#16 Paula White: Hearing ideas even in silence

Welcome to blog post #16 of The Insightful Creative.

Paula A. White is a photographer, writer, and artist from Madison, Wisconsin. We met while I was a student at UW-Madison, and our friendship has continued, still anchored by a shared circle of friends. In mid-September 2024, we sat down to chat for this blog.

Our conversation began with Paula mentioning several inspirational women—Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keeffe. Then she asked, “And how about Amelia Earhart? How did she learn to fly?” Her question not only captivated me because of my own fascination with Earhart, but also reflected Paula’s own boundless curiosity and love for learning.

“I get inspired by others,” Paula continued. “I’m curious to keep learning about the world and the people in it. I like to blend my art: writing, photography, travel, painting, music. It all goes together; it helps me to breathe.” She spoke of “hearing ideas even in silence”—something she experiences by being with others, traveling, and attending music and dance festivals. This, she said, fuels her enthusiasm, interest, and motivation.

Her words “hearing ideas even in silence,” reminded me of the beautiful book The Sound of Silence by writer Katrina Goldsaito and illustrator Julia Kuo, which Maria Popova shared on her blog, The Marginalian (a favorite of mine).  It tells the story of a little boy named Yoshio who, as Popova writes, “awakens to the elusive beauty of silence amid Tokyo’s bustle and teaches himself its secret language.” Popova continues, “In that moment, he learns what we so easily forget: that silence is not the absence of sound but the presence of an inward-listening awareness, an attunement of the mind’s ear and an orientation of the spirit toward a certain inner stillness.”

Paula enjoys reading memoirs to build this “inward-listening awareness” that lets her “learn about other people’s lives and perspectives.” She adds, “It broadens my knowledge of the world, different cultures, and experiences, and teaches me empathy and compassion.”

In this spirit, Paula has written two memoirs of her own. Ice and Rainbows (2022) recounts her year in Iceland at age 16, while No Worries, Mate (forthcoming) shares her experiences as a 21-year-old exploring the Australian states of New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, and the Northern Territory, as well as Southeast Asia, China, and Japan. (See below for more about Paula’s books.)

She also reflected on the vulnerability involved in sharing personal stories. “There’s always a risk factor in creating new art. It’s scary sharing such personal stories. It’s like having a baby. Not everyone will necessarily like your new child, painting, or poem. What we create is not always beautiful, but it’s my legacy, what I leave behind. Does it have a message? Does it resonate with others in some way? If so, then it’s served my purpose.”

Paula concluded, “In the end, art for me is about learning and love. It teaches us about one another. Life is a learning experience. By creating, I can continue to learn about myself as well as about others.”

Ice and Rainbows (2022)
This is the story of a young outsider trying to fit in by attempting to master the language and adapt to the culture of a small, remote Scandinavian country. Along the way, she is shown love by her host family, meets the President, climbs a glacier, and travels by cargo ship around the country, guided by the midnight sun. Set in 1977 before Iceland became a world tourist hot spot, this memoir follows a sixteen-year-old girl as she navigates through layers of ice to find the next rainbow. Come discover what it was like to spend a year in Iceland, including the good times, the funny adventures, the challenges, and the day-to-day life.

No Worries, Mate (forthcoming)
Travel with Paula on her life-changing journey as she works her way to the Australian National University in Canberra, by way of Hawaii and New Zealand. Learn about the ins and outs of university life, dating, and travel as she explores the Australian states of New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, and the Northern Territory. Then come along with her to experience a 21-year-old female traveling alone through southeast Asia, China, and Japan, in 1982.

What do you do to stay inspired?
In what ways do you “hear ideas in silence?”
How does inspiration from others impact what / how you create?
How does creating teach you about yourself and others?