Donatello's Sky-Blue Day

The iconic Renaissance artist/sculptor Donatello meets a strange sky-blue fairy named Carmen who wants to show him the power of true darkness!

This is a creativity fable (fiction!) about the Renaissance era Italian artist Donatello, and it's inspired by the offbeat imagination-diorama film The Muse.

Thanks for reading!

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Donatello was busy in his art studio in Italy fashioning a new joint painting and sculpture of the Madonna when he heard a strange sound late at night. He decided to open the window in his studio to let in some fresh air so he could clear his head, thinking the strange sound he perceived was some kind of delusion. It was very late at night, a Saturday, and Donatello was working very very late so he could complete his artwork on time for his patron and investor, a prominent Roman official of the Church who wanted to use the Madonna art for a new entranceway welcoming area for the cathedral. Donatello didn't want to disappoint the Church, so he was working late to complete his work on time. However, on this night, he kept hearing that strange sound which distracted him from his important work.

Donatello stopped thinking the strange sound, which sounded like scratching coupled with faint giggling or something, was all in his head. He now was convinced the sound was being made by someone...or something. However, he decided to keep ignoring the strange sound and continued to work on his painting and sculpture. Just then, a small sky-blue colored fairy-creature soared into the studio and stared at him while he was working! Donatello was startled and asked the creature, who was a female, what she wanted and if she was indeed real! The sky-blue colored fairy introduced herself as Carmen and insisted that she assist the celebrated Italian artist complete his artworks on the Madonna.

Donatello decided to let the fairy Carmen help him complete his work. Carmen suggested that Donatello splash many shades of sky-blue on the Madonna painting and some for the sandals and garments of the Madonna sculpture. Donatello considered the shrewd advice but asked the fairy Carmen why it was so important to use sky-blue colors for his Madonna art. Carmen explained that since sky-blue was such a soothing and cool color, it would help Donatello's audience appreciate why the symbol of the Madonna reminded Christians of the inherent value of mental peace! Donatello decided the advice was quite wise and decided to follow it and splashed sky-blue colors on the Madonna painting and the sculpture. When Donatello asked Carmen why sky-blue would be a color of fortune for his Madonna art, Carmen eerily explained that cool colors can remind the mind of the true power and darkness of escapism.

Donatello completed his painting and sculpture by dawn, and then his muse, the fairy Carmen, simply vanished. He invited his art patron to come look at the painting in his studio at 9am while they shared breakfast. When the Church patron arrived and saw the handsome Madonna painting and sculpture splashed prudently and cleverly with multiple shades of sky-blue colors, he complimented Donatello on the art. Donatello joked and told the patron that he was inspired by the advice of a mystical creature who admired Christian art, but the patron thought the unusual Italian artist was simply being eccentric while admiring his own creativity. Donatello, however, never forgot how the sky-blue fairy Carmen compelled him to elevate his own diligence in his art!

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"And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever" (1 Samuel 2:35, KJV Bible).