Sweet and simple language that hails from the heart will trump built-to-impress gibberish every time.
Such has been the case in art and most everything else since, well, forever.
For example, the Bible begins, “In the beginning, God created,” and with five simple words, the author draws us into a saga regarded as the best-selling book of all time.
Particularly given that our world is growing increasingly noisier and more complex, simplicity itself can become the “Wow” factor in your work.
And the love and attention you put into it, the glue that makes your offerings increasingly more attractive.
With all the above in mind, here’s an idea: the next time you set out to create something new, pause and take a breath.
Then consider the essential thing you want to communicate or create, and then—this is the key—express it in the simplest form possible.
Whether it’s a few words, a few notes, a few brushstrokes, or a few ingredients, gather and get them down in some concrete form.
Once you do, you’ll have something to work with, to play and experiment with, and embellish further, as time permits.
Or not.
A Not So Sweet and Simple Approach
Whatever you do, don’t be like the group of well-intentioned but inattentive college students who over-planned a surprise birthday party for a favorite classmate, an exchange student from France🇫🇷.
They pulled out all the stops – hired a small live band, invited all the other students from the French girl’s dorm floor, and ordered a catered spread from the local French bakery that included quiche Lorraine, praline and blueberry tarts, chocolate mousse, and crème brûlée—everything she could want.
Or so they thought, until one of the party organizers noticed the French girl’s long absence from the fabulous party. Alarmed, he went looking for her and found her.
Now, exactly where did he find her?
Holed up in the dorm kitchen with a few close friends, brewing coffee and baking madeleines – just as she often did with and for loved ones back home.
So, whenever possible, K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple, Sweetheart.
Deliver your message straight and true—whatever rings true for your voice—and don’t worry that you’re serving your people simple milk and cookies.
It happens that they adore milk and cookies. That’s the sweetness of simple.
And, speaking of sweetness, simplicity, and French pastries 🥐 . . .
BAKING PASSPORT
CLASSIC FRENCH MADELEINES: SWEET AND SIMPLE FRENCH PASTRY
French madeleines are these delicate little sponge cakes that boast a light, buttery texture with a touch of lemon or vanilla. They come in a shell shape, thanks to their classic scalloped molds.
Madeleines aren’t just a tasty French pastry—they also symbolize memory and nostalgia in art.
You’ll see them in movies and music, often tied to their iconic scene in Marcel Proust’s À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time). In that book, the author’s bite of one brings on a flood of memories.
After having dipped a madeleine in tea, Proust writes:
“No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me.”
That’s some testimonial.
So, if you haven’t tasted or baked madeleines before, now may be an excellent time to try them.
TIPS FOR MIXING IT UP:
- Substitute orange zest for the lemon zest or ~
- Add poppy seeds along with the lemon zest or ~
- Swap out the zest entirely and mini-chocolate chips (at the same time as the melted butter) for delish choco-chip madeleines or . . . you get the idea: the variations are many, so have fun!
FUN FACT:
The woman for whom these tasty little cakes were named is, possibly, Madeleine Paulmier, an 18th-century maid who prepared them for the Duke of Lorraine.
RECIPE:
- Classic French Madeleines, pictured above; get the PDF.
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“SIMPLE” SONGS TO MUNCH MADELEINES BY
TUNES AROUND THE WORLD
LISTEN TO:
- “Madeleines” by composer-musician Andrea Vanzo (ITALY). Here is a lovely piano melody that, in the words of its composer, is “as timeless as the classic scent of freshly-baked madeleines.” Bake a batch, give a listen, and see if you agree.
- “7th Symphony, 2nd Movement” by Ludwig van Beethoven (GERMANY). This march begins slowly and somberly. Then it builds to a majestic finish with layer upon layer of additional strands of music.
- “Lovely Day” by singer-songwriter Bill Withers (U.S.A.). This feel-good song, delivered with smooth vocals, is a guaranteed-to-make-you-smile pop classic.
- “Boléro” by Maurice Ravel (FRANCE). Here is a widely recognized tune by France’s most significant composer. Astounded by its immense popularity, Ravel once called it “one long, very gradual crescendo.”
- “Sing a Simple Song” by bandleader-songwriter “Sly” Stone (U.S.A.). This pop-funk classic with catchy lyrics has a tune that makes it sublimely easy to do what its title invites us to do.
FUN FACT: Towards the end of “Lovely Day,” Bill Withers holds a single note for a record 18 seconds!
LISTEN HERE: Spotify
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ARTIST’S CORNER
FEATURED ARTIST: KARL MAUGHAN ~ NOT YOUR ORDINARY GARDEN PAINTER
Our celebration of Waitangi Day—New Zealand’s national day—continues with a look at artist Karl Maughan, native New Zealander and garden painter extraordinaire.
His paintings of New Zealand floral landscapes invite us to experience the natural world as one bursting with color, in a fresh and dreamlike way.
VIEW a collection of this artist’s exuberantly colorful garden landscapes and WATCH a video of him at work here.
CREATE a garden landscape of your own in the style of Karl Maughan. Here’s a perfect opportunity to use ALL the colors in your paintbox!
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What artist, past or present, has intrigued you most, whether because of their art or how they create it?
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