final remnants of a tree life before it degrades back to the earth. But again, I realised that I was being supplied inspiration by Andrew. And this is how the statement above came into being. And to be honest, in the traditional sense of the word, could I really argue that Andrew is not my muse?

The tree 'skeleton'

Then I had to think further and ask well what is a muse? I suppose if we are to look at it dating back centuries, it tends to be the female 'model' of inspiration for a male artist. Now I am not one to proclaim the suffering and injustices upon female artists across the world, I prefer to let actions speak louder than words and I also see injustices upon all humans across all the world, regardless of sex. But it is interesting to see myself falling into having a male muse as a female artist. I feel it could be classed as 'cool.' Well, almost. But then I thought well, the muse is primarily meant as a source of inspiration (nude or not), and so why does it need to be human? Can a muse not be a space, a landscape, a place? Perhaps I was trying to wriggle myself out of a big hole I felt I was falling into, but I thought is it actually the woodland that is the inspiration and the muse, not the forester who is its guardian? The relationship between the human and the woodland is vital to keep the working woodland healthy for all, from the dung beetles to the mountain bikers. And thus the idea that the forester is the muse is actually naïve. It is both the forester and the woodland and their symbiotic relationship that creates the muse. So does that mean the muse is actually a third entity? One created from the relationship formed between forester and forest? A kind of existent but non-physical form of muse. A constant source of inspiration, but one that can only exist if the forester and the forest exist?

As I say, perhaps I am attempting to dig myself out of a hole, or even worse, admitting Andrew is right. But to me, the muse is something greater than the forest and the forester individually. And what this is, and if it is a muse, who knows. But without either, then I know that I would have to scrabble around for many a year to attempt to find as much of the wealth of inspiration and story that currently is constantly presented at my hands.