“Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul.”
Pamela Vaull Starr
“The acorn represents planting the seed of a creative idea, plants and trains are what we work with while we reach for the moon & stars.”
Logo for Applied Imagination
Incredible. Wondrous. Magical. No other words can describe the New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show. What a wonderland!
The trains are always great, but what really astonishes are the amazing replicas of NY landmarks — more than 100 of them — nestled among plants and flowers. Fantastic, whimsical buildings crafted from twigs, seeds, pods, leaves, nuts, and bark they are delightful, delicate works of art. The creative mastermind behind this amazing exhibit (and more around the country) is Paul Busse, a landscape architect and train lover, who single-handedly invented “botanical architecture.” To see some of the amazing art he and his team have created, visit: https://appliedimagination.co and give yourself a gift!
Imagine a NY Public Library built entirely of twigs, seed pods, and bark! And the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, and dozens of other NYC landmarks — all built from nature’s bounty. What can we, as writers, harvest and apply to our own work from such creativity? A few thoughts that may prove fruitful:
Abundance is all around us: Applied Imagination is based in Kentucky, and its team combs nearby woodlands for materials. As writers, we have different fields to search for inspiration: news items, events, dreams, memories. Ideas and inspiration are everywhere, ripe for plucking and transforming in our work.
Reach for the stars: Each work of art, whether it’s made of acorns and twigs, or words and rhythms, begins with a vision. Why not aim high and let your vision lead you, seed by seed, word by word, toward its fulfillment?
Choose joy: As Paul Busse says, “Our bottom line is happiness. I’m so blessed that I found a job to make people happy.” Let’s approach our own calling as a blessing! Let’s make people happy— and all write on!
