CREATING YOUR LIFE’S WORK

Every masterpiece begins from Nothing.

This is what I thought about as I came home after I went to Monet's garden in Giverny with my friends.

The Japanese bridge was covered with wisteria, the bamboos were immense, the peonies were as large as small cantaloupes—I’d never seen anything like it before. It was also tulip season so there were tulips everywhere. The only thing missing were the water lilies.

When Monet bought the land it was empty. There was no garden. It was a vast expanse of uncultivated land. No flowers, no pond, no the little canals. But there were plenty of French villagers who opposed him.

Monet created his garden from scratch.

He imagined a garden that he wanted to paint with a pond that reflected the sky and the trees. He wanted bamboos and water lilies —including the rare Nymphaea varieties imported from Japan—inspired by his beloved Japanese prints. He planned rectangular flower beds that went from light to dark in the colors—a living color palette he could paint and match his colors to. He imagined the sizes plants and trees would be when fully grown—a breathing nature morte.

He imagined, planned, and planted his life's work. The garden came to life. That life became his work.

He painted his garden everyday, in all hours and in all seasons.From the intimate The Waterlily Pond with the Japanese Bridge (Princeton University Art Museum) to the monumental The Water Lily Pond series (you can view a beautiful one at MoMA), Monet captured his garden in over 250 paintings. In his later years, even as his vision deteriorated, he painted these same scenes—the bridge at dawn, the pond in dappled afternoon light, the wisteria in purple bloom. Each painting became a meditation on light, time, and the seasons of his created paradise.

Monet's garden withered away after his death. His only surviving son was not interested in the country life. The gardens were saved and restored by the French government in the 70’s—everything was cleaned including the pond, replanted, repainted and Monet's life's work became a national treasure. 

What is your metaphoric garden? 

What would you create that would feed your work the rest of your life, like Monet?

Something that might not exist at all. Invisible to everyone but you. Something you will go to bat for. Invest in. And bring to life. And work on everyday and—like Monet's paintings—have accumulate into something magnificent over decades.  And, as my friend Scott Osman would say, perhaps even create seven generational impact.

I will be continue to reflect on this and wanted to share it with you.

Thank you Claude Monet.

Thank you dear Marie Rama for taking us there.

Ayse

INSPIRATION

Visit the official Monet Garden website to plan your own trip.

Monet: Or the Triumph of Impressionism, by Daniel Wildenstein

Short 7 minute podcast from NPR where Susan Stamberg takes you to the Garden: Monet The Gardener: Life, And Art, Grow At Giverny

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