Along the ocean walkway that runs from , by King's Beach, and toward Nahant, are a series of plaques. One mentions the Lynn Beach Painters School — a group of local painters who, about 100 years ago, drew inspiration from the sea, and those who made their living from it. They painted coastal scenes, fishermen, and their gear.
One particularly cold and cheerless day last winter, I was running along that same path and by that same sign. With barely another soul in sight, a very fit man running in the opposite direction called to me, "You're my inspiration!"
I wanted to turn around and respond, "Hey, what do you mean by that?"
Find out what's happening in Swampscottwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Not willing to accept that, slow jogger that I am, I was so pathetic that the very sight of me in action could inspire anyone, my thoughts led in other directions.
What is it about the ocean that inspires so many artists?
Find out what's happening in Swampscottwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
What is it about this path along the ocean that encourages so many walkers, runners, and bicyclists?
If you ask a visual artist why so many choose to work along the water, many will respond, it's the light. There's more of it, and it has a distinct quality.
If you polled any of the perambulaters, a walker may say, it's the way the ocean makes your troubles seem small; a runner may add, the expanse clears my head.
Inspiration can mean the ability to literally see around the corner; in a dark place, someone comes along and lights a match. This can be someone doing something first or something difficult -- the inspired one is the first to see around the corner to what is possible.
When we talk of inspiration, we talk of "seeing;" think, "I was blind and now I see." The ocean, with its broad expanse of reflective water literally brings light to an area, light and openness.
When we walk along the beach searching for an answer to our own questions, we want to see around our own particular corner. I don't think it's that different for an artist; they're just wrestling with different problems.
Maybe, in the end, my fellow runner was just as cold as I was, but he figured if she can be out here, so can I. And he continued on.
Is our seaside location the reason why a small town such as Swampscott is home to so many kinds of creative people? In this column, I hope to introduce you to a variety of those artists, and perhaps, together, we can discover the answer. Or, at least shed some light on the question.
