I just had a moment waking up at midnight and after my brain had processed a new idea for my next painting in my Reminders for Everyday Living series.

It’s like riding a wave. You wake up, have a burning itch to create. If you don’t act quickly enough, that sheer pull to the blank page will disappear.

So I had to get up and act.

Fortunately these can be quickly started on and so after I got the initial sketch down, I can finally go back to sleep. Though I expect my brain will be processing in the background what colours to use, shapes and designs, and the meaning behind each.

At these times, I’m glad my head can think of these things while I’m completely unconscious. It puts the building blocks together for the next work.

Then I wake up with these almost “eureka!” moments and have to write down the thought quickly.

While I’m not one of those scientists working on a mega puzzle, it’s these moments that I feel most like myself. The critic in my mind turns off and the creativity flows.